Do I really need to hire a wedding DJ?
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard someone ask this question, I’d have as many dollars as… times I’ve heard the Cupid Shuffle at a wedding. Weddings can get expensive, don’t get me wrong. Venues are expensive, the catering, the bar, the decorations, etc. etc. However, cutting costs by not hiring a professional, experienced wedding DJ is not something I would advise!
We’ve all heard of or been to a wedding where the couple decided to have a family member or a friend DJ the wedding to save money on hiring a professional. Typically what this gets you is a person there to hit play on a playlist made on a phone and expect it to be sufficient for the night. While that may sound like that could do the trick, I’d like to list a few reasons as to why hiring a wedding DJ is critical.
Honestly, anyone can sit there and hit play on a portable speaker. It’s like bringing a speaker to a backyard BBQ and having someone run the music off a Spotify playlist. However, professional wedding DJs will bring professional grade audio and lighting set ups to properly ensure your venue is covered. On top of that, having a DJ there to be able to feel out the crowd and know what to play at the right time is super important as far as creating the perfect atmosphere early on and party later!
Truly though, it isn’t just about the music. It goes way beyond that. A good wedding DJ will take over and coordinate the night, setting up the schedule/order of all the formalities. Announcements will be made constantly throughout the night, keeping the events moving seamlessly, so the wedded couple has nothing to worry about, as they enjoy their big day with their loved ones! Wedding DJs will be in constant communication with the caterers, photographer/videographer and venue owners in case something in the evening has to happen earlier or later, depending on various circumstances. With all the formalities, dances, photographs, etc. that happen during a wedding reception, it’s important to have someone there to inform the crowd what’s going to be happening and when. It keeps the event organized!
Being able to set the mood for the various parts of the evening (pre-ceremony, ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, open dance floor) as well as having all important songs/dances (processional, bridal march, recessional, introductions, first dance, parent dance, anniversary dance, dollar dance, bouquet toss, garter toss) queued up truly is so important. An experienced wedding DJ will smoothly transition between all of these, setting the perfect atmosphere and bringing the appropriate energy to all of these different parts of the evening.
This next one is also just my personal opinion, but one I take to heart. A good wedding DJ will be more than just a vendor at your wedding.. He will become your friend! Some of the closest people in my life I’ve met through either DJing their wedding, or they were a guest at the event. Being able to be versatile, read a crowd and adapt to changes is just as important as having a good personality, being entertaining on a microphone and making sure everyone there is having a great time. It really is all about the moments that are created throughout the night.
When people remember a wedding, I personally don’t think that they particularly remember things such as arrangement of chairs, decorations, etc. They remember the overall experience, if it was an organized event. They remember how good the food was, they remember if there was a bar or not and if they danced the night away with their friends. While the DJ can’t control the food or the bar aspect… he can definitely control the organization of the night and the dance party! Do yourself a favor and hire someone to make your wedding day a memorable one!
