DJ or a Band

SparrowHawk

Hi All,

Myself & my better half are getting married next June & are in the process of organising all the details.

One thing that is of concern is the music/ entertainment. From the financial perspective it makes sense to go with DJ for the entire evening - but we're concerned that unless we get a "good" DJ he/ she may not involve the guests - which is crucial. We're in the "30 something" age bracket - with the associated firends & aunts/ uncles. We want someone who can do some MC stuff, play the right music - for all age groups & who can get the guests involved.

Thoughts & suggestions? Are we asking or expecting too much from one DJ for the entire evening?

Thanks in advance,

SH

Trampas

Band and iPod?

Some bands do DJ as well so you could try that

Toots

I'm using the resident DJ for the hotel, and he does MC etc. Have you picked a venue yet? If so, ask them are there any DJs they'd recommend.

How Strange

From what I've seen a lot of bands do a dj service as well and it probably works out cheaper in the long run to get them to do both.

If you're using just a dj make sure they are good. IMO music makes or breaks a wedding. No-one will remember the food but they'll remember whether or not they spent the night up dancing. I remember being at a fantastic wedding a few years back, everything was so perfect and amazing until the dj started. He was rubbish and it definitely took away from the night. I think he played some songs about 4 times.

I'd advise you to draw up a play list and give it to the dj well in advance.

mikekerry

get a dj, i got one for my wedding a couple of months ago.
it cost around 800 for 5 hours.
beats paying 2k or so for a band and a dj as well.
i gave the dj my playlist and he did the rest.
i got a good company in dublin if u want they're details and u can give u the dj name.

elvis jones

I'm a Weddind Dj and i'll let that be known from the start.

Just wanted to say that some bands that provide a dj.....don't provide a dj.

They have a pre mixed cd playing when they are taking down their equipment. I have seen this with 3 different bands while at a weddings.

Also some have a roadie with little experience and allow no input into the playlist on the night.

BUT some bands have done deals with dj's and companies, ask when you book about this.

For me the 2 most important parts of a wedding ( sorry brides ) are the food and entertainment. No one talks about the flowers or mass booklets the next day.

Remember its a party and the main parts of most parties are food and entertainment.

Oh and don't bother with bands anyway......Dj's are the way forward:D;)

SparrowHawk

Hi All,

Thanks for all the replies - much appreciated!

Realistically the price of a band for a 3 hours set - we could afford, however band + DJ (until the wee hours) is stretching it, a little.

We were (are) hoping to find a DJ that can get the crowd involved, which is essential, & possibly with the flexibility to change tack if some of the older generation are hesitant to get up & boogie!!

We're getting married in the Westgrove Hotel, in Clane, - they don't have a resident DJ & were reluctant to offer suggestions ( I think so that we could not blame them, if it turned out to be a disaster), but would be happy to pass comment if we gave them names.

If anyone have any other thoughts or opinions, please let us know!!

Thanks to all who contribute,

SH

Redpunto

We cant afford a band so we're just having the DJ, i find most people dont really get up and dance to a band but will do for the DJ

davgtrek

I would be very slow to let the band have anything to do with the dj.
they are totally separate disciplines. any of the events i have attended where the band turned into the dj were dire.
problem is you need to hedge your bets. if the band are excellent then great everyones happy. but more often than not the bands are poor churning out the "played to death and back" songs. for people that like these songs then grand but for people who don't they will look forward to the DJ hopefully resurrecting the night musically.

its catering for all tastes. best thing is to haggle with band and unless you know they're gonna be hot not agree a 3hr setlist with them. Maybe Bruce Springsteen can manage 3 hours of music but IMHO thats too long for a wedding band. let the band give it loads for 90mins and then have the dj kick in.

safest bet.

How Strange

After further investigation on the interweb I would now have reservations about letting the band do dj after. You can get a good dj from €300-420 for a 3hr set. I also agree that music and food are the two things to get right. They definitely make or break the night.

We're just about to start looking for bands but our budget for both is €2k. We can stretch it a bit but not too much. Hopefully, we can get one of the bands we've picked for about €16000. We're in Dublin so I'm aware we'll probably be charged more for that privilege I woudl also consider just a dj if the band option was just too expensive.

oldscoil

I got married one month and 5 days ago

And I used a guy called Dermot Kelly:

He was excellent, and played what I asked him to. He also played stuff that he thought the crowd would like, which they all did.

The main thing is, all my guests were well impressed!!!

Great guy, great DJ.

Here is his 2009 Price List

After Band (3 Hours): €475

After Dinner (4 Hours): €575

After Canapés (5 Hours): €675

Full Evening (6 Hours): €775

Prices include:

- Premium 2K (2,000 Watt) PA system with bass bin;

- Enormous music collection;

- Professional event lighting;

- Cabled & radio microphone;

- Comprehensive meeting regarding specific music requests etc.

