wedding dj

bombedbiscuit · 12-02-2013 03:55PM #1

Im just wondering has anybody got any experinece of been to a wedding and just having a dj , instead of a band and a dj. my wife to be reckons she just wants a dj , that she hardly recalls any of the bands that play at weddings she's been to??

lowly26 · 12-02-2013 04:34PM

bombedbiscuit wrote: »

Im just wondering has anybody got any experinece of been to a wedding and just having a dj , instead of a band and a dj. my wife to be reckons she just wants a dj , that she hardly recalls any of the bands that play at weddings she's been to??

to be honest im the same as you wtb, i cant remember any of the bands ive ever seen at weddings!! for a few reasons we have decided to go with a dj only aswell the main one being that if the music isnt getting the crowd going the dj can change course and head off in a different direction with it were as if a band is bad, its bad til the end if you know what i mean. a lot more people are opting to do this now a days, ive never been to one that just had a dj but im willing to chance it for our wedding, so i dont know if that helps or not !!:)

ionapaul · 12-02-2013 04:46PM

We're doing DJ-only after dinner as well, though are thinking of getting live music in during the pre-dinner drinks reception. I've been to two other weddings with a DJ rather than a band as well, both were great.

Now to find a good Dublin-based wedding DJ!

sweetie · 12-02-2013 09:21PM

Whilst its true that a Dj can play pretty much anything at a function there are also many good bands that have a repertoire that's wider than the typical cheesy irish wedding gig and are often delighted to play the other stuff when asked.

I much prefer playing a full wedding as it allows me to play music other than the obvious hits and requests that a 90 - 120 min after-band set typically only allows.

El_Dangeroso · 12-02-2013 09:28PM

Went with a DJ, it was awesome (and a quarter of the price).

The floor was completely full all night and everyone seemed to love that there was no lull in the night.

I too agonised over my decision, but in the end it was completely great, no regrets here!

clint_silver · 13-02-2013 12:51AM

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clint_silver · 13-02-2013 12:58AM

bombedbiscuit wrote: »

Im just wondering has anybody got any experinece of been to a wedding and just having a dj , instead of a band and a dj. my wife to be reckons she just wants a dj , that she hardly recalls any of the bands that play at weddings she's been to??

I play in a band and dj after them and have Dj'd after other bands. I've seen both bands and djs that are embarrassingly bad. The good ones can be very good and you would remember them if you've seen them. The bad ones are terrible and you'll remember them forever for the wrong reason.
For whatever reason you pick an all night Dj( budget or can't find a decent band), do your homework, go and see them in action just like you would a band.

Fittle · 13-02-2013 04:37PM

clint_silver wrote: »

I play in a band and dj after them and have Dj'd after other bands. I've seen both bands and djs that are embarrassingly bad. The good ones can be very good and you would remember them if you've seen them. The bad ones are terrible and you'll remember them forever for the wrong reason.
For whatever reason you pick an all night Dj( budget or can't find a decent band), do your homework, go and see them in action just like you would a band.

Sorry to hijack your thread OP, but I'm also going with DJ only (mainly cost factor). We are going to see him do a wedding in the next couple of weeks - but I don't know how good my judgement will be? We are dropping in about 11pm (when the wedding should be in full flow) but only staying half an hour (with permission from the bride & groom!)...anyone done this before and gotten a true picture of what the whole wedding might be like with just DJ?

clint_silver · 13-02-2013 05:06PM

Fittle wrote: »

Sorry to hijack your thread OP, but I'm also going with DJ only (mainly cost factor). We are going to see him do a wedding in the next couple of weeks - but I don't know how good my judgement will be? We are dropping in about 11pm (when the wedding should be in full flow) but only staying half an hour (with permission from the bride & groom!)...anyone done this before and gotten a true picture of what the whole wedding might be like with just DJ?

Firstly, this is usually not a problem to do, its where 90% of couples see their band/djs but do clear it with the DJ first he may have been told something like "its a private room and they dont want anyone else in". rare enough but just to save you a trip if true.

Look at the size of the room and look at the equipment, is it adequate? if youre at the back of the room can you hear everything with clarity , is it too loud or not loud enough? your ears will guide you.

Is it rental gear or his own?

Whats the lighting like? is it 1 spinning light, or has he lighting which really lights up the floor and ceiling giving it a decent look. Are there uplighters? Theres an acceptable range here, some guys have lighting rigs worth thousands, others might only have something worth 150 quid. Its how it looks. Youll know when you see it.

Dont worry whether you like the music or not but is the music suitable for the crowd thats in the room at the time?

