The most important choice you make regarding your wedding day may very well be the DJ you choose, or don't choose. It's tough to know exactly what kind of DJ you are getting. It's hard to get a feel for the atmosphere via a video. It's impossible to know how things will flow if you haven't seen them work. Yet, this person controls the tempo, mood, and energy at your wedding reception. You may want a slow tempo, sit-down reception or you may want a fast tempo, high energy reception. Which ever it is you can struggle with finding a DJ that fits that mold because you can't test drive the DJ. As photographers we are along for which ever events you have us booked for. So we aren't concerned with the pace or tempo or anything else. We are photographing whatever happens. What we are concerned with is what is in the photos. If you look bored or your guests look bored ... the photos will show that.
We've seen the good and we've seen the bad. Here are some key things and our recommended schedule, not that we are experts, but we've been unbiased observers at a wedding or two:
1. Make your grand entrance. Know the route you are going to take and make sure your bridal party knows the plan once they've entered the reception area. Don't wait to decide until right before you walk in. Rehearse it like you would the ceremony.
2. Make a welcoming speech or begin dinner. The guests are hungry and are there to see you. Let them know right away that you are excited to have them with you on your big day. Then feed them.
3. While guests are still eating begin toast. Don't wait until everyone is done eating, especially if you have a lot of guests. The guests that started eating early will be done and bored. This includes wedding party, parents, and bride and groom if they did not give a welcoming speech.
4. Cut the cake following toasts. Some guests may still be eating. When it comes to cake cutting about 10 people gather around the table and no one else can see anyway. So getting this done will keep guests engaged in the other events to come.
5. First dance time. If you want guest to be interested and paying attention to what's happening, keep them engaged. Move from one event to the next. If some people are still eating they will be more likely to pay attention. It's not uncommon for the DJ to not engage everyone and they will not even be aware that the first dance is taking place. Trust us, we've seen it.
6. Other dances: Mother/Son, Father/Daughter, Wedding Party, Anniversary, etc., etc., etc.
7. Now it's time for the DJ to do their thing and get people out on the dance floor. Keep the music going and play songs that everyone loves. Songs that engage the young, old, and everyone in between. These first few moments are key to how the rest of the evening flows.
8. After 3-4 songs, get the bouquet and garter toss going. No reason to wait on these things until chunks of guest have left. Do them now and let guests enjoy them.
9. A few more songs and then do the dollar dance. A lot of DJs think they are helping the bride and groom by moving this earlier and before the bouquet/garter toss so they get more money out their guests ..... ah, how about not using the dollar dance to cover wedding expenses. The money from the dollar dance is all bonus. It's house money. It should not be counted on income.
10. Let the party roll from there.
Good DJs Do:
1. Keep their mouth shut and keep the music going.
2. Play relevant music and a good variety. They see the crowd and play accordingly.
3. Ask the bride and groom the right questions before the day of.
4. Keep events flowing without having to talk to the bride or groom.
Bad DJs Do:
1. Talk too much or provide their own stand up. You are NOT funny and this ain't no comedy club.
2. Sit on their butt and not pay attention. People have to ask them to start events. It really does happen. It is all too common that someone has to ask the DJ to start events. They are the emcee and need to control the event the way you want them to without having to tell them to. Can you imagine having to tell the photographer to start taking pictures of the first kiss?
3. Play all the latest club mixes of old songs. People want to hear songs they recognize and can sing and dance along to.
4. Put the dollar dance way too early in the evening.
5. Drag out the events until later and later in the evening. Get through the events and then have a good time. This is for the benefit of all the guests as well as the bride and groom.
6. Play solitaire on their phone while the bride sits at the head table glaring at him with laser beem eyes waiting for the first dance...we've seen it.
These are actual things we've seen occur at weddings we've photographed. We are after one thing... a great experience for our clients. We want to help in any way we can. If you're looking at a DJ, email us and we will give you our honest opinion about them. We've shot enough weddings that we've probably had them at one of ours. If you are looking for recommendations we can send you a list of the ones we've seen to the best job. They may not be our favorites, but they do the best job. Your experience is most important.
There are good DJs and there are bad DJs and everyone has their own opinion. That's just a bit of ours.
Aaron is one of our favorite DJs. Here you can see he (on right) was even stuffed under some stairs and he provided the best reception we may have ever seen at this wedding.