NB Extra lighting and smoke machine available for an additional €100

Dermot Kelly

www.freshdjs.ie
freshdjs@me.com
087 206 5 208
01 601 5435

fergiesarmy

Being a dj also I find it gas the number of people who make an enquiry and all they want to know is price. They ask nothing else. My price for after band is 350 - 400 euro but I have been know to drop this lower for midweek or to secure a booking. The gas thing is a bride will come on and say something like "oh well i have spent 2500 - 3000 euro on a band so I am trying to save on the dj!!"

FFs its unreal. They are spending 25,000 or 30,000 or more on the big dfay and they want to try and save 25 or 50 euro on the dj. Now i know that my sound and lighting are well above the quality of most wedding djs and I know there is some ****e out there. The reality is that they more often than not go with the cheapest quote and dont find out until its too late how bad the dj is. I.e some skankger shows up with no class, poor sound system, will do no preparation for the wedding, may not stick to the playlist if given and come on after a band with 2 small speakers screaming for mercy because they cant match up to the bands powerful pa system.

Regarding bands doing dj, this is something that has really crippled the dj industry and left a bad taste / reflection.

My attitude is.... why stop at that. Why not let the band bake your wedding cake and sew the wedding dress also. Maybe one of the band members has a nice jag that could be used to bring the bride to the church.:)

In fairness many bands do offer a professional dj (subcontracted in from another dj company that you could have hired directly yourself) and many cases its the band's roadie that just sticks on a mix cd or leave a mix running on laptop while he takes down the equipment to get home asap after the gig.

A pro dj will have a sound system to match the band so he wont sound like a stereo in the corner and also a much more advanced light show that the band in most cases who will usually only light the stage. I also believe the seperate dj will offer a freshness of ideas to the night

Music is the one thing people do remember long after the wedding so why not go for the best band and dj that you can afford rather that trying to cut corners here.

Whispered

Fergies army, what questions do you suggest someone asks when booking a dj? I'm about to start looking and am not sure where to start.

Thanks

sweetie

I agree with what Fergie has said. A dj generally plays for as long or longer than a band and would cost on average 25% of the band price so make sure that they are experienced at the type of gig you require, have adequate equipment for the purpose (Pa would need to be at least 1000w rms but preferably 2000w for larger venues) including backup equipment in case of technical problems and I would recommend speaking to some previous clients and if possible seeing them play live (but remember every crowd is different ) Also, if choosing a playlist consider the guests likes and dislikes aswell as your own and be prepared to let the dj change things a bit if the list isn't working. I would consider a list of ten must play and ten must not play to suffice and give an indication of a couples taste. Lights must be good but tasteful (not strobing like at a rave) and also there must be some control over them for purposes of first dance etc. They must be comfortable on the mic and use it if needed or not at all if the customer prefers. If I think of anything else I'll continue...

SeekUp

helena.ryan wrote: »

Fergies army, what questions do you suggest someone asks when booking a dj? I'm about to start looking and am not sure where to start.

Thanks

Ditto -- we're also planning from out of town, so it'll be a bit difficult to hear the band and/or dj live beforehand. I guess the safest bet is to go with recommendations . . . bless the internet for that.

I wish it were just as simple as asking someone if they are amazing!

So yes, professional djs, what should we ask?

sweetie

SeekUp wrote: »

So yes, professional djs, what should we ask?

a quick google threw up this and it covers alot of issues

kingofslaves

sweetie wrote: »

a quick google threw up this and it covers alot of issues

That hurts my eyes after reading that!

davylee

elvis jones wrote: »

I'm a Weddind Dj and i'll let that be known from the start.

Just wanted to say that some bands that provide a dj.....don't provide a dj.

They have a pre mixed cd playing when they are taking down their equipment. I have seen this with 3 different bands while at a weddings.

Also some have a roadie with little experience and allow no input into the playlist on the night.

BUT some bands have done deals with dj's and companies, ask when you book about this.

For me the 2 most important parts of a wedding ( sorry brides ) are the food and entertainment. No one talks about the flowers or mass booklets the next day.

Remember its a party and the main parts of most parties are food and entertainment.

Oh and don't bother with bands anyway......Dj's are the way forward:D;)

lol

samilou

A lot of bands and DJ's work together...we are having the usual suspects (2 hours) who have a wide list of songs to choose from 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, 00's and we just pick what we want, also they have a DJ who works with them (if you want) and its not that much more his name is Skip Alexander and we can pick all the songs....both the band and DJ get the guests up and involve everyone.

kingofslaves

samilou wrote: »

we just pick what we want, also they have a DJ who works with them (if you want) and its not that much more his name is Skip Alexander and we can pick all the songs....both the band and DJ get the guests up and involve everyone.

but if you choose the songs what are you paying for ? When you book a DJ you are paying for his ability to play suitable songs. Not just be a jukebox !

