Whether its true or not, most everyone agrees that wedding DJs
are expensive. A popular tip circulating the net is to replace
your wedding DJ with an iPod and DJ your reception yourself.
While this may sound like a great idea, there are some things to
consider. Just as with any do-it-yourself project, you must be
aware of all facets before you start.
The first most important job for a good DJ is to play music
that the crowd enjoys. A simple shuffle has no way of knowing
who is dancing to what. A person does need to run things, but
not just any person will do. Putting your 12 year old nephew
won't do you any good. The person in charge of the music needs a
large amount of music knowledge. A good DJ should have this
knowledge. A good DJ should be able to identify a song based on
a few bars hummed out of tune or a snippet of lyrics that are
slightly incorrect. Your DJ must not have a fear of speaking in
front of a crowd, and this is not as easy as it sounds.
One
simply has to think of all the Best men who have hemmed and
hawed their way through a wedding toast with the microphone held
at waist level. Also, does he/she know how to auction off a
garter or any of the other traditional reception activities? If
not, will the bride and groom want to do these things while they
should be enjoying their guests? Oh, and just like you would
give your wedding singer or officiant a tip for performing your
ceremony, don't forget a gratuity for your impromptu DJ.
Unless you're a music collector, chances are you don't have a
music library with waltzes, polkas, old country, new country,
oldies, classic rock, new rock, soft rock, hard rock, hip hop,
dance, etc. And, unless you want to subject your guests to your
musical tastes, you should probably buy a selection of these
songs. If you're not up on popular waltzes and polkas, or don't
know which songs are currently topping the country Top 40,
search the web. $25 dollars should buy you enough music on
iTunes to cover enough various musical tastes that most guests
will enjoy themselves.
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Another task for a good wedding DJ
is one who is covered by insurance. Sure, your homeowners policy
*might* cover it, but I'd hate to see your premiums next year if
an accident does occur. Don't think accidents will happen to
you? Are you serving alcohol at your reception? If you're
telling yourself, "All the drunk people I know never act like
fools!", stop and think about that again. Besides, many venues
require proof of insurance because they don't want to see their
premiums raised because your grandma tripped on a speaker cable
and broke her hip. Searching the web for "wedding event
insurance" will yield a whole crop of insurers who will give you
a $1 million dollar policy for around $200.
Equipment is
of course another important factor a good DJ brings to your
reception. Do you know where to get speakers? Or mics? Or
Mixer?? Larger cities will have rental companies that can
provide these things. You can even find many such companies by
searching the web for "dj equipment rental". Most wedding sized
systems rent for anywhere from $250 to $500 dollars per day. In
most cases, you must provide a truck or van to transport the
equipment. Now, do you know how to set these things up? If not,
will the rental company give you a tutorial? Some rental
companies will give you a tutorial when you pick the equipment
up, but make sure to take notes, because if you have to call
them later they will likely charge you for a service call. Some
equipment rental companies will deliver, setup, and test their
equipment as well as pick up later, but this is extra.
That being said, if you KNOW your group will interact without
being prompted (or just don't care if they interact or not), and
if you've got a person with an encyclopedic knowledge of music
that will run your iPod (instead of enjoying your reception),
and you have adequate insurance to cover any accidents that
occur due to your iPod setup, and you have a large enough music
library to make sure everyone gets to hear the music they want,
and you're able to get your hands on adequate dance lights and
speakers, and will be saving money by spending $550 to $700 then
by all means use an iPod. You honestly have no need for a DJ.
If planning and organizing all this sounds like just one more
hassle, you'd probably do better to hire a professional so that
you can enjoy your reception and spend your first day as husband
and wife doing something besides returning rental equipment. For
a few dollars more you'll get professional equipment,
professional knowledge from someone who has planned and
performed at hundreds of weddings, peace of mind that any
glitches will be resolved quickly, no hassles about tearing down
equipment when the reception is over, and no worries about
getting it back before you owe another day's worth of rental
fees.
About the Author:
Tim and Tammy Smith own and operate By Request DJ & Karaoke
Company in Fargo, ND. They have been providing exceptional
entertainment at weddings, proms, and parties since 1991. Visit
their website at
http://www.byrequest.dj
