Wedding DJ Issue

c6ysaphjvqw41k

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Dublinstiofán

Ya should have other more important things to worry about 28 days before your wedding. Leave things as they are or you'll just end up creating hassle for yourself, hassle that will amount to more than €150.

Atomic Pineapple

It's pretty standard for a member of the band to also perform a DJ set as part of a package. As stated it's probably going to be a list of songs played through the band's own sound system. A proper DJ is going to cost more than 150 quid. Unless you really want a proper DJ there's no need to panic.

stampydmonkey

Yeah it's not worth the hassle...And they won't mind what u play either. Some "proper DJs" have awful egos. They can take requests if the have them too so definitely better than an mp3 playlist

mcgiggles

I can't remember any djs chatting during sets at any weddings I went to! I think most go understated! Don't stress by that time of the night you won't mind as long as there's music playing :-)

pconn062

I can say from experience that it is pretty common that a member of the band will do the DJ, most bands now offer it as an add on and it usually costs much less than a regular DJ (I'm not saying though that the service is the same or as good as a proper DJ would offer). In my own band our singer does DJ at about 75% of the weddings we play and it is usually what the couple want, and they are more than happy with it. He does a bit of talking and can do special requests but it's mostly just playing a preset list of songs.

clint_silver

All DJs are different, whether they're part of the band or not. some are chatty, some arent. some have good gear some dont. Some use playlists some dont.

A good DJ will look at the floor and play the right song at the right time.

Strongly advise to not do it yourself. It will cost you a minimum of 100e and a ton of undue hassle hiring gear, setting it up, organising playlists that you hope will work, bringing gear back. For 150e, let him at it and give him an idea of some tunes you want included to guide him.

Even if you went hiring a specific DJ for the wedding going rate of 250-300 euro now, you've no guarantee that they'ed be what you want in a DJ as youd be hiring in a rush.

c6ysaphjvqw41k

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funkedupjohnny

Hiring a band member to play the same playlist at the end of each wedding IS NOT THE NORM ,band will always try upsell their packages by offering a dj service, if they provided an experienced dj this wouldn't be an issue but most cases a band member will just play the same oule playlist they do after every wedding , if your on a budget I could understand this but it's your wedding day , for the sake of €300-€350 you could hire a professional who will know what songs to play to what audience at just the right time , im afraid band members do not have this experience or ability , it's like hiring a carpenter to fix your plumbing just because he uses tools it doesn't exactly mean he can do the job , just some food for thought , I hope it helps l

Charleigh Helpless Bench wrote: »

I booked my Band and DJ through an agency, and got a package from them. Everything is fine with the band, but when booking I told them I wanted a DJ for after the band too, and they told me it would be an extra 150 euro to add on a DJ to the package.

I contacted the agency a few weeks ago to discuss playlists for the band and also asked them to put me in touch with the DJ for the same. I didn't have any details about the DJ, but I already knew the band because I requested a specific one.

They had the band contact me as the band look after the DJ set too apparently. I asked them if they had much experience playing at weddings because I had never been told by the agency that the DJ was just a member of the band and I was under the impression that we were getting a DJ. This is what the band came back to me with "we have done this at many weddings before, where the couples have preferred a more understated DJ presence. That means that our guitarist doesn't talk between songs, there's no hyping up the crowd - he only plays a customized set of tracks through a quality sound system."

I never requested a more understated DJ presence though. Is this normal or do DJ's normally talk at weddings? I'm not sure because I think most weddings I've been to I've left before the DJ came on. I kind of feel like I could just do that myself with an iPod or MP3 player. I kind of feel like calling up the agency tomorrow and saying I'm not giving you the 150 for the DJ because this wasn't made clear to me when booking and hiring my own one, but I'm not sure how much that will cost us then and I have 28 days to find someone

Anyone who has more experience, is this normal at weddings and am I just overreacting? My only experience to go off is DJ's from like bars and clubs that play after bands on nights out!

sullivk

We chose our DJ as part of our band package, the drummer did it. We emailed them a short list of our favourite songs/artists for them to work into their playlist but otherwise we just left him to it.
I thought it was great as there was minimal disruption between band and DJ as they used the same equipment etc. And much cheaper as a package.
Enjoy the lead up to the day, don't stress!!