DJ Ollie B

I happened across this thread by accident.
I am a highly experienced D.J. for over 32 years.
I play in Clubs/Pubs and do Weddings/Parties etc.
If I am available on the date of your Wedding
I can Guarantee that You and all your guests will have
a brilliant time.
I take the time to meet with the Bride & Groom without obligation
and I throughly go through your entertainment requirement.
I offer suggestions in line with your requests to Insure your
special day is truly memorable.
The most important thing I say to all Wedding Couples is
remember this is your Wedding. You only do it once.
Do not cut corners on your entertainment.
A Good D.J. will make your wedding special.
A cheap D.J. usually is relatively inexperienced and is only looking
a nights pay.
My mobile Number is 086-2375527
Regards,

D.J. Ollie B

seamus

Personally if I went to a wedding and just a DJ got up, I'd be a little snobbish about it; all-night DJs are for birthday parties, not weddings. But at the same time a good DJ is better than a crap band.

We got a fantastic band, who DJed afterwards - one of the band members used the band's equipment to properly DJ, just played from our setlist and mixed it properly. That's all I personally feel you need in a DJ - don't need some spa MC'ing and talking crap - just good music suited to the crowd.

samilou

kingofslaves wrote: »

but if you choose the songs what are you paying for ? When you book a DJ you are paying for his ability to play suitable songs. Not just be a jukebox !

We can choose which songs we want and do not want, not a list of what to play, everyone has different tastes so we want a mix of everything - the DJ is perfectly capable of choosing the songs as he is a DJ in clubs etc... for years, but since we are paying a lot of money for our wedding and am only planning to get married once so i think its important that i like the songs that are played.

bradleycorey

SeekUp wrote: »

Ditto -- we're also planning from out of town, so it'll be a bit difficult to hear the band and/or dj live beforehand. I guess the safest bet is to go with recommendations . . . bless the internet for that.

I wish it were just as simple as asking someone if they are amazing!

So yes, professional djs, what should we ask?

Hi there,

Where abouts is it you are getting married?

I got married in Navan last year and we booked this fantastic DJ reccomended by a friend. We too couldnt afford a band & Dj so went with the cheaper option of just having the DJ play for the whole night. When we phoned him, he told us we could come to any of his gigs to hear him play. We were very happy with him, he was really good at entertaining a mixed crowd.. We are in our late 20's and we had relations at our wedding who are in their 60's. He played music from the 60's right up to todays chart music. We had so many people coming up complimenting him and asking for his number for future party's. My cousin also had him play at her 30th birthday party in July- He done Karaoke for her also and had an amazing singer to get the crowd going, they were even giving out free shots of sambuca to everyone that got up and sang :P Happy days!! The whole party was well impressed and he had the floor filled for the night.
Not quite sure of his cost now, i think for the normal 3 hour set, it was about 480euro but We had him play i think 8pm-1.30am and it cost us around 750euro, think its an extra 100euro for karaoke too. Believe the true saying " You pay for what you get"
Bands cost anywhere between 1,500-2,500 and take breaks every half hour, this guy played thru the whole nite. some bands come with Dj's aswell but alot of them are brutel and just in it for the money. You can truley tell this guy loves his job.

If you havent already booked someone, let me know. i will pass on his number

kingofslaves

bradleycorey wrote: »

Not quite sure of his cost now, i think for the normal 3 hour set, it was about 480euro but We had him play i think 8pm-1.30am and it cost us around 750euro, think its an extra 100euro for karaoke too.

Saw you coming! :P Good friend of mine would charge 350E max.

Shyboy

kingofslaves wrote: »

Saw you coming! :P Good friend of mine would charge 350E max.

€350 for an after band set maybe, but I have never heard of a professional DJ charging only €350 for a full night wedding. Maybe your friend is not registered with the revenue or not fully insured, etc...;)

bradleycorey

kingofslaves wrote: »

Saw you coming! :P Good friend of mine would charge 350E max.

Wow 350 max for a full 6 hour set. Tell him from me, he's the cheapest wedding DJ out there. Most Professional wedding Dj's gave us quotes for 600e or more for these type hours..
I do know for my relations birthday party it was 350-400 but thats a birthday party- totally different price for weddings plus he was doing longer hours.

I still stick to what i said before " it was money well spent!!!

kingofslaves

Sorry thought price was for after band, normal price from my friend would be 525 to 650 depending on how far he has to travel etc. These days people don't realise DJ's have to take thier kit to where the gig is, if the DJ is in, say skerries and the gig is in Trim, they have to leave in time and pay the petrol. Anyway hope the OP finds someone and congrstulaions.