On a full night DJ ,the DJ can get most requests in (15 songs per hour by about 6 hours is time enough to please everyone), this may include playing a song where only 1-2 couples are up for example if its a meaningful slow song. Dj might opt not to do this if he's only doing after band to keep floor filled. So if you're there and theres not many dancing dont worry about it so much, but do watch how he controls the floor after that, 2-3 tunes like that and youd be asking questions. His microphone skills are going to come into play here.

does he introduce different genres and how does he do it, lets say he's bring in a waltz or slow set, he could be midway through the first song before anybody gets up whereas if he intros it beforehand he could have the floor filled for the start, all depends on the night though. youll notice the flow.

Is he comfortable on the mike or is he mumbling?

While 3-4 people are dancing, is he on the phone checking his emails or looking to get next tune up/reading the floor

Any request sheets handed out on the night or is he inviting requests over the mike?

has his website got requests forms/does he have a website?

how much is he compared to other Djs?

how does he look? respectable or jeans and t-shirt.

all are argumentative, e.g. The guy could sit in a chair all night and play music off a playlist with no lights and no mike and dance floor is still filled, but Id say are reasonable factors in picking out someone who cares and knows what they are doing as opposed to someone who doesn't.

Fittle · 13-02-2013 05:27PM

Thanks for that - its a really comprehensive reply, and I'll keep all of them things in mind!

He is the resident DJ in the hotel where we are getting married - and we went for the 'gold' package, which means we get him as part of the package, so not sure what he would cost on his own.

I did speak to him about us possibly not using him and getting a band, and he said he would give us 250euro back out of his fee for the night if we decide not to go ahead with him.

salmocab · 13-02-2013 05:41PM

Been to weddings with both set ups and to be honest I think it comes down to the band. If the band are great they can make the night as a lot of people really like live music however unless they are excellent your probably better with a dj for the night. The only things I really remember about weddings afterwards is the music/dancing and the food.
Would definitely see the dj in action first though and also let him know what music your into and whether you want slow sets or other floor clearers just to suit the 7 older people there.

King Krib · 13-02-2013 08:04PM

We're going with the DJ route too. We met him at the hotel's wedding fair and we were instantly sold. No laptops all music off cd and properly mixed etc.. Full lighting setup. And excellent price. The price was a big factor too of course. But at least all tastes will be catered for.

sweetie · 14-02-2013 12:27AM

King Krib wrote: »

We're going with the DJ route too. We met him at the hotel's wedding fair and we were instantly sold. No laptops all music off cd and properly mixed etc.. Full lighting setup. And excellent price. The price was a big factor too of course. But at least all tastes will be catered for.

You say this as if its a bad thing to use a laptop? I started djing with cds in clubs and moved to laptop when I went mobile for the convenience of having any song from my music collection available at the type of a few letters on my keyboard. I use a mac and denon controller worth over two grand but the guy who buys a nomark twin deck and a few now cds is better? Also, the convenience of using mp3s helps me plan my set in much better in advance and not rustling around for cds gives me the time to properly mix the songs that can be mixed together. Bear in mind much of the music played at a typical wedding or party wont be beatmixed bar the dancier stuff/recent chart stuff and the amount of times its noticed by the crowd is generally negligible. As Clint said mic work and music selection are more important.

King Krib · 14-02-2013 12:55AM

sweetie wrote: »

You say this as if its a bad thing to use a laptop? I started djing with cds in clubs and moved to laptop when I went mobile for the convenience of having any song from my music collection available at the type of a few letters on my keyboard. I use a mac and denon controller worth over two grand but the guy who buys a nomark twin deck and a few now cds is better? Also, the convenience of using mp3s helps me plan my set in much better in advance and not rustling around for cds gives me the time to properly mix the songs that can be mixed together. Bear in mind much of the music played at a typical wedding or party wont be beatmixed bar the dancier stuff/recent chart stuff and the amount of times its noticed by the crowd is generally negligible. As Clint said mic work and music selection are more important.

Sorry for not making my point a little clearer, I referred to the DJs sales pitch in my original post. The price was what swung it for us. Im not passing judgement on equipment that you or any other DJ uses.

clint_silver · 14-02-2013 07:09AM

King Krib wrote: »

Sorry for not making my point a little clearer, I referred to the DJs sales pitch in my original post. The price was what swung it for us. Im not passing judgement on equipment that you or any other DJ uses.

It's just easier on laptop but nothing beats knowing what to play and when to play it.

