Clark.
Weddings are probably one
of the most frequent DJ gigs going.
Thankfully, alt.music.makers.dj has a few seasoned professionals who
have
shared their insight on the matter.
Before getting into the internals
of DJing a wedding, you need to ask
yourself a very important question:
Are you ready for the responsibility?
The DJ has a VERY important
role in weddings today. They need to make
announcements, set the tempo, and manage the structure. There is a
great deal
of focus placed on the DJ (almost equal to that of the bride and groom)
which
means lack of performance on your part will result in a wedding gone
flat.
Depending on your relationship to the bride and groom this could mean
anything
from being sued to losing a friend. Be sure you understand what it
means to
be in this role BEFORE taking it.
Some additional things to think about before taking on the event are:
o Do you have the appropriate
gear? This includes speakers, amps,
and microphones.
They need to be powerful and sturdy enough for
the number of
people attending. With the speakers, be sure they
are heavy enough
so they don't tip over with people jumping up
and down on
the dance floor.
o Do you have appropriate
music? This is especially true if you
typically work
parties and clubs/raves. Remember: You'll
need to appeal
to a diverse group of people here, most of
whom will still
think C&C Music Factory's "Gonna Make You
Sweat" is the
hot thing on the dance floor. See the "Music"
section below.
o Are you comfortable talking
on the microphone? You will need to
(at the very
least) announce the arrival of wedding party followed
by introductions
of each couple.
o Appropriate attire: If
you don't already own a tux or other
appropriate
formal wear, be ready to rent one.
Once you are sure you are
ready to take on the task, you need to
prepare. There are many things you need to be aware of BEFORE getting
to the
wedding to insure things go smoothly. These things can typically be
found from
asking the person(s) responsible for organizing the wedding. Most often
this
is the bride and groom, however, if it is not, you may want to let
the bride
and groom know what the plan is. You don't want ANY surprises on the
wedding
day itself.
Questions you need to ask include:
o What is the desired order of the event? (see suggestions below)
o What will be your role as the MC (Master of Ceremony)?
o What songs would they like
played for their "Special Dances"
ie: First Dance,
Parent/Child dance, etc.
o Any special song requests?
While discussing the reception
music with the bride and groom, be sure
to keep in mind the accessability of a song to all the people there.
If they
have any odd or unusual requests (ie: a track from U2's War album)
you may
want to ask them to rethink it since it isn't very dancable and most
people
will not be able to recognize it. You may also want to ask if an odd
or
unusual request has any sentiment attached to it. If so, you could
make an
announcement that the song is special (be sure to mention why, ie:
song
playing when they first kissed, etc.) before playing it.
While asking for input you
may find that one relative that thinks they
know enough to do your job and may feel it necessary to tell you how
to handle
things. This can be especially troublesome during the reception itself.
Don't
ignore them altogether, but take their input with a grain of salt.
Be
interested in what they have to say about the people there more than
their
input on what songs to play.
On the Day Itself
Be ready to work. Being the
DJ doesn't mean being a human jukebox, it
means having to read the crowd, pick the right order, and guide the
energy.
(Mix alcohol into this and you'll need to guide the drunks too. =)
Note: Read the section on
contracts first. You should have a contract
between you and the wedding party agreed upon early. Especially take
note of
the time requirements -- How long do they want you to play?
To setup, you'll want to
arrive at least one hour early. This gives
you enugh time to setup and do a sound check. If you plan on doing
any beat
mixing, you may want to try a small one to get a feel for the acustics
and
delays from the speakers to you. You will also want to get a feel for
what
"loud" is for the room. Be sure to test the microphone too. There should
not
be any feedback and the volume should be easy to control. Don't forget
to
bring plenty of duct tape and a pair of scissors! You'll need to tape
cables
to the floor. Also be sure to bring power strips and extension cords.
Tip: Bring two pairs of shoes.
A pair for moving gear around and a
pair for the reception itself. This will allow you to move your gear
without
as much risk of slipping and/or dropping things. Be sure to change
into the
appropriate shoes before people arrive.
If your gear is not in coffins
(although they should be), be sure to
tie the cables in the back of your gear together so they appear clean
and
neat. Appearance is very important.
Once the people begin arriving,
you'll need to play background dinner
music. The ambient noise isn't so much to annoy you as it is to make
people
more comfortable talking with one another. Preferred music for this
sort of
thing is insturmental and very light. Jazz and new age is ideal (ie:
Kenny G
and Enya). The occational slow big band tune is fine too. Use good
judgement
-- the music should only be background noise and easy to ignore. You
should be
ready with at least 2 hours of music, preferably 3. (Just in case...)
