Your Disc Jockey Acts As A Wedding Event Planner
|
Give disc jockey's credit. Many of them have endured so much criticism. The banquet managers sometimes won't acknowledge their existence or tries to dictate what they have to do and when. They am forced to haul their $15,000 worth of sound equipment through a greasy kitchen or up a rickety flight of stairs because they don't want them to be seen loading in the nice ramp in front. Wedding professionals need to work together because they should all have the same goal ? please the customer (the bride and groom). So many times other professionals forget that fact too easily.
Let's look at the basic facts. The disc jockey relies on the banquet facility to provide the meals and drinks in a timely fashion for the guests. The banquet facility will help coordinate timing to line up with meal service. Some facilities even go as far as supporting the disc jockey during introductions by directing the wedding party and collecting their flowers. For the most part, once the meal is done ? you won't see the staff until it's time to clean up. They will walk away from your event and leave everything in the hands of the entertainment.
Without entertainment, people will just leave after the meal. It's up to the disc jockey to entertain your guests for the next three hours. If you took them to a 2-hour movie, you'd pay $9.75 per person to entertain them. You probably just paid $75 per person to feed them (before the 18% gratuity). The $500 ice sculpture, $300 printed napkins and the $3 per person champagne toast pretty much go unnoticed and unappreciated. It is so easy to get caught up in the wedding planning that you just think that you "have" to have it. Sometimes you have to step back and look at the big picture. A wedding reception is an "entertainment" function. Your entertainment choice will clearly make or break your event.
If a party is a flop ? the DJ is blamed. Never do you hear the guests complain that the meal was dragged out over 2 hours and that it killed the party. People don't realize that by having a photographer pull a couple out of the festivities for 45 minutes can drain the energy from a wedding reception just as quickly as having the banquet manager turn the lights on full or strip clear the tables to push guests towards leaving.
With that said ? your professional disc jockey does more than play music and make a few announcements. They are your event coordinator for the day. They will guide you every step of the way ? from telling you where to stand while waiting for the start of parental dances to guiding you to return to the room when you've been out too long. They will make your party come alive with excitement while still maintaining a professional demeanor and not rely on cheesy antics and props. Your disc jockey will advise you when it is time to get the party started after dinner or if the meal is slow, they might suggest that you do some dancing between courses to mask the fact that the banquet staff is behind.
Your disc jockey will play the music you want and avoid the songs that you have placed on your no-play list. They will make sure things go as planned. If your uncle comes up and says he wants to sing you a song in the middle of your reception ? they'll stop him until they've cleared it with you first. There will be no surprises with a professional disc jockey.
The fact that your disc jockey mimics so many of the duties of a professional wedding planner during the wedding reception are not by accident. It is what they do. Some disc jockeys have even gone as far as to now provide pre-wedding coordination and planning duties (including menu review, vendor contract negotiations, vendor approval, invitation wording, wine pairing and so much more) through an in-house dedicated wedding planner. This way your wedding planner and your entertainment are working together in harmony with your plans.
In order to facilitate better events, our company has started to email clients a week before to give them every opportunity to have the best event possible. Here are some of the hints that we provide:
Hello, it's your DJ. Your wedding is about a week away and I just wanted to email you and let you know a few things that you can do to help make your event run smoothly and get the most out of your time at the reception. Please circulate this email to your parents and everyone in your wedding party. The more people that are in tune with what to do that day - the better your event will be.
1. If there are any last minute changes to your itinerary - LET US KNOW AHEAD OF TIME. We need to be prepared and can help you orchestrate things much smoother only if we know about them before it's too late. We can help guide you as to the best way to flow from one event to the next. Call or email us with those changes immediately. Thank you.
2. All formal photos should be completed by the end of dinner. That means - if you need to get a group photo of your college friends, grandmother or whomever - by the time they clear the main entrée away - that photo needs to happen. If you pull people (and yourselves) out of the party for a group photo - you lose about 25 minutes of dance time. Yes, the photo only takes 5 minutes, but it takes 10 minutes to gather everyone up. It takes you about 10 minutes to walk back into the room as you will keep getting stopped by friends and family. It's never just a quick shot.
3. If you need to socialize with your guests - do as much of it between courses as you can. Get up, visit a few tables and then go sit back down and eat the next course. If you wait until after dinner to start walking around - you will lose valuable dance time. Be careful not to get behind in the meal. If your guests finish before the two of you, that is not good either. When the next course is set for you, go and eat. You can always finish talking to people later - or better yet - meet them on the dance floor.
