You can learn how to DJ your own wedding in four steps. We will also talk about the expectations regarding wedding music.
Feel free to browse our blog for other wedding etiquette guides as well. For example, do you know what is a receiving line at a wedding?
Four Easy Steps On How To DJ Your Own Wedding
Check the venue
- You can plan everything much more suitably if you check the venue of the wedding
- Consider the location so you’ll know how to set up your equipment or if you must provide the DJ equipment yourself since some venues already have them
- Plan the placement of the equipment for effective space utilization
Prepare the equipment
- You will need to rent the speakers, a microphone, amplifier, mixing console, and a music playing device if you don’t have one to make a basic music setup
- You can also include a projector, karaoke machine, lights, and smoke machine, depending on the performance you have in mind
- Ask the rental company for their recommendations regarding the venue and number of guests (e.g., the music should be noticeable in a room filled with guests)
Plan the playlist
- After having the venue and set up in mind, it’s time to plan the playlist for your wedding, which is the most exciting and fun part of becoming your own wedding DJ
- Deciding on a playlist will be according to personal preference, but make sure not just to plug in your music player and put it on shuffle so that the music will be appropriate for each part of the wedding
- Consider the ambiance of activity at specific schedules when planning your playlist
- Some parts of the wedding may require a more solemn soundtrack, while, of course, you’d want something energetic, especially in the evening or during activities like cocktail hour
Do a quick test run
- Before the wedding itself, you want to do a soundcheck to ensure that everything is working to your expectations
- You can also give a listen to your planned playlists to get an overall feel once they play throughout the day
- Being a DJ is not just relying on a playlist; you can also use the microphone and host certain parts of the wedding to bring more life to them as music is playing
- Once the day arrives, make sure you’ve coordinated with the staff to set up the equipment properly
How Do You Set Up Music For A Wedding Ceremony?
- Start with an instrumental for when the guests are arriving at the wedding location
- You can use classical wedding music or your chosen romantic song when the bride and her bridal party arrives
- Consider the culture and religion of the bride and groom when deciding on the music placements during the ceremony itself (e.g., the vow exchange must be quiet)
- Opt for a joyous soundtrack during the recessional or when the newlyweds walk out of the ceremony
- Use a lively but non-distracting playlist during the receiving line as it’s when the bride and groom show their gratitude quickly to each guest
- The songs during the after-wedding party will be based on your taste, but of course, pick songs that can keep everyone’s energy up
How Many Songs Are Usually Played At A Wedding?
The number of songs played at a wedding depends on the duration of the reception. Expect to prepare about 150 songs if the event will last for three hours.
To ensure that you’ll have enough songs, you can always prepare a lengthier playlist. More so, plan how your songs will play since not every part of the wedding will require music.
How do I pick the music for my wedding?
- Pick the songs for the wedding alongside your significant other, so you can include sentimental songs that you can dance to and represent the love you have for each other
- Make sure also to add some slow and relaxing songs that would be more suitable for certain parts of the wedding when the guests are relaxing and talking to each other
- Consider asking requests from your friends and family and be aware of some song choices that might be inappropriate or found offensive/tacky by some guests
- Review the wedding playlist you made and arrange the songs if needed
What songs should you not play at a wedding?
While the bride and groom shouldn’t feel controlled with the songs they want on their special day, keep some tact in mind. For example, some songs might have a meaning that would be inappropriate for an occasion that celebrates love and unity.
It would be best to refrain from vulgar songs that would be very inappropriate for young and old guests. But, of course, you can always ask for the opinion of your close friends when reviewing your playlist.
Conclusion
And that’s it! You just learned how to DJ your own wedding by planning and preparing the equipment, then building a playlist for every part of the event.
You can ask your friends and family for requests and even choose songs personal to you and your significant other. We hope you learned a lot; leave us a question if you have any.