Unless
asked to, be sure to have enough different stuff for variety. You may
be
surprised at who pays attention to the music.
As things get started, you'll
need to keep an eye out for the wedding
party. Most people will arrive before they do which means they'll be
crowd to
contend with as well. When you see them arrive, greet them and let
them know
that you're ready. Perform the introductions. Remember to speak slowly
--
they'll be photos being taken as this happens. Have some music mixed
into this
as well, but again, keep it mellow and insturmental. The typical order
of
introductions are: Grandparents, Parents, Bridesmaids & Ushers,
Flower Girl &
Ring Bearer, Maid/Matron of honor & Best Man, Bride & Groom.
Inbetween the beginning of
dinner music and the dancing is the
mish mash of eating, pictures, announcements, toasts, etc. Be sure
to have
these worked out in advance as to who will be saying what and what
they'll be
saying. Here is a possible "order of operations," however, be ready
to throw
this out and allow for regional and family differences in how things
are done.
Be flexible, but insist that the order be agreed upon ahead of time.
o Announce that dinner is
being served. If there is a blessing to be
given, this is the time for it. If it is a buffet style, you'll need
to
"release the tables." This means explaining to the crowd to come to
the buffet
one table at a time so there isn't a excessive line. Suggest a order
(ie:
tables that go left to right). Remember that the bride and groom go
first,
then the families, followed by everyone else.
o As the dinner ends, the best man should announce the toast.
o Cake cutting and serving.
o Ask the couple if they
are ready for their first dance (done eating,
etc.) If so, announce it. The song for their first dance should already
be
coordinated.
o Announce the parent/child
dance. Be sure there are parents involved
with this before announcing it. It would be very awkward should someone's
parents be deceased and there not be a matching parent. This should
be figured
out BEFORE the actual wedding day.
o Open up the floor for family
and friends for a slow dance. If there
are enough people dancing, you may want to let it go for two songs.
o Announce the dollar dance.
Have at least 5-10 songs ready for this
since you don't know how long this will last. The first song for the
dollar
dance may be something that the bride and groom select.
o Announce the garter/bouquet
toss. Have appropriate music for this,
esp. for the garter toss. Typically "The Stripper" is played, however,
there
have been some people using alternate songs such as the Mission Impossible
theme. You may want to ask the bride and groom about this before playing
it.
o Open the floor up for everyone to dance.
The opening of the floor
is a big deal and you're going to need a
clincher song to get everyone onto the floor. The song needs to appeal
to the
young AND old so stick to classics from disco or rock. Something that
everyone
knows and is comfortable with. Up tempo is important. Suggestions include:
o Celebration
o Twist and Shout
o YMCA
o Stayin Alive
o Elvis tunes
Other suggestions include
rock'n'roll megamixes since they tend to
cover a lot of favorites and will get everyone up and dancing.
This is when you NEED to
watch the floor like a hawk. See what the
people respond to and what turns them off. This will help guide you
in picking
songs to play for remainder of the evening.
This is where no one can
really tell you what to do. Every crowd is a
little different and will respond differently to the music. Your ability
to
read the crowd and pick the right songs to play is critical to keeping
the
tempo of the party going.
Depending on the contract
you signed with the bride and groom, you'll
need to be ready for anywhere from 2-4 hours of dance music. Its rare
you'll
need more than that, however, should the contract call for longer play
you'll
want to be ready for it.
Remember: You need to play
songs to satisfy everyone -- not a trivial
task. The guests may have travelled a long distance to get there and
spent
money on a present. If they don't like the music you are playing, they
aren't
going to have a good time. The best thing to do is to play as many
requests as
possible (as long as they are dancable!). Encourage requests early
on.
Assuming a "normal" wedding
crowd, keep the music recognizable, keep
mixing up the styles and don't neglect to play an adaquate amount of
slow
tunes (more of them earlier for the older guests). Perhaps every 4th
or 5th
song should be slow. Many times, slow songs will pull the older crowd
onto the
floor. Use this opportunity and follow up a slow song with a good oldie
to
keep them dancing.
Beatmixing: If you can do
it, by all means, use this powerful tool.
Its a great way to keep the flow on the floor. Its also a good way
for people
who are otherwise uncomfortable dancing to feel the beat and keep the
same
beat for a few songs at a stretch. If you can't beatmix, try to arrange
your
sets so the BPMs are similar to one another in a set. ie: if you're
doing a
dance set that starts with a 120bpm song, keep the next track about
the same
BPM. This will keep people from tripping over themselves. Surprisingly,
this
applies to slow dances too.
