DJ vs. iPod? Reception & ceremony music needed...

tam427 · August 2010

Hi ladies,

The next step on my list of to-dos is booking a DJ, but I keep going back and forth whether I should hire someone or just download a bunch of music on my ipod. We would need music for the ceremony (the venue has a speaker system that includes the garden where it will take place),during dinner, and approx. 2 hours for dancing.

Is it worth it to hire a DJ? For those of you who did not, what worked and what didn't? What did you do for an emcee? Did you hire live ceremony musicians? Did anyone here use a DJ or ipod for their ceremony?

Thanks for sharing your experiences/feedback!

bsn1752 · August 2010

EWinkler used an iPod - so she'll have great insight here.

IMO, the DJ keeps the "party" going... and coordinates the reception and keeps the flow going. If you don't want a bunch of dancing or anything like that and opt for a more "low key" music-in-the-background feel... the go for the iPod.

If you want dancing, reception coordination and someone to make the announcements, then go with the DJ.

ewinkler1977 · August 2010

My husband and I wanted things low-key and weren't big dancers so we used an i-pod but one of our groomsman mc'd the night. My husband is in a band so they had a lot of the equipment to use.

If you want a packed dance floor all night, then a dj is the way to go. It really just depends on the vibe you want for your wedding.

I would really think about it before you decide to scrap a dj and just play music through your ipod. It worked for us but it is certainly not the ideal thing for everyone.

rcpm44 · August 2010

I thought about going the ipod route but the issue that kept coming up was who was going to "direct" the evening? Whether or not we used the ipod we were going to need someone to tell people that it was time for the cake cutting, first dance, etc. I would go with a dj.

If you need some good recommendations for a low budget dj we can help you here!

tam427 · August 2010

Thanks for the reco's... you just solidified my need for a DJ

I have a short list of people to contact, but I of course welcome suggestions.

seujoanne · August 2010

Although you've already decided... The deciding factor for me was when I realized that I needed someone who had done this before telling us what to do when and how to get our guests to realize that too!

fallbride1109 · August 2010

If he's in your budget, I LOVED my DJ Glenn Roush. I always recommend him. Very low key, stayed in the background, yet made sure everything ran flawlessly. Our reception ran so well and we had time to do everything we wanted, all thanks to him.

DFWIndian · August 2010

I used DJ Connection and they seem like they will work with any budget. We had a couple friends use them so it was ok to trust it.

natashanurse2b · August 2010

Sorry to butt in I know this is not my post but I would really like to hear any suggestions you guys have for budget friendly djs. I am trying to decide between a dj or ipod right now too!