(excude spelling, locked!!!__)

Super-Rush

You should ask how long they have been Djing for. Lads who have been doing it for five minutes sound like they have been doing it for five minutes. A year maybe two years would be the minimum and they should have played at least one wedding.

You could and maybe should ask could you go see them play somewhere. A lot of people do it with bands so why not Dj's.

Always give a Dj some sort of idea what music you want played. At least he will be playing the music you want even if he can't put it together properly and don't expect a Dj to play only the music you and your husband like. 90% of the crowd won't have your same taste. Ask him to mix some of your own music in as much as he can.

davylee

bradleycorey wrote: »

Hi there,

Where abouts is it you are getting married?

I got married in Navan last year and we booked this fantastic DJ reccomended by a friend. We too couldnt afford a band & Dj so went with the cheaper option of just having the DJ play for the whole night. When we phoned him, he told us we could come to any of his gigs to hear him play. We were very happy with him, he was really good at entertaining a mixed crowd.. We are in our late 20's and we had relations at our wedding who are in their 60's. He played music from the 60's right up to todays chart music. We had so many people coming up complimenting him and asking for his number for future party's. My cousin also had him play at her 30th birthday party in July- He done Karaoke for her also and had an amazing singer to get the crowd going, they were even giving out free shots of sambuca to everyone that got up and sang :P Happy days!! The whole party was well impressed and he had the floor filled for the night.
Not quite sure of his cost now, i think for the normal 3 hour set, it was about 480euro but We had him play i think 8pm-1.30am and it cost us around 750euro, think its an extra 100euro for karaoke too. Believe the true saying " You pay for what you get"
Bands cost anywhere between 1,500-2,500 and take breaks every half hour, this guy played thru the whole nite. some bands come with Dj's aswell but alot of them are brutel and just in it for the money. You can truley tell this guy loves his job.

If you havent already booked someone, let me know. i will pass on his number

:eek: don't know what kinda bands you are booking
so next time i'm playing a 3 hour i get 5 breaks. nice one

silkwoodband

We agree totally with the fact that the bands should play the music and the djs should do the disco.A number of years ago we were providing the dj service with the band.It was something the band did not agree with but you have to go with the man taking the bookings in these situations and it took a change of membership to sort it out.
It never works if the band provide the disco,its like some of the previous posters said,...you have a laptop or a cd playing a pre recorded mix in the backround while the rest of the lads are taking out the gear.Unless you have completely seperate gear and a seperate person who is not in the band you cannot give it 100%.
Nowadays we provide a package for interested parties that includes the band and a professional dj who has nothing to do with the live side of things and has all his own gear and it comes in under the magical 2000 euros.We alternate between 4 djs and we find that this works much better than the old days of the laptop and a few dodgy lights approach.As some one else said you dont ask the chef to make the wedding cake or the florist to take the pictures.Its the most important day of your life and it should be handled by professionals all the way.
I am sure the wrath of god is going to come down on me from all the bands out there that are making the few extra quid providing the lot but heh it won't be the first time and we are all still alive and well so bring it on.

kingofslaves

Looking through the posts in this thread, it looks like we all have a view. At the end of the day, whatever you decide on, you wont please everyone. It's like going to a club, not every song they play you'll like. Unless you go round everyone asking for requests, you wont please everyone.

But the most important thing is the bride & groom get thier favourites songs played, the sound is good, and the DJ looks smart. I have been to weddings where the DJ hasn't had loads of lights, just 2 lasers, and 3 or 4 lights on sound to light. It's not about the flashing lights, it's about the music. Have you been to a pub where they play music to dance to? do they always have loads of high tech lighting? no. If you can hear the music, then who cares if there are no lights?

Make your own mind up people, and hopefully you'll have a good time. Congratulations to everyone who is getting married, hope you have many happy years together.

bradleycorey

davylee wrote: »

:eek: don't know what kinda bands you are booking
so next time i'm playing a 3 hour i get 5 breaks. nice one

I didnt mean literelly, but every wedding iv been to, bands seem to take more time breaking than they do playing and alot of them are so expensive. Paying 1500-3000 for a 3 hour set and be lucky if u hear 2 hours music. Just my opinion, but bands are not for me.

Dj is quater the price and can do the same job- if not better!
Again just my opinion and possibley maybe because we just had amazing luck with our Dj with not only been a dj but a great entertainer!!

Good luck yo all getting married

clint_silver

I am a wedding DJ. I press play the second the band finishes, and do not use mixes unless Im on my own and need a bathroom break. I have backup decks, mixers, lights, laptops, CDs and audio equipment always in my van.

