7 Things Wedding DJs Wish They Could Tell You

7 Things Wedding DJs Wish They Could Tell You

This article originally appeared on MarthaStewartWeddings.com on November 30th. (LINK)

By Maya Wong of Martha Stewart Weddings
Contributing Author

For DJs, there’s a lot more to their job than just pressing start and stop on your wedding playlist. We asked Nguyen, owner of Los Angeles wedding DJ booking agency, Blackbook Social Club, and Dan Rosenbach, owner of San Francisco wedding DJ company, Love in the Mix, to share their secret pet peeves and best advice for couples getting married.

Keep the photo booth and bar in the same area as the dance floor

A separate bar and dance floor means the crowd gets spread out and less people are having fun on the dance floor. Nguyen says, “The party goes wherever the bride and groom go, so if the bar and photo booth are outside, the party would follow the bride and groom to the bar and photo booth.”

Try not to overload the DJ with song requests

Of course your wedding DJ will play your favorite songs, but don’t go overboard on the requests. Rosenbach says, “If you invested in a good DJ, let them do their thing. Or fill up cocktails and dinner with specific song requests.” DJs are happy to play Wilson Phillip’s “Hold On” for you during dinner, but let them cater to the crowd on the dance floor.

Don’t plan too many events during the reception

Cramming in the entrance, first dance, toasts, cake cutting, bouquet toss, and garter dance distracts guests from the dance floor. Nguyen says, “Try to accommodate those events first before open dancing so it doesn’t kill the party vibe.”

Give your DJ phonetic spellings of names that will be announced

Nothing is more cringe-worthy than a DJ messing up your name at your own wedding. Rosenbach says, “Not all DJs will go out of their way to check names. At least if you write it down for them they have a chance.”

Make sure your planner gives the DJ the finalized timeline

Remember, the DJ needs to be in the loop too! Nguyen says, “This is important because the DJ/MC will need to keep time so all events are running smoothly.”

Avoid giving your DJ updates at the last minute

Last minute changes are a major pet peeve for wedding DJs. Rosenbach says, “At a point, you have to let the details go and just enjoy what you have planned to that point.”

Remember: a bad DJ can ruin your wedding

It’s completely okay (and totally normal) to be picky about your DJ. Nguyen says, “A good DJ can seamlessly mix through different genres and not just press play and pause. That in itself can kill the dance floor.”