There's nothing wrong with DJ only. if i had under a grand as a budget I'd go dj only every time. But if you have 1.5k plus as a budget and your view of wedding bands is based on some cheesey efforts you seen through the years, youre missing out.

Hotel package djs will do a rate as they get so much repeat work from them. Nothing wrong with it. All the same rules apply when selecting him as I outlined earlier.

Toots · 14-02-2013 07:39PM

We went for DJ only and for us it was definitely the right choice. I've been to weddings with brilliant bands, and also ones with rubbish bands, and it's definitely true that a poor band can really put a downer on your reception (same as a poor DJ). Personally, I prefer DJ only but that's just me. We very seriously considered having a band, but in the end it would have put us over our budget.

Whatever you go for, definitely see them before you book. I was at a wedding about a year ago where the DJ was a friend of the bride and he was really bad, couldn't judge the crowd at all and the floor was empty from about half an hour after he started. My hubby is friends with the groom, who told him afterwards that they'd never actually heard the guy do a set, but that he was the 'resident' DJ in a pub so it never occurred to them that he wouldn't do a good job at a wedding.

Not sure if you're still looking for a DJ but the guy who we used was Tommy Greene from Mobile DJs and I would definitely recommend him, he was brilliant!

andylennon11 · 18-02-2013 02:36AM

Hi guys, anyone know of an excellent dj for ballinasloe/athlone region for all night entertainment?

kc83 · 24-07-2013 10:31PM

We were at a wedding recently with DJ only and didn't even notice it wasn't a band as everyone had great time!! I'm hoping for just a DJ at my wedding next year and h2b is OKaY with the idea as I can't remember any band that stood out

MrsB2be · 29-07-2013 11:58AM

We were at a wedding recently with no band and only a DJ.
After the meal the lights in the room came on (as if the end of the night), we then sat there until 11.30ish (the time a band would normally end) before the DJ even began. I dont think he played more then 10 recent songs. "And now some more hits from the 60s". The couple were mortified, dance floor was near empty all night. They complained to him and he cut the music packed his stuff and left!!! Disaster!

clint_silver · 29-07-2013 12:06PM

MrsB2be wrote: »

We were at a wedding recently with no band and only a DJ.
After the meal the lights in the room came on (as if the end of the night), we then sat there until 11.30ish (the time a band would normally end) before the DJ even began. I dont think he played more then 10 recent songs. "And now some more hits from the 60s". The couple were mortified, dance floor was near empty all night. They complained to him and he cut the music packed his stuff and left!!! Disaster!

If the above happened me, Id be naming the service, thats like getting cold food at a restaraunt and being asked to leave when you complain. Now some people could read that and have a bad image of all Djs, rather than just that one as its just anecdotal.

Proving what Ive always said though, theres good and bad Djs just like theres good and bad bands. You need to go and view a DJ just like you would a band.

If you're having DJ only, its before the night starts that you need to discuss music although a good DJ can and will take requests all night. A bad one, as in this case, is unable to read the floor and take requests.

Ms2011 · 29-07-2013 12:18PM

I'm having a DJ only at my wedding, hoping to get him to start playing at 8pm - 1am.
Is it appropriate to give the DJ a playlist, I've drawn up a list of 150 songs, would a DJ be insulted or glad to have a list to work off??

clint_silver · 29-07-2013 12:33PM

Ms2011 wrote: »

I'm having a DJ only at my wedding, hoping to get him to start playing at 8pm - 1am.
Is it appropriate to give the DJ a playlist, I've drawn up a list of 150 songs, would a DJ be insulted or glad to have a list to work off??

He'll start maybe 20-30 minutes after speeches. That could be 8, it could be 9 depending on venue and when he can get setup and what time speeches and meal finished.

He'll finish at the time the hotel says last song which if its 1am might mean youre not having a bar extension. usually its 2 or 2:30 depending on venue with an extension. Some venues only allow music til 1 if its near housing estates but your banqueting manager will let you and the DJ know this.

Definitely give the DJ a play list. If Im doing an all nighter Id nearly insist on it from B&G. It helps me to cater for the crowd and plan how the nights going to go. Most times they jsut say "ah, we'll leave it to you, just keep the floor filled" in which case Id throw out request slips to tables but definitely helps to have a playlist beforehand.

dont go too mad on it, a few of your favorite songs, DJ will play at most 15-20 songs per hour so do the maths on that then just ask him to to get as many of those in.

sweetie · 29-07-2013 12:40PM

Ms2011 wrote: »

I'm having a DJ only at my wedding, hoping to get him to start playing at 8pm - 1am.
Is it appropriate to give the DJ a playlist, I've drawn up a list of 150 songs, would a DJ be insulted or glad to have a list to work off??

