Doing your own DJing?

Preset No.3 · 13-03-2014 03:45PM

This is one of these arguments that will go around in circles for ever and ever!

There will always be cheap €100 DJs out there. Work away and get them at your peril. For the most important day of your life, you could do better. Why are you compromising for the sake of a few hundred euro?

You can always go with the ipod/ipad/mixcloud/soundcloud/cassette player option if you want. Firstly you have to hire sound equipment. You could use a home stereo option if you really want or the venues speaker system that they use for the speeches. But, AGAIN, this is the biggest day of your life. Why are you compromising for the sake of a few hundred euro?

How much will you spend on the hotel, dress, honeymoon, photographer, cars, etc etc, and THEN decide to use the home DJ route!

Finally, its the biggest day of your life, why are you compromising for the sake of a few hundred euro????

CamillaRhodes · 17-03-2014 06:23PM

We've decided to go with a mate from work who DJs and has very similar taste in music to us; he's said he'll do it for nothing (though we'll defo give him something). I feel much more comfortable going with someone outside the wedding industry, as we don't want the night to feel like a wedding (there will be no rocking of any boats); as someone mentioned in the thread, we want it to feel like a great house party.

This has been a really useful thread for us in making our minds up though, so thank you to everyone who replied, whatever side of the debate you're on.

@clint_silver, would you share here about the collaborative DJing thing you mentioned? could be a fun idea to include.

January · 17-03-2014 06:26PM

There'll be no rocking of boats at my wedding either but the DJ is still a DJ that regularly does weddings.

CamillaRhodes · 17-03-2014 06:28PM

Each to their own, January. I hope you have a great day

17-03-2014 07:26PM

CamillaRhodes wrote: »

We've decided to go with a mate from work who DJs and has very similar taste in music to us; he's said he'll do it for nothing (though we'll defo give him something). I feel much more comfortable going with someone outside the wedding industry, as we don't want the night to feel like a wedding (there will be no rocking of any boats); as someone mentioned in the thread, we want it to feel like a great house party.

Sounds to me like you made the right decision!

And just to reassure you, I don't think your decision is a compromise at all. I think it's the ideal situation.

CamillaRhodes · 17-03-2014 08:09PM

Deleted User wrote: »

Sounds to me like you made the right decision!

And just to reassure you, I don't think your decision is a compromise at all. I think it's the ideal situation.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Orinoco

I'm sure our decision wouldn't suit everybody, but it feels right to us. And if it all goes tits up, feck it, we'll get drunk and laugh about it.

The seriousness with which weddings are taken is, IMO, a bit ridiculous. The exchange of vows, and presence of friends and family, is what matters to us; all the rest is peripheral. I sometimes think the importance placed on things like receptions suggests those getting themselves tied up in knots haven't gone through actually challenging family events, like having your first baby or a parent dying (both of which happened to us in the last 18 months). Throwing a party for our friends, who all love us, to celebrate our love - this is gonna be a walk in the park

(she says now

)

clint_silver · 17-03-2014 08:32PM

CamillaRhodes wrote: »

We've decided to go with a mate from work who DJs and has very similar taste in music to us; he's said he'll do it for nothing (though we'll defo give him something). I feel much more comfortable going with someone outside the wedding industry, as we don't want the night to feel like a wedding (there will be no rocking of any boats); as someone mentioned in the thread, we want it to feel like a great house party.

This has been a really useful thread for us in making our minds up though, so thank you to everyone who replied, whatever side of the debate you're on.

@clint_silver, would you share here about the collaborative DJing thing you mentioned? could be a fun idea to include.

good for you, its done now, enjoy it.

If you have a DJ already you should be ok but sometimes I get someone coming up asking me to play a song on their phone or ipod or whatever and I might not have the version of the song they wanted. who knew the 8 minute hard house mix of <insert random song> only available on youtube rip was all the crowd wanted?

For those that dont know, in the simplest form, you play through a laptop or cd player into a mixer and the mixer goes into an amp or powered speakers. either way all you should have to worry about is going from your ipod into the mixer.

So what do we do, any cheapo analog mixer will have analog RCA inputs. Go into any DJ shop or argos and you can get a 3.5mm jack to RCA. 3.5mm is your standard headphone jack. RCA is standard red and white. Will cost you 14-15e in argos but if you have a bit of time get 2 from dx for under a tenner.

http://dx.com/p/3-5mm-to-3-5mm-male-to-two-male-audio-split-cable-black-silver-286393#.UydMRfl_tcE

The RCA ends go into the mixer. your DJ should be able to advise a bit better but the way it works is guest come up with their ipod, plug it into the headphone jacks and DJ plays their tune mixing left and right so it doesnt sound completely crap. Now really only buy those cables if the DJ has a mixer with spare channels, so run it by him first. He more than likely has all tunes anyway and may even have the cables.

Ive got 100,000+ songs and still get asked for stuff I dont have. Only last week I ran 30 minutes off peoples phones (all under 18s), floor was full including bride, job done.

sweetie · 18-03-2014 03:59PM

CamillaRhodes wrote: »

We've decided to go with a mate from work who DJs and has very similar taste in music to us; he's said he'll do it for nothing (though we'll defo give him something). I feel much more comfortable going with someone outside the wedding industry, as we don't want the night to feel like a wedding (there will be no rocking of any boats); as someone mentioned in the thread, we want it to feel like a great house party.

