Your DJ is your ultimate wedding party professional, which means they’re your sound engineer, your lighting technician, your MC, your back-up to fill in with music and announcements, and to step in when things may not be ready, such as if a band has been booked and are late arriving or setting up. He or she will be the icing on the cake to a perfect day, but make sure you engage the right DJ and do your research first.

You don’t need to worry about making and preparing a playlist as the DJ will use his musical knowledge, experience and professionalism to know what to play, when to play it, and to programme the music for the ‘right crowd at the right time’. You therefore don’t need to worry about other guests stepping in to play ‘their’ music which inevitably will not be to everyone’s taste. Your DJ has the same agenda as you throughout your event as he is as committed as you are in ensuring the success and smooth running of your wedding party or event, and to always keep the atmosphere in the room at peak levels.

Live musicians and bands are very talented, but, with respect, they have their set and can only play what they have rehearsed or are comfortable with. They cannot be as versatile as a DJ who can call upon, as in my case, a library of over 40,000 songs from the last 8 decades, covering almost every genre imaginable, and then know how to use that music library to keep that dancefloor bouncing and the energy levels high. With this versatility, I can react to the mood of your wedding guests and organically switch styles to suit an ever-evolving party as the mood and atmosphere changes. If budget permits, booking a live band and DJ together will give you the ultimate wedding party music experience, and I have previously written blogs on ‘your DJ working with a live band.’

An Ipod with a pre-planned playlist will only have the owner’s favourite music on it. No wedding party or family event is ‘one size fits all’ with regards to music tastes and preferences. The music programming needs to be seamless and must flow as the night and the mood of the guests progresses, and your DJ needs to be able to switch styles and genres in alignment with the mood of the guests.

To take a party from ‘boring’ to ‘incredible evening’ takes a large range of music from Disco to Current and recent Top 40, to Dance to Pop to Rock to RnB to Hip Hop, to Classics from the decades etc. if the party demands it. If you have booked the right experienced and versatile DJ, he will know what to play. That’s his job, and he has all this music at his fingertips to transition from one genre to the next and to take your wedding party, family event, corporate function etc. to the next level. No pauses, no intermissions, no stress, just upbeat classics, feelgood dance tunes and a complete musical journey from start to finish.

Do you need lights to create the perfect atmosphere and mood? Do you have a quality sound system that’s big enough to cater for your venue size and for the number of guests that you have attending? Most DJs will have all this at their disposal by default and their package will cover this as standard. Obviously some have invested more than others and the difference in quality and class is always clear, so it’s advisable to research your DJ before booking him (or her). It’s too late at the end of the night if your DJ hasn’t lived up to your expectations. Therefore, it goes without saying, that it’s convenient to hire a knowledgeable professional that can take care of all your entertainment needs as well as the support systems. A professional DJ takes all the guessing and stressing out of party planning and eliminates you from spending time and money on purchasing or hiring equipment.

To have a great party you need to have a great DJ who can guide your wedding party guests on a musical experience and journey. Guests that only play their own favourite music from their phones or Ipods can be frustrating. Likewise, playlists from the like of Spotify can be robotic and can leave the music feeling bland and not ‘in-tune’ with the current vibe of your party. It can add stress as you’re forever wondering, 'what’s next', and 'will it ruin the atmosphere?'.  Booking a reliable, professional and versatile DJ like me will be guaranteed to play the songs you love and take out the anxiety for you in dealing with this hugely important aspect of your wedding party and allow you to focus on what really matters, your guests, and creating your memories.

(Credit to ‘Feel Good Magazine’ for the inspiration and thoughts for this blog)