As Clint said 150 is a bit much for a playlist so I often suggest when I receive a big list to highlight the must plays (maybe 20-30) and then letting the dj pick and choose from the rest of the list. Obviously, the client is the boss but the dj will want to have as busy a dancefloor as possible so will need to be given leeway to do their job to the best of their ability.

Ms2011 · 29-07-2013 01:40PM

Thanks for the replies, my wedding is (hopefully) going to be a relaxed affair & not too formal. I'm looking at dinner being between 5-7pm as I've invited those going to the afters to arrive at 7.
I was thinking I'd give it an hour for people to arrive to the afters, have a chat (without the blaring music) & get a few drinks into them before the DJ starts at 8pm.
My hotel has a cut off of 1am for the noise as there are rooms above apparently.
Think I'll do as suggest & give the DJ the list I've drawn up & just highlight some 'must haves' & give him some poetic license with the rest.

kc83 · 07-08-2013 09:45PM

Thanks everyone for the replies. I've gotten a lot of good information! I didn't even realize you could go to see a DJ!! I actually thought you would just look on YouTube!!
We be looked at a few bands on YouTube and still nothing stands out
A friend of mine has suggested Us to have TWO Djs on the night....has anyone ever done this?? She reckons all DJS have different styles so having one early for some slow songs and also oldies plus some chart music and a later DJ for mostly chart music but a DJ who jumps around with loads of energy!
Does anyone know roughly how much a DJ costs to hire as I have NO idea!,!

endacl · 07-08-2013 09:49PM

If you don't book this guy, you've booked the wrong guy!

January · 07-08-2013 09:54PM

kc83 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the replies. I've gotten a lot of good information! I didn't even realize you could go to see a DJ!! I actually thought you would just look on YouTube!!
We be looked at a few bands on YouTube and still nothing stands out
A friend of mine has suggested Us to have TWO Djs on the night....has anyone ever done this?? She reckons all DJS have different styles so having one early for some slow songs and also oldies plus some chart music and a later DJ for mostly chart music but a DJ who jumps around with loads of energy!
Does anyone know roughly how much a DJ costs to hire as I have NO idea!,!

A good DJ will be able to do everything...

I've hired Darragh O'Dea for my wedding. Heard great reviews and he seemed the most personable to me.

clint_silver · 07-08-2013 09:58PM

kc83 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the replies. I've gotten a lot of good information! I didn't even realize you could go to see a DJ!! I actually thought you would just look on YouTube!!
We be looked at a few bands on YouTube and still nothing stands out
A friend of mine has suggested Us to have TWO Djs on the night....has anyone ever done this?? She reckons all DJS have different styles so having one early for some slow songs and also oldies plus some chart music and a later DJ for mostly chart music but a DJ who jumps around with loads of energy!
Does anyone know roughly how much a DJ costs to hire as I have NO idea!,!

All night DJ will be anything from 200 (budget, you get what you pay for)right up to 900 (probably a fella off the radio, no guarantee of success) depending on who you book through, average is about the 450-600 mark. (cue anecdotal stories of someone saying they got a DJ in a lucky bag for 7 euro and he was brill).

Do not get 2, your friend is wrong here. Its not needed if you have someone who knows what they're doing. DJs who know their business can cater for any type of a crowd for hours on end. They know when to mix it up, when to play oldies, when to whip out the chart, if groom wants 2 hours of cheese and bride wants 2 hours of old house, it should not be a problem. This is their business and they wouldnt be working very much if they could only play one sort of music.

kc83 · 07-08-2013 10:13PM

endacl wrote: »

If you don't book this guy, you've booked the wrong guy!

Ha ha oh my god where did you find him??. Does he dance like that all night long!!

endacl · 07-08-2013 10:19PM

kc83 wrote: »

Ha ha oh my god where did you find him??. Does he dance like that all night long!!

I honestly have no idea who he is, but I suspect it may be Art Garfunkle doing a nixer!

Uriel. · 27-09-2013 09:54AM

I am just wondering... when i get married, my B2B is not Irish and a lot of her family attending the wedding don't have great English and certainly wouldn't be aux fait with UK/Irish/US songs, as such, particularly older stuff. That's not a problem, but I need/want them to have an enjoyable night too, so we want to do some traditional/folk music from their country at some stage.

Is this a problem for a DJ? The plan would be to provide the MP3s to the DJ obviously in advance, but just wondering what you might think?

wedding dj

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