4. The end of the meal is critical - both you, your parents and the wedding party need to be in the room. Once you start seeing the wait staff clearing plates - you should STAY IN THE ROOM. We could delay the start of dancing by 10-15 minutes trying to get the key players back in the room. The longer we wait to start - the harder it is to get people focused on the party. We will give you and your parents a 10 minute warning before activities are about to get started - use the bathroom, freshen up, take your smoke break or whatever you need to do - BUT BE BACK IN THE ROOM AND READY TO GO.
5. Once we open dancing up - the more people that come out - the quicker we can get the party on the way. If you really want to help prime the party, both you, your parents and the entire bridal party (and their partners) should spend the first 15 minutes (~3 songs) on the dance floor. Everyone is looking to you to set the tone of the event - if you are out dancing - your guests will follow.
6. If you have to leave the room (and you should really leave the room separately (never together) - leaving one of you in the room to play host for your guests at all times), make sure you quickly go and do what you have to do and return. The longer you are out of the room - the more energy is drained from the party. Also, if you are standing talking with guests be aware of WHERE you stand. If you position yourself next to the exit - you will draw people to you and out of the party. Always position yourself so you pull people away from the exits and near to the dance floor.
7. We will be able to play more of the music that you've selected if you dance. If people are not dancing - our first concern is to get people involved before they decide to leave instead. Once we have a good dancing crowd - it's much easier to fit in more of your & your guests' requests.
8. Have fun. If you are not having fun - how can you expect your guests to be? Be part of the festivities. Socialize, dance and have the time of your life. Your DJ will be there to guide you every step of the way. If you are unsure as to what to do next - we can help. We will be touching base with you over the course of the event and will let you know if you have been out of the room too long or if we need you to help us refocus attention on the dance floor.
Whether it is a low-key event or a "dance-on-the-tables" feel that you want for your wedding; your professional mobile disc jockey should be able to paint the scene for you. Discuss your needs. Tell them what you've seen before ? both what you liked and what you hated at other weddings. But most of all, come and have the time of your life at your wedding! Remember, if you remember the music, you'll never forget the times.
Rob Alberti is owner of After Hours DJ Service based out of Westfield, MA and serves the MA/CT/RI areas since 1983. Michelle Scagliarini has years of experience in both banquet hall, catering and in the entertainment field. Michelle has worked with hundreds of brides, celebrities in the music and entertainment industries as well as corporate clients and has a unique background with After Hours DJ, giving her a well-rounded approach to event planning.
You can contact Rob or Michelle via email at info@afterhoursdj.net.
|
|
|
The High Cost Of Resentment And Anger In Marriage
Many spouses carry heavy suitcases filled with a collection of anger and resentment from their marriage. Periodically, they unpack these suitcases ...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Dealing With Your Spouses Sexual Past
"Couples who've had sex before marriage will inevitably have sexual difficulties in marriage."That's what Joe Beam, marriage expert and president of Family Dynamics Institute, said to a large audience of married couples. Through Family Dynamics Institute's work with thousands of couples, we've learned that the emotional results o...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Wedding Planning: Benefits Of Online Wedding Rsvps
Want to manage your wedding guests with style and ease? Forget about multiple checklists and trying to decipher the illegible handwriting sent in by your wedding guests. The days of sorting through scattered mail-back response cards and calculating, then recalculating your guest counts are gone. Thanks to the internet, there's a better way to approach the entire RSVP process for your wedding!Online wedding RSVPs, one of the most recent developments in the wedding industry, have skyrocketed in popularity among brides and grooms looking to efficiently handle their guest list. Receiving RSVPs online is an inexpensive way to stay organized and have a bit of fun with the helpful extras that some online RSVP systems offer.So how can you have your own wedding RSVPs online? It's very easy! There are a few ...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Balance - Wedding Budget Blues
Let's think about what goes into your wedding budget. Your caterer/banquet facility will get the lion's share of it. If you are having...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Tahiti Honeymoon Resorts: Fun-tastic Experience
Tahiti honeymoon resorts are the best places you could think of when you think of a romantic and passion filled honeymoon. Tahiti is the picture perfect place for your honeymoon. If you cherish your love, then you cannot afford to think beyond Tahiti.Tahiti honeymoon vacations will make you believe that good times are made to be enjoyed here. The fascinating overwater bungalow is picturesque and makes you spend invaluable intimate moments with your beloved. The Tahiti honeymoon package is comprehensive of romantic dinners, complimentary champagne, fruit baskets et all. Many people are even said to have renewed their wedding vows here.Most Tahiti honeymoon packages include round trip airfare...(related: Marriage Wedding)
What Happens If You Dont Wear Proper Wedding Shoes?
