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Weddings
Budget in Mind ????......
DJ or Ipod????....
Are you getting what you pay for ????
Do we feed the DJ????
 
The answers to some of these questions...
 
With regards to your budget, when planning your reception, I might advise you keep the
following points in mind;
1. The Reception Dance is the Last part of the day
2. The Reception Dance is the longest part of the day at 4 - 5 hours
(by comparison the ceremony in a Church = 1 hour, dinner & speeches = 2 hours)
3. The Reception is the most fun your guests will have that day
4. The Reception is what your guests will remember about your big day
 
Some brides spend $2000 on a dress they'll only wear once (and might take off the first chance they get). Some people spend thousands on a dinner and/or late lunch...do you remember the last egg salad sandwich you ate at a wedding? A wedding cake can cost hundreds of dollars and most guests don't eat it. Thousands of dollars are spent on pictures that will be tucked away in an album that you will look at once and awhile.
What I'm getting at is that you should decide what is important to you, what experience you want your guests to have, and focus your resources there. An ipod cannot take requests, control the flow, host a game or MC the bouquet and garter toss. If you want your guests to have a good time, you will want a professional entertainer, someone who knows what to do, when to do it, and how best to maximize the potential your Wedding Reception has.
 
Why is a DJ worth the price you pay??
 
Well, here is MY typical schedule on your Wedding Day:
Set-up at the hall anywhere around noon or 1pm (usualy takes about an Hour).
Most of the time I start around 5pm “cocktail hour” then 6pm “supper time” sit through speeches
and clearing of the tables. Start dance between 8pm or 9pm and play till 1 or 2am in the morning then
have to tear down getting home by about 3am.
Now that’s about 9 hours behind the DJ console for your Wedding.
Some receptions require music for the ceremony at any given location like the reception hall or outside (ie: Waterfront or Golf course) taking place during the afternoon and usualy takes about 2 to 3 hours out of the day.
Now becomes a 12 hour day.
 
Thousands of dollars have been spent on my Music library, Sound system, Light shows and if you could put a price on  years of experience (24yrs. andcounting ) honing my craft as a DJ.
Believe me I really do love my job and enjoy every minute being part of someone’s special day...
I live for it...
 
Feed Your DJ???
The short answer is Yes.
Why? The nature of your DJ's tasks requires an extended day and they can't leave their Equipment or Music unattended. They also can't shut it all down and take a dinner break without severely impacting the flow of your Wedding Reception. Step into your DJ's shoes for a moment. How would you feel if you had to work non-stop for 14+ hours at a job that involves a lot of physical labour without access to food?In fact, when you look at what your DJ will do for you, you'll realize that they usually arrive early and have everything setup before you or your guests arrive and won't be leaving until they break it all down again at the end of the night. That's a long time to work non-stop without some food to keep their body energized!
 
Can I just use an Ipod for my Wedding to save money????
 
Here is your answer......this is a example of a Wedding gone bad using Ipod…
 
This letter written by a former Bride and is now a Wedding Planner.
 
“I Don’t Want to Spend a Lot on a DJ – It’s Just Music…”– Said Every Regretful Bride…
Although this article is lengthy, it’s important! It’s in praise of the humble, and often overlooked DJ,
as a fairly unimportant detail – especially to the bride, and especially in comparison to her choice in photographer, dress, flowers, decor etc…After all, “it’s just music – right? ”Wrong! Music, or rather, your entertainment, is KEY to a successful event – your Reception PARTY! And parties need awesome music!
  Now you may be thinking, ‘I can just get some speakers and run my iPod’. Please allow me to assure you, this could be one of the biggest mistakes you’d make on your wedding. And I speak from personal experience here. When I was a bride I had a VERY limited budget. And while I DID want to have a DJ,
we had a choice to either feed people, or have music. Yes it really was that tight. But love prevailed, and we threw caution to the wind and were married just the same. But not without some regrets.
With the music – not the marriage. Not having a live DJ is one of my biggest regrets. Why?
Because I love to dance, and I just didn't feel that our reception was the kind of celebration I was hoping for, for many of the reasons listed below. As a planner now, I always suggest that my couples consider putting their financial investment toward their memories – for themselves (through photo/video), and for their guests, in the form of great entertainment.
Guests may not remember what the bridesmaid’s bouquets looked like (not that I don’t ADORE gorgeous florals by the way!), but they WILL remember how they felt,and if they had a good time.
Here are some of the key reasons hiring a PROFESSIONAL DJ will give you the time of your life (and your guest’s too!) for your wedding celebration:
The most obvious… An excellent selection of music to suit all tastes.You may not think this is particularly important since it’s ‘your’ party and you no doubt have your own taste of music in mind,
but you really do WANT ALL your guests to enjoy at least some part of the dancing portion.
Besides, who doesn’t want to see Grandma shakin’ her thang to some of her favourite tunes too?!
Ability to keep the crowd dancing by fading out music that clears the dance floor, and revving them back up with another kickin’ song. Having someone manage the music selection LIVE will keep your party going. Can you imagine what would happen if you made a playlist on your iPod and it cleared the dance floor?! Who’s going to manage that? It’s pretty hard to recover from – trust me.
A Good DJ knows what to play at the right time.
The DJ will most likely have a tried and true set list of songs he plays and he can change on the fly based on the crowd reaction and dance floor flow. Your own "custom" made playlist is good for you but may not be for everyone.
 
