To DJ or not to DJ - The PASH Wedding Forums and Message Boards

birdie · #1 01-23-2007, 01:01 AM

So what do you all think? I don't really want to get a DJ because of the lack of funds but FH and his family think that it will ease up any stress about the music at the reception on the day of (which of course would be great)

My main concern, though, is that FH and I have a pretty eclectic taste in music - I do not like top 40 music most of what DJs have. My favorite type of music is stuff never played on the radio and that most DJs don't have in their usual library. Are most DJs willing to acquire the music you specifically request before the wedding or if they don't have it, they won't play it? Is it worth my time to look at DJs if they aren't going to play the music I want?

And under absolutely no circumstance will the macarena or the hokey pokey be played at my wedding reception!

So, if we don't go with a DJ, how easy is it to hook up an Mp3 player or my laptop to speakers and just play the songlist from there? Help me please, somebody!!! I have no idea what I'm doing about music.

anna32182 · #2 01-23-2007, 01:39 AM

Quote:

So, if we don't go with a DJ, how easy is it to hook up an Mp3 player or my laptop to speakers and just play the songlist from there? Help me please, somebody!!! I have no idea what I'm doing about music.

Should be pretty easy. You would need to buy (or borrow) speakers and the appropriate cables (remember to do a practice run, you want to make sure it's loud enough to hear over the festivities).

I'd download Windows Media Player or iTunes and download your music to there. You can customize your playlist so that you don't end up with 32 slow songs in a row. If you have a recording device on your computer, you could also add voiceovers (to announce character songs).

breezy · #3 01-23-2007, 02:14 AM

We played our own music. We sorted it all out and made CD's to play in the order we wanted.

The only downfall to this is that you really need someone to MC your entrace, dinner, 1st dance, cake cutting, garter toss ect... (what ever you are doing)

I had it so that the CD's ended when we wanted our Cake cutting to start and then had a certain song play prior to our 1st dance so that it que'd DH and I to have someone MC. It was a bit tricky though since we went pretty low key and relaxed.

Heather · #4 01-23-2007, 02:24 AM

DJs can get music from online as easy as someone can request a song - at least an up-to-date, well prepared DJ can. They don't necessarily have to have it in their possession. DJ equipment has really come along way.

I know for us, we wouldn't have had it any other way (with a DJ). He did all of the introductions and really facilitated the whole night. He also did our ceremony and it was beautiful.

Most DJs will have you fill out a form that lists the type of music you want to hear, specific songs and those you do not want to hear. We had no Macarena, Electric Slide or Chicken Dance listed right on our contract/form.

Steph · #5 01-23-2007, 02:51 AM

Have you priced around for DJ's yet?

birdie · #6 01-23-2007, 01:36 PM

I've priced them a little bit online. My FMIL said if I give her a list of people she can check around (she lives where the wedding will be). I'm just a bit of a control freak and I don't want to bother her with this stuff but I may have to take her up on it.

Most of the DJ websites say that they can't price anything until they know what, exactly, you want. I can't tell if this is good or if it means that if you don't want a whole club-like atmosphere they will raise their prices so you are spending more. I just want a simple DJ with few, if any, lights and no games/cheesy stuff. I have this preconcieved notion of a DJ that I need to get out of my head. But right now I've found $250/hour, and 5 hours for $700.

What did you all spend for a DJ? and was it worth it?

Hey Margie, since you are so close to my wedding spot, do you know of any good DJs I should contact?

imstilldreaming · #7 01-23-2007, 02:26 PM

I'm doing my own music with a laptop and speakers. The reception area is not that big so I don't think hearing it will be a problem. It's meant to be background noise anyway, as we aren't doing any dances or garter stuff or anything like that. My best friend's boyfriend just happens to love hooking up large speakers to laptops. If you can find someone who is good with that kind of stuff, I think it would be fine to do that. If I didn't already know someone though I probably would have gone with a DJ.