I always contact Brides for playlists, always take requests and do my best to work them in when possible. I take names of the primary people who are there (bridal party) and mention them during the night.

I have up to date Top 40s, I sub to DJ magazines online, keep abreast of latest developments and releases. I am requested by those who have heard me DJ as theyve enjoyed the night so much. I consider myself a professional at it.

But I also play in the wedding band that are on before me. Some posts have stated that you should never book the DJ through the band, in some cases this is true, in some cases it is not.

I was at a friends wedding recently (I was offered the gig but declined as I would be drinking during the day, the 2 dont mix). When requested, the DJ had not heard of the number one at the time and when further pressed for uptodate music, he did not have a release from the last 2 years. He was from the band.

Moral: always ask to speak to the DJ themself if youre going through the band for one. Ask about playlists and what kind of music will they play, have they top 40s, will they interact with the crowd etc, you can guage yourself from suggestions on here what you should be looking for.

I didnt mean literelly, but every wedding iv been to, bands seem to take more time breaking than they do playing and alot of them are so expensive. Paying 1500-3000 for a 3 hour set and be lucky if u hear 2 hours music. Just my opinion, but bands are not for me.

Band should take no more then 1 x 15-20 minute break and that should be for finger food and arranged with the bride/groom and timed with the banqueting manager.

You say bands are expensive but put it in context of what they do. If you paid 1500-2500e for an experienced 5-6 piece band that you hired to keep your guests entertained, and they did their job, are they cheap or expensive?
You could pay 200e for a DJ, (theres guys out there who will charge that) they turn up with inferior equipment, poor preparation, dont know how to work a mike, dont play requests, and in turn your guests arent entertained, now for 200e, is that cheap or expensive?
If you cant afford a band, thats one thing, but dont confuse value for money for the product, service and delivery with expensiveness.

kingofslaves

I agree, at the end of the day bands & DJs both have to make money & have good & bad points. It's like anything else, you can't take somebodys advice as it's just that, advice. Best wishes & good luck to all brides & grooms.

bradleycorey

You say bands are expensive but put it in context of what they do. If you paid 1500-2500e for an experienced 5-6 piece band that you hired to keep your guests entertained, and they did their job, are they cheap or expensive?
You could pay 200e for a DJ, (theres guys out there who will charge that) they turn up with inferior equipment, poor preparation, dont know how to work a mike, dont play requests, and in turn your guests arent entertained, now for 200e, is that cheap or expensive?
If you cant afford a band, thats one thing, but dont confuse value for money for the product, service and delivery with expensiveness.[/quote]


Firstly if i got a quote off a Dj for 200euro, that to me would tell me that the nite would be a disaster before i even thought about booking him. A good quaity Dj would cost triple this but not half as expensive as a band- In saying that i do agree that a band obviously have to charge more because there is more people to be paid.

Why asume a Dj would turn up with "Quote " inferior equipment, poor preparation, dont know how to work a mike, dont play requests, and in turn your guests arent entertained. A band could also turn up at ur wedding with this poor quality??
If ur such a good DJ, surely you would be better off quiting your band for better income. The one payment will be paid to you..

As this is an opinion board, I just wanted to share mine & my experiences. I have been 3 weddings this year, and yes the bands did entertain the crowd BUT MY OPINION, DJ done just as good and i would be a person really into my music. Everyones different and will obviously have different views

bradleycorey

bradleycorey wrote: »

You say bands are expensive but put it in context of what they do. If you paid 1500-2500e for an experienced 5-6 piece band that you hired to keep your guests entertained, and they did their job, are they cheap or expensive?
You could pay 200e for a DJ, (theres guys out there who will charge that) they turn up with inferior equipment, poor preparation, dont know how to work a mike, dont play requests, and in turn your guests arent entertained, now for 200e, is that cheap or expensive?
If you cant afford a band, thats one thing, but dont confuse value for money for the product, service and delivery with expensiveness.

Firstly if i got a quote off a Dj for 200euro, that to me would tell me that the nite would be a ruined before i even thought about booking him. A good quaity Dj would cost triple this but not half as expensive as a band- In saying that i do agree that a band obviously have to charge more because there is more people to be paid.

Why asume a Dj would turn up with "Quote " inferior equipment, poor preparation, dont know how to work a mike, dont play requests, and in turn your guests arent entertained. A band could also turn up at ur wedding with this poor quality??
If ur such a good DJ, surely you would be better off quiting your band for better income. The one payment will be paid to you..

As this is an opinion board, I just wanted to share mine & my experiences. I have been 3 weddings this year, and yes the bands did entertain the crowd BUT MY OPINION, DJ done just as good and i would be a person really into my music. Everyones different and will obviously have different views [/quote]

clint_silver

bradleycorey wrote: »

Firstly if i got a quote off a Dj for 200euro, that to me would tell me that the nite would be a ruined before i even thought about booking him. A good quaity Dj would cost triple this but not half as expensive as a band- In saying that i do agree that a band obviously have to charge more because there is more people to be paid.