Here comes the bride! Walking through the alley confidence holding her father's arm, but suddenly the shoes slip and she fell down. Wow?knocks on wood, hope that don't happen you.Always prepare everything in no hurry. Having proper shoes for your special...(related: Marriage Wedding)
The Bigger The Carat The Better The Wedding?
Ahh . . . sweet romance.The flowers. The chocolate. The late night whispers of "I love you."For most people in love, the culmination of months of togetherness and special friendship comes down to one single moment: The marriage proposal - - featuring a simple, but elegant, diamond engagement ring.Of course, if you're a celebrity, a simple ring may not have enough wattage to suit your tastes. Thus, we see many celebri...(related: Marriage Wedding)
The Monogram Theme Wedding
Monograms are a huge trend in weddings, to the point where they feature strongly in some, and in others, provide the actual theme. And what's not to like about monograms? They're elegant, understated, versatile, and a dramatic visual reminder of your new life together.Ideas for including monogramsYou'll find them popping up in more and more places throughout the reception, and sometimes even prior to it. Here are some ways that brides include monograms:- embossed, stamped or printed bridal ...(related: Marriage Wedding)
A Wedding Theme Can Rescue Your Wedding From Being Another Ho-hum-boring Disaster
Are you a Bride-to-Be? Wonderful! Congratulations! But what's that enormous cloud hanging over you? Of course! It's that insurmountable task you're thinking about all the time: "How am I going to create a beautiful and memorable Wedding Day out of thin air?"You have to create a unique day that everyone will admire and enjoy, and you've not got a clue, not a smidgen of...(related: Marriage Wedding)
For Second Weddings Only - Eight Tips
Planning a second wedding? Prevent favorite guests comparing your second wedding, to the first wedding. It isn't tricky but it will take some thought. Whether guests will or will not compare weddings is likely to be determined by the bride's status.Yes, it may be hypocritical, but for wedding planning; if it is the bride's first wedding, she often can have as elaborate a wedding as she pleases. She can use all the traditional clothes and customs because it just doesn't matter that it is the groom's second wedding.But if it is the bride's second wedding you are planning, there are limitations in the minds of many guests. These things should be kn...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Wedding Day Savings
A little strategizing can go a long way when trying to cut down on spending for the big day. Invitations, flowers, and music can cost a small fortune but by making some adjustments to these elements you can have an elegant wedding without breaking the bank.The Invitation is the first taste your guests will get of the type of wedding to expect. Formal weddings will have the formal invitation and a more laid back wedding will have an informal invitation to reflect the setting and mood of the day. When ordering the stationary you should keep in mind how many invitations you need, order half of the number of guests with an extra 10-15 to provide for the single g...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Destination Weddings In Oregon
Oregon is one of the most marvelous places in the world. Blessed with a variety of climates, landscapes, cultural diversity, tourist attractions, beautiful cities and friendly people can make the wedding day fantasies of any couple come true.Why would a couple want to travel to a far away place to celebrate their wedding day? The answer is fantasy, an intimate celebration, and the opportunity to travel to an exotic place and enjoy something different.Some of the most popular destination places for weddings in Oregon include:Portland, the City of the Roses, is a very friendly green city of temperate climate, surrounded by beautiful mountains, rivers, and forests. It offers great vineyards, wonderful attractions, monumental buildings, shopping centers, beaut...(related: Marriage Wedding)
Making A Budget For Your Wedding
Just the thought of all the expenses that come with a wedding, can really put a damper on the most important day of your life, especially when you need to work within a financial frame of X dollars. To avoid the stress of facing too many decisions all at once, try making a budget for your wedding.Start out with an idea of what you have to spend. Keep in mind that you will have other expenses starting out on a new life together, and come to a mutual agreement of what kind of wedding to have. Then list the elements that your wedding will include, and decide that if it comes to a crunch, what items will take precedence over others.Things to consider when making a budget for your wedding, may include but...(related: Marriage Wedding)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 | Contact Webmaster | Weddings & Honeymoons | All Rights Reserved. | Marriage Wedding