This has been a really useful thread for us in making our minds up though, so thank you to everyone who replied, whatever side of the debate you're on.

@clint_silver, would you share here about the collaborative DJing thing you mentioned? could be a fun idea to include.

Glad to hear you got sorted and hope it's a success. BTW The majority of wedding music providers play what is required by their clients and don't choose to play 'rock the boat' and the 'cheesey' sets are less common these days. I personally got into the industry to provide an alternative to some of these acts I saw over the years as a guest at weddings and I know of many other bands and djs who strive to play quality music but at the end of the day he who pays the piper calls the tune.

CamillaRhodes · 18-03-2014 05:27PM

Good to hear that, sweetie. My reticence was based on the experience of two friends, one of whom, on sending her musical choices to her DJ, was told it was gonna be a "sh*t wedding" if he played her music style. The other specifically asked the DJ not to play cr@p like Rihanna; he went ahead and did so anyway, a good 20 minutes of chart R&B and hip-hop, because "that's what people like". These are the some of the things which scared me off wedding DJs, but perhaps it was just bad luck to get two bad apples.

Faith · 18-03-2014 06:07PM

CamillaRhodes wrote: »

The other specifically asked the DJ not to play cr@p like Rihanna; he went ahead and did so anyway, a good 20 minutes of chart R&B and hip-hop, because "that's what people like". These are the some of the things which scared me off wedding DJs, but perhaps it was just bad luck to get two bad apples.

I'd have an absolute heart attack if that happened.

clint_silver · 18-03-2014 06:43PM

CamillaRhodes wrote: »

Good to hear that, sweetie. My reticence was based on the experience of two friends, one of whom, on sending her musical choices to her DJ, was told it was gonna be a "sh*t wedding" if he played her music style. The other specifically asked the DJ not to play cr@p like Rihanna; he went ahead and did so anyway, a good 20 minutes of chart R&B and hip-hop, because "that's what people like". These are the some of the things which scared me off wedding DJs, but perhaps it was just bad luck to get two bad apples.

They're the guys that give others a bad name.

Its the B&Gs party, whatever they want they get, even if the DJ thinks he knows more about keeping a floor full.

If he was good at his job he would have said no problem but clarified what was he to do if a guest or one of the family members ask for the song that you said not to play? Does he just say no or refer them to you if arguments happen (and they do when you say no to a guest).

lazygal · 18-03-2014 08:20PM

We told our band and dj specific songs we didn't want played and trusted them to respond to the crowd on the night with the music, which they did. I've see some crap bands ans djs at functions, loads of inappropriate yoof music at a small older crowd wedding and waltz style songs at a wedding with loads of people who didn't know or want to dance to such music.

unclebill98 · 18-03-2014 08:54PM

When I use to DJ I got to a point over the years of not asking what they wanted but what they did not want. Gave me a better understanding of what type of music they did not like. I use to send a spread sheet with all the songs on it with an easy yes/no tab for them to complete starting off with Genres then onto artist/songs. Depending on the couple you got none to full response and regardless as a DJ its to be respected. Your clients input is valuable and give them the option, worked for me. As for a band, the same level of input can ruin their set. Easier when its a DJ.

Preset No.3 · 19-03-2014 01:09AM

I have said time and time again, you get what you pay for and STILL couples will have no problem spending 10-15k on a wedding and then moan when it comes to paying for a DJ because 'their mate is doing it'.

CamillaRhodes · 19-03-2014 08:58AM

Preset No.3 wrote: »

I have said time and time again, you get what you pay for and STILL couples will have no problem spending 10-15k on a wedding and then moan when it comes to paying for a DJ because 'their mate is doing it'.

I can assure you Preset we do not have 'no problem spending 10-15k'; as I said at the beginning, we are on a very tight budget. It's this "oh but you MUST spend money on [random part of the wedding that supplier works in]" persuasion which allows some couples to end up up to their necks in debt for a day which is meant to be about love, family and friendship, not gaudiness and 'stuff'. I've mates doing loads of different roles in the wedding, probably 90% of them, and am glad to be avoiding people with your supercilious attitude.

Preset No.3 · 19-03-2014 01:46PM

CamillaRhodes wrote: »

I can assure you Preset we do not have 'no problem spending 10-15k'; as I said at the beginning, we are on a very tight budget. It's this "oh but you MUST spend money on [random part of the wedding that supplier works in]" persuasion which allows some couples to end up up to their necks in debt for a day which is meant to be about love, family and friendship, not gaudiness and 'stuff'. I've mates doing loads of different roles in the wedding, probably 90% of them, and am glad to be avoiding people with your supercilious attitude.

Thats fine, if that is the road you want to take, that is entirely your choice. I am not suggesting that you have to spend mad money on all parts of your wedding.

I genuinely hope that everything works out for you.

Shyboy · 19-03-2014 04:19PM

The guests at any wedding will remember 2 things....the food and the entertainment...

Doing your own DJing?

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