What Makes a Great Wedding DJ
One Wedding Guest’s Opinion
I’ve been to my fair share of weddings. I recall one summer in particular when we had a wedding every weekend from July to September. That happened to be the year my then-fiance and I spent planning our own celebration, so we paid particularly close attention to detail in conducting our own “research.”
While I had thought all along that a band was the way to go, he was adamant that a DJ would be the key to getting the party going. The price tag was much kinder than the live bands, and because our guest list was growing and our budget was shrinking by the day, we decided to do some research on DJs. After careful field research and considering many possibilities, I have to concede that we made the absolute best choice, and our DJ made our wedding something our family and friends still talk about, almost ten years later!
Here is one wedding guest’s opinion on what makes a great DJ:
1) Flexibility. A great DJ needs to be able to read the crowd and keep the dance floor going. A given, you might think, but it’s not an easy task and some DJs do not do this well. I highly recommend going to see your prospective DJs in action, at another gig or wedding if possible. That’s where you’re going to get the best sense of how your party is going to go.
2) A good listener. Good DJs honor requests on the fly, great DJs anticipate requests by reading the room, and paying close attention to the requests of the bride and groom before the event. I knew I didn’t want my father-in-law near the microphone at any point during the party. Our DJ knew he was not allowed to play my father-in-law’s signature song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” and I knew I didn’t want my guests doing the Chicken Dance. Great DJs take the time to listen to your needs, and know when to throw on another 80’s classic and keep the party rocking.
3) Selflessness. A great DJ knows that the party is not about him, and never will be. I can’t tell you how many weddings I went to where the DJ grabbed the mic and tried to take over the party and make it about him. No thanks. A great DJ pays attention to what works and what doesn’t for you, because your happiness is important.
4) Enthusiasm. Generally, guests get turned off when DJs are rude, inconsiderate of their requests, and have an attitude. This goes without saying that the best DJs are the ones who have the most love for what they do.
A DJ can make or break your party. Make sure you spend the time to find the right one that works for you!
5) Attire and presentation. DJs with light-up vests, cardboard cutouts of themselves, or seizure-inducing light presentations should probably be avoided. They may be rare, but they do exist.
Blogger: ML