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You are now engaged and are
starting to plan your wedding. With some DJs booking up
as much as 8 months to a year in advance it is worth
considering booking your DJ at least provisionally, as
soon as possible.
As soon as you have your church booked and a rough idea
of which venue you will be using, I would suggest
booking your entertainment, as it is one of the most
important aspects of your wedding. It is what many
people and their guests will remember the most. Not
everybody will remember the teas, coffees and cocktail
sausages yet often, Irish couples spend more time and
money on these than entertainment.
The DJ is often in charge of about a fifth of your day
and is also entrusted into entertaining all ages, acting
as entertainment planner and advisor, MC and sound
technician so getting the right DJ is important.
If you are planning on a DJ for either after the band or
the full night I would suggest finding a professional DJ
to meet with and get one to one advice on planning the
evening’s entertainment. When choosing the function room
I would advise as much as possible to choose a room that
has the bar in the actual function room and an exit
right onto a patio for smokers as close to the function
room as possible. These two factors can make a massive
difference, because if the bar is in a different room
you will often find guests hanging out where the bar is,
therefore splitting the party in two and the same will
go for the smokers if there is a long walk out to a
smoking patio. I would also suggest not seating your
granny beside where the loudspeakers will be set up for
the DJ!
Another aspect that I would always advise on is to make
sure the bride and groom spend as much of their time in
the room where the party is. The energy levels on the
dance floor are always increased when the bride and
groom are on the floor or at least in the room.
Remember, your guests are there to celebrate and party
with you not without you on your special day.
Another important aspect to planning your entertainment
is to make sure that your DJ discusses your day with
other vendors and the venue. Your DJ should chat with a
band if you have one before him to ensure that there is
enough room left for him to set up to either side. This
is so the DJ can get on straight after the band finishes
rather than wait around for 30 minutes till their
equipment is dismantled. He should also discuss music
with the band, as there is no point in your DJ starting
off playing Van Morrison if the band finishes on
..........Van Morrison!
A good DJ will also liase with the banqueting manager as
to when teas and sandwiches might be served if you are
having them later in the evening. There is nothing worse
than the floor rocking and everybody having a great time
when suddenly the room’s lights are turned up and
sandwiches are brought out and the energy in the room is
suddenly ruined!
When planning the entertainment ensure that the DJ is
fully insured for public liability insurance. I would
also recommend that the DJ or his company have a back-up
service or plan in case of any problems on the day or
the night itself. DJs are only human after all and they
can get sick also and equipment can fail.
When hiring entertainment be wary of services that offer
a DJ with a band included or a band with a DJ included,
as you may not know whom you are getting along with the
main entertainment. It’s the same reason you wouldn’t
hire a photographer who would also suggest making your
wedding cake!!! If using a DJ company always make sure
the DJ you book and meet from the company is the DJ who
will be doing your event and not a junior staff member.
There are a number of reputable DJ companies throughout
Ireland.
Whether you hire a DJ or a band always and I mean,
always for your own sanity hire a professional, not a
friend who has a few CDs or an i-pod lying around the
house. A bad amateur DJ can ruin a party.
Finally, always get the booking details confirmed in
writing from your band or DJ. |
