DJ Help!

NovaMetzler

My wedding is still a year away, however I am trying to get the big things finalized so I can concentrate on the smaller things.

Has anyone asked a friend to be the DJ and run the music through iTunes/their computer? I love this idea because it will save virtually $1,000. We plan to choose all of our own music (that's a lot of songs, but we're doing it!); we have a variety so it is not just one type of music - there will be something for everyone. However, I am just curious if others have done this and if so - are you happy you did?

We went to a friend's wedding and their DJ/music was done this way and it was perfect and amazing, which is where we got the idea.

calliopeia2013

No, but my FI was the "friend" "asked" to do this at one of his friends' weddings...by which I mean he was told "Oh, you don't mind running the iPod tomorrow, right?" at the rehearsal dinner and felt like he couldn't say no.  He was pretty pissed, since he had been planning on being able to relax and have a good time at the reception, and then had to, you know, do work.  (But, like all good friends, he didn't complain, didn't say anything to his friend, and seethed in silence because he didn't want to ruin her day- which is why it's never a good idea to ask people to do stuff like this, as they'll often pretend to be all excited and happy to do it and secretly resent you for it.  It probably looked perfect and amazing to the guests.  It wasn't.)

If a friend volunteers, I say go for it, but no wedding guest wants to be press-ganged into doing your vendor services for you for free.  Or if you have a friend who DJs, you could ask them to do it for a discount, or as a wedding gift, or something.  Or make your iPod playlist beforehand, and let it play without much in the way of supervision.  But you shouldn't just ask a friend to be your iPod DJ for free, any more than you should ask some of your friends to wait tables at the reception for free.

Remember also that if you do this (or, better, one the variations I suggested), you still need all of the equipment.

NovaMetzler

Thank you for your post! My fiancee is in a band and we know a couple DJ's. My fiancee  already has all of the equipment. We are fully prepared to pay a nice sum for their help. We have a friend who has done this for a couple of friends' weddings which is where we got the idea. I love the idea, but as you mentioned, don't want to put anyone on the spot! 

Thank you for your feedback!

librababy

We were going to do this and have fi's cousin man/DJ (he djs all famlily events and has the equipment.)  But since said cousin is in the wedding party, that was not possible for him to also dj.  It's not that hard to download and play music off a laptop but having someone there to make sure things a go smoothly is a must.