Wedding Bells

Work with Your DJ

Helpful hints to ensure you and your wedding-day DJ can work in harmony. By Lydia Parafianowicz

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Sappy songs and terrible tunes on your big day? No way! Music is a crucial part of both your ceremony and reception, but booking entertainment often takes more time and work than anticipated. Follow these steps to ensure you and your DJ are singing the same tune. 

Plan ahead. Choosing music is not just about your first dance as man and wife, so book your DJ six to nine months in advance, suggests Jason Gerecht of Toronto’s Disk Jockeys Unlimited. “It’s peace of mind for the bride and groom, and gives them a chance to look over the questions we ask for profiles,” he says. “They need songs for the first and last dances, entrance and exit, garter, cocktails and dinner music. The more they plan ahead, the more they can look over things they might not have thought of.”

Cut the ceremony costs. For the elegant music of a full-sized orchestra at a fraction of the price, consider a DJ! Church and denomination permitting, having a DJ at the ceremony is fast-growing trend. “We can play a full orchestra from one CD and it won’t cost you tens of thousands of dollars for a live band,” says Gerecht.  For a budget-savvy couple with their hearts set on live music, contact a local music school since amateur musicians often charge discounted rates for the same great sounds. 

Dance the night away. At the reception, position the DJ close to the dance floor so as to appease guests who may want a quieter area to sit and chat. Some DJs will work at outdoor receptions, but a seasoned professional will request his or her own circuit breaker. “Otherwise, the caterer might put coffee pots on the same outlet and that can be asking for trouble, so we need our own circuit,” says Gerecht. “We also need to be enclosed, because even a sun shower can mess up the equipment and ruin the entire evening.”

Personalize your play list. With iPods and MP3 players, it’s easy to pre-pick your wedding day tunes, but be forewarned. Gerecht says some customers submit entire collections of music they want to be played, but haven’t thought about the risks. “Most of the time they download bootlegged stuff and don’t listen to it. One time a groom brought in his music on a portable disk drive, but had mislabeled songs. Downloads can also be bad quality, or the wrong song, or skip, or end half way through.”  DJs purchase licenses so they can record mixed CDs, but playing illegally downloaded beats doesn’t support the artists. And while it’s tempting to submit a pre-planned play list, try preparing a smaller number of songs in advance so you can accommodate requests that your guests might have.

Be on your guard. As a rule, it’s best to listen to recommendations from friends to ensure you hire a reputable and responsible DJ. Make certain he or she answers daytime phone calls, and check emergency situation policies for backup equipment and staff – just in case your hire comes down with the flu the morning of the wedding. “If a DJ doesn’t accept debit, answer the phone during the day or charge GST, you can be almost certain they don’t have backup DJs,” advises Gerecht.

Verbalize your thoughts. If the thought of a conga line at your reception makes you cringe, recognize the importance of telling your DJ or entertainment supplier exactly what it is you are looking for from them. Whether energetic, personable, laidback or trendy (think ethnic music for multicultural wedding receptions), without your input, a DJ won’t know what you want or expect.