Sapphire · #8 01-23-2007, 07:00 PM

Since mine was on a Sunday, I paid 500 for unlimited time. (usually five hours, though) and since my photographer recommended me, I got an extra hundred off. Bridal shows are good for discounts too.

As for the selection, if it's a good dj, they can have anything you want - from celtic to pop to 50s music. It's my understanding that wedding DJs are very different from club and radio DJs and what they play. I would suggest you see what everyone else recommends. =] Respond.com (no affiliation) is a good place to get other places to come to you. You put in your information and they contact you to talk about everything.

Leslee&Jake · #9 01-23-2007, 07:08 PM

I know for a fact it is easy to hook your Ipod or laptop up to speakers. We did this for a barbeque I had at my dad's house we brought all the speakers outside and just set it up. Maybe you could ask a friend of an invited guest to be the DJ. They would just have to play the play list you set up and chime in everyonce in a while for the things you wanted them to announce.

555Ann555 · #10 01-23-2007, 08:05 PM

Why not give it a trial run at home? See if you can like your home stereo speakers to your mp3 player/laptop,that should give some indication.

After that it's a matter of some organisation. Planning which songs you'd like when, and how long you'll need the music to run.

We hired a band for our reception, but for the meal & for the band break I made compilations of songs we've loved over the year. It does take a bit of planning, but if you think you have enough time, (or that your FH could do with a project!) then why not give it a try?

It was really nice to hear songs at our wedding & know that my friends would know why I had chosen that one, that we'd shared the same memorries with it! I thnk that is really the best part of planning your own music, you can make it really personal.

Olus if you are any way close to being as much of a control freak as I am you'd be as well just doing it yourself

If I had hired a DJ I would probably have made a play list for him, and if you are going to go to that much effort you might as well save the $!

birdie · #11 01-23-2007, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 555Ann555

if you are going to go to that much effort you might as well save the $!

This is exactly what I'm thinking. I would hope that a good DJ would have the songs I would want and I wouldn't need to make a playlist but I'm afraid that the DJs we can afford aren't exactly the well-prepared professional ones.

I'll talk to FH some more. Maybe since he's the one that wants a DJ, he can help find one! Ooh! Project for the boy!!!

Heather · #12 01-24-2007, 12:47 AM

Our DJ cost $750 for 5 hours plus the ceremony - so 5.5 hours total. He had speakers that he set up and took down, no cheesy lights or smoke or games either.

For us it was totally worth it. Almost three years later, and we're still complimented on the music and food.

sparklesweetie · #13 01-24-2007, 03:44 AM

I had wanted a DJ, but DH wanted a band and he won that battle...that said, I did do some research on some DJ's here. All the ones I talked to where willing to play any and everything I wanted. And if they didn't have it, they'd get it. The prices you've listed I think were about the same.

Just a word of caution, should you do the Ipod thing- make sure you have a backup. I know a couple who's computer crashed the day before the wedding so they had very little music.

NovemberGal · #14 01-24-2007, 04:46 AM

We spent $825 for 4 1/2 hours, and he was EXCELLENT. The music was great, exactly what we wanted, and the dance floor was full all night. We could tell from the pictures afterward that people had a great time, and they told us they did.

Ours had a website where we could request specific songs for specific events (entrance, first dance, cake cutting, etc.) as well as songs we definitely wanted, songs we'd like to have, and songs we DID NOT want (I think this last is really important!). The DJ also talked to us in detail about the type(s) of music we liked, what the guests liked, the approximate numbers of guests in various age ranges, and used all that info to make really good, informed choices about the music. I mean, it was really wonderful. Nothing obnoxious, he just announced the wedding party and us, announced our first dance, father-daughter/mother-son dance and open dance floor (we opened the floor halfway through the parent dances; we're not big dancers so we made sure our wedding party led the guests onto the floor), and got attention for the cake cutting and the surprise (to us!) serenade from my music group guests (

) I seriously cannot overstate how happy we were with him. Anyone in the Washington DC area looking for a DJ, let me know.

wedbyjean · #15 01-24-2007, 03:29 PM

To dj or not to dj -- it really depends on your expectations of your reception. If you only want background music, or a very limited selection of genres/styles played, then hooking up an mp3 or other device should be sufficient.