Davec82

I have seen some band members step in and all I can say is, you are right. An MP3 players would be better half the time.

If you want to make sure both you and your fuests enjoy the full night, I think you'd be much better off to get a proper wedding DJ who does this full time and can keep your Dancefloor full and your friends having a great time. The alternative is an empty room come 12 o'clock.

If you look on Weddings online, they have a section of professional DJs who I'm sure would be able to help.

Best of luck with your big day and hope all goes well

Charleigh Helpless Bench wrote: »

I booked my Band and DJ through an agency, and got a package from them. Everything is fine with the band, but when booking I told them I wanted a DJ for after the band too, and they told me it would be an extra 150 euro to add on a DJ to the package.

I contacted the agency a few weeks ago to discuss playlists for the band and also asked them to put me in touch with the DJ for the same. I didn't have any details about the DJ, but I already knew the band because I requested a specific one.

They had the band contact me as the band look after the DJ set too apparently. I asked them if they had much experience playing at weddings because I had never been told by the agency that the DJ was just a member of the band and I was under the impression that we were getting a DJ. This is what the band came back to me with "we have done this at many weddings before, where the couples have preferred a more understated DJ presence. That means that our guitarist doesn't talk between songs, there's no hyping up the crowd - he only plays a customized set of tracks through a quality sound system."

I never requested a more understated DJ presence though. Is this normal or do DJ's normally talk at weddings? I'm not sure because I think most weddings I've been to I've left before the DJ came on. I kind of feel like I could just do that myself with an iPod or MP3 player. I kind of feel like calling up the agency tomorrow and saying I'm not giving you the 150 for the DJ because this wasn't made clear to me when booking and hiring my own one, but I'm not sure how much that will cost us then and I have 28 days to find someone

Anyone who has more experience, is this normal at weddings and am I just overreacting? My only experience to go off is DJ's from like bars and clubs that play after bands on nights out!

pconn062

Davec82 wrote: »

I have seen some band members step in and all I can say is, you are right. An MP3 players would be better half the time.

If you want to make sure both you and your fuests enjoy the full night, I think you'd be much better off to get a proper wedding DJ who does this full time and can keep your Dancefloor full and your friends having a great time. The alternative is an empty room come 12 o'clock.

If you look on Weddings online, they have a section of professional DJs who I'm sure would be able to help.

Best of luck with your big day and hope all goes well

Depends what the couple wants though, if all the couple want is music after the band then it's much easier (and cheaper) to pay the band a €150 quid to save the hassle of hiring a PA and all that's involved in that. But if people want someone to engage with the crowd all night then a proper DJ is the way to go. But in my experience most couples just want music to keep people up after the band and are happy to get one of the band members to do it. I'm not saying that's right, but that is definitely my experience.

Black_Ninja

I've had numerous experiences of bands supplying the DJ for weddings.

One side of it is when a band hire an external independent DJ to play after them which can work extremely well as a DJ get's to know a bands playlist to eliminate repeats etc.

Some bands then use a band member to "DJ" after them, a lot of the time, it's a prepared playlist that plays through the bands sound system while the band pack away the drums, guitars etc. This usually means zero interaction and zero deviation from the generic playlist.

Bands trying to sell the DJ normally spout crap about a gap between the band and DJ and its seamless if they provide it. Any DJ worth their salt would arrive at the same time as the band, set up at the same time to minimise disruption and be ready to go the second the band finish.

pconn062

Black_Ninja wrote: »

I've had numerous experiences of bands supplying the DJ for weddings.

One side of it is when a band hire an external independent DJ to play after them which can work extremely well as a DJ get's to know a bands playlist to eliminate repeats etc.

Some bands then use a band member to "DJ" after them, a lot of the time, it's a prepared playlist that plays through the bands sound system while the band pack away the drums, guitars etc. This usually means zero interaction and zero deviation from the generic playlist.

Bands trying to sell the DJ normally spout crap about a gap between the band and DJ and its seamless if they provide it. Any DJ worth their salt would arrive at the same time as the band, set up at the same time to minimise disruption and be ready to go the second the band finish.

