So.......What Does a Wedding DJ DO that I can't do Myself?

What does a DJ do at a wedding that’s different from doing it yourself? LOTS.

A wedding DJ’s focus is on creating an awesome experience for (ultimately) one couple. Because they play such a huge role in your reception, it’s important to hire an experienced wedding DJ who’s capable of creating the type of experience you’re looking for.

Wedding DJ's do more than just play music. Much of what they do takes place before they even show up at your venue.

Here are all the things—from start to finish—that MSD Entertainment does to make your day everything you’ve always dreamed.

1.Technical Assistance

For anyone considering DJ-ing their own wedding, (and this one comes up a lot) we’d like to ask you, “How are your guests going to hear the officiant during the ceremony? Have you ever used a sound board? How about lighting?  When a guest doesn't like the tune and decides to play DJ and things go wrong (they often do) , do you know how to troubleshoot an iPad setup that just won’t work and get things back on track?”

There are few things more annoying during a wedding reception than music that’s too loud, too soft, or muffled, or worst-case scenario, dead air due to malfunctioning equipment. Not only do experienced wedding DJs utilize top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art equipment, they also do sound checks at your venue well before the reception begins to ensure that everything is working properly so there won’t be any awkward silences.

It takes a lot of specialized equipment and technical know-how to make sure the vows, toasts, and music all sound good from beginning to end. What does a DJ do if not make it all look (and sound) utterly seamless?

2. Song List Planning

Picking the songs to play during your wedding reception is harder than it looks.

You know what type of music you and your friends like to dance to, but how do you fit your mom’s favorite song and Ginuwine’s “Pony” into the same song list? It's difficult, trust me!

The most professional wedding DJs often have some type of planning tool to make your special day exactly the way you want it. At MSD Entertainment, our wedding song planner lets you choose which songs you want played and which ones you don’t. (Sick of The Chicken Dance? We don’t blame you.)

By learning your music preferences, we get a better idea of what genres you like so we can throw in some surprises!

We’ll also help you answer all the important questions, such as:

• Do you want any song dedications?

• Will there be a blessing?

• How many people are giving a toast?

• Do you want people to bring the centerpieces home?

• What types of music do your parents like?

• Should your DJ take requests?

Your wedding day hasn’t even arrived and your DJ has already started working!

3. Staying on Schedule

Whether you’re working with a wedding planner or not, it’s important to have a timeline for your wedding ceremony and the reception. This is where your wedding DJ proves invaluable!

Once we finalize all the details of your wedding day with you, we will create a wedding day timeline that will help keep everyone (including your other vendors) on schedule. In addition to your ceremony start and end time, your timeline will also list any special song dedications, toasts, or blessings you’d like to include.

Once the timeline is set, we stick to it!

We typically arrive about 2 hours prior to our start time so that everything is set and ready to go when it’s “I Do” time. With MSD Entertainment, there won’t be any scrambling to complete the sound check at the last possible minute. Your entire day will run like a well-oiled machine.

4. Announcements

A good wedding DJ is responsible for way more than playing music. They also act as your MC.

Remember that awesome timeline we talked about earlier? Part of sticking to that timeline means knowing when to pick up the mic and make those all-important announcements (like introducing you for the first time as a married couple).

Of course, not every wedding DJ has experience as an MC. When you’re hiring a DJ, make sure you consider their personality as much as their experience. As your MC, they’ll be setting the tone for the whole night!

5. Covers up any hiccups

Things may go wrong on your wedding day, but fortunately, wedding DJs are pros at getting things back on track. Let’s say dinner is running slightly behind schedule. Your DJ can play an extra few songs so that guests are too busy dancing to care that the food’s not ready. Or maybe your dad is in the restroom when he’s supposed to be giving his toast. Your DJ can cover until he’s available. Your guests won’t notice any potentially-awkward mishaps when you’ve got a pro wedding DJ at the helm.

6. Vibe Check

Setting the right vibe and atmosphere is what sets wedding DJ's apart from other types of DJ's.

Unlike a nightclub, which is usually a younger crowd, your wedding guests will consist of family and friends from all generations and walks of life. Finding ways of keeping all these people dancing can be easier said than done. But for wedding DJ's, it’s no sweat!

Being an experienced wedding DJ requires the ability to read the vibe of the room and create a playlist on the fly that keeps everyone on the dance floor.

7. That Extra Bit of Sparkle….

“What does a DJ do that I couldn’t do myself?”

In addition to the Technical Assistance I've outlined above, all of the planning, scheduling, hosting, technical work, and room reading is nothing without the final piece of the puzzle: professionalism.

What sets a professional wedding DJ apart from a layperson comes down to more than a nice set of speakers. Only a pro can confidently handle transitions between songs, announce the cake cutting, and figure out which ’70’s song will get Grandma off her feet.

Mike Dimidjian

CEO, Owner, Operator

MSD-Entertainment