Then you see him.  Uncle Floyd is heading over to your disc jockey, where he is going to request that the disc jockey start playing polka music.  Does your disc jockey have a deer in the headlights look on his face?  Hopefully not. 

In your conversations with your disc jockey leading up to the day of the wedding, you should talk to him about how to handle requests from your guests.  It is inevitable that someone will go up to your disc jockey and ask for their party favorites to be played, and you should have a plan worked out with him ahead of time so you both know what will happen when Great Grandma Joan requests they play gangsta rap.

The best way to handle it is up to you. If you don’t mind if your disc jockey takes requests from your guests, then by all means, make sure he knows he can feel free to work in the requested songs as he sees fit.  You could tell him to just graciously offer to make an effort to play the requests without veering too far off of the play list you have already agreed upon.  Another option is to see how many of your family and friends are requesting a song or a specific type of music.  If it seems that he is getting a lot of requests to play an Irish slip jig, it might just be best if he plays one.

You can set guidelines for your disc jockey to follow with regard to the type of music you want played.  If your new husband once dated Sade, and you are insanely jealous, preferring that none of her music be played, let your disc jockey know that you don’t want any requests for her music honored.  You could even have your wedding planner, like the ones at www.alohaislandweddings.com run interference for you, taking the requests from the guests and then not relaying them to the disc jockey.

It is ultimately your decision about what gets played at your wedding, although you do want to take into consideration the crowd you are working with.  Allowing a few requests will help diversity the music a bit, and should not interfere with the integrity of your wedding theme.  Have your guidelines in place, make sure your disc jockey is prepared with a polite smile and a kind way to inform guests that he will try to honor their requests without actually playing them, and let the good times roll.

So what else can you use this guy for?  He made your wedding a resounding success, so why not have a disc jockey for some of other life’s special moments?

Many people only think of hiring a disc jockey for a big event, like a wedding, a bar mitzvah, or a sweet 16 party.  Disc jockeys, however, can make any party more festive!  You might think it’s overkill to hire a disc jockey for something like a house warming party at your first home.  You’re afraid your new neighbors will have the police out at the house for you disturbing the peace.  You couldn’t be more wrong.

While you are used to seeing disc jockeys with all of the equipment they bring to weddings, night clubs, and other big events where there are going to be large groups of people, they can absolutely scale down their equipment – and their volume – to entertain at any type of gathering.  Even if you just want someone to play background music while guests to your home mix and mingle, a disc jockey can provide you with the soundtrack that will make your guests comfortable, allow them to talk, and keep you from having to worry about changing the CDs in your CD player or having to download a whole new batch of music on our MP3 player. 

Disc jockeys can play at children’s parties, and especially for the tween and teen set, a professional disc jockey playing all the latest tunes is going to grab you many more bonus points as a parent than a magician or a clown.

Are you at a loss as to where to find a disc jockey for a smaller affair?  Contact an area wedding coordinator, such as the people at www.alohaislandweddings.com , who would be familiar with disc jockeys in your area and what types of events they work.  Have people talking about how great your parties are, no matter how small!

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.

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!

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. 

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!

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.

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.

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.

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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