Category: General

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Do cheap Wedding DJ’s exist?

You bet they do and we work with them! Some couples don’t need the DJ to provide the normal full “wedding DJ service” as they just need music and nothing else. Instead of selling you an expensive elaborate package you don’t need we will supply you with a private party DJ who will just play music for your wedding as if it were a regular dance such as a club, grad party, block party or any other similar type of party.

However if you need the full service Wedding DJ who will also Emcee, coordinate the entire evening, make all the announcements, provide a wireless microphone and other typical equipment and services we can do that to! Just remember, the less you need the less you pay and visa versa.

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How important is beat matching?

Beat matching is an art where DJ’s seamlessly blend two songs together by starting a new song before the old one finishes. For example you will be dancing to one song and without knowing it you are dancing to a new song in the same tempo as if the song never changed. This is a nice skill for DJs to have but ultimately is not crucial as it all boils down to the song selections. As long as people are enjoying the music played and that there is no “dead space” in between songs then seamlessly beat-matching from one song to the next is not a deal-breaker.

Another common song transition is called a segue. A segue is similar to what radio stations do. As one song is about to end they start another so there is no “dead space” in-between the music. These songs do not necessarily have the same tempo and most of the time is easily identifiable when a new song starts. As long as the music is good then the listener will stay tuned in. This is the same concept for mobile DJ’s, as long as the music relates well to guests they will stay on the floor.

All in all beat matching is a nice skill but should not be a prerequisite when choosing a DJ. Look at the DJs past references and talk to their past clients. If they were happy with that DJs service then they enjoyed the music. In fact most of the time they wouldn’t even know if the DJ beat-matched or just transitioned with traditional segue’s or did a combination of both at their event. Ultimately they just remember if they had a good time and if they enjoyed the music.

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Do’s & don’ts of choosing music for your wedding

Of course every bride and groom wants to hear music they love at their wedding and every DJ should be sensitive to that. However newlyweds should also consider what their guests will enjoy or not enjoy. We run across this time to time where the bride or groom or sometimes both will come up with an elaborate list of selections that are not mass appeal. The more focused and narrow the music list becomes the more alienated their guests will also become. Once guests have become alienated the more likely they will leave early or complain about the music. If guests are not having a good time, the newlyweds will also begin to feel the same way.

The trick to a successful event is balance and not to lean too heavily in one direction. Take for example a wedding we recently did. The bride and groom came up with a large list of music and a very large Do Not Play list. The songs the bride did not want to hear were the top 100 most popular weddings songs. Immediately that alienated most of their guests as these were the songs that they wanted to hear. In addition the groom wanted unedited versions of songs. Keep in mind they were a young hip couple but there is a thing as being to cool for the room. By playing unedited music the “high-class feel” of the reception was soon lost…especially to the older generation. That may have seemed cool to about 20% of the entire wedding party similar in age to the newlyweds but that left a majority of 80% that did not appreciate it.

Of course it’s OK to come up with a list of “must play” and “do not play” songs but keep it within reason. Think of a wedding reception as give and take. Yes it is your special day but it wouldn’t feel that way without your friends and family there to celebrate it with you. Yes you are providing food for them but they also are giving you gifts in return. Yes you are providing entertainment for them but if you don’t also think of their needs then it won’t be entertaining to them at all. The more fun they have the more fun you will have in return.

Remember this one basic rule of thumb, just because you like something doesn’t automatically mean that everyone else will. As we all know music is important, it sets the mood and it’s what makes or breaks the overall feel of any party. Just make sure you set the right mood for everyone you invite. Otherwise you might as well save some money by reducing your guest list down to just those who only like the same music as you.

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Best Wedding Songs

It can be difficult to choose which songs you would like played at your wedding, especially the first dance with your new spouse and mom or dad. Fear no more, go to http://www.greatratedjs.djintelligence.com/search/requested.asp to see the most popular songs in multiple categories such as Overall Top 200, Top 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s, 00’s, 10’s, Top Bride & Groom selections, Top Bride & Father songs, Best Groom & Mother dances, Most Popular Bridal Party hits, Great Bouquet & Garter Toss songs, Perfect Cake Cutting music, Best Introduction songs and more!

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How many hours do I need for my wedding DJ?

We get this question a lot. Ultimately it depends on if you need the DJ for just your reception or for both your ceremony and reception. Typically for a reception it’s about 5 hours but some will only do 4 hours to shave costs. If adding a ceremony then an average amount of time is 6 hours for both your ceremony and reception however we also have seen 5 hours for both to help shave costs.

