WE DON’T NEED A DJ FOR OUR WEDDING
With the ability to download music, and make preset playlists on an MP3 player, some couples are deciding to pass on hiring a DJ, and instead leave their wedding entertainment in the hands of Steve Jobs. In this article, I will present you with the top 10 reasons why people who are thinking of using an MP3 player for their wedding instead of hiring a professional disc jockey may want to reconsider.
10. All the DJ does is stand there and press play: This could not be further from the truth. Pressing play is just a small part of the job that a professional disc jockey does when it comes to playing music. A professional DJ can read the crowd and adapt on the fly to changes in the mood of the dance floor. Whether your guests would like more slow songs or more music of a certain genre, your DJ can make these changes seamlessly. Now picture what it would be like if the guests wanted a change of music with only an MP3 player. Who would do it, and would such a person be able to change the music quickly enough to sustain the mood? Better to have a DJ, wouldn’t you agree?
9. Our friends and family have given us a list of the music they like All we have to do is put the MP3 player on shuffle, and everyone will be happy: Actually, music is a moment in time. What your friends and family request prior to your wedding day may be good listening songs, can you dance to them? With the wide selection of music a DJ carries, you can be assured that your DJ will be able to play your guests’ requests, but more importantly, play them at the right time so that the selections flow with the other music being played.
8. Our MP3 player sounds great plugged into our home stereo system. Let’s use them as our sound system: Home stereo systems are not built to play music at a high level for an extended period of time. Just as the chef at your reception would not use the kind of oven in your kitchen, you need to have the right tools for the job. Do you really want to worry about forgetting to pack the power cord, or would you rather focus on getting ready for your ceremony? A professional DJ will ensure his or her equipment is set up and in place well before your contracted start time, using tools that are meant to handle the job. So when you arrive a the reception hall, you can take a deep breath and walk through the doors instead of sending someone home to pick up something left behind. Also, a DJ supplies more equipment than just a sound system. A DJ will provide a microphone for speeches, and in most cases, some sort of lighting effect.
7. We want have total control over the music that is being played at our wedding: A truly professional disc jockey will not only allow, but encourage you to select as many of your own favorites as you wish. A number of DJ’s offer interactive online tools to create request lists from an extensive bank of music.
6. We don’t want the moonlighting “used car salesmen”* DJ we saw at our friend’s wedding: When hiring a professional DJ you will receive an extensive questionnaire that covers such things as how interactive you would like your DJ to be. You will be able to say you want a highly interactive DJ, a DJ that encourages guests to get up and dance (without being too pushy), or a DJ who plays the music with little to no interaction.
5. We can get a friend to run the MP3 player for us: Wouldn’t you want your friend or relative to enjoy the reception as your guest instead? Once again, playing music is just one small part of disc jockey’s job. Your DJ will coordinate with the other service providers, and organize your bridal party for things such as introductions and speeches. An event needs someone to take the reins and steer the proceedings in the right direction, and it is usually the DJ that does it.
4. Our group is too small for a DJ: Any reception with more than ten people can benefit from the use of a professional disc jockey. Recently, a fellow wedding professional decided to use his own MP3 player for the musical entertainment, and ended up having a number of issues. The biggest of those issues was that the song that they were to use for their first dance was incorrectly tagged and they were unable to find it so that they had to pick another song for their first dance on the fly.
3. All we are doing is playing music: OK. What would you do if a guest were to trip on an electrical cord, or got hurt from a falling disco ball? (Heaven forbid!) A professional disc jockey will carry a minimum of $2,000,000 liability insurance that covers them in case of some unforeseen disaster.
2. If we use our own MP3 player we will save time and money: As you have read in our earlier comments, it may actually be harder to arrange the use of an MP3 player for your wedding entertainment than it is to hire a professional disc jockey. You will save yourself time and much stress when you entrust a professional to take the reins. We have had some clients contract our services just weeks before their wedding because they realized that the MP3 player was becoming more work than it was worth.
1. Using an MP3 player is cheaper than hiring a professional DJ: Is it really? By the time you prepare your playlist, pay to download the music, set up, operate, and takedown the sound system before 6 AM, and, in addition, get someone to operate the MP3 Player, you may wish to skip the wedding! These are just a few things that you have to consider when organizing your wedding entertainment. Consider this as well: In many cases a couple will spend more per guest on hors d’oeurves than they would on their wedding entertainment, but remember that more of your guests will remark about the great time they had dancing than about the spinach feta puff pastries.
No matter what you decide, to use an MP3 Player or to hire a professional disc jockey, we at BobHawkins.com Professional Disc Jockey Service wish you and your fiancé all the best on your wedding day, and may all your dreams come true!
Robert Hawkins
BobHawkins.com Professional Disc Jockey Service
https://bobhawkins.com/
*With apologies to all used car salesmen