Why asume a Dj would turn up with "Quote " inferior equipment, poor preparation, dont know how to work a mike, dont play requests, and in turn your guests arent entertained. A band could also turn up at ur wedding with this poor quality??
If ur such a good DJ, surely you would be better off quiting your band for better income. The one payment will be paid to you..

As this is an opinion board, I just wanted to share mine & my experiences. I have been 3 weddings this year, and yes the bands did entertain the crowd BUT MY OPINION, DJ done just as good and i would be a person really into my music. Everyones different and will obviously have different views

[/QUOTE]

I mainly posted to balance points made my others. Some have said never to hire a DJ thats with the band as generally they would not be as good as a dedicated service. But I take as much pride and professional care in DJing as I do playing in the band so its not true in all cases. Of the 2 others musician/DJs that come to mind that I know that do same, 1 would be the same as me, the other wouldnt.

Conversely, of all the DJs that I know, 2 come to mind that I wouldnt let play a mix at a kids party so the same can be said for DJ only service. I play on average 60-70 weddings a year for last 10 or years doing either band, band+DJ or DJ only so have seen the good bad and indifferent.

If the band is good, it will make a good wedding great, if the band is indifferent or bad, there is a case for a DJ only as the band didnt bring anything extra to the night. Id be interested in hearing the bands that youve seen this year that you thought the DJ only would have sufficed, I could give you bands that if you seen live at a wedding would change your mind about DJ only.

davylee

clint_silver wrote: »

I mainly posted to balance points made my others. Some have said never to hire a DJ thats with the band as generally they would not be as good as a dedicated service. But I take as much pride and professional care in DJing as I do playing in the band so its not true in all cases. Of the 2 others musician/DJs that come to mind that I know that do same, 1 would be the same as me, the other wouldnt.

Conversely, of all the DJs that I know, 2 come to mind that I wouldnt let play a mix at a kids party so the same can be said for DJ only service. I play on average 60-70 weddings a year for last 10 or years doing either band, band+DJ or DJ only so have seen the good bad and indifferent.

If the band is good, it will make a good wedding great, if the band is indifferent or bad, there is a case for a DJ only as the band didnt bring anything extra to the night. Id be interested in hearing the bands that youve seen this year that you thought the DJ only would have sufficed, I could give you bands that if you seen live at a wedding would change your mind about DJ only.[/QUOTE]

Good post
There's absolutely no reason why people can't do both
there might even be a case of the band member being the better choice of dj as he's had a few hours experience with that crowd
and let's face it it's not rocket science djing for a wedding.
Good song choice and a little banter and away you go so tiredness would not be an issue in most circumstances

minnie_m

…….. DO NOT hire DJ Entertainment or even consider it!!!

We hired them (one DJ only!) for our wedding this yr and it was a disaster! The dj was hired to source music for the church....but I ended up doing it all!!! We advised what our entrance music was to be (Gabriel’s Oboe) and wanted music to compliment……he sent me a cd with Somewhere over the Rainbow on it
Then at the church he hadn't got the entrance music we provided him with (although he was able to play all the other music required in the church???) Said it was due to his laptop breaking. There was NO backup at all. Thankfully my bridesmaid had a copy in her car so we used that. Also he only told of us the issue when we were about to make our entrance although he was there at 2.05pm, my now husband there at 2pm and me not until 2.45pm!!!!
We had him provide music during the meal....he played LOVE & MARRIAGE (theme tune for Married with children) as we entered!! Maybe funny to him but not to us! (Tacky is not the word!!!) Then he was over an hour setting up for the evening reception due to a "missing" cable....although his equipment was in the room already!!!
His “up to date equipment” is three laptops with iTunes…..seriously I could have done that myself!
Next he played the WRONG first dance song!!! :mad: After that stopped the music completely to announce requests. The music constantly stopped and started for no reason. The flow of music was disgraceful. Then he played music that we told him not to and omitted music we asked him to play. ALSO he stopped the music completely to try to get our guests to sing happy birthday to one of our other guests.....ALTHOUGH I was telling him not to & to put the music back on. Also at our meeting previously we had voiced our opinions on this.
The overall performance was disgraceful. There was no thought put into the set, no professionalism. I don't know why we had meetings with him to discuss what we wanted as he done what he liked so it was like O:| I would have been happy to allow him to do what he felt like (after all they need some freedom) if his taste in music was good and catered for our guests.
I seriously would advise against hiring this guy. It is a HUGE waste of money and you will be left with nothing but anger and disappointment...and a DVD that you have to fast forward your first dance on!!! :mad::mad::mad::mad:

elvis jones

minnie_m wrote: »

…….. DO NOT hire DJ Entertainment or even consider it!!!

