DJ: Play/Do-Not-Play Lists

cincy2011

So FI and I just found a DJ we love.  We are doubly excited b/c we received his estimate late Friday and he is actually within our budget range!  Yay!  Now we gave him a general list of songs that we like and artists that we like.  We seemed to be exactly on the same page in terms of music. 

We plan to put together a list of do-not-play songs, but how detailed do you think we need to get with the songs that we want played?  Do you all plan to give your DJs an EXACT list of each and every song you want played at the wedding, or are you just giving the DJ a general idea of what you like and letting him flow from that? 

tyboyd

I think we'll just tell him what we like and what not to play. I think it's too much to try to think of ALL the songs you'll want played. Not that serious {to me}.

cincy2011

Yeah, I'm probably getting waaaay too into this DJ thing.  I love music and so does my FI so we could talk about/list songs for days.  But not sure it would be worth our time if the DJ knows our style and is a professional. 

Ty, are you having the DJ do your ceremony also?  Are you having a cocktail hour?  If so, is he DJing for that? 

tyboyd

My venue provides a DJ so I do plan on using him during the ceremony. When/if I sing to FI during the ceremony, I plan on having my friend record the instrumental for me... so, I guess the DJ would be playing that, too. lol. But we do have a musician that we MIGHT use, I just see no use of him.

No cocktail hour. No space for it. Straight from the ceremony to reception. {Plan on taking nearly all pix before the ceremony.}

cincy2011

That is awesome about taking all the pics before the ceremony - that is our plan also.  We will stay during the cocktail hour and use that time to mingle with our guests so we don't have to visit each and every table throughout the night. 

I forgot that you have such a great venue that provides so many different services!  That is great.  Our DJ is doing the ceremony, cocktail hour (just an IPod mix b/c his equipment, etc. will be set up where our reception will be) and the reception itself. 

BabyKaykes

No DJ, just an iPod.

So far our only restrictions are no R. Kelly and no profanity. We're music lovers too, and we've started keeping a small notebook with us, so that when we think of a song, we can remember to add it, since we've both already gone through our itunes and we need at least another two hours of music.

Pandora has helped too.

tyboyd

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_dj-playdo-not-play-lists?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:400Discussion:39fd6af8-7df0-4931-a8de-2eca92f17b51Post:54ad6082-5c65-4594-be4b-6e7d1261bf12">Re: DJ: Play/Do-Not-Play Lists</a>:
[QUOTE]That is awesome about taking all the pics before the ceremony - that is our plan also.  We will stay during the cocktail hour and use that time to mingle with our guests so we don't have to visit each and every table throughout the night.  I forgot that you have such a great venue that provides so many different services!  That is great.  Our DJ is doing the ceremony, cocktail hour (just an IPod mix b/c his equipment, etc. will be set up where our reception will be) and the reception itself. 
Posted by cincy2011[/QUOTE]

<div>I'm so glad FI agreed to the first look. Usually I see only the bride and groom take pix then, but the whole wedding party will be. My venue really doesn't have great places for photo ops to me. So, we'll be taking pix at another location. And YES, my venue is hot stuff!  So happy I found it!</div>

tyboyd

Oh yeah, we have an absolutely NO PROFANITY rule! 

cincy2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_dj-playdo-not-play-lists?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:400Discussion:39fd6af8-7df0-4931-a8de-2eca92f17b51Post:1e781684-01f1-41eb-926b-c6245ff7d49a">Re: DJ: Play/Do-Not-Play Lists</a>:
[QUOTE]No DJ, just an iPod. So far our only restrictions are no R. Kelly and no profanity. We're music lovers too, and <strong>we've started keeping a small notebook with us, so that when we think of a song, we can remember to add it, since we've both already gone through our itunes and we need at least another two hours of music. </strong>Pandora has helped too.
Posted by BabyKaykes[/QUOTE]

This is a GREAT idea that I will tell FI about.  I love Pandora for ideas and also the R&B channel on his cable is really good for different song ideas.

msapril0730

We aren't having a cocktail hour either.  We will have a fruit, cheese/cracker tray out, guest will arrive about 30 mins before us so we want them to have snacks. I went to a wedding recently and we waited over and hour while they took pics at the church. We were so hungry we considered walking next door to McDonalds We plan to take all our pics before the ceremony without FI and I seeing each other, he's kinda old fashioned!

