When I attend Wedding Fairs showcasing my Wedding Disco Entertainment in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and indeed all over Wales, I speak with many brides in various planning stages of their wedding. Many who I ask if they are looking for a DJ for their wedding party respond with, ‘A friend of ours or a friend of the family is doing it for us’. Whilst I respectfully smile and wish them all the best as they pass me by, alarm bells are ringing in my head for them, because I know 95% of the time, it won’t work.

Do you value your friendships? Whatever you do, do not let a friend or family member provide the Disco Entertainment for your Wedding. It is a recipe for disaster unless he or she is an experienced professional with at least 50 weddings under their belt. It is well documented and proven that entertainment makes any family party, function or corporate event and for a wedding, a good, reliable, experienced DJ is a ‘must’. It is the great equaliser for brides on a budget. Quality disco entertainment compensates for the need for most of us to moderate our desires when it comes to which package we select from our caterer, photographer, and florist. If the entertainment is legendary, your reception will be legendary, too, even if you had to cut back a little on other areas of your wedding. Do not compromise on your choice of Wedding DJ. Indeed, when you consider the cost of a good professional DJ, and you also consider the value and importance of the DJ to the success and creation of  happy memories of your wedding and what that DJ can do to create those memories and that feelgood vibe, the cost is peanuts compared to what you will be asked to pay to many other wedding service providers.

Here is your risk, and it is a big one: you try to cut corners by having a friend play some tunes off his iPod, MP3 Player or Laptop at your reception. Not only will you put your friendship at risk, you put your entire wedding reception at risk when your guests start to complain. DJ’ing involves far, far more than just standing and pressing ‘Play’, as most unprofessional inexperienced DJ’s are just about able to do. In the hands of a professional, it is an art form that energises and entertains your friends and family. I know how to read an audience of many different ages and music tastes across the many genres and play music that packs the dance floor. Even more, I know how to engage even your shy guests to move them from their seats to the dance floor. I know what to play, when to play it and at what is the best time of the evening to play it to keep that atmosphere right up there. It’s done so naturally, but the talent and knowledge to do that has been honed by raw experience.

Your friend just will not and does not have that experience. Nor does he have the experience to compere and control a wedding reception. Announcements must be timed perfectly. They need to be coordinated with the rest of your wedding service providers. A wedding reception does not happen in a vacuum, there are a lot of moving parts. My professionalism, skill, expertise and musical knowledge is key to pulling everything together so your party flows like clockwork. There are also practical reasons professional and experienced wedding disco entertainment is priceless. I offer the professional pre-planning advice and suggestions based on my experience and knowing how a wedding works from start to finish, the professional lighting options and the cutting edge quality sound equipment, that transform ordinary receptions into extraordinary ones.

Your ‘DJ friend’ just will not be able to bring these resources to the table. I’ve heard way too many horror stories from people who let their friend DJ their wedding or family event and these are highlighted in several of my previous blogs. Their friend only played his favourite music, few people danced, he played the same song 4 times and didn’t have a clue what song to play with what based on the audience reaction, there were long silent gaps between each track he was playing, his music selection was limited and he didn’t have a clue what to play and when to play it, his equipment was terrible, he did not know how to present the first dance to make it special and memorable, the cake-cutting was ruined, speaker distortion  was distracting with the inferior quality sound system. On top of all this, guests were leaving the party early, not because people were tired and had enjoyed a brilliant day as can often be the case, but because the night party was simply a shambles and not worth staying for.

You won’t believe how many calls I receive on a Monday morning from a worried bride because her DJ has let her down and just cancelled by text!! When I ask the date of the wedding, it’s usually only days away, like ‘THIS SATURDAY’. When I enquire who she booked, it’s nearly always a friend or a relation who has let her down. Or, it’s another DJ and when I enquire how much he was charging, it’s ALWAYS a low low fee, he’s not been professional enough to take a deposit and send written confirmation and has thought nothing of letting down a couple so close to their big day, probably because he’s been offered a gig for a few quid more than the agreed price with the bride. ‘Family friend DJ’s’ usually let the couple down last minute because initially they have offered to do it, the bride has said, “yes please”, then he realises he has bitten off more than he can chew, but is too scared to inform the bride and groom that he’s not up to the job and he puts off telling them until the last minute.

Isn’t your friendship worth more than this? Do not put him in the position of disappointing you. Even more, isn’t your wedding reception worthy of a legendary and memorable party? Yes, it is, and the key is the Wedding Disco Entertainment. Speak with me, Steve Briers when planning your Wedding Disco Entertainment and make your wedding dreams come true, while saving your friendships!