Skipping the DJ - any experiences?

zoobizoo · 27-08-2014 12:15pm

Was at a wedding where there was no dj and no one bothered getting up to dance other than me and my partner. It seemed a bit silly just plugging in an Ipod with no one to alter the music. That's the great thing about a DJ - they can adapt to what's going on on the dance floor.

Heckler · 28-08-2014 12:23am

Got married in a country house with a small guest list (around 40 or so). Kinda place full of small interconnected rooms (apart from the main dining area) so a band made no sense. We used a fine sound system to play quiet music during the meal and ramped it up when things got going all through an ipod.

Everyone seemed to have a great time and years later was still getting compliments on how much people enjoyed it, that it was different to the usual hotel function room/band/dj. Not that theres anything wrong with that. We just had a limited budget and this worked for us. Even if we could have afforded a band we wouldn't have had one i'd say because the venue didn't suit.

Our style of wedding probably wouldn't have worked in a large hotel environment but it was perfect for where it was.

Separated now but thats incidental. She still agrees the venue was brilliant :pac:

clint_silver · 28-08-2014 12:55pm

clint_silver wrote: »

most definitely.
Theres a business principle that exists (has a name that I cant remember) that if something costs more then it must be better but that would only last so long. You'd have to actually be better to justify it.

.

spent a while looking for this:

The Veblen effect or conspicuous consumption

Abnormal market behavior where consumers purchase the higher-priced goods whereas similar low-priced (but not identical) substitutes are available. It is caused either by the belief that higher price means higher quality, or by the desire for conspicuous consumption (to be seen as buying an expensive, prestige item). Named after its discoverer, the US social-critic Thorstein Bunde Veblen (1857-1929).

EunanMac · 28-08-2014 1:05pm

mrs_bosco wrote: »

Hi all,

We are considering not having a DJ at our wedding, making a playlist ourselves and just using the venue's sound system.

Any thoughts? Has anyone done this before/attended a wedding where this was done before? Is it doable or a disaster waiting to happen?

The rest of the wedding is following the usual traditional format so we'll be having music at the ceremony and a band after the dinner.

Thanks very much!

There's loads of things i'd skimp/chance/cut back on at a wedding, but music wouldn't be one of them.
I've never really seen it work out that well, but maybe it can.
An empty stage, just feels . . empty
It doesn't have to be a big band / fancy DJ, just someone who can get the craic going, that's all it takes
Hope you have a great day, and best wishes.

Milly33 · 28-08-2014 1:47pm

Heckler wrote: »

Got married in a country house with a small guest list (around 40 or so). Kinda place full of small interconnected rooms (apart from the main dining area) so a band made no sense. We used a fine sound system to play quiet music during the meal and ramped it up when things got going all through an ipod.

Everyone seemed to have a great time and years later was still getting compliments on how much people enjoyed it, that it was different to the usual hotel function room/band/dj. Not that theres anything wrong with that. We just had a limited budget and this worked for us. Even if we could have afforded a band we wouldn't have had one i'd say because the venue didn't suit.

Our style of wedding probably wouldn't have worked in a large hotel environment but it was perfect for where it was.

Separated now but thats incidental. She still agrees the venue was brilliant :pac:

Sorry to hear ye are separated hope twasnt nasty or anything....

Your wedding sounds something similar to our own and after going to a wedding at the weekend and hearing another loud band and DJ I am back to thinking that for something like this there is no need for a band.. Think they would be lost, and I know people enjoy them but half of the people I spoke to recently have said bands are just not worth it.

clint_silver · 28-08-2014 3:41pm

Milly33 wrote: »

Sorry to hear ye are separated hope twasnt nasty or anything....

Your wedding sounds something similar to our own and after going to a wedding at the weekend and hearing another loud band and DJ I am back to thinking that for something like this there is no need for a band.. Think they would be lost, and I know people enjoy them but half of the people I spoke to recently have said bands are just not worth it.

have those people that said they're not worth it seen a really top band and seen the level of entertainment they can deliver?

nothing worse than average entertainment but good entertainment is usually worth it and great entertainment is always worth it. If you cant afford it, that's a different argument.

Heckler · 30-08-2014 12:09am

Milly33 wrote: »

Sorry to hear ye are separated hope twasnt nasty or anything....

Your wedding sounds something similar to our own and after going to a wedding at the weekend and hearing another loud band and DJ I am back to thinking that for something like this there is no need for a band.. Think they would be lost, and I know people enjoy them but half of the people I spoke to recently have said bands are just not worth it.

Nothing nasty at all. Just didn't work out. Meet up for coffee every now and again. Get on better than ever ! Lifes strange.........Miss her like crazy but wasn't meant to be. She's an amazing woman and will always be the love of my life and I wish her nothing but the best.

Milly33 · 30-08-2014 3:19pm

Glad to hear, life works in funny ways alright

Milly33 · 15-09-2014 11:30am

So went to a wedding recently and have to say all arrows point towards skip the band not the DJ...Although you can DJ yourself if you need to cut down costs.. But defo let the band go before the DJ. Same ding dong, too loud and just really made a downer on the hourish they played even the kids didn't want to dance..

Sala · 15-09-2014 12:17pm

+ 1 on skip the band. I think DJs are more versatile since they can play pretty much anything you like, whereas some bands are only good at one style, if you know what I mean.

I'd be wary of using the ipod/sound system unless you knew for a fact it worked so you would probably need to ask the hotel can you go in and practice.

clint_silver · 15-09-2014 12:36pm

Sala wrote: »

+ 1 on skip the band. I think DJs are more versatile since they can play pretty much anything you like, whereas some bands are only good at one style, if you know what I mean.

I'd be wary of using the ipod/sound system unless you knew for a fact it worked so you would probably need to ask the hotel can you go in and practice.

Those types of bands dont do many weddings. Professional wedding bands can play anything, they wouldnt be eating as much as they liked if they didnt.

Im not so sure you book a band over a DJ for the versatility, the entertainment factor is whats separates the 2. If you cant find an entertaining band, then sure, DJ every day as why pay for a band to churn out songs that the DJ can play if theres nothing extra added.

Nicman · 22-09-2014 10:34am

I've been to a wedding that did that and Im not sure if this changes the outcome much but they had just about 30 people and the wedding fell totally flat when they stuck their own music on. We were going to that for ours until we went to theirs to be honest! We had about 45 people at ours and after the main band we moved everyone to the resident's bar where we had a 2 piece acoustic band set up and they did classic rocks songs and old pop songs and it was the best sing-a-long/ disco ever! Like Bruce springsteen, beatles, etc etc. Such craic. everyone said it was the best wedding ever and alot said they stayed up way later than they ever would at a wedding because of these guys. would recommend that if you can afford it

Skipping the DJ - any experiences?

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