Just on this point, in my experience it's not usually the band trying to sell the DJ option, it's usually the couple who push the band to provide the DJ at a cheaper cost. In my own band, the singer does the DJ, but in most cases it's not necessarily because he wants to or pushes for it, but rather because the couple wanted to book the entire music thing in one package and he will do in order to get the gig. For all the extra hanging around and work it's not really worth it for the money (in his opinion anyway!), and makes a long night a very long night!

mcgiggles

Ah lads, chill out. You make it sound like all of them are crap. I've been to 13 or 14 weddings in the last 2 years and all, if not most, have been one of the band djing after the band finishes and at that stage of the night no-one notices anyways! It could have been the pope himself djing and noone would care, as long as there is good music playing no-one will give a sh*t whether someone is talking to them or not!

Prefab Sprouter

Lorenna, as another poster says with 28 days to go, don't be worrying about it. It definitely has become the norm that a member of the band (or even the sound engineer with the band) will DJ after the band. And at that stage of the night, most people will need little, if any encouragement to take to the floor. People have different opinions as to the role of a DJ at a wedding, some people want the DJ interacting with the crowd, others would rather that the music "do the talking". Its all down to personal preference. IMHO, mcgiggles is right..... Once there is good music playing no-one will give a sh*t whether someone is talking to them or not. In 16 years of djing I have never had anyone come up to me asking me to "interact more" with the audience!!! Having said that, I have had people come up with very strong opinions about what to play............. but thats another story! Enjoy your day

GingerLily

My friends won't be that bothered, the band is great and has some cool instuments so they'll be exhausted anyway from that, and anyone who is really into music won't be expectin their taste of music anyway!

I love a bit of cheesy music, in moderation

MortGoldman

Professional, full-time DJ here.

I would do everything in my power to get a proper DJ sorted for your night, and take it out of the bands hands. It's your wedding, and trying to shirk on the cost of someone who knows what they're doing to save 200-250 euro and potentially ruin the last few hours of your wedding is a risk not worth taking.

Bands are damn good at what they do, which is playing songs that they know on instruments. But there is no flexibility to that, 99% of the time. The DJ will have anything between 1-3 hours to play and a band member DJing while the band strip out their gear is usually a case of "Fire on something-anything-to keep some music going". A dedicated person who does this as a job, and can discuss your actual requirements, is surely a better option?

Bands and DJs are two very different skillsets and, for some reason, *most* bands think that they are able to cut in on a skillset that the majority of them don't have and bull**** their way through it. Not all are this unprofessional and actually do work with experienced jocks, but I haven't found this to be all that common.

Provided you get a proper DJ, there will be no delay between sets. Anyone that says otherwise is bull****ting. Most pro jocks have great sound and lighting rigs. Most pro jocks will actually be able to work with your requirements and provide you with that flexibility. And, most importantly, most pro jocks will be able to respond to what's happening on the dancefloor and keep it going. If you want an empty floor by midnight, using a band's DJ is usually the way to do it.

Atomic Pineapple

MortGoldman wrote: »

Bands and DJs are two very different skillsets and, for some reason, *most* bands think that they are able to cut in on a skillset that the majority of them don't have and bull**** their way through it.

I think bands are just offering what couples want in that most couples don't want to have to find a seperate DJ as well so if they can get a band member to do it for a hundred quid then the convenience of that outweighs the benefits of getting a proper DJ.

I think anyone who really wants a proper DJ will know that they'll have to get a proper DJ and not a add on with a band.

Shyboy

Atomic Pineapple wrote: »

I think bands are just offering what couples want in that most couples don't want to have to find a seperate DJ as well so if they can get a band member to do it for a hundred quid then the convenience of that outweighs the benefits of getting a proper DJ.

I think anyone who really wants a proper DJ will know that they'll have to get a proper DJ and not a add on with a band.

In that case, if the band offered a photography service for a hundred quid instead of a professional photographer, would most couples take the same risk?

There really is no difference...

pconn062

Shyboy wrote: »

In that case, if the band offered a photography service for a hundred quid instead of a professional photographer, would most couples take the same risk?

There really is no difference...

