Hey, Mister DJ
Dinner has been served and the speeches have gone down a storm. All that’s left now is for the real party to begin…but can you be confident that the DJ you’ve booked will be more Paul Oakenfold than Paul Daniels? From golden oldies, to clubbers’ classics, a good DJ should play a mix of music that we please all of your guests from your granny to your teenage cousin.
A good DJ could make or break the occasion, and after all the planning that you’ve put in to arranging the perfect day, it would be social suicide to risk it all by not taking proper care when booking the DJ. That’s why at South East Wedding magazine, we have put together an easy reference guide to help you when choosing your dancefloor doyenne. So, read on and get ready to have the time of your life…
- The most important attribute that your prospective DJ can have is wedding reception experience. Booking a DJ who has played exclusively in nightclubs will not guarantee that your older relatives will be out on the dance floor, but neither will booking somebody who isn’t up-to-speed with the latest chart hits, when it comes to convincing your friends’ to hit the tiles!
- If you don’t know any DJs, ask around for referrals amongst family, friends, or co-workers who have recently gotten married.
- Once you have come to a decision, meet up beforehand to discuss costs, travel expenses and most importantly, the music playlist for the reception. It may seem too obvious to be true, but you should get some guarantee that the DJ you meet is the DJ that will actually be playing at your wedding.
- Ideally, you should book your DJ between six and nine months before your wedding. If you’re planning a summer ceremony, you may have to book one even sooner than this - you want to be guaranteed to get someone who will have everyone dancing in the moonlight, after all. Expect to pay upwards of €300, while a full evening can cost anything from €500. This is inclusive of sound and lighting equipment.
From foxtrots to waltzes, Grease to Riverdance, it’s important that the DJ you book to play at your reception will leave a lasting impression in the minds of your guests, whatever their taste in music. So, in the interest of research, leave those Gina sandals behind and hit that dancefloor. I’m in the mood for dancing…
