Consider This: A DJ's Perspective on Your Wedding Reception
You will likely here 1,034,562 different opinions while planning for your wedding. During this process, there will inevitably be valid perspectives that will contradict each other from different vendors and guests. For example, your future mother-in-law may insist on sitting at the head table with you... but that desire could very well contradict your vision for the day! In the same way that you may disregard your lovely mother-in-law's suggestion, feel free to throw some of these suggestions out as well! We promise it won't hurt our feelings! After DJing hundreds of weddings, these are some different suggestions to take into consideration as it comes to making the reception great!
1. Position the DJ as close as possible to the dancefloor.
There is something special that cannot be quantified about having the DJ close to the action. The crowd can more easily feed off of the DJ and the DJ can read the crowd more effectively. Being close to the dance floor also allows us to direct our speakers exactly where they are intended to be - on the party!
2. When the dance floor opens, make sure you and your bridesmaids lead the charge!
Everyone follows the girl dressed in white during a wedding day! If you make a concerted effort to head towards the dance floor right when the music turns on it can set the tone for the rest of the reception! That doesn't mean you have to stay out on the dance floor all night, but getting out there at the beginning oftentimes works magic on the rest of the crowd and really gets the party going!
3. If you're going to do sunset pics, consider what time you do those in relation to when the dance floor opens.
When the sunset pictures occur right when the DJ turns up the music to start the dancing, it breaks our hearts just a little bit. The party follows the bride! So if the bride is going outside, the focal point of the party is outside when as DJs would love for the focal point to be on the dance floor! Again, this is all the DJs perspective - go get your sunset pics girl! But just something to be mindful of!
4. Don't put grandma right in front of the speakers.
Many of times have we had to turn our speakers down at the bequest of a sweet older lady who was positioned right in front of the DJ setup! We want all guests to be happy, and oftentimes older ladies don't love music projecting right into their ears as they are trying to have conversations about how perfect their granddaughter is!
5. For maximum dancing, play some songs everyone is familiar with!
I know... some of you are just tired of all of the familiar songs that you hear at weddings, and you may be tempted to play deep-cuts that you and your close circle of friends vibe to. Again - this is your day... we'll play the music you want us to! But we at RC DJ Co like to think of the reception in this way: You as the bride are hosting a big party! So, to a certain extent it is a responsibility of the bridge and groom to take into account the preferences of those you are hosting! With that in mind, as you pick out songs for your playlist ask yourself, "What would grandma like to hear?" Or maybe even, "Besides Brickhouse (every mom's anthem), what would my mom like to hear?"