At an enjoyable wedding reception, music is an important way of helping guests unwind after the formality of the ceremony. Whether you pump that music out onto the dance floor via a hired DJ or from a handpicked library on your iPod, though, depends on your own needs and taste.
Hiring A Wedding Reception DJ
One of the most obvious advantages of hiring a DJ for your wedding reception is the ability to put the music in the hands of a professional with experience at keeping the party going. If you’re not sure how to hire a disc jockey, asking your friends and acquaintances for leads is a good place to start, but the staff at your wedding reception venue can be a tremendous asset in the DJ hunt as well. Not only are they likely to be familiar with the most popular and compelling DJs in the area, but the venue may also maintain a list of DJs with whom they have developed a relationship and who may offer discounts on their services for events held at that venue.
Although DJs make their reputations on knowing which songs to play to keep a wedding reception lively, if there are any songs you specifically want to hear or absolutely do not want to hear on your big day, be sure to let the DJ know well in advance; particularly if you have a special song that they will need to track down.
Creating Your Own Playlist
Of course, if you and your beloved are music lovers who want full control over the music played at your reception, or if your personal tastes tend mostly toward songs more obscure than are apt to be a part of the average disc jockey’s library, these days it’s a simple matter to create a playlist of songs on your iPod or laptop and play them over a PA system during the reception.
Again, to simplify your search and potentially wrangle a discount on top of it, feel free to ask if your wedding reception hall can offer you a list of recommended vendors for audio system rentals. Odds are the event staff will even be willing to help you set up the equipment before the reception! If you like, you can go so far as to make separate playlists entitled “Wedding Reception Dinner” and “Wedding Reception Dancing” for use during specific times of the event.
Belvedere Events & Banquets recommends these DJs!
Above all, remember that whether you plan to hire a DJ to lead your guests through the evening, or you envision a reception scored to your own custom-designed mix of music, the most important thing is that your wedding reception is set to a soundtrack that is going to make you and your sweetie happy.