Your Dancing Disc Jockey

When you hire a disc jockey to play the music for your wedding, you are hoping they will help create a wedding reception that people will long remember.  You want a mix of music that will not only make the wedding couple happy, but will also appeal to a broad range of people, so when your guests are finally full from dinner, they have some motivation to get out on the dance floor and enjoy the party.

For some guests, the will to get out on the dance floor is there, but they might feel a little bit self conscious.  Uncle Herman might have been a great dancer in his day, and he’d love to get out there and show you he’s still got game, but he doesn’t know any of the new dances or steps, and it might keep him in his seat next to Aunt Henrietta instead of out on the dance floor enjoying himself.

This is where a qualified disc jockey comes in and plays a role in your wedding reception nearly as important as the music itself.  Before you book your disc jockey, ask if they will have someone on the dance floor, teaching your guests the dances.  Sure, you know the Electric Slide, but what about some of the other guests?  The Macarena might be old hat to the groom’s side of the family, but what about your Polka loving clan? 

Some disc jockey companies will actually provide you with two people to run the show.  One person will run the music – making sure the appropriate music is played at the appropriate time.  The other person is the entertainer.  He might be the master of ceremonies, and carry out some other wedding duties, but if you find a disc jockey that will step out on the dance floor and show Cousin Rita how to dance the Bristol Stomp, hang onto him as tightly as you are clinging to your husband-to-be.

Use your wedding planner, such as the ones at www.alohaislandweddings.com , to guide you in the right direction to find such a disc jockey.  It really does help make your party a resounding success if you can get everyone up and dancing and enjoying themselves.  Offering these semi-private dance lessons will make sure that none of your guests can use the excuse that they don’t know the dances.  This gives everyone the optimum chance to enjoy your wedding.

Additional Fun With Your Disc Jockey

You have hired your disc jockey based on the entertainment value he possesses in his awesome and varied collection of music.  But if you use your disc jockey only for his awe inspiring record collection, you may not be utilizing his full potential as a source of entertainment for your wedding.

The most obvious way your DJ can help you is by providing master of ceremonies duties.  Because your disc jockey should be used to working wedding receptions, he should be familiar with all of the traditional dances, cake cutting rituals, garter tossing and bouquet tossing festivities.  Having him take care of all the announcements saves you from having to hire someone else or from recruiting a relative at the last minute.

Part of your disc jockey’s responsibilities should include getting your guests up from their tables to dance and have a good time.  Talk with your DJ ahead of time about the possibility that he will lead some of the popular dances.  Many DJs will teach your crowd things like the Electric Slide, the Macarena, even the YMCA; and in many cases, your disc jockey can be on the dance floor for each dance, encouraging your guests to participate in the fun.

Some disc jockey’s now will hand out props to your wedding guests.  Some will have them already, and include them as part of their wedding package.  Others will gladly have them ready for your guests and hand them out at the appropriate time.  Props can include something as simple as Hawaiian leis, which your DJ just has to hand out when it’s time; but props can include blow up items that your DJ will prepare in advance to present during the song for which the props were meant.

Talk to your disc jockey in advance to see what other types of entertaining services they offer.  Some will play trivia or other games with your guests, or they can help keep the party moving with jokes and introductions.  If you are using a wedding planner, they would probably be the best at recommending a disc jockey who will give you the most bang for your wedding entertainment buck.  Especially if you are hosting a destination wedding, a wedding coordinator such as www.alohaislandweddings.com will be familiar with many of the most popular disc jockeys and how they run their parties.

Remember that nothing is off limits until you ask and find out what your DJ can’t do.  If you’ve seen it done, or if you think you’d like to try something fun and unusual, talk to your wedding professional, and see if they can make it happen!

Does a Small Wedding Need a Disc Jockey?

You might think that because you are only hosting a handful of people at your destination wedding, you don’t need to concern yourself with music.  In some cases, you may not need music, but working with a disc jockey, even if you are planning a very intimate wedding, can really add to a positive wedding experience.  Having a disc jockey takes some of the pressure off of you in figuring out ways to enhance the experience for your guests and create memories for yourselves.

Even at a small wedding, a disc jockey can help you with the tone and the atmosphere.  Prior to the ceremony, as your guests are coming in to be seated, having a disc jockey there will allow you to play music native to your destination (such as Hawaiian love songs), spiritual music befitting a religious ceremony, or some of your favorite quiet tunes.  Having music playing helps welcome your guests, and provides them with some form of entertainment as they wait for your procession down the aisle.  In many instances, it may be less expensive to have a disc jockey provide this service than it is to hire musicians.

