ARTICLES
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT DJ?
WEDDING DJ's – WHAT YOU NEED TO
KNOW
So you are getting married.
Congratulations. You have booked the venue, the photographer,
the caterer, your dress fits perfectly and all you need is to
book a DJ. Now, I do not want to scare you, but this could be
one of the most important decisions you will make during the
planning of your wedding, and the success thereof could depend
on this decision. Therefore the choice of DJ should not be taken
lightly. Here are a few tips I would like you to keep in mind
when you book a DJ for your wedding.
At first I just need to point out that there are a few different
types of DJ's in the market. I am not going to do a layout of
all the different types and their specifications; all you need
to do, as a bride to be or groom who is booking the DJ, is to
make sure your DJ understands what a wedding entails and what is
expected of him AT your wedding.
A few years ago when DJ's were
still using the old LP's, there were not many DJ's to choose
from, but the more we progress into the digital era; the more
DJ's suddenly appear. With the “birth” of the MP3, there was a
sudden explosion in the market with DJ's, as every Tom, Dick and
Harry who has a computer with a few thousands song titles on it
sold himself as a DJ. I am not saying that all DJ's working with
MP3's are bad. It is just that DJ's who are bad is more likely
to be one of those with a computer full of MP3's. The problem is
not as such the MP3, but the way these guys, who have no proper
equipment or experience, flooded the market in search of a quick
buck at the cost of the client. Very similar are individuals
with digital cameras who are all of a sudden doing wedding
photography and do not have a clue about photography as a whole.
So let us look at a few points that will help you to make a
calculated choice when it comes to the choice of a DJ for your
wedding.
THE DJ
A DJ does not just change CD's.
There is a lot more to a wedding DJ than meets the eye. To be a
wedding DJ is not the most difficult job in the world, although
it can be very stressful. It takes a few years to build up
experience, a good name and a good reliable sound rig. It takes
time and patience, and you must learn the flow of different
weddings, how the wedding industry works, how the different
service providers work, how the different venues work etc. The
DJ must take in consideration the preferences and requirements
of his clients and must act accordingly.
I have been asked many times by people why a wedding they
attended did not function as was planned; everything was great,
they even had a club DJ for the evening. Being a wedding DJ is
different from being a DJ who plays in a club. You, as the
client, must keep in mind that a DJ, who is a “killer” in the
club, is not necessarily going to be a “killer” at your wedding.
When we go to a club, we go there because we like the type of
music that is played, whether it is House, Trans, Kwaito or even
Langarm.
The people who you would invite to your wedding are close
family, relatives, friends and business colleagues. The age of
this group of people varies from 5 to 85 years of age, and your
DJ must make sure that every one is having a fantastic party. To
use a DJ who will only cater for a selected few can be
concerning. He will either frustrate or infuriate the rest of
the guests and make their evening one to forget rather than one
to remember. And what is the point in inviting your guests if
you do not want them to enjoy the evening?
Here is a simple yet valid example: Say for instance there are
some guests who do not like a certain part of the meal presented
to them. They can simply eat what they like and send the rest
back, but with music it is different, they are exposed to the
music whether they like it or not and the worst that can happen
is that they will leave the wedding. Now you will say that there
is always going to be someone who will not like what is played.
Yes, you are right, but at some stage in the evening the music
is going to appeal to that person in some way or other and this
is where a good wedding DJ comes in. He must know when to play
which kind of music. He will see when your guests arrive what
type of music they like and dislike. He must look at the
reaction of the people when he plays certain genres of music.
Basically must be able to read the guests even before the
dancing starts. This sounds like a tall order, and even I
sometimes do not get it right the first time, but as the evening
progress, so the tastes of music changes due to a few factors,
such as the fact that some guests have left the function, and
suddenly there is a burst of energy in the remaining crowd as
people are prone to be more reserved in the beginning of a party
as well as the presence of other important guests like the
grandparents, the dominee/minister work colleagues, ect. This
sound ridiculous, but it is a fact that we as wedding DJ's are
confronted with, and have to adjust to.
CONDUCT
The DJ is a working service
provider on your wedding, same as the photographer and
videographer, and must also be neatly dressed. Do not expect him
to wear a tuxedo, but ask him about his dress code. You do not
want someone at your wedding wearing shorts and a baseball
cap…don't laugh, this do happen. His dress code must be neat yet
practical for the work he is doing.
When you are in doubt about the DJ you are planning to book, ask
for references. Contact these references and ask about his
overall conduct, use of alcohol, and interaction with guests,
punctuality, ask other service providers how he treats them and
work with them.
Ask your DJ to liaise with the master of ceremonies during the
evening to ensure an even flow of events, such as speeches,
throwing of the garter and bouquet, cutting of the cake.
EQUIPMENT
You might now argue: but what has
his equipment got to do with me, I know nothing about sound
equipment. The DJ who looks after his equipment is already
starting on the right foot. There is nothing more unsightly than
a beautifully decorated hall with flowers, drapes and candles,
and here in the corner is a table with the most dilapidated
sound equipment you have laid your eyes on. A DJ who looks after
his equipment and keeps it neat is serious about his work and is
worth considering. You as the client can also ask him if he
would object if his speakers were covered to make is less
visible in the hall.
Always try to choose a DJ with decent equipment. Here I must be
very careful not to step on any toes and I am also not going to
mention brand names, but the equipment is very important to the
success of your wedding. Proper equipment will give good sound
quality that will not be disturbing for your guests. There is
nothing worse than to be seated close to a disco speaker that is
producing poor sound.
Ask your DJ if he has any backup equipment, should something go
wrong. A CD player could stop working, amplifier can blow,
microphone can break, motherboard of his PC can burn out etc.
Make sure there is a plan B should this happen. Not all DJ's
have backup equipment, as it is costly to have extra equipment
just to be on standby, but it is worthwhile considering.
THE MUSIC
This is an imperative part of
this article that you should take notice of. You and your fiancé
have a certain music taste. Please, please, please, under no
circumstance try to enforce this on your DJ. Believe me it is a
foolproof recipe for a disaster. The point I want to make will
come clear in the following. A few years ago I was booked for a
wedding and when the couple came to see me about the music, I
was told to play only the music that will be provided by them. I
was not allowed to play any of my own CD's or anything requested
by the guests. In spite of my warnings to the couple that this
not the way to do it, they were adamant and just said it is
their wedding and so it will be and if the guests did not like
it, then tuff. Needles to say this couple were the only people
who danced that evening and by half past ten I was on my way
home as the party was a total failure. Do you want your wedding
to end like this?
Ask your DJ if he has a list of his music collection and if he
would object if you highlight a few tracks you would like him to
play during the evening. Ask him if he accept requests from your
guests. Some DJs do and others do not like to do requests; it
all depends on their personal style.
Tell your DJ what kinds of music you like and dislike. This will
give him an indication of what is required, but give him the
freedom to experiment as well. I am quite often told that “our
friends are party animals and they will dance till sunrise if
you play this type of music” believe me it does not work this
way. Remember your guests are involved in your wedding from the
early afternoon and it is very seldom that a party goes on that
long. I always say that is good practice to end party on a high
note, rather than let it die slowly.
Every wedding is different from the previous one and no DJ will
treat it the same. You have guests from all over the world and
it is a challenge to keep everyone happy and dancing for the
time that they are attending your wedding. Having an experienced
DJ is a key factor in ensuring a free flowing, enjoyable,
successful wedding.
I hope these few points I mentioned will help you when you need
to book your DJ. If you have any questions or if you just want
to discuss a few issues, please feel free to contact me.
Enjoy your wedding……after all it is YOUR DAY!!!