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Replacing your wedding dj with an iPod? Consider
this:
Reader post by: tim_myth
Posted on: November 17, 2005, 5:26 AM PST
Story: It's a nice day for an iPod wedding
Whether it s true or not, most everyone agrees that wedding DJs are
expensive. A popular tip circulating the net is to replace your
wedding DJ with an iPod and DJ your reception yourself. While this
may sound like a great idea, there are some things to consider. Just
as with any do-it-yourself project, you must be aware of all facets
before you start.
The first most important job for a good DJ is to
play music that the crowd enjoys. A simple shuffle has no way of
knowing who is dancing to what. A person does need to run things,
but not just any person will do. Putting your 12 year old nephew in
charge won't do you any good. The person in charge of the music
needs a large amount of music knowledge. A good DJ should have this
knowledge. A good DJ should be able to identify a song based on a
few bars hummed out of tune or a snippet of lyrics that are slightly
incorrect. Your DJ must not have a fear of speaking in front of a
crowd, and this is not as easy as it sounds. One simply has to think
of all the Best men who have hemmed and hawed their way through a
wedding toast with the microphone held at waist level. Also, does
he/she know how to auction off a garter or any of the other
traditional reception activities? If not, will the bride and groom
want to do these things while they should be enjoying their guests?
Oh, and just like you would give your wedding singer or officiant a
tip for performing your ceremony, don't forget a gratuity for your
impromptu DJ.
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"The first most important job for a good DJ is to play music that the crowd enjoys."
Unless you're a music collector, chances are you don't
have a music library with waltzes, polkas, old country, new
country, oldies, classic rock, new rock, soft rock, hard
rock, hip hop, dance, etc. And, unless you want to subject
your guests to your musical tastes, you should probably buy
a selection of these songs. If you're not up on popular
waltzes and polkas, or don't know which songs are currently
topping the country Top 40, search the web. $25 dollars
should buy you enough music on iTunes to cover enough
various musical tastes that most guests will enjoy
themselves. |
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"Ipod DJ Package
#1" |
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"PA Package #1" |
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Another task for a good wedding DJ is one
who is covered by insurance. Sure, your homeowners policy
*might* cover it, but I'd hate to see your premiums next
year if an accident does occur. Don't think accidents will
happen to you? Are you serving alcohol at your reception? If
you're telling yourself, "All the drunk people I know never
act like fools!", stop and think about that again. Besides,
many venues require proof of insurance because they don't
want to see their premiums raised because your grandma
tripped on a speaker cable and broke her hip. Searching the
web for "wedding event insurance" will yield a whole crop of
insurers who will give you a $1 million dollar policy for
around $200. |
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Equipment is of course another important factor a
good DJ brings to your reception. Do you know where to get speakers?
Or mics? Or Mixer?? Larger cities will have rental companies that
can provide these things. You can even find many such companies by
searching the web for "dj equipment rental". Most wedding sized
systems rent for anywhere from $250 to $500 dollars per day. In most
cases, you must provide a truck or van to transport the equipment.
Now, do you know how to set these things up? If not, will the rental
company give you a tutorial? Some rental companies will give you a
tutorial when you pick the equipment up, but make sure to take
notes, because if you have to call them later they will likely
charge you for a service call. Some equipment rental companies will
deliver, setup, and test their equipment as well as pick up later,
but this is extra.
That being said, if you KNOW your group will interact without being
prompted (or just don't care if they interact or not), and if you've
got a person with an encyclopedic knowledge of music that will run
your iPod (instead of enjoying your reception), and you have
adequate insurance to cover any accidents that occur due to your
iPod setup, and you have a large enough music library to make sure
everyone gets to hear the music they want, and you're able to get
your hands on adequate dance lights and speakers, and will be saving
money by spending $550 to $700 then by all means use an iPod. You
honestly have no need for a DJ.
If planning and organizing all this sounds like just one more
hassle, you'd probably do better to hire a professional so that you
can enjoy your reception and spend your first day as husband and
wife doing something besides returning rental equipment. For a few
dollars more you'll get professional equipment, professional
knowledge from someone who has planned and performed at hundreds of
weddings, peace of mind that any glitches will be resolved quickly,
no hassles about tearing down equipment when the reception is over,
and no worries about getting it back before you owe another day's
worth of rental fees. |