We hired them (one DJ only!) for our wedding this yr and it was a disaster! The dj was hired to source music for the church....but I ended up doing it all!!! We advised what our entrance music was to be (Gabriel’s Oboe) and wanted music to compliment……he sent me a cd with Somewhere over the Rainbow on it?????
Then at the church he hadn't got the entrance music we provided him with (although he was able to play all the other music required in the church???) Said it was due to his laptop breaking. There was NO backup at all. Thankfully my bridesmaid had a copy in her car so we used that. Also he only told of us the issue when we were about to make our entrance although he was there at 2.05pm, my now husband there at 2pm and me not until 2.45pm!!!!
We had him provide music during the meal....he played LOVE & MARRIAGE (theme tune for Married with children) as we entered!! Maybe funny to him but not to us! (Tacky is not the word!!!) Then he was over an hour setting up for the evening reception due to a "missing" cable....although his equipment was in the room already!!!
His “up to date equipment” is three laptops with iTunes…..seriously I could have done that myself!
Next he played the WRONG first dance song!!! >:o( After that stopped the music completely to announce requests. The music constantly stopped and started for no reason. The flow of music was disgraceful. Then he played music that we told him not to and omitted music we asked him to play. ALSO he stopped the music completely to try to get our guests to sing happy birthday to one of our other guests.....ALTHOUGH I was telling him not to & to put the music back on. Also at our meeting previously we had voiced our opinions on this.
The overall performance was disgraceful. There was no thought put into the set, no professionalism. I don't know why we had meetings with him to discuss what we wanted as he done what he liked so it was like O:| I would have been happy to allow him to do what he felt like (after all they need some freedom) if his taste in music was good and catered for our guests.
I seriously would advise against hiring this guy. It is a HUGE waste of money and you will be left with nothing but anger and disappointment!!! >:o( >:o( >:o( >:o(

While the above may well be true having it as your 1st post doesn't really say a lot to me.

BUT if it is true it is awful for such a special day. Having done about 1200 weddings some of the above have been bad dreams for me and have woken me up in the cold sweat:o

minnie_m

It may have been my first post but what reflection does that have on it being true or not? Truth is I was looking through the post to see if I could find any other thread re this DJ and stumbled across this one. I thought it would have been nice to pass on my experience so others don't get ripped off like me. Not only were we ripped off re the djing, we paid alot of money for our DVD that had to be edited to the second song as there was too much crap afterwards.

In the current climate we live in, does not every little bit of info help

elvis jones

minnie_m wrote: »

It may have been my first post but what reflection does that have on it being true or not? Truth is I was looking through the post to see if I could find any other thread re this DJ and stumbled across this one. I thought it would have been nice to pass on my experience so others don't get ripped off like me. Not only were we ripped off re the djing, we paid alot of money for our DVD that had to be edited to the second song as there was too much crap afterwards.

In the current climate we live in, does not every little bit of info help

I didn't mean it that way, what i meant is that a 1st post running down a business can look suspect. That you have to agree with, i didn't doubt you for a minute.

You did the same on weddings online ???

Did you make a complaint afterwards about the service and how was this handled ?

Sorry if it looked like i was doubting your cliams, only stating that a 1st post like that can be ignored ( here and on WOL )

minnie_m

Fully understand where you are coming from
The DJ was priced at €800. Outstanding bal of €600 after deposit. We ended up paying €450 in total becuase of the level of service. We had to get our solicitor involved becuase the DJ didn't want to take any responsibilty for what had happened. We would have gladly paid the remaining balance and given a good reference but the fact is he was djing at a wedding and played the wrong first dance song. As far as we were concerned that was a big no no.
I normally think you get what you pay for but unfortuantely not in this case

clint_silver

minnie_m wrote: »

Fully understand where you are coming from
The DJ was priced at €800. Outstanding bal of €600 after deposit. We ended up paying €450 in total becuase of the level of service. We had to get our solicitor involved becuase the DJ didn't want to take any responsibilty for what had happened. We would have gladly paid the remaining balance and given a good reference but the fact is he was djing at a wedding and played the wrong first dance song. As far as we were concerned that was a big no no.
I normally think you get what you pay for but unfortuantely not in this case

Takig your post at face value, as Elvis said, and Id agree, your scenario is a nightmare for a DJ who cares (and I would think just a laugh to a DJ that doesnt). We only get one chance at this for each wedding so prepare, prepare, prepare.

