Do I need to have a DJ at my wedding reception?

Question

My fiancee and I are trying to find places to cut costs with our wedding. We want to have a dinner reception, but we are wondering if it is absolutely necessary to have a DJ playing music? We were thinking of possibly just loading up our laptop with appropriate songs and asking someone to help run those for the evening, or something. Does anyone have any ideas?

Answer 1

hi we are doing the exact same thing. we are hiring a pa system and connecting it up. its cool for us because we know about this sort of thing, but even if you dont, there will always be someone you can ask to set it up for you in the best place with the best sound-dj dont often get it right and sound awful anyway. we are using our laptop for everything, so make sure the music you want will last for the duration of the day. make sure the music you choose is appropriate for the time of day-frank sinatra is crap at night when everyone is battered and acid house isnt good for the sit down meal. make sure you deffo have a playlist. the last thing you want to be doing is getting up every 5 mins to change the track.
good luck!

Answer 2

Having spent the last 19 years as a DJ and having done untold number of weddings, my first answer is a resounding YES hire me, pay me lots of money. OK, now that's out of my system. To make this decision right you need to ask yourself some questions.

1. Will the reception be just dinner or will there be a cocktail time or a "party" afterward...Dinner music is the one place that DJs make a load of money for a little work. We usually just drop in a CD of soft rock or jazz and let it play; so if it's just dinner, find some nice background music and forget it.

2. How many of the "formalities" do you plan on doing. Introducing the wedding party, cutting the cake, tossing the bouquet, garter toss, money dance etc etc etc. This is where a good (and I stress good) DJ starts to earn his/her money. They coordinate with the caterers, photographers, videographers, wedding director etc to make these things go off without a hitch.

3. If you plan on dancing, hire a DJ. Its takes more than your little brothers friend with a "really kewl" stereo system to get people on the dance floor and keep the teens and twenty-somethings happy while not offending and even including the grandparents and parents. This is what separates a good DJ from the rest. Shop around and ask how they plan to include all ages in the fun. I like to lean hard on the oldies early and when the older crowd starts to tire move into the new stuff for the young ones. Lets face it, at 25 most of us will dance to YMCA and the Twist (even if they do seem a little cheesy) but Smack my B*tch Up is NOT what grandma wants to hear.

4. Can you cut enough costs to afford a DJ. A good one will start at round $100 an hour and go up from there. If they are cheaper than that I would want to know why. My wife and I put on a gorgeous wedding for less than 5 grand and it should have cost 20. We bought our flowers from a wholesaler, the food was done by friends, we paid the photographer, the Minister and the DJ (yes I hired a DJ) and we rented the site for the reception. Everything else was handed out to friends and family and we bought the "raw materials".

A note of warning, always meet YOUR DJ before the reception, some companies will have their best guy talk to you to book your event then send some 16 year old kid. Ask to see your DJ in action, this is a common request and if they won't let you, find someone who will. Hiring a DJ is more than renting out a sound system and CD collection, a good DJ is a master at making sure your event runs smoothly and everyone has fun. Most people remember two things about a wedding, the food and the DJ. If you can't afford or don't want to pay a good one, then don't hire one at all.

Answer 3

I own a country club and handle all of the wedding planning. In my opinion (and I have seen many weddings) a DJ can make or break your wedding.

The role of the DJ is not just to play music...they also act as an MC and orchestrate various events, such as toasts, first dance, bouquet throwing etc. If you have "someone you know" who has absolutely no experience attempting to handle all of this I can assure you it won't go well.

Additionally, a DJ with experience knows how to "read a crowd" and select songs that will keep your guests entertained and interested. Trust me....I have seen the "do it yourself DJ" and it really is a disaster. Why spend all that money on a nice dinner and reception and ruin it by not having professional entertainment?

If you want to cut costs, here are some ideas.....

1. Instead of buying a large wedding cake, buy a very small cake for the ceremony and have a large sheet cake that will be cut and plated for your reception. Or better yet, serve cupcakes that you or a relative can make at home!

2. Purchase flowers for your bouquet at a supermarket florist.

3. Go to Michaels or another craft store for your centerpieces.

4. Limit the time for your photographer, and get your traditions (including the cake cutting) out of the way at the beginning of your reception. Then have disposable cameras on the table or a friend/relative taking pictures for the remainder of the event.

5. Don't have favors...they are a waste of money and typically get left behind at the facility. It is really a lot of effort for nothing.

Your guests are going to remember the reception location, food and the party....make sure your event is fun and memorable!

Answer 4

you dont have to have a DJ babe, just make cd's of your fav music on your laptop...take your stereo to the hall and connect it up to the hall's speaker systems....and have someone play the cd's for you....best thing is have two or three people to swap around so they can join in the fun too.....

as long as you have fun at your own wedding....thats the most important thing trust me!!!!

if you have good people to get the dancing going it doesnt even matter too much about the songs...if you've got the right crowd you will have a blast!

ask the hall manager if they have their own speaker systems set up in the hall where your reception will take place and whether they can insert the cd's for you into their system....my wedding hall had that facility (although i did have a dj) we could have used it....its true that the clarity isnt A1 but it wasnt terrible either. If you dont have a stereo or the hall doesnt have a stereo then you may have to get your friends to bring one in and hire out some speakers for a few hours (will still cost less than a dj)....some of them even hire out strobe lights and displays depending on your budget!

just make sure your first dance is perfect and dont be naive....have a practice with your partner before the big day!

good luck and God bless!!

:)

Answer 5

LOL, As long as you get the money dance in, who cares where the music is coming from? Seriously, everyone going to the reception knows how much things cost and that you are on a budget. Would it matter to you if you went to a wedding and they had a laptop playing? Maybe a giggle or two, but I wouldn't leave the party. These are your friends and family. Do what's right for you. You don't want to start a life together in debt up to your eyeballs, and it's reasonable to try to keep costs down. Good luck.

Answer 6

Well DJ's ask for a lot of money and you are probably spending a lot of money on your wedding so your best bet is to buy appropriate songs from I-tunes or something and then you can make a play list or download them to a CD and just bring a CD player but that is up to you! Oh and good luck with the wedding!!!

Answer 7

Get a DJ for your wedding reception. DJ's are cheaper then a band.

Answer 8

That's what we're doing...the laptop idea...talk about a cash saver!!!
My mom has a LARGE dance ball that swirls different color lights all over the place (She won it from work..she used to work for an elecrical/lighting company) But you could pick up some affect lighting from any party store, Spencer gifts, Ebay.....and with good enough speakers and the lighting, people will forget that there's not really a living-breathing dj there!
I've seen it done at 2 different weddings and it worked out jus great.
Just have fun and CONGRATULATIONS!

Answer 9

Maybe just a nice piano player on a piano. That sounds romantic...
Or? If you want to have a DJ go ahead knock yourself out, but this is a wedding, not a sweet sixteen (or my grandpa's 70th birthday party!!)
I think the idea of the laptop is wonderful, not to out of the game, not to soft, yet just right with the music you want your guests to hear.

Answer 10

rent the quebbie ( dj in a box) it has all the music u need plus all the standard announcement u need. all touch screen any one could work it. just turn it on and let it play. go to there web site to find a rental center near you. it will work much better than a lap top and cost WAY less than a dj!! and it has its own sound system