You may have asked yourself “what does a DJ do at a wedding besides play music?”
There are many additional responsibilities that a DJ must perform well in order to make your wedding day amazing. We are going to cover all of these responsibilities in this blog.
What Does A DJ Do At A Wedding?
(Before The Big Day)
One of the most important duties of a wedding DJ is to assist the engaged couple in planning their music and master of ceremonies details.
This planning should begin before the DJ is even hired as they should listen to the couple about their wedding vision and share insight from their experience.
Once the DJ is hired, they will usually email the couple music and master of ceremonies planning forms.
These forms will help the couple record ideas for their music, special announcements and dedications.
The DJ should always be available to answer any questions the couple might have for their wedding.
About 30 days before the wedding date is the perfect time for the couple to send the DJ their planning forms.
Once the DJ receives this information, they will get in contact with the couple to review all of their music selections and MC information.
I always think it is a good idea to have this consultation at the wedding venue as it is helpful to look at the floor plan while reviewing all of the wedding details.
What Does A DJ Do At A Wedding?
Set Up Equipment In A Timely Manner
A DJ should never be seen or heard setting up equipment once the official start time of the wedding has begun.
I’ll take this one step further.
The DJ should have the equipment for both the ceremony and reception ready with music playing before the guests arrive.
In addition, they should have the entire DJ area clean and organized.
This means that all equipment cases, totes and anything else used to transport equipment should be out of sight before guests arrive.
Provides Wedding Ceremony Audio Services
A wedding DJ will provide ceremony audio equipment at the majority of the weddings that they service.
This includes speakers, audio mixer, wireless microphones, computer and music.
They will also operate the sound equipment to ensure the audio mix is clear and easily heard.
Provides Music and Equipment For Cocktail Hour
It is not uncommon for the cocktail hour at a wedding to be in a different area than the reception banquet room.
With that said, the DJ should always bring an extra speaker and digital playing device to provide music during this time.
You may also want to ask your DJ to prepare cocktail music that is specific to your tastes as many will be happy to do so.
What Does A DJ Do At A Wedding?
The Grand Entrance
After the cocktail hour, the wedding DJ will usually line up all of the members of the wedding party to prepare for the grand entrance.
While lining up the wedding party, they will do a quick review to ensure they pronounce everyone’s name correctly (also done weeks in advance at the DJ consultation).
He or she will give basic instructions to anyone giving a toast on how to hold the microphone and how to project their voice into the mic as well.
In addition, the DJ should use this time to review the order of upcoming reception events with everyone so they are prepared. For example:
- Grand Entrance
- Cake Cutting
- Toasts
- Blessing (if requested by the couple)
- Dinner
- First Dance
- Parents Dances
- Open Dance Floor
Finally, the DJ will make their way back into the reception area and cue the music for the grand entrance! Here we go!
Master of Ceremonies
After the grand entrance, the DJ will continue providing music and fulfill the role as the “Master of Ceremonies” in most cases.
This includes announcing all of the upcoming wedding events, introducing the guests giving toasts/speeches, occasional “story-telling” (just a few fun/brief sentences).
It is important that they speak with sincerity and refrain from making tacky jokes.
Although the DJ has the microphone, they must remember the wedding is about the celebration of the newly married couple.
DJs should never use this time to make the wedding about themselves. Too many of them do.
Get People Dancing!
(and keep them dancing)
We all knew this one was coming!
Yes! a wedding DJ must get as many people dancing as possible. I won’t go into all of the ways that a DJ can get people dancing in this blog.
(Click here for information on how to pack a dance floor)
However, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention they MUST interact on the microphone with the crowd.
It’s always nice if they occasionally get out from behind the DJ booth to take this interaction to the next level (they don’t want to over-due though!).
If the DJ doesn’t personally entertain in addition to playing music, then they are not doing their job in my opinion.
I will say some weddings have rowdier guests than others when it comes to dancing, however, the DJ must always take full responsibility for getting people to dance….it’s that simple.
Tear Down In A Timely Manner
Many banquet halls have vendor contracts. They especially apply to DJs during tear downtime.
Your DJ may need to sign a vendor contract or they may not be allowed to provide their services by the banquet manager.
Most wedding venues require DJs to have all of their equipment torn down and out of the building in less than an hour.
It is important that the DJ meets these terms as the banquet venue may charge the client, the DJ or both for this extra time.
Thank you for reading
What Does A DJ Do At A Wedding?
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Hello! My name is Tony Coppola and I’d like to take this time to tell you a little bit about myself and CC King Entertainment.
I began my musical journey when I was 12 years old as a singer and drummer.
Ten years ago, I built a home recording studio and named it CC King Studio. Shortly after, I DJ’d my first wedding and CC King Entertainment was born!
After DJing hundreds of weddings, my business allowed me to leave my 16 year career as an occupational therapist.
I ALWAYS go the extra mile to personalize my wedding services and have the honor to work with an amazing team of wedding DJs.
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Top 10 Qualities of a Great Wedding DJ
There are many different types of DJs. There is the club DJ, studio DJ, wedding DJ and many more. Since I myself primarily perform at weddings, I would like to take this time to talk about what makes a GREAT wedding DJ. I’d also like to cover how being a wedding DJ is unique and special in its own way.