If there will be no dancing at your reception, a disc jockey can still be an important piece to guarantee a successful reception.  Background music can be an integral part of your gathering after your wedding ceremony, and even if you do not intend to have your guests dancing, a DJ can play music to accompany dinner, and serve as a master of ceremonies to conduct the rest of your activities.  You will still probably want someone to introduce things like the cake cutting, the garter or bouquet toss, or even to let guests know about activities after the wedding they might need to know about (shuttle back to their hotel, a post-wedding breakfast the following morning, etc.).  A qualified disc jockey helps things to flow, and can help direct and guide the festivities, even for a wedding that breaks from some of the wedding traditions.

If the plan is for just the two of you to celebrate a beach wedding, maybe even borrowing witnesses, talk to a professional wedding planner like the ones at www.alohaislandweddings.com to see how a disc jockey might be able to enhance even a small wedding such as this.  If you plan to have things videotaped, a DJ can help add a soundtrack that will have you watching your wedding video over and over for many years to come. 

Ask Not What Your Disc Jockey Can Do For You…

Your wedding day is quickly approaching, and you are sitting at home, happy about all of the arrangements you have made.  You’ve given the florist a swatch from your bridesmaids’ dresses, and you’ve given the caterer the final count.  You have given the best man your wedding rings, and you have given the bakery the antique top you want to use on your cake.  But what can you do for your disc jockey?

At one of your initial meetings with your wedding entertainment, you should have gone over the songs you would like him to play.  You may have provided him with a list of your favorites, or you could have given him a theme that you want him to work with in selecting the most suitable music.  Now is the time, however, to call him and make sure he has all of the music that are must plays.  Does he have the song you and your groom will dance to?  Did he find the lovely but obscure song you want to dance to with your dad?  You may have to provide him with some of the music he has been unable to locate.

If you want there to be props at your wedding – leis, hula hoops, bubbles, blow up musical instruments, sombreros, etc. – contact your DJ to find out whether or not he will provide them at an additional cost, or if you need to purchase them on your own.  If your DJ does not provide them, your wedding planner might be able to find a local vendor who can provide them for you.  This is especially helpful if you are doing a destination wedding, but use a reliable local vendor such as www.alohaislandweddings.com .

Another good thing to discuss with your disc jockey is his master of ceremonies responsibilities.  Check to make sure that he not only has all of the names of your attendants and all of the people that will be announced, but that he knows how to properly pronounce the names.  Go over with him if you want him to announce the special dances – like the newlyweds’ first dance, dances with the parents, or other significant dances.  Advise him if you will have music and announcements for the garter toss, bouquet toss, and cake cutting.  Let him know what songs you expect him to play for each of these events. 

Your disc jockey is likely to be a trained professional, and he should anticipate many of these things well in advance.  It does, however, help your peace of mind to know that you have touched base with him and have all of your ducks in a row for the big day!

The Age Old Question – a band or a DJ?

Your wedding plans are going smoothly; you’re already onto choosing the entertainment – and then you hit a snag: do you want a band or a DJ? Your island theme would be perfect if you had a Jimmy Buffett tribute band. Your 40’s glamour theme simply wouldn’t be complete without a big band. Your bank account keeps dropping hints about a rocker theme and hiring local high school kids in a battle of the bands for a hundred bucks. Sure a band would set your wedding apart from the norm, but is it really the way to go? Perhaps there’s a reason – or several – most people go with disc jockeys.

For starters, a band takes longer to set up than DJ equipment. Rather than plugging in speakers and a laptop, a band will have instruments to set up and tune. A band, unlike a DJ, will also need breaks. A singer tires much quicker than DJ equipment will. If you know you want to hire a band, you may want to consider hiring a DJ for when your band isn’t performing, or bringing your own music. You could also hire a band just for cocktails or dinner, to play soft jazz, Sinatra, or island songs, or for an hour during your party for country line-dances. This will all depend on your theme and your budget. Remember that you can tell your DJ you want him to play beach songs during dinner or teach your guests country line dances.

Hiring a band also limits your music to a particular style. A band simply cannot play it all the way a DJ can. You can certainly ask your Kiss tribute band to play Ring of Fire for your first dance, but even if they do, it probably won’t be as good as Johnny Cash. Your DJ can play whatever songs you want in any version you want. A DJ is also much more likely to interact with your guests. Your DJ will have fun party props, will teach your guests dances, and will interact with them to get the energy going in ways that a band simply cannot. If you talk to your DJ about your specific needs, he will be able to meet them. A band, on the other hand, is more of a “what you see is what you get” deal. Your Polish relatives might hope you’ll have a polka for them to dance to, but why limit your guests by hiring a Polish polka band for the whole night, if you could hire a DJ that will appease your Polish family with polkas, your Italian friends with the Tarantella, and your younger cousins with Green Day.

