TIPS and IDEAS

1.  Try and set up your DJ as close to the dance floor as possible.

It's always best to have your DJ as close to the dance floor as possible, and avoid putting tables or people between the speakers and the dance floor.  It's difficult for a DJ to provide music loud enough for an entire room with guests sitting directly in front of our speakers!  

 

2.  Try to set up your bar as close to the DJ as possible.

People will generally gravitate and sometimes even hover around the bar area.  It's always best to keep this area close to the dance floor so people can still hear and experience the music while at your event!

 

3.   Ask your event contact to have a table and linen set up for your DJ (if possible).

We like to ask our location to provide the linen and table to match the theme and decor of your event.  If the caterer or event locale charges our clients extra for these amenities, we deduct the cost from the final balance.  For more casual events, we can supply our own tables. 

 

4.   Try and make sure your DJ area has a power source nearby.

We only need one regular outlet to supply power for our entire system, and it's always best to have that outlet within 5 - 10 feet of the DJ table.  We like our setup to be as clean and neat as possible, so we like to avoid having to connect cords where your guests can see them.

 

Things To Think About....

SONGLISTS - When you are thinking about your song selection for your DJ, here are some things to consider...

- A typical 4 Hour reception will allow 60 - 80 songs, depending on the number of events included (i.e. toasts, garter toss, etc;) 

- We try and play a small amount of music from each genre to appease all of your guests.  It is very important to let your DJ know what kind of music you do and definitely DON'T want to hear.  It's just as awful for us to play a bad song as it is for you to hear it!  Just make sure you keep in mind that one song you might not like may be a great dancing song for all of your guests!

- Try and be as objective as possible with all of your song choices!  When selecting your slow songs, make sure you let your DJ know which songs you'd like to dance to, so that they can make sure you are in the room when they play it!

- For wedding couples, ask your parents and grandparents what their wedding songs were and let your DJ know so they can play it or dedicate it during your reception.

- Some songs are great for dancing, and others are great for listening.  Just try to keep in mind that some songs you might want to hear might not be the right fit for a dancing atmosphere. We can also do our best to fit those songs in during the dinner and transitional periods.

 

GARTER AND BOUQUET TOSS ALTERNATIVES - Several of our past clients have had very few single friends attending their events, so we have listed the following alternatives for giving away your garters and bouquets!

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Throw your bouquet to ALL the women - single, married, young, old, etc; - and the winner receives a gift bag or gift certificate! Throw the garter the same way, but give away a gift certificate or a bottle of your favorite liquor to the lucky winner! 

Anniversary Dance - The DJ will play an appropriate slow song and call all married couples to the dance floor.  The DJ will then eliminate couples slowly based upon the time that they have been married (i.e. 24 hours, 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, and so on..) until one couple is left dancing.  We then recognize them as the longest married couple, and that couple receives the bouquet or a gift of your choice.  (This is good for celebrating Grandparents or older couples that are attending, but it is always good to be sensitive if someone in the family has just passed or a guest has recently lost a spouse). 

 

REQUESTS - Ask your guests for music requests AHEAD of time!

Some of our more creative brides in the past have suggested incorporating your guests' musical tastes into the event as well. To do this, simply leave or designate an area on your R.S.V.P. cards for your guests to write down a special song!  This is a great way for your guests to request a song during the evening that might have been played at their wedding or bring back memories for some of your older couples.  This is also a way for you to be aware ahead of time what your guests will be asking for.  We can then incorporate the requests into the evening's playlist and play each song at the most appropriate time throughout the night.

 

TIMELINES - We have a typical timeline format that we use when we schedule the events for a wedding.  Here is a basic template for a 4 hour wedding that we use most often to keep the wedding flowing, seamless, and fun!  This is a normal 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm wedding template, but you can personalize it with your own events.  We just like to offer an insight into what order of events tend to flow the best for those who don't have help with planning!

 

BASIC WEDDING RECEPTION TIMELINE

6:00 - 6:30 pm - Guests arrive, DJ plays low-key background music.

6:30 pm - Wedding party arrives, DJ lines up wedding party for introductions.

6:45 pm - Introduce wedding party

6:50 pm - Bride & Groom's First Dance

6:55 - 7:00 pm - Any Welcome Speeches or Blessing before Dinner

    - Wedding Party opens buffet, guests invited to follow

    - (OR sit-down dinner begins - usually takes 45 - 60 minutes)

7:45 pm - Toasts and Cake Cutting (doing these early allows older guests to leave)

7:50 pm - Father/Daughter Dance (optional) (Can also be scheduled right after first dance)

7:55 pm - Mother/Son Dance (optional) (or combine the two for a "Parent's Dance")

           **Parent dances and first dances can always be cut down or faded out subtly for longer songs

8:10 pm - DJ opens Dance Floor (Motown, Beach, Disco/Funk, 80's, etc)

9:10 pm - Garter Removal, Garter Toss

9:15 pm - Bouquet Toss

9:20 pm - Dancing! (This is the best time to play newer music, i.e. Hip-Hop & Rap)

9:55 pm - Last Dance

10:00 pm - Farewell to Newlyweds! (Reception ends)

 

- This timeline can be edited and amended in any way to fit any kind of event.  Even if we're not the DJ for you, please feel free to refer to this blueprint when planning your party or reception!

 

We hope this has been a helpful section of our website, and we invite your ideas or feedback to help us better inform future brides or party planners of things to think about when planning a wedding or event!