Wisconsin

itunes playlist vs. DJ??

My fiance & I are somewhat "music snobs" & are really picky about our music selection that we want at the reception.  We also felt like a lot of DJs we had experienced at other weddings were somewhat sleazy.  We had planned on just making a few playlists on a laptop & having one of the groomsmen emcee.  Our reception hall doesn't have great speakers, so we'll have to rent some.  Now some people are telling us that we should really consider getting a DJ instead because they can offer more when it comes to lights, etc.  We're really trying to save money wherever possible.  Any thoughts on this issue?  Should we save money & play the music we want from a laptop or ipod, or is it really worth it to spend the money on a DJ?
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Re: itunes playlist vs. DJ??

  • edited December 2011
    If you go the iPod route, make sure you have someone manning it who can handle the job. 
    *I went to one wedding where the laptop was left unattended and people kept changing the songs, it was annoying. 
    *I went to a second wedding where the friend MC was having a hard time moving between songs... That guy didn't get to have fun at the party - he had to work. 

    You mention being music snobs...  are you planning on playing music that others will dance to?  It might not be the best idea to only play your ecclectic tastes at a party with tons of other people - they may not get up and dance.  Sure, the YMCA is a little hokey, but everyone gets up, dances, smiles, and has fun during it. 


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  • edited December 2011
    The pp makes some good points.

    DH and I are music "snobs" as well.  We went though our music at home and picked songs that we liked that we knew all of our guests would enjoy and get them out on the dance floor.  We gave this list to our DJ and said if you play anything off here the dance floor will be packed, and it was until the very end of the night.

    You can go either way, DJ or none.  If you do not have a DJ make sure you have someone willing to be in charge of the music (they won't get to enjoy much of the reception as most songs only last 3-4 minutes).  Make sure you have good sound equipment.  Make sure you have a back up or two (a second laptop with your play list, or a second Ipod with your playlist).  Make sure you have enough "dinner music" and enough dancing music: for the first few hours, more family orientated and then you can switch later in the night.

    For lighting, most reception halls dim their lights and the DJ's lights take over, what will you do?  Have you talked this over with your coordinators at the reception to get their input?

    If you have a groomsman emcee, how will you handle the grand march? 

    What will you do for speeches?

    If you have to rent equipment, how much $$ are you really saving?

    Our requirements for our wedding were: that we'd be married by the end of the day, our guests were well fed, and that everyone had a good time ... this meant putting the music / entertainment in the hands of a professional.  Our DJ was not sleazy in any way.
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  • RoseBud3891RoseBud3891 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I've suggested some tips for a smooth process to other knotties seriously considering iPod receptions, as I used to DJ weddings, but I'll tell you this... Please consider a DJ. Most will judge the mood of the crowd and make sure everyone is having fun. And a good DJ company has hundreds of thousands of songs and capability to get ANYTHING they don't have, so if you hand your list off to them, they'll more than likely make it happen. The company I used to be at really catered to the bride above anyone else. My boss told me "The groom doesn't usually dance, but the bride... She's there to dance! The more you have her on the floor the better and her song requests ALWAYS get played" so not only will the DJ judge the mood of the crowd, but if you aren't having fun they will probably switch it up for you. If you're still considering the iPod wedding, I can give you some tips for that too. I should add, this is not a biased opinion to make DJ companies more money. I no longer DJ and don't promote the company I was at in any way, they can handle their own promos ;)
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  • edited December 2011
    We just had an Ipod wedding and everything went fine.  However, if you want all of the formal dances-first dance, father/daughter, bouquet toss etc then I probably would have wanted a DJ or a groomsman that was comfortable and willing to emcee the event.  The only formal dance that we had was the first dance and once we asked people to clear the dance floor it didn't really need an introduction.  It took a few songs after that first dance to get people on the floor but once I grabbed a few girlfriends and started dancing the crowd kept it going for the rest of the evening.

    We rented a set of two speakers and amplifiers for $100.

    I won't say that the Ipod is the solution for everybody but it worked for us.
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