Do I really need a wedding DJ?
Yes. yes. A thousand times yes.
Does this sound like you? You’ve curated the perfect playlist on your spotify account. Your best friend was the resident DJ in college (meaning they pushed next song at the appropriate time) and has excellent people skills. You are looking to cut costs where you can.
When considering a wedding DJ, a friend is likely not the best option. At first, it sounds like a good way to save money or add a personal touch. And if you’ve been around here long enough…you know I’m all about those unique touches. However, it's crucial to remember that this role requires specific skills and experience.
A professional DJ brings serious expertise that is very hard to recreate. They have the music library suited to a variety of listeners, they mix the music, read the crowd and keep guests engaged. Unexpected situations can arise during a wedding such as specific equipment needs and minor emergency situations. These likely won’t be something that a friend may be able to handle…not to mention feeling torn between their DJ duties and celebrating the occasion.
Here is the hard truth. Cutting the DJ won’t just cut financial costs. It will cost you smooth transitions, it will cost you the time to do the extra work yourself and it will cost you the peace of mind that a professional is taking care of business. If I haven’t convinced you yet, here is a breakdown of what they can do during your day. Keep in mind, this is ONLY the work that I see with my own eyes. Hours of pre-planning goes into this before the day even arrives.
A couple hours of equipment setup for the ceremony
Going over the timeline with the planner
Ensuring the ceremony runs smoothly and all transitions are seamless
Potentially breaking down the ceremony setup
Potentially a second set up for the reception
Double check timeline with planner
Ensuring the reception has mingling music, correct volume, making sure desired songs are played, making announcements at the correct time, making spontaneous announcements as needed, directing the crowd in a succinct way.
Making sure the first dance and any parent dances are focused on by guests.
Starting the dance party, creating an all ages dance floor if desired, following the clients requested vibe and song list, taking song requests if previously discussed, announcing last call, announcing the final dance at the appropriate time, etc.
Breakdown of equipment (have you seen the size of the speakers alone?!)
As a planner, I work with the DJ to make appropriate announcements at the right time which is absolutely key. I would say that they, along with the caterer, are who I work with the closest on event day. I can happily make announcements for the evening but I am already telling you that having a dedicated emcee to manage the flow is the way to go. So much hinges on this coordination effort! I can promise you…they are worth their weight in gold.
If you are considering cutting a DJ out of your budget, think to yourself “but what is the real cost here?”
xoxo,
- Eva
Photos: Jonas Seaman
DJ: DJ B Two Times