DJing Your Own Wedding
Traditionally, couples book either a DJ or a wedding band for their big day, but the 21st century has seen a third option emerge: the D.I.Y. DJ. The concept is simple: you choose, organize and play all the music during your wedding reception, saving on booking and paying for a professional band or DJ. All you need is a music program like iTunes and an mp3 player, alongside a sound system, which you can hire.
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Types of Songs
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In planning your DJ set, start by assembling a list of the types of music you want, including any favorite songs or tracks that have a special significance for you and your partner. You will probably want to meet with your partner to do this preparation. It is a wedding, so you will need to have at least some romantic songs. Classic dance tracks and chart hits will get people up on the floor, too. If you start a playlist on a computer when you begin this stage, you can update it whenever you think of a track to add.
Playlist Order
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Once you have four or so hours of music together, you need to put this playlist into a coherent order, ready for the wedding. You can begin with background music to accompany the meal and other proceedings. Next, you will want the first dance, and from there, you can build the playlist towards numbers that encourage people to dance. Remember that guests will not always have the confidence to party straight away, so do not unleash those disco classics too soon. Intersperse slower dances with upbeat tracks to introduce variety.
Songs to Avoid
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Some couples will dislike certain types of music and want to avoid it on their wedding day. You might hate the latest chart music and want to keep that off the playlist, for instance. Also be aware of songs with negative themes. Since many popular songs have been written about heartbreak and break-ups, these tracks may be difficult to remove entirely, but avoid numbers with overtly negative lyrics.
Advantages
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DJing at your own wedding has a few advantages. First, you are likely to save money. According to the Bridal Association of America website, in 2009, the average reception band or DJ cost $953. You will still need to get hold of a sound system, but with many people owning an mp3 player in the 21st century, at least that part is free. Picking your own playlist avoids songs you hate, and you will also eliminate the possibility of an overbearing DJ spoiling proceedings.
Disadvantages
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On the other hand, DJing at your own wedding is just one extra hassle on top of the seemingly endless list of other business you and your partner will need to take care of ahead of your big day. Plus, since you need sound equipment such as speakers, you will need to pay for this, or find someone from whom to borrow it. A DJ, meanwhile, brings his own equipment and sets it up for you.
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References
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