Switching styles: While the
floor may seem to be full with the disco
set, allowing it to last too long will likely make your crowd bored.
Be ready
to switch styles after a handful of songs. When switching styles, open
up the
next set with something energetic (unless of course its a slow set)
to try and
pull some of the people who are sitting down back onto the floor.
People breakdown: You'll
find that the older crowd will leave earlier
than the younger crowd. Watch for who is staying on the dance floor
and who is
leaving. As the evening wears on, cater to the people who are on the
floor
which most likely means more contemporary tunes. This is a great time
to let
some of the odder (but dancable) requests through.
The Macarena: We all love
to hate it. Including the guests. But play
it and watch the floor fill. Unless explicitly asked not to play it
by the
bride and groom, play it! Same goes for other line dancing songs --
its
popular to dislike it, but you'll find more people on the floor dancing
to it
than any other time. (including the so-called old people. =)
And.... DON'T FORGET TO READ THE CROWD!!!
Below are some of the most
common songs requested/needed for the
average wedding reception.
Note: This is by no means an authoritative list. Be aware of local trends
and
interests as well as requests. This list is simply a guideline for
those who
may not even know where to start.
If you find any errors in this list (wrong title or singer's name) please
send them to me for future inclusion: sshah@cs.ucr.edu
Title
Singer/Band
----------------------------------------------------------------------
ABC
Jackson-5
Ain't No Stopping Us Now McFadden & Whitehead
At The Hop
Danny & the Juniors
Blue Suede Shoes
Elvis
Boogie, Oogie, Oogie
Taste of Honey
Born To Be Alive
Patrick Hernandez
Brown Eyed-Girl
Van Morrison
Burn Rubber On Me
Gap Band
Can't Help Falling In Love Elvis
Celebration
Kool & The Gang
Cecilia
Simon & Garfunkel
Conga
Miami Sound Machine
Cotton Eyed Joe
Rednex
December '63
Frankie Vally & The Four Seasons
Devil With the Blue Dress
Mitch Ryder
Disco Inferno
Tramps
Dropped a Bomb On Me
Gap Band
Electric Boogie
Marcia Griffiths
Gonna Make You Sweat
C & C Music Factory
Flashlight
Parliament
Le Freak
Chic
Funkytown
Lipps, INC.
Get Down Tonight
KC & Sunshine Band
Get Ready for This
2 Unlimited
Good Golly
Mitch Ryder
Great Balls of Fire
Jerry Lee Lewis
Heaven Must Have Sent You Bonnie Pointer
Hot Hot Hot
Buster Poindexter
I Got You (I Feel Good)
James Brown
I Only Have Eyes For You
The Flamingos
I Saw Her Standing There
The Beatles
Jail House Rock
Elvis
La Bamba
Ritchie Valens
Legs
ZZ Top
Let's Twist Again
Chubby Checker
Love Shack
B-52's
Mack The Knife
Bobby Darin
Mickey
Tony Basil
My Sharona
The Knack
Old Time Rock & Roll
Bob Seger
Only You
Platters
Party Train
Gap Band
Pretty Woman
Roy Orbison
Red, Red Wine
UB40
Respect
Aretha Franklin
Ring My Bell
Anita Ward
Rock Around The Clock
Bill Haley & Comets
Rockin' Robin
Bobby Day
Runaround Sue
Dion & Belmonts
Safety Dance
Men Without Hats
Satisfaction
Beatles
Shake Your Groove Thing
Peaches & Herb
Shame
Evelyn Champagne King
Shook Me All Night Long
AC/DC
Shout
The Dynatones
Stayin Alive
Bee Gees
Summer Nights
Grease Soundtrack
Tequila
Champs
That's The Way I Like It
KC & Sunshine Band
The Twist
Chubby Checker
To Be Real
Cheryl Lynn
Twist & Shout
Beatles
Unchained Melody
Righteous Brothers
Vogue
Madonna
Wanderer
Dion & Belmonts
We Are Family
Sister Sledge
What A Wonderful World
Louie Armstrong
When A Man Loves a Woman
Percy Sledge
Woolley Bully
Sam the Sham and the Pharohs
YMCA
Village People
Some Closing Notes on Weddings:
Remember that a wedding is
(in theory) a once in a lifetime event for
the bride in groom. You can either be the source of fond memories or
evil ones
-- understand that responsibility before you take on the task. Its
a lot of
work, but it's also very rewarding.
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