The DJ will only do the reception. The only thing we asked for was 1) praise/worship to be playing when the guest arrive 2) absolutely no profanity 3) praise/worship during dinner

cincy2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_dj-playdo-not-play-lists?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:400Discussion:39fd6af8-7df0-4931-a8de-2eca92f17b51Post:34b29963-e483-4a5c-aef4-924c19472ef8">Re: DJ: Play/Do-Not-Play Lists</a>:
[QUOTE]Oh yeah, we have an absolutely NO PROFANITY rule! 
Posted by tyboyd[/QUOTE]

We do too!!!  No negativity, no profanity!

cincy2011

@ msapril - I don't understand how couples could have people waiting with no food at their wedding. How rude!  I don't blame you for considering a Mickey D's run.  I would've been first in line for my McChicken with fries and a chocolate shake!  LOL! 

tcwalk2403

We chose a museum downtown for our venue that has a chapel onsite for the ceremony, so we won't have to leave for pics. We still plan to have a cocktail reception in between, and I'd like to have the DJ play nice jazz music. As for the reception, we really want to party! I don't want to pick each and every last song, but we have a playlist of about 100-150 songs so far just to be on the safe side (80s/90s r&b with a little 70s and hip-hop thrown in). The music played at our reception is serious business for us and that's the one aspect I could see myself having a hard time not micromanaging. I'll go bridezilla on a crappy DJ, but I pray it won't come to that LOL. Similar to the PP, I keep a list on my cellphone and whenever I or FI think of something I add it. Next to the food, nothing ruins a party like bad music 

tyboyd

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_dj-playdo-not-play-lists?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:400Discussion:39fd6af8-7df0-4931-a8de-2eca92f17b51Post:e35d9bc0-5e8c-461a-b9d3-cb3724d69ea0">Re: DJ: Play/Do-Not-Play Lists</a>:
[QUOTE]@ msapril - I don't understand how couples could have people waiting with no food at their wedding. How rude!  I don't blame you for considering a Mickey D's run.  I would've been first in line for my McChicken with fries and a chocolate shake!  LOL! 
Posted by cincy2011[/QUOTE]

<div>THANK GOD my venue provides snacks, too. LOL! Gosh, this place is making my life so easy!</div>

krimson19

we're going the no-DJ route too.  kids will be at the reception, so we'll edit the profanity as well.  we're big fans of jazz, so we'll have plenty of that in the mix.  we're also have plenty of R&B and good soul music.  my FI is also a musician so his brass band will play as well. 

kiyamurph

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_dj-playdo-not-play-lists?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:400Discussion:39fd6af8-7df0-4931-a8de-2eca92f17b51Post:0831b439-edaf-4bfd-8bf1-7aaa7b4b4012">Re: DJ: Play/Do-Not-Play Lists</a>:
[QUOTE]We chose a museum downtown for our venue that has a chapel onsite for the ceremony, so we won't have to leave for pics. We still plan to have a cocktail reception in between, and I'd like to have the DJ play nice jazz music. <strong>As for the reception, we really want to party! I don't want to pick each and every last song, but we have a playlist of about 100-150 songs so far just to be on the safe side (80s/90s r&b with a little 70s and hip-hop thrown in). The music played at our reception is serious business for us and that's the one aspect I could see myself having a hard time not micromanaging. I'll go bridezilla on a crappy DJ, but I pray it won't come to that LOL. Similar to the PP, I keep a list on my cellphone and whenever I or FI think of something I add it. Next to the food, nothing ruins a party like bad music </strong>
Posted by tcwalk2403[/QUOTE]


I feel you on this!!!  I'm a HUGE music lover, and when I say that I mean I love all genres from R&B to alternative to pop to rock, etc.  Music is so important to me and I hope to find a DJ that is flexible with playing what I want.  I have a list of songs that I'm constantly adding to and I have an absolutely-under-no-circumstances-do-not-play-or-you-will-be-fired-on-the-spot list.  There's nothing worse than having a DJ that plays the cheesy wedding music like the chicken dance, the macarena, the conga line, etc.  I'll be darned if I heard him play Celebrate or Bust A Move.  I'm a laid back person, but when it comes to music that's when I'll be a borderline bridezilla! 

prncsz

Probably not an exact list but I will make sure they know all songs must be edited no extremely explict songs. Then probably a list of our must haves. For example FI is a Kappa and we have to play Candy by Cameo just have to so we will have a list like that along with songs for the bridal toss, etc.