You’ve decided to invest in a good, professional DJ for your wedding, but what does a DJ actually do?
The short answer is that a “disc jockey,” or DJ, plays music during an event. However, DJs do so much more than just press “play” on a playlist.
A wedding DJ can be an integral part of your big day, from helping to select music and keeping things on schedule to encouraging people to dance. A DJ must wear many hats during a wedding, like those of a technician, entertainer, and timekeeper.
Plus, they’ve had to put in a lot of work leading up to the wedding itself.
Most importantly, a DJ can keep things running smoothly so that you can enjoy your wedding day with your loved ones!
Helps With Music Selection and Planning
A DJ doesn’t just show up to a wedding and just play whatever they like. So what does a wedding DJ do before the event?
DJs spend time before the big day talking to the wedding couple about what songs and styles they would like to use during the wedding. A wedding DJ will then help make musical selections based on those requests, either for the ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, or all three.
In addition to requests, a DJ will also pull from their professional knowledge and their research of what music is currently consistently popular.
Before the wedding, a DJ will talk to the wedding couple about what they’d to happen during their reception. This includes when a couple would like to do their first dance or when they want to cut the cake. By knowing the timeline of events, a DJ will assist in keeping things on track.
Provides and Sets Up Equipment
On your wedding day, you want to make sure your beloved guests can hear everything! A DJ will act as a sound technician and will set up their professional equipment such as microphones, speakers, and a sound board.
Your DJ will arrive well before the ceremony to make sure all the audio equipment is working. By having a professional set up and sound-check the equipment, you can ensure that folks will clearly hear everything. You won’t need to worry if guests can’t hear your vows or the best man’s speech!
Acts as Emcee
So what does a DJ do once everything is set up? Perhaps one of the most important things a DJ does during a wedding is act as the emcee. As the master of ceremonies (MC), a wedding DJ will keep things flowing by informing or shepherding guests throughout the event.
A wedding DJ will make important announcements such as introducing the wedded couple, letting guests know when dinner is ready, or when it’s time for the first dances. This helps the event stay on schedule if you are trying to stick to a timeline.
Having a DJ who is also a good emcee means that you’ll have an assertive voice that guests will listen to. They’ll be more like to turn to the DJ as a point person and leave you and your new spouse to enjoy your night.
Keeps Things on Track
Of course, you want your wedding day to go as smoothly as possible. However, if there are any hiccups in the event timeline, a DJ is in a position to smooth things over.
Maybe you need to buy time because dinner is running late or you need to make a last call at the bar so the venue can be cleared. A DJ and their microphone can help keep things on schedule.
Motivates and Creates
A good wedding DJ is one that knows how to read a room. They will be able to tell what songs are working or not, and can change the mood on the dance floor accordingly.
If folks need a little motivation to get on the dance floor, the DJ is there to help! Either by song choice, encouraging words, or dancing themselves, a DJ will do what they can to keep things running smoothly.
It is worth it to hire a professional who knows how and when to get people moving, and when it’s time to slow things down.
Your DJ will do so much more than just play music at your wedding. They can be a valuable partner on your wedding day, offering up their skills and knowledge. They can also help take care of other services like UpLighting, which is a nice added bonus. Sure you could just make your own Spotify playlists, but you’d be missing all of the other elements a great DJ can provide!
