Don’t let the hotel ‘bully’ you into having their resident DJ
It would seem that more and more of the hotels offering wedding day facilities are insisting that brides and grooms have their resident DJ for the evening parties by saying that the DJ is “thrown in” free of charge and even enforcing a ‘penalty’ payment if you wish to have your own chosen DJ. Please be aware that hotels cannot legally do this and what is more - do you really want a DJ who has either offered his services for free or for very little payment? These DJ’s are notoriously BAD.... let’s face it, if they were any good they would have their own business and not have to work for a pittance or even for free. And besides the hotel hides the charge for the DJ somewhere in your bill - so he’s NOT really free is he?
You have spent a lot of time, effort and money on making your wedding day perfect so why settle for a ‘cheap’ DJ who has little or no experience and, worse still, not much in the way of a record collection.
Don’t let your wedding day end in tears just because the hotel is trying to bully you into having their second rate DJ. Would you let the hotel ‘throw-in’ a wedding dress, cake, hairdresser, flowers or a photographer? You are paying a lot of money for the use of their hotel - tell them that you want your own DJ and you won’t pay their penalty and let us stop this underhand practice now.
OK - Soapbox over ...... A good selection of music can really make the celebration, bring guests together and create a truly memorable evening. A professional DJ will make your reception come alive and ensure people enjoy themselves whereas a poorly chosen DJ will stifle the mood. Don’t dismiss the music at your reception as an afterthought and make sure that you have a consultation with the actual DJ not just the owner of the DJ Agency.
The DJ’s role can be summarised as follows: play the songs you have chosen; play you guests’ requests; and play tracks in between which will give the evening a lift. It is the DJ’s goal and partly his responsibility that your guests enjoy themselves at the reception.
Choose an experienced DJ who has a large collection of music at his disposal and who plays requests - make this a must. Your chosen DJ must be able to play songs for all your guests regardless of age or taste in music. Requests are an important part of the evening - they guarantee participation and elevate the mood, which is exactly what you want.
Be sure to choose a DJ who is organised. A DJ who keeps all the tunes in his head is more likely to miss out much wanted songs or play them at the wrong time. This is not to say you should choose a DJ who works from a list of songs and plays them in sequence regardless of how your guests are reacting to the music. A good DJ should be able to judge the mood and play songs accordingly.
Remember to let the DJ know your choice of song for the first dance between bride and groom. Some couples choose to observe the custom of dances between father and bride and mother and groom; again, let the DJ know in advance if this applies to you.
Do give the DJ the benefit of the doubt occasionally. It is very hard to build up a party mood if your efforts are constantly interrupted with requests for Steps - annoying at any time. Although you should ask as many questions as you can, and you certainly have the right to determine what gets played and when, try to give the DJ the same trust you give the photographer, both of whom are professionals in their chosen fields.
If a DJ is not to your taste you may opt for a live band. Do not expect a live band to go without breaks or play all evening. Singing is tough work. An idea may be to have a live band for the first half of the reception before handing over to a DJ.
When you have made your choice get everything in writing and agree on a final play-list, price, date and time.