In fairness, that's a pretty poor comparison. There is a vast difference in the required skills for one. The band already own 90% of the gear required to do the DJ part. And the photos of a wedding are far more important long term to the couple than the DJ, a slightly dodgy DJ set is not going to ruin their memories of a wedding, a bad photographer could though.

Shyboy

pconn062 wrote: »

a slightly dodgy DJ set is not going to ruin their memories of a wedding,

Totally disagree...

Yes, different skills are required for both jobs, both both as important...you are seriously underestimating how important the entertainment is at a weddings and that includes the DJ as much as the band...

Guests at weddings remember 2 things...the food and the entertainment...

stampydmonkey

Shyboy wrote: »

Totally disagree...

Rash. Would have thought most people just give the DJ a batch of songs to play so a monkey could do it. Been at so many weddings where the "professional DJ" plays the same auld ****e as everyone else, and some won't even entertain requests cause it's beneath them.

Anyway unless there's 200 or 300 people at it, there will always be lulls on the dancefloor for both band and DJ. See it at every wedding.

Shyboy

stampydmonkey wrote: »

Rash. Would have thought most people just give the DJ a batch of songs to play so a monkey could do it.

Honestly, if you think that is all there is to it, good luck...

Couples expect much more than that...and deserve much more than that on the biggest day of their lives...

clint_silver

Shyboy wrote: »

Honestly, if you think that is all there is to it, good luck...

Couples expect much more than that...and deserve much more than that on the biggest day of their lives...

Is your argument that a band member DJ cant ever be as competent as a non-band member DJ?

MortGoldman

clint_silver wrote: »

Is your argument that a band member DJ cant ever be as competent as a non-band member DJ?

If a band member DJ is a good DJ, he can generally strike out on his own and make proper money, rather than being the 'cheap add-on' for the band.

screamer

mcgiggles wrote: »

Ah lads, chill out. You make it sound like all of them are crap. I've been to 13 or 14 weddings in the last 2 years and all, if not most, have been one of the band djing after the band finishes and at that stage of the night no-one notices anyways! It could have been the pope himself djing and noone would care, as long as there is good music playing no-one will give a sh*t whether someone is talking to them or not!

Totally disagree, once the band stops playing and the generic "playlist" comes on, people leave the dancefloor and start going home. I'd spend the extra to get proper DJ or get the band to play an extra hour. The band is packing up and leaving and there's a CD on autopilot in the background, waste of 150 euro.

GingerLily

It'd be interesting to see which posters are wedding DJs!!!! Lol

Shyboy

clint_silver wrote: »

Is your argument that a band member DJ cant ever be as competent as a non-band member DJ?

No, not at all. I know many bands who offer an excellent DJ service. But for someone to say a "trained monkey" can do it is an insult...

Also, a "dodgy DJ" won't ruin a wedding day?...what couple wants anything "dodgy" on their wedding day...no matter how cheap or convenient it might seem...

The Muppet

stampydmonkey wrote: »

Rash. Would have thought most people just give the DJ a batch of songs to play so a monkey could do it.

Way to ruin a party. There is actually an art in DJ'ing properly, no harm in giving the DJ a list of your favourite songs and highlighting the ones you really want played but its not just a matter of playing a list of songs , if that's whats required stick them all on an ipod and play that through the bands amp. Though most people will see that as the end of the party and head home.

The music should be the entertainment not the djs chat though the dj should interact with the audience too.

clint_silver

MortGoldman wrote: »

If a band member DJ is a good DJ, he can generally strike out on his own and make proper money, rather than being the 'cheap add-on' for the band.

Are you saying that some band member Djs are good Djs but only if they dont Dj after their band at a discount? So you have to charge the going rate to be a good Dj?

What happens if they are a good dj and do charge the going rate and not as a cheap add-on?

GingerLily

I hope the DJ doesn't last too long in my night to be honest, it's just stop gap between the band and the sing song when we get the guitars out!!!

mcgiggles

screamer wrote: »

Totally disagree, once the band stops playing and the generic "playlist" comes on, people leave the dancefloor and start going home. I'd spend the extra to get  proper DJ or get the band to play an extra hour.  The band is packing up and leaving and there's a CD on autopilot in the background, waste of 150 euro.