Can You Afford a Disc Jockey?

The dress, the venue, the food, the photographer, the flowers, the favors, the tux…they all have one thing in common: money!  The cost of a disc jockey is certainly no exception to the seemingly endless wedding expenses. But there’s no reason hiring a DJ should have you fretting about your big day.

For starters, you can hire your DJ for a smaller amount of time than you’d originally planned.  Have him play for the party and bring your own music for the cocktails and the dinner. Your guests will be too busy socializing and eating to really care about dancing, let alone where the music is coming from. Just create a playlist that you can have going in the background for an hour or two, or pick two or three albums that are special to you or your theme. You might also want to consider planning your wedding on an “off-day” for DJs. Most companies will charge less if you hire them for an event between Sunday and Thursday.  This option might even give you enough money to have your dinner covered as well. Neither of these options sacrifice party props, guest interaction or professionalism.

There are even more routes open to you, if you just use a bit of creativity. If you have a college near you, you are almost certain to find a hungry college radio station DJ who would fit your budget. They usually have their own equipment, and are looking for ways to get experience. If you find one, be sure to interview them as you would a professional DJ company – get a feel for their personality, find out if they’ll interact with your guests, and ask if they’re willing to MC. Make sure you discuss what type of music you want played, as a college DJ is less likely to have as wide a range as a professional company. You may have to help them out a bit with some of your more unique music. If being introduced isn’t important but you’re set on a professional, you can look into DJs who don’t perform MC duties, but who will simply play the music you want. Neither of these will probably bring props, but if they’re important to your party needs, you could even consider buying some yourself cheap. Leis can be found at any party store in bulk, especially online, as well as a few pairs of maracas and many dollar stores carry hula hoops. Buy them when you can for great prices and then simply store them until your special day.

 

You’ve Got Your Man – Now What?

You’ve chosen your man – from the Disc Jockey company, that is, and now he wants to know what music you want him to play. Suddenly, that relief you felt at having gotten yet another contract out of the way is gone as you scramble to think of your favorite songs.  Choosing a set list is actually much less daunting a task than it seems. After all, you’ve hired a disc jockey – let him help you out!

Communication is crucial. First, if you have any specific songs or bands you wants played – especially for your first dance or your dances with your parents – make sure you tell your DJ!  If you have some rare songs on your list, you may want to burn a CD or tell your DJ where he can find them. Then, come up with a general outline of music that best fits the theme of your special day. A tropical paradise theme lends itself to Jimmy Buffett, Israel “Iz” Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole, Calypso, and soft island tunes – maybe even The Beach Boys if you’re into that. 

This brings us to a very important aspect of choosing your music: the guests. You and your new hubby might think heavy metal is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but Uncle Vinny probably prefers good ol’ Frank. Your DJ knows how to play to a crowd – make sure you clue him in as to your theme and the size and character of your guest list. That way, he can create a perfect mix that incorporates your dinner music, your party music, and your “old lady” music.

 Even if you’ve never liked them, don’t immediately rule out your staple line dances. They really get crowds of all shapes and sizes moving – especially if your DJ is interactive. Make sure you have softer background music for dinner to set the mood – this is the perfect time to break out the Frank Sinatra, country, jazz, or island sounds.  If Coldplay is your absolute favorite band, play them during dinner or ask your DJ to save them for some slow songs – they’re not the best band for your guests to party down to till the wee hours of the morning. By talking to your DJ and really thinking about what will make your special day enjoyable, you can easily find music that not only pleases your guests, but still has you written all over it.

Just Who’s Running the Show?

You’ve been engaged long enough to now know that you actually have to put some planning into this whole wedding thing in order for the great party to happen after your wedding ceremony. Like many brides and grooms-to-be, you’ve probably scrutinized other weddings you’ve been invited to; checked out a few local vendors; and asked other people for recommendations for your big day. But when it comes to your wedding disc jockey, there are a few things you need to be aware of, and those are things that could impact the success of your wedding reception.