For a typical reception the DJ provides the following services…
1. Background music during cocktail hours
2. Introductions
3. Background music the greeting line (if any)
4. Provides microphone for blessing (if any)
5. Excuses guests to buffet or asks them to take their seats if a plated meal
6. Background music for dinner
7. Slide show (if you have one)
8. Toasts
9. Cake Cutting
10. Bride/Groom first dance
11. Father/Daughter Dance
12. Mother/Son dance
13. Wedding party dance (if any)
14. Open dancing for all guests for about 30 minutes
15. Money Dance (if needed)
16. Anniversary dance (if wanted)
17. Bouquet/Garter Toss
18. Reverse Garter (if requested)
19. More dancing for everyone
20. Last dance
21. Send-Off (if you have one)

If you include the ceremony then this is what’s typical of the DJ:
1. Prelude music 30 minutes to start of ceremony as guests are arriving and being seated waiting for the ceremony to start.
2. Processional song for the wedding party
3. Processional song for the bride
4. Possible music in middle of ceremony for unity sand or other similar event
5. Recessional music for bride, groom and wedding party after being introduced as husband and wife.

As you can see there are a lot of different things to consider. Wedding ceremonies usually only need one hour for everything from the prelude music all the way to the recessional song at the end. Receptions typically require 2 hours of background music for cocktails and dinner and then 3 hours of dancing and everything in between.

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Why is a deposit required?

Deposits guarantee the services of a professional for your event date. The deposit shows the event professional that you are serious about using their services so they will be glad to turn down other work for the same day. If you come across a DJ that does not require a deposit then at least get a contract for some type of verification on your end. Otherwise you will roll the dice if the DJ will even show up, especially if someone else wants to hire him or her at a higher price.

Thankfully with Great Rate DJs our deposit amounts are small, usually $95 unlike other companies that typically charge at least 50% of the total.

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What is Liability Insurance & do I need it?

If you are having your event at a venue such as a hotel, then most likely YES! Liability insurance protects the venue in case of equipment falling and causing unforeseen harm as well as provides medical compensation to the patron or patrons in need. So if a venue requests a DJ to have liability insurance then plan to pay more for the DJ.

Why? Simple, it all boils down to overhead costs. The more investment a DJ has to make in his or her services the more that DJ will need to charge to cover those expenses. Thankfully with Great Rate DJs we can add supplemental liability insurance on a “per-event” basis for DJs that do not already offer this for an additional charge.

So regardless if you’re having a small backyard get together or a large event at a hotel, Great Rate DJs can match you with just the right services so you only pay for what you need and not what you don’t want.

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Plan on-line and save!

More and more DJ’s and DJ companies are allowing clients to plan their entire event online including choosing their favorite music. As people are more cost conscious then ever before this can be a great way to save on costs. The less time a DJ has to spend meeting with clients the more time he or she will have to perform other events so this can be a win/win for everyone.

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Unique Wedding Song Idea’s

Most wedding DJs know that as long as you play the hits, the guests will be happy. However, even grandma will agree that some songs are too played out. I mean, we can only stand to hear “Celebration” and “YMCA” so many times. If you’re looking for a left-of-center playlist (that will still get everyone on their feet), consider these essential party-starters:

Outkast – Hey Ya!
Lady Gaga – Telephone feat. Beyonce
Snoop Dogg – Drop It Like It’s Hot
Peter, Bjorn and John – Young Folks
Zac Brown Band – Chicken Fried
Ke$ha – Tik Tok
De La Soul – Oooh
Michael Franti & Spearhead – Say Hey
Phoenix – 1901
Cut Copy – Lights and Music

Start creating your own wedding play-list list at www.greatratedjs.com/clients

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Why pay big money for a small event?

Most DJs charge a grip of money and do not offer discounts for smaller events. They have a good reason to. Most people need a DJ on Saturday, sometimes on Friday and Sunday but rarely any other day of the week. Since the options of when a DJ may be hired are limited to a small number of days a DJ will have a set price regardless of how small your event is. This will most likely not be the best option for you if you’re on a budget. Instead look for a part-time or hobbyist DJ that does not heavily relay on the money he or she makes from DJ’ing. Part-time or hobbyist DJs will be your best bet as they mostly DJ for the pure enjoyment of it. Since they have a primary source of income, anything they make on the side as a DJ is pure gravy.