After you consider all the options, you just might want to hire a professional DJ for your wedding or event. Photo courtesy of Cage+Aquarium.
After decor (which I talked about last week), the most frequent kind of DIY I see at weddings is music. I have coordinated weddings where all the music was provided by playlist on various electronic devices. At the risk of alienating my musician and DJ friends, I have to say that this is one area where you can sometimes get away with doing it yourself. But there are definitely some big pitfalls to be aware of, if this is your plan.
A professional DJ or band brings to your wedding two very large advantages: a sound system and a Master of Ceremonies. These things can be arranged for otherwise, but by paying professionals you are also obtaining these two important things.
Sound systems can be rented (for a price), but you also need someone to set up and run the sound system. (Please don’t assume that your planner team will do this.) DJs or a band often also bring a sound system that can be used for your ceremony, as well as for background music during cocktail hour and dinner, as well as for dancing. They may also put in some time and effort to move their equipment between ceremony and reception.
There are drawbacks, of course: If you want DIY music, you will have to spend considerable time in advance making play lists. And someone needs to press “play” on the MP3 player at all the right times. The very biggest drawback of DIY music is that the play lists are all made in advance and they can’t respond to the mood on the dance floor the way a DJ can. A good DJ can get people on the dance floor and make sure everyone is having a good time.
You will also need someone to make announcements at your wedding. Typical announcements include: introducing the wedding party; announcing the cake cutting and special dances; introducing those who are making toasts; and making other important announcements at the reception. You might have a friend who is an appropriate choice for MC. But if you have a friend act as MC, it might be important to impress upon her or him the necessity of remaining fairly sober until all the announcements have been made. A tipsy MC is not always the most effective MC.
DIY music is a viable option for your wedding reception. (And don’t overlook another way to do it yourself: If you have musician friends, ask if they can play for the ceremony or the reception.) As with any kind of DIY project, it requires forethought and planning and some extra time to make it happen, and it may have drawbacks and expenses you hadn’t considered. Make sure it is the right thing before you commit to doing it yourself.
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