You might call it the old bait and switch, but in most cases, it’s really just a matter of the bride and groom not getting all of the information they need to insure an amazing wedding reception. You might be enjoying Joe Smith’s DJ services at a friend’s wedding so much, that you book them on the spot to do your wedding. Then when your big day rolls around, someone you’ve never seen shows up and doesn’t give you the performance you were hoping for. Many brides are disappointed to learn that when you hire Joe Smith’s DJ services, you are hiring one of the many DJs Joe Smith has working for him – and the one you saw that you loved may not be the one available on your special day!

At your very first meeting, one of your initial questions should be who will be the disc jockey at MY wedding? You should insist upon meeting the person who will perform at your wedding to make sure you are comfortable with him and feel like he will do a good job on your behalf. If possible, you want to see your DJ in action. Many companies will have video tape of each of their DJs working an actual wedding, so you can get a feel for their style, but if possible, go see them live and in person. See how they interact with the crowd and how well they do in motivating guests to participate.

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Talking Music With Your DJ

After you have gone through the exhausting search to find the disc jockey who you want to entertain your wedding guests at your wedding, you are going to want to find the time to discuss with the DJ what types of music you want at your wedding.  Many brides and grooms carry out specific wedding themes, and you may be tempted to limit your music selection based on the theme you have chosen for your wedding.  If the majority of your wedding guests are going to be into that type of music – whether you have chosen a 1970’s disco theme or a 1940’s swing theme – having music only from that particular genre wouldn’t be a bad idea.  For the most part, however, you might want to talk to your DJ about mixing it up a bit.

There is a reason why many of the weddings you’ve been to have similar music.  You are likely to find YMCA played at nearly every wedding, and perhaps the Chicken Dance and the Electric Slide.  The reasoning behind that is because those are the songs people are familiar with and the ones they will dance to.  The purpose of your reception is to celebrate and have fun, but if you play music that is unfamiliar to your guests, you may find that many of them choose to remain at their tables instead of dancing.

Your DJ will be familiar with current dance trends and what remains popular at many weddings.  If you don’t want to go with the wedding favorites that you know you’ve heard at every other wedding, as your DJ to suggest alternatives to you, perhaps ones that will fit better with your theme, but still keep your guests dancing the night away.  You may not want Celebration played during your special day, but you know it’s a song your family will dance to.  Ask the DJ for suggestions as to what will get the people up and dancing, and keep you from hearing a song you’ve heard at every other cookie cutter wedding.

Don’t rule out keeping one or two classic dances, but consider asking your DJ to bring in some of the music you prefer and teaching new dances to the guests.  You’ll find qualified and professional wedding DJs by consulting with a professional wedding coordinator, like those at www.alohaislandweddings.com.  The better experienced your DJ is, the more options he’ll have for you in planning your wedding music.

Hiring a DJ for your Hawaiian Beach Wedding

You’ve chosen a beautiful Hawaiian paradise as the location for your beach wedding.  All of the details are in place, from the beautiful hibiscus flowers to the incredible lava rock centerpieces.  The only thing you have left to choose is a disc jockey – the person who will set the tone for the party that celebrates your magical union.

Where do you begin?  This is Hawaii!  Are you going to end up with DJs that want to play Don Ho and Bruddah Iz?  Will they work with you to play a mix of your favorite songs, with perhaps a little traditional Hawaii thrown in?

Even if you were not going to Hawaii, you would want to come up with a list of questions for your DJ, as well as a list of songs you want them to play.  You want to know how many people will be working your wedding.  It’s okay if there is just one person, but even better if there are two people.  An extra person can do all of the emcee duties, and in many cases, the extra person will be on the dance floor, teaching some of the dance moves and encouraging your guests to get their boogie on.  Find out what medium they use for their music.  There are still some DJs using vinyl records, and they can scratch.  You don’t want your first dance to be ruined by a skipping record!  CDs or MP3 are much better formats, and they allow the DJ to maintain a much larger library of music.

Find out what your DJ will be wearing, and if necessary, see if you can request a style of clothing suitable to your wedding.  Many companies require their DJs to wear suits and ties, but a casual beach wedding doesn’t really need the formality.  Also, ask if you can speak directly to the DJ who will entertain at your wedding.  It helps to have a feel for the person you will be working with.

Rely on the local Better Business Bureau and other trusted wedding professionals for recommendations when it comes to your DJ.  Your Hawaii wedding photographer, for example, has probably been at enough weddings to know who usually does a good job at the weddings he has attended.  If you are working with a hotel, their wedding department probably has a good handle on local DJs.

Don’t completely dismiss throwing in one or two favorite songs that will remind people of your Hawaiian locale.  If your DJ can get you the Bruddah Iz version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, it can be a perfect way to end your beautiful Hawaii wedding.