Never in my time going to weddings have I experienced this! No matter whether it was a band dj/ a "professional" dj/ or their uncle John throwing on a cd*, any wedding I've been to everyone is still dancing till the dj stops and the singsong starts! Maybe older relatives head off early, but that's it..
*may be exagerrating

clint_silver

GingerLily wrote: »

I hope the DJ doesn't last too long in my night to be honest, it's just stop gap between the band and the sing song when we get the guitars out!!!

If its for a typical 2 hour Dj set, and youre drinking and laughing and dancing and chatting with friends, it'll be over in a blink of an eye.

To save a possible awkward conversation, just make sure the venue allows guitars in resident bar. many dont.

screamer

mcgiggles wrote: »

Never in my time going to weddings have I experienced this! No matter whether it was a band dj/ a "professional" dj/ or their uncle John throwing on a cd*, any wedding I've been to everyone is still dancing till the dj stops and the singsong starts! Maybe older relatives head off early, but that's it..
*may be exagerrating

Well lucky for you. I've never not experienced it in such setups.
OP the band playing an extra hour might be a great idea if they're a lively band and better value wise than a CD on loop for an extra hour, something to consider anyways.

GingerLily

clint_silver wrote: »

GingerLily wrote: »

I hope the DJ doesn't last too long in my night to be honest, it's just stop gap between the band and the sing song when we get the guitars out!!!

If its for a typical 2 hour Dj set, and youre drinking and laughing and dancing and chatting with friends, it'll be over in a blink of an eye.

To save a possible awkward conversation, just make sure the venue allows guitars in resident bar. many dont.

We've hired an exclusive venue and have only been told no sub-woofers and amps off by 5, I think we'll be fine

Atomic Pineapple

Shyboy wrote: »

In that case, if the band offered a photography service for a hundred quid instead of a professional photographer, would most couples take the same risk?

There really is no difference...

I think you've misinterpreted my post, I meant, in my opinion, most couples deprioritise the DJ and as such if a band offers a DJ as an add on for a relatively cheap price its a convenience that works out well in this case.

As I said any couple that prioritises a DJ will know they need to get a DJ seperate from the band.

clint_silver

Atomic Pineapple wrote: »

I think you've misinterpreted my post, I meant, in my opinion, most couples deprioritise the DJ and as such if a band offers a DJ as an add on for a relatively cheap price its a convenience that works out well in this case.

As I said any couple that prioritises a DJ will know they need to get a DJ seperate from the band.

What if the band offers a Dj at full price and that Dj is as good as price he's charging, do the couples still know that they have to hire a separate one then?

Atomic Pineapple

clint_silver wrote: »

What if the band offers a Dj at full price and that Dj is as good as price he's charging, do the couples still know that they have to hire a separate one then?

Of course not.

unclebill98

MortGoldman wrote: »

If a band member DJ is a good DJ, he can generally strike out on his own and make proper money, rather than being the 'cheap add-on' for the band.

Lolz, funniest comment so far.

MortGoldman

unclebill98 wrote: »

Lolz, funniest comment so far.

Why's that?

Robineen

mcgiggles wrote: »

Never in my time going to weddings have I experienced this! No matter whether it was a band dj/ a "professional" dj/ or their uncle John throwing on a cd*, any wedding I've been to everyone is still dancing till the dj stops and the singsong starts! Maybe older relatives head off early, but that's it..
*may be exagerrating

The bolded bit - me neither! No matter what the DJ is like or if the music is a bit cheesy, the disco is the usually the best part of the night!

CorkClaire82

We got a specific DJ to do our wedding but that's cos we were allowed have them play until whatever time, it was definitely worth it to us. However, 90% of the weddings I've been to (and it must be pushing 20 at this stage :O ) had a DJ that was a member of the band and it was perfect. Once the DJ was dodgy and he was the one that talked, still it was a fun night and people danced til the small hours. I wouldn't worry about it and I think people are overstating this as an issue to be honest.

The DJ is a big part of the night and not sure why it appears to be an after thought for many. The band doing the DJ is usually not great imo, they aren't proper DJs and are usually no craic and don't get involved bar playing songs, some are even reluctant to do requests which annoys a lot of people very fast.