Playing a wrong song can happen but shouldnt. Over Id guess 6-700 weddings Its happened to me twice, once was my fault as I put on wrong song, very early days in my career, couldnt apologise enough, second was when I was given the wrong song. Again years ago, mistakes should only have to happen once for it to never happen again in our game. now I play the song back to bride and groom before the day and even ask them to bring a cd with it if its something out of the ordinary even though I may have it so theres no mistakes.

Missing or faulty cables can happen but shouldnt. This is just unprofessional and should hold someone up for no more then 2-3 minutes while he gets a spare out of his spares box that should be no further then his transport in the car park.

Playing wrong song choices is again unprofessional, I love it when the Bride asks for lots of R&B, country & western and no 80s, as it makes it easier for the DJ as now I dont have to worry whether someone will dance to 80s.

I use laptops so I can get to a song choice quickly if requested. I have everything backed up on cd. Any professional DJ should have backups whether laptop/cd or either only.

minnie_m

I do agree whole heartly with you. Mistakes can happen & allowance need to be made for that. I really don't think the not playing requested song, missing cable, stopping & starting, would have been such a big issue if the entrance music was provided & the correct first dance was played.

Again i can understand mistakes, but this DJ took no responsibilty for what he did (or didnt do!!). I find it very hard to understand 1.Why any professional wouldnt bring a backup & 2.After all the confirmation with him (booking form, calls etc) he still managed to get it wrong.

It is so hard to find good DJs these days. My personal opinion is that this guy hasnt much wedding experience. I think that it would have shown if he had.

I would whole heartly promote this company or any company if I had a good experience with them. I just think that most bad experiences arent always told because of the upset and disappointment it can cause.

sweetie

hi Minnie, Did you think he had experience of weddings or had he told you that he had. Did you get any references or see him in action? My heart goes out to you and glad that you got some recompense but your story shows that people need to do their homework when booking any service for their wedding day. Like the others I carry backup Pa & playback system and only recently needed to use my cd decks at the start of a gig when my laptop had an issue. All equipment is checked in advance of every gig and spare cables are at hands length when I need them.

minnie_m

Not sure if he had, he said he had....but sure I can say I have had experience in anything but dont! Personally i don't think he had. There is not other explaination for the amatuer errors. And again going back to the other simply things like having a backup plan etc. I would think if you had experience then these things would come naturally?
Ah sure as they say you live and you learn. I just hope others learn from my experience.
x

TanD

One thing to mention ask them if they play requests, I know that at my wedding everyone asked the dj for a song and some don't like to play requests, just a thought

clint_silver

Bar 1 guy one night, who looked and sounded like he only had the first 4 Now albums in his case, I dont think Ive ever heard of a DJ not taking requests.

All DJs should take requests, and the good ones will fit them in if given time. He has to use judgement as well, if he doesnt think a song will work, he shouldnt play it unless its the bridal party requesting it.

Ive a golden rule, if the bride or groom ask for anything, no matter how cheesey, rocky, indie, old, good, bad, indifferent, late or early it is, it gets played. I once emptied a packed floor of rock'n'rollers for the bride so she could get a scooter song played at that point as one of her mates was going, it obviously meant something to her, have to say I hadnt heard it before, was just lucky to have it on something like a "best of rave 2003" album Id gotten off a wise DJ friend who said Id need it one night.
Anyway, bride danced with just her 2 mates to the whole thing and then it took me a couple of songs to get people back on the floor. Few older people came up to me and said that music was wholly unsuitable to the crowd that were there and that I didnt know my job. (boooo) Bride came over at end of night and couldnt thank me enough for playing scooter. (yaay). Job done as far as I was concerned.

Super-Rush

clint_silver wrote: »

Bar 1 guy one night, who looked and sounded like he only had the first 4 Now albums in his case, I dont think Ive ever heard of a DJ not taking requests.

All DJs should take requests, and the good ones will fit them in if given time. He has to use judgement as well, if he doesnt think a song will work, he shouldnt play it unless its the bridal party requesting it.

Ive a golden rule, if the bride or groom ask for anything, no matter how cheesey, rocky, indie, old, good, bad, indifferent, late or early it is, it gets played. I once emptied a packed floor of rock'n'rollers for the bride so she could get a scooter song played at that point as one of her mates was going, it obviously meant something to her, have to say I hadnt heard it before, was just lucky to have it on something like a "best of rave 2003" album Id gotten off a wise DJ friend who said Id need it one night.
Anyway, bride danced with just her 2 mates to the whole thing and then it took me a couple of songs to get people back on the floor. Few older people came up to me and said that music was wholly unsuitable to the crowd that were there and that I didnt know my job. (boooo) Bride came over at end of night and couldnt thank me enough for playing scooter. (yaay). Job done as far as I was concerned.

+1 For this. This has happened to me plenty of times and i approach it with the same attitude.