It’s YOUR Big Day
DJs by nature LOVE to be the center of attention. That’s one of the reasons we became DJs in the first place.
However, a great wedding DJ must always remember that the wedding they are servicing is all about the couple and their guests.
Our big egos, they will have to take a back seat if we want to be great wedding DJs.
Clean DJ Set Up
(Wedding guest speaking) “WOW your banquet hall is beautiful! The flowers are gorgeous! All the food looks and smells amazing! The cake is breathtaking!
Look at the DJ equipment! It’s dusty, damaged and there are ugly wires everywhere!!!
A great wedding DJ understands that their setup can actually enhance or hinder the ambiance of your reception venue.
Professional DJs always keep their equipment updated and in excellent condition.
They also make sure to put wires and cables in their proper place…….out of sight!
A Great Wedding DJ Dresses Professionally
This is a wedding, not a high school graduation party.
A great wedding DJ should dress in a professional manner that communicates that the wedding that they are DJing is a VERY important formal event.
They should take the time to properly dress and groom themselves.
Not to mention, the photographer shouldn’t have to take extra time to edit them out of your pictures.
Furthermore, the cost of a wedding DJ can be expensive and they should dress in a way that supports their “professional price tag.”
Great with the Microphone
A great wedding DJ understands that he or she has not been hired to babysit the playing device.
One of their many responsibilities is to lead everybody at the wedding through the timeline, grand entrance and dedications planned for the evening.
They also understand that with their trusty microphone, they can really get that dance floor shakin’ with their enthusiasm, personalized messages and “shout outs.”
However, a great wedding DJ also makes sure not to overdo it on the mic. That’s really annoying and cheesy too.
Plays the RIGHT Music At The Right Time
This is the obvious, but not so obvious one. May I refer back to item number 1? It’s all about giving the people at the wedding what THEY want.
A great wedding DJ collaborates with the couple to help shape the music playlist that will be unique to each individual wedding.
Of course, every DJ has their own style which should be embraced.
However, it is important that the DJ combines his or her style with the style and vibe that is most appealing to the couple and their guests.
A Great Wedding DJ Is Experienced
As I mentioned earlier, there are many different types of DJs.
There are also many different types of events in which DJs provide their services including graduation parties, 50th wedding anniversaries, sweet 16 parties, cooperate events, holiday parties and so on.
These are all very important occasions and I have DJ’d all of them.
However, weddings are in a class of their own.
For many couples, it is the most important day of their lives.
A professional DJ coordinates and orchestrates all of the events and must also adhere to a strict timeline.
If you looking to hire a great wedding DJ, you will want to make sure they have at least 2 years DJ experience and also DJs on a weekly or monthly basis.
Organized and Prepared
A great wedding DJ will take the time to have a consultation with the couple to assist in the wedding planning process.
An experienced wedding DJ has often DJ’d hundreds of weddings.
Furthermore, they can give the couple guidance and answer many of their questions regarding what to expect on the big day.
A great wedding DJ will also assist the couple with completing their master of ceremonies form and review it with them prior to their wedding day.
In addition, the best wedding DJs ALWAYS contacts the banquet hall manager before the wedding to discuss important details.
These details include: when they will have access to the hall for setup, wifi usage and any “house rules” that the banquet hall may have.
Team Player
A great wedding DJ realizes that there are many vendors that are playing an important role in making your wedding as wonderful as possible.
Furthermore, we should look at our fellow vendors as part of our wedding team working together to make your dream wedding a reality.
It is so important that your DJ works well with other vendors and even helps them if possible to make sure everything goes as planned.
Reads the Crowd
A great wedding DJ wants to get people on the dance floor and keep that dance floor full with dancers all night long.
They must observe the crowd and ask themselves questions like:
What are the different age groups in attendance? What type of music is working well tonight? Which song should I play next to build on the momentum that I have already established on the dance floor?
When would it be an appropriate time to mix things up a little so the dancers don’t get bored and stay engaged?
Furthermore, a great wedding DJ should never see people plugging their ears and leaving because the music is too loud.
Enjoys Being a Wedding DJ
A great wedding DJ loves what he or she does. They also recognize that your wedding is a very happy day.
Here is a good tip to help you avoid hiring a grumpy DJ.
Ask how they handle requests during a wedding.
If they say they don’t take requests because “they call all the shots,” then there is a very good chance you have encountered a grumpy DJ.
It’s is at this point you say “I’m sorry but we are not looking for grumpy DJ. We are looking for a GREAT wedding DJ.
Wedding DJ’s
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Hello! My name is Tony Coppola and I’d like to take this time to tell you a little bit about myself and CC King Entertainment.
I began my musical journey when I was 12 years old as a singer and drummer. Ten years ago, I built a home recording studio and named it CC King Studio. Shortly after, I DJ’d my first wedding and CC King Entertainment was born!
After DJing hundreds of weddings, my business allowed me to leave my 16 year career as an occupational therapist. I ALWAYS go the extra mile to personalize my wedding services and I have the distinct honor to work with an amazing team of Michigan wedding DJs.
Contact Us