Are you planning a wedding and considering being your own DJ? Were you SHOCKED by how much a DJ costs?
DJs aren’t cheap. But you should get one anyway… In today’s post I will give you 7 reasons NOT to DJ your own wedding.
I came up with these reasons while DJing over 300 weddings in the New York City area.
7 Reasons not to DJ Your Own Wedding
Peace of mind
Your guests will dance less
Technical difficulties
So much work
The equipment
The announcements
Add-ons
1. Peace of mind
Your wedding is the biggest party you will plan in your whole life. That is, unless you are a professional event planner or something. It’s a big deal!
80% of wedding guests said the number one thing they remembered about a wedding was the entertainment. This is the most important job to your guests. And you are giving yourself that job!
If you are going to do something additional for your wedding, don’t make it this! It’s much more than turning on a playlist.
If you hire a professional DJ you won’t have to worry. They have done this 100 times.
You can rest assured that your DJ will do what they say they will. And that there won’t be a lot of mistakes.
2. Your guests will dance less
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Picking songs that will make one person dance is easy. You can pick songs that you would like to dance to. And you can do the same thing for one of your friends or family members.
Picking songs that will make a group of people dance is hard. Everyone can do it for a few songs, but picking 20 or 30 songs in a row that will make people dance is not easy.
This is the main thing that DJs do. People think that their main job is talking on the microphone or using equipment. It’s not.
The main job of a DJ is choosing songs that make people dance. And doing that over and over all night.
If you want to have a packed dance floor for one or two hours, you will get a better result with a DJ. Period.
3. Technical difficulties
At least one of these things will go wrong at your wedding if you don’t book a DJ:
The equipment won’t work right
The microphones will screech with feedback
The wrong song will play during a special dance
Songs will go on forever during dancing
There will be a five or 10 second gap between many songs during dancing
Your guests won’t know what’s going on because there is no one making the announcements
Your guests will ask you to fix a problem related to the music or equipment
4. So much work
For professional wedding DJs, a lot of what they do is second nature. But it isn’t for you.
You are going to have to make separate playlists for each part of the night. The hardest one is dancing.
Choosing songs that will please your guests is not easy. You may second-guess yourself and get stressed out.
And then there is the work at the event.
There has to be someone manning the playlist to make sure it doesn’t stop and the correct music is playing. If it’s not you, then you need to ask someone to do it. You may need to check on them.
If something goes wrong during the wedding, there won’t be a professional there to fix it. You will feel responsible!
5. The equipment
This is the number one reason people in your situation change their mind and hire a DJ. Renting or buying the equipment is often just as much (or more) than hiring a DJ.
But let’s say you can borrow the equipment, or already have it. You are going to need to know how to set it up and what equipment you need.
This means speakers, microphones, and a mixer you can plug your device into. Your device can be a computer, iPhone, or anything to play music off of.
The thing people have the most problem with are microphones. Specifically, wireless microphones.
Do not attempt to use a wireless microphone. Use a microphone with a wire connected to it. Trust me. It will save you a lot of stress.
Wireless microphones can get interference. You can get loud feedback. Or they just won’t work.
And please don’t attempt to use a wireless microphone for your wedding ceremony!
6. The announcements
This part is actually overrated. It is good to have some announcements so your guests know what is happening.
They should know when it’s time to move from one area to another. They also should know when a tradition like the first dance is about to start.
But as far as emceeing or hosting goes, it’s really not necessary.
7. Add-ons
In the case that you wanted a photobooth or lighting at your wedding, your DJ may offer it.
If you DJ your own wedding then you are going to have to look for each one of the services a la carte. And that may be more work for you. It also may be more expensive.
Do you need a DJ for a small wedding?
We define a micro wedding as anything under 50 people. We have DJed many micro weddings and had all the guests dancing and having a great time.
If you only have 20 people or something like that then it probably is OK to just put on a playlist. The above advice is mostly for weddings of over 50 people.
A note about Venues
If you are considering DJing your own wedding, you might also be considering getting married at a private home. That would make it easier.
If you are getting married at a wedding venue, it will be harder to be your own DJ.
You may need to provide insurance for any equipment you bring in
Once again, renting equipment is often the same price as hiring a DJ
Wedding venue staff do things the same way at every event. DJing your own wedding might throw them off.
The staff may ask for many announcements to be made.
Big rooms need more equipment.
Conclusion
You should only DJ your own wedding if you have less than 50 guests. Or if you can’t afford a DJ.
DJing a wedding seems easy. But it’s harder than it looks.
Entertainment is the number one thing (besides food) that your guests care about at your wedding.
I know all this because I have DJed over 300 weddings. If you are getting married in the New York City area and need a DJ, contact me.
Have a great wedding!