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*Most Important!* If you hire a DJ other than myself:
Make sure you don’t have the kind of DJ who will display an ugly banner. A DJ advertisement is not going to add anything to your day.
There should be no business cards displayed by your DJ or any other vendors. A good DJ will be ASKED for his/her card!
Most of the time you will get what you pay for but you do not have to hire on price alone. A low price usually indicates an open calendar. You may get a great DJ at a lower price if you hire last minute or if you hire on a weekday. Expect to pay from $800 to $1,200 on Saturdays from May through October for an excellent DJ.
Interviewing DJs is OK but save yourself some time and get referrals! Get referrals from you event facility, your photographer, and your hairdresser –and trust them. Then speak with your DJ. Do you get a good "feel" about him/her? Would you want to be friends with this person? Your event is much more than a business transaction.
Tell the DJ how you want things. Good DJs can and will accommodate your requests.
Ceremony Music
for Outdoor Wedding
Q. We are having an outdoor wedding in a gazebo. What are our options for ceremony music, such as the wedding march? Should we provide a microphone for our officiate?
A. There are several good wedding-music CDs on the market, or you could sample music form your own collection. Your DJ can offer ideas and music samples.
Most DJs can set up early for the reception & then provide a sound and music for your ceremony. For example, I can mic your officiate, your reader, any musicians you hire, and provide pre & post ceremony music. The additional charge would be between &100 and $200. It will be worth it to have the pro take care of this for you!
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Is Dancing Required?
Q. Neither my fiancé nor I dance. As we plan our wedding, we're thinking a late morning mass and a brunch reception. Is dancing required at a wedding? Isn't great food and good conversation enough?
A . Dancing is absolutely not required at a wedding. Background music is perfectly appropriate, especially for a reception early in the day -- it feels kind of weird to boogie down at noon, anyhow! But also keep in mind that you don't have to know how to dance to enjoy a "first dance" -- you can simply sway in each other's arms. Or, -- take lessons and surprise everyone!
Bouquet & Garter Toss
Q This is my second wedding. Any ideas to replace throwing the bouquet? The reason I ask is most of my guests are already married, have been married, and are of that age group or older.
A If you feel that the bouquet toss is inappropriate for your wedding -- as many couples do these days -- you certainly can choose to skip it. You might opt instead to bestow your bouquet on a special friend or relative, or break it up into smaller bouquet favors for your guests. Another trend is the Anniversary Dance where all married couples join the bride and groom on the dance floor and the DJ plays a song and begins eliminating couples by the amount of time they've been married. Example: "Everyone married less than a day, please leave the dance floor; everyone married less than one / five / ten / fifteen, etc. leave the dance floor." The last couple, married the longest, is then presented with the bride's bouquet or other special gift. Best wishes!
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The Guest List: Inviting Kids (or Not)
Deciding whether to make your wedding guest list adults-only can cause as much stress as planning the perfect proposal or choosing a gown. On the one hand, you don't want to seem like Dr. Evil, but on the other, you're not Mr. Rogers, either. The following reasons for inviting and not inviting kids -- plus tips for making either scenario run smoothly.
Kid Pros: It's your wedding day and everyone's there to honor your new life together. A marriage ceremony is all about the gathering of family and friends, and having children there will only add to the special meaning of the day.
If you or your fiancé(e) have particularly special children in your lives -- a namesake, nieces and nephews, a godchild -- asking them to be a part of your big day shows them, and all your other guests, how important they are to you.
Kid friendly tips: Hire a babysitter to watch them during the ceremony (have him or her sit with small kids in a separate room, if necessary). Set up a children's table or room at the reception, complete with favors, crayons, coloring books, small toys, and games. Consider hiring special children's entertainment, such as a caricaturist or clown. The activity can even take place in another room.
The kid free zone: You want a serious, intimate ceremony and a reception that's a major party.
Parents may have a better time at the wedding--and stay longer--if they don't have to keep an eye on their kids.
You can't possibly invite everyone's children, and picking and choosing would offend the parents of those who aren't asked to attend. The best way to avoid ruffling feathers is to not invite any.
Kid free tip: Stand your ground and make no exceptions.
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DJs & Bands
No doubt about it: Music can make or break a wedding celebration. It's the heart and soul of a reception and can send your guests home with happy feet -- or pained grimaces. The fact that you want to hire a talented band or DJ is a given.
Vibe: The type of music you choose can set the tone of your wedding and solidify a theme. And remember, it's the last thing people experience before they leave. Think about what musical genre best reflects your personalities and inspires the ambience you want to create. How the music is delivered -- by live band or DJ -- also affects the ambience.
Variety: Are you a little bit country, while he's a little bit rock 'n' roll? Regardless of whether you choose a band or DJ, be sure they play slow and fast, old and new tunes for variety and to encourage different sets of guests to hit the dance floor.
Budget: DJs generally cost less. Fees range from $350 to $1,200. A band will generally cost more, from $2,000 to $7,000. Band prices vary by the number of musicians, and what time of year it is.
Space: Don't get your heart set on an eight-piece band before you check whether the reception site has any restrictions on the number of musicians and pieces of equipment you may bring in, and whether there are any electrical power supply or noise limitations. Ask these questions before you start scouting bands.
Band or Dj?
Band Pros: There's nothing like a live wedding band to get a crowd stoked and create a sense of sophistication. A good bandleader will play the master of ceremonies at your reception, interact with folks on the dance floor, & pay attention to the "feel" of the room.
DJ Pros: Good disc jockeys are artists in their own right. The songs played will sound exactly as you remember them. Depending on the amount of equipment a DJ brings, he or she will take up less dance floor space and can be relocated with relative ease.
DJ Cons: On the opposite end of the spectrum, a DJ with a less-than stellar personality can be a party-killer. -if you hire a DJ, hire a good one such as myself!
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BEFORE YOU SIGN
Know that all professionals should be open to your likes and dislikes. Give them your own personal song list, songs they must and, perhaps most important, must not play. Worried that you'll hear the Macarena at your once in a lifetime event? Specifically prohibit the playing of a song you feel strongly about it.
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