Beat Mixing: Skilled DJs know how to bring one song down and another up while mixing the two song’s beats together – just like at the club, only it’s your own awesome wedding! with no dead air waiting for the next song to happen.
 
Sound Levels: Not all music tracks are created equal, and neither are their sound levels. DJs mix and fine tune each song to ensure that the energy is kept at the same level in the room. Ever noticed that issue on your iPod? You’re not dreaming, it happens. Imagine THAT full scale at your wedding!In the past I have encountered clients that insisted on iPod music. One in particular had a friend who was supposed to manage the music, however he ended up being seated too far from the soundboard, so every time the volume was too loud or too soft, he’d come running from his table during the middle of dinner to manage it. After a while, he just didn’t bother! And every time the volume went up or down, every guest’s head would turn toward the sound mixer… ACK!! So I had to step up to become a permanent sound mixer, as well as toast prompter, kitchen cue-r, and everything else that a wedding planner must be.
 
Proper Room Set Up: While you may think it’s fairly a standard process to just set up some speakers, you may be surprised to know there is much more involved. Check it out: You should have a discussion with your DJ in advance about where the VIP tables will be situated so that these guests can hear the entire event from the best spot in the house (but again, not too close to the speakers either. Think about Grandma again who will be constantly complaining about the sound levels – she won’t be able to hear the toasts, but then will be annoyed the all that ‘noise’ when the dancing starts!).
Strategic advanced planning matters here! Don’t put Grandma and Grampa beside the speakers.It never ends well.
 
Circuit Overload. You’ll want to know your amperage per device so that you don’t blow the breakers – which may be linked to the kitchen, which is in the process of cooking your wedding meal! Oops. Yeah, that.
 
Safety: Wires need to be taped down too. DJs know how to do this discretely and have ample cord to go around the perimeter of the room, instead of across it! Additionally, some cords may need to go above the door frames and would need to be taped to the wall. However, if you hold your reception at a Heritage location, be rest assured, they have strict rules about what kind of tape can be used. Professional DJs know this and come prepared!
 
DJ / MC. Not all DJs are great MCs, but some are, and they do know how to manage a microphone with ease. (*BTW if they hold the mic like a rapper - all choked up at the top while it looks like they’re eating it, they’re probably not going to be a great MC choice – on the next MTV awards maybe, but not your ideal MC). Professional speakers know how to hold a mic properly, they speak into it clearly, and have good diction. Your wedding is not an opportunity to ‘dis the establishment’, so form matters at this occasion!
Also, content is the main entree here, so if they’re worth their salt they’ll want to know your ‘love story’. They’ll do their homework on you so they can host your day with more than enough information to make them look as if they’ve known you for years.
 
Light Show: Most Dj's will have a decent light show to give you that club like atmosphere. Nothing looks
worse than dancefloor lit up with the dimmers on the outside walls of the hall. Your DJ should have
a light show if he is serious about his work. A couple of lights bought from the mall sitting on the
edge of his table will never light up your dancefloor.
 
Entertainment: Aside from MC’ing your reception, you’ll want to keep the crowd entertained.
Not to worry – a professional DJ will also provide creative input on how to keep the energy alive, and knows where to incorporate the ‘entertainment’ and even a few games are available to play too to break the ice. They also know the reception is about the couple (not them!), and will work hard to heighten the day’s emotions too (yes, you really will want to laugh and cry with great joy.) These will be the most powerful memories of your celebration.
Don’t discount your DJ/MC’s role in this very important element! Look for someone with a balanced personality when interviewing them. If they’re super shy, or over-the-top overt (where you can’t seem to participate in the conversation),t hey may not have what it takes.
Get references – they’ll provide the most honest feedback. Your professional DJ will also not be
crude, or rude, or drink on the job. They’re working after all.
And they will dress appropriately, in a suit or wear a nice shirt and tie to keep it proffessional.
 
So you see, there is MUCH more to a DJ than just his/her music collection. And you certainly get what you pay for. If your DJ is a dedicated professional, this will likely be his/her only source of income (although many DJs do work part time so don’t discount an awesome part time DJ!). They take their job seriously, and charge accordingly. Don’t regret YOUR wedding by having your guests leave early because they’re having a miserable time. A few hundred dollars difference to hire a professional DJ may make or break the kind of memories you’ll have of your wedding.
 
When asked what they remember the most about a wedding reception, in survey after survey people always say “The Party” and if they enjoyed it. Don’t trust your memories and the biggest part of your day to just anyone or a machine.
 
Choose wisely, and happy planning!
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