On the other hand, if you want a lot of dancing then you need an experienced live body playing the music. A dj's job is more than just to play music. One of the most important things he/she has to do is be able to read the crowd and play the types of music that will keep your guests on the dance floor. An mp3 player can't tell if the dance floor is crowded or empty, and won't know to play more of the stuff that your guests are responding to.

Many djs have the top 40 music, as that's the style that many people are looking for, or think "should" be played. However, most djs will have an extensive "music library" so you'll have several different songs/genres/artists to choose from.

Prices vary -- depending on the length of time you contract him for (4-5 is the norm) and if there are any "extras" such as a lighting package. Also, like anything else, pricing varies from region to region. $500 - $750 is a ballpark average around here.

One more comment re the use of mp3 players, laptops, etc. After you figure up the cost of renting speakers and the proper equipment, and the time it will take to set it up and test everything to make sure it's right, and will sound good to a room full of partying people - the "expense" of a dj is well worth it.

birdie · #16 01-24-2007, 07:16 PM

Okay, you girls have won me over to at least seriously look for a DJ and contact them about what they can and will do for us. Like I said, I have this horrible picture in my head of what they willbe like that I needed to get rid of and it's fading for sure.
Thanks for all of the replies and advice. I'll keep you updated on my decisions!

TheaterDiva1 · #17 01-24-2007, 07:27 PM

I don't know anything about hooking up iPods so I'm not much help there.

That said, if you write out a list and give it to the DJ ahead or time, they should be able to get anything you ask (if they don't already have). We were VERY anal about our music - I typed out a whole spreadsheet for different parts of the ceremony, special songs for the reception (first dance, cake cutting, etc.) - and I don't think we wanted anything in the Top 40 (mostly classic rock through 80's).

Heather · #18 01-24-2007, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by birdie

Okay, you girls have won me over to at least seriously look for a DJ and contact them about what they can and will do for us. Like I said, I have this horrible picture in my head of what they willbe like that I needed to get rid of and it's fading for sure.
Thanks for all of the replies and advice. I'll keep you updated on my decisions!

Make sure you ask how they get their music. If they have their own personal library, be sure they have your songs. If they use an online system & their own library, you can pretty much bet that they can get anything you want. Also ask if they have references. Our DJ had 8 photo albums of thank you cards from brides and grooms talking about how they loved his service.

birdie · #19 02-13-2007, 12:41 AM

Good news! I think we got a good dj and one who will play what we want.

We haven't reserved the date yet but I talked to him on the phone just now and he sounds really cool and very accommodating.

I just have to talk to FH more about him and we'll decide from there. He is $450 for 4 hours, $540 for 5 hours, and $625 for 6 hours. Plus if we want him for the ceremony, it's another $150. What do you all think about these prices?

We will probably get him for 5 hours and haven't decided on the ceremony but probably not just because of the money and we aren't having a lot of music at our ceremony (I don't think

)

I'm excited! Hopefully we'll get this done in the next week!

Leslee&Jake · #20 02-13-2007, 12:51 AM

That seems like a fair price to me but I have no clue!

NovemberGal · #21 02-13-2007, 01:16 AM

I don't know about prices for your area, but those are excellent prices for this area!!

Complicated Woman · #22 02-13-2007, 01:55 AM

That sounds like a good price.

As an aside, we didn't do a DJ because we really wanted it to be low-key and to avoid the dance club thing that often happens. We ended up asking my cousin to MC for us and we rented speakers and a wireless mike for $215. It worked really well and our families loved that it was so relaxed and conducive to conversation.