For the sake of 300 or 400 quid it's worth every cent to hire a proper DJ. There is a brilliant DJ that has done lots of my friends weddings and he is out around with a roving mic, dancing himself, having the craic with people (and taking the p1ss out of people he knows) and doing things like big organised rock the boats etc etc. Weddings he has done are way ahead of a fella sitting there with an iPod and a play list and browsing the net on his phone.

cactusgal

Kendrick Famous Snowball wrote: »

There is a brilliant DJ that has done lots of my friends weddings and he is out around with a roving mic, dancing himself, having the craic with people (and taking the p1ss out of people he knows) and doing things like big organised rock the boats etc etc.

That sh*t seriously annoys the f*ck out of me. Each to their own. All of the weddings I've been to with a band member doing the DJ but have been great.

mcgiggles

Kendrick Famous Snowball wrote: »

For the sake of 300 or 400 quid it's worth every cent to hire a proper DJ. There is a brilliant DJ that has done lots of my friends weddings and he is out around with a roving mic, dancing himself, having the craic with people (and taking the p1ss out of people he knows) and doing things like big organised rock the boats etc etc.

Just because they play in a band doesn't mean they aren't a "proper dj" as you put it. It seriously is each to their own, as the post above says. That "brilliant" DJ you described sounds like my idea of hell tbh!

Mrs OBumble

mcgiggles wrote: »

Just because they play in a band doesn't mean they aren't a "proper dj" as you put it. It seriously is each to their own, as the post above says. That "brilliant" DJ you described sounds like my idea of hell tbh!

Indeed. In my worldview, a DJ is just someone who plays imitation music when you can no longer afford to have real musicians playing live music. The ones who are fond of their own voices are just cringe-worthy.

Prefab Sprouter

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Indeed. In my worldview, a DJ is just someone who plays imitation music when you can no longer afford to have real musicians playing live music. The ones who are fond of their own voices are just cringe-worthy.

And I have seen musicians who play in pubs most nights singing along to backing tracks quite happily doing their own version of Karaoke, and pawning it off as "live" music. Live music is great. A DJ can be great. Not every DJ is bad, not every musician is good. And Dj's who talk too much are indeed, cringeworthy, imho!

GingerLily

I think given the predicament the OP is in, having booked a band DJ and the wedding is very close, its best to focus on advice for their specific situation.

I think the majority of posters here (who aren't DJs but have been wedding guests), haven't had a bad experience with a band DJ, or probably not even noticed, most weddings do it!

I think you'll be fine OP, good luck

mcgiggles

mcgiggles wrote: »

Just because they play in a band doesn't mean they aren't a "proper dj" as you put it. It seriously is each to their own, as the post above says. That "brilliant" DJ you described sounds like my idea of hell tbh!

He is next to impossible to book at this stage which speaks for itself in how good he is.

My experience of "DJ's" that are members of the band has varied from unremarkable to never forgetting them (in a bad way) due to things like refusing to play requests. I've had a run in with two of them at different weddings due to this sort of thing (and I wasn't the only one).

If you want the Dj to just stand there and play music the chances are they will be fine but to me the DJ should be involved much more, on the mic doing shoutouts, organising stuff on the floor, playing what people ask for etc.

dont bother

it is not normal practice to "Hype up the crowd" or "speak to the crowd" as the DJ at a wedding. it's usually best to have the equipment such as a microphone to allow guests or the bride/groom to make announcements etc. maybe the odd bit of speech like indicating that you're finishing up soon so it's time to make the most of the dancefloor etc...

it would be worth noting that if you dont pay the 150 extra for this service that the band will simply leave with the equipment including the speakers/sound system and you would have to fork out for, and BRING heavy speakers and a PA system with you on the day to cover the Ipod.

it's worth paying it for the sound system setup alone. you would pay the same or close to it just renting the speakers for your ipod.

dont worry, i know what they mean - they just wont be talking during the "dj set" - and the "customized"" set of songs simply means that they will request from you a list of your favourites and which ones you want played on the night.

i'd keep to the plan - it's not worth the hassle of getting ANOTHER set of equipment set up after the band just for you to plug in a phone or ipod.