Posts

wedding industry secrets

Wedding industry secrets you should know about

/in /by

Wedding industry secrets you should know about.

You’re a 20 something bride. Just graduated college and now you’re engaged and looking at starting your new career, purchasing your first home, and lastly but certainly not least, planning your wedding. The a fore mentioned life milestones are some of the most stressful times in a person’s life. You’re just a handful of years out of highschool and now you’re ready to hit the ground running by starting your new life. With all of these life changes takes a serious amount of money. You’ve invested in your college education and are left with a diploma and a mountain of debt. A new house will set you back a couple hundred thousand dollars, and to top it all off, the average wedding costs 37,000 dollars. It’s ok, we understand. We’ve all been there at one time or another in our lives.

About 2 years ago, 20/20 did a show called Wedding Confidential – Secrets the wedding industry doesn’t want you to know. It took one tough look and a lot of misleading journalism to cook up the 30 minute show that would fire up an entire industry painting them as shady car salesmen that prayed on emotional brides. And if you’re planning your wedding, let’s go back one more time and take a good look at the facts.

FACT: The average wedding in the Untied States costs about $37,000.

It’s true, the average wedding costs about as much as a medium sized sedan with some nice amenities. But like the car, what are you getting? Are you getting the bare bones minimum? Or are you getting something that is reliable, a good fit, and fun? When it comes to weddings, one of my favorite comparisons is, “Nobody ever walks onto the Mercedes Benz lot looking for a crasher for their kid.”

When you look at wedding venues alone, the majority of wedding venues in Connecticut offer breathtaking views, architeture, and a beautiful backdrop for your wedding photos. Not to mention, the food. Wedding venues hire 5 star chefs who are the best at their craft and at the top of their game to give your guests a culinary experience like they’ve never experienced before. And with that experience, they have to make each of the 150 individual meals absolutely perfect for your guests. And the reason for the $90-$150 per plate price is exactly that. You’re getting the best of the best.

FICTION: If you don’t spend that much, you’re not going to be happy with your wedding.

Every wedding is different from the next. You have your style and tastes and so does the next person. That’s why it’s important to find the wedding services that best suit your needs. If a Mercedes is not your thing and you want a Dodge, go for it. It’s your prerogative, and there is NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

FACT: Wedding DJs charge on average $700 more for a wedding than a party.

20/20 pulled a bait and switch in their wedding industry secrets expose and had actors call DJs in the area to get pricing. When they asked their wedding djs what they would charge for a wedding, it was right around $1300 on average, but when they called that same DJ for prices on a private party, the price was exponentially less. And when the jig was up, the DJ was thrown to the wolves and accused of price gouging. As the DJ attempted to explain, “Brides are not just getting a DJ. They are getting a wedding director.” a quick video edit later, the host replied, “I don’t want a wedding director, we were JUST looking for a DJ.” Hold up. Wait a minute.

Like the venue, the expectations and the stakes are ALOT higher at a wedding than at a party. And here’s why. As a DJ, your responsibilities don’t start and end on the dancefloor. They start with the meeting with the DJ when you tell them about the environment you wish to create for your wedding. All of the timing of events, music programming for each event, and introductions of friends, family, and loved ones are handled by the wedding DJ.

When it comes to the introductions, we have to rehearse everyone’s name so that even though this is our first encounter with them, make sure that we say their names properly as if we’ve known them as long as you have. In addition to that, ensure that the music played during those introductions is played in the correct order and at the correct volume. But it doesn’t end there, we have to help guide your guests and other vendors through the events of your reception to ensure that food is served on time, guests are informed of any important happenings, and that your photographers and videographers don’t miss an opportunity to take the photos you want like your dance with your new hubby, your dad, and cake cutting.

And after all of that is said and done, we have to entertain all of your guests from the youngest to the oldest and give them an experience that will be remembered as the best wedding they have ever been to. Talk about PRESSURE! We’ve got exactly one opportunity to do it right. We do not have the opportunity to give it another shot. It either works or it doesn’t. With that kind of guarantee not to mention the investment in professional equipment at the cost of tens of thousands of dollars, access to hundreds of thousands of songs for every occasion, and continuing education and training, in retrospect, it’s a small price to pay for the experience.

FICTION: All DJs do the same thing. The price should be the same.

Not all DJs are created equal. Like anything else in the world, you have varying levels of experience, personalities, and technical accumen not to mention the types of equipment used and how well the DJ can use it. If all DJs were created equal, that would mean that every bride would be the same. But because you and your guests are individuals and every person’s ideal reception is different, so are the choices in wedding entertainment professionals. Furthermore, the full time entertainment professional does this for a living. There are no “day jobs” and they need to afford a liveable wage to have a roof over their head, a vehicle to get to your wedding, and go to the doctor just like you do. Your wedding isn’t just a side gig for fast cash. It’s equally as important to the DJ that your wedding is a success because their lively hood depends on it.

FACT: Florist Charge more for flowers for weddings.

Like the venue and the DJ, they too have a massive responsibility on their hands. If you have 150 guests sitting at 15 tables of 10 guests each, the centerpieces on those tables need to match near perfectly. No two flowers are exactly the same and trying to create a look that is identical and consistent using naturally unmatched materials is a work of art. Each color, height of the stem, and arrangement of the centerpieces has to be handcrafted, chosen, and expertly placed to get the best result. And as any guy knows on valentines day, roses go from being $12 a dozen to $50-80 a dozen because of supply and demand paired with the additional little touches that make your valentines bouquet even more special.

FICTION: Anyone can arrange flowers to make it look like the pictures I saw on Pinterest.

If you’ve ever gotten a bouquet from the 7-Eleven and a different bouquet from a florist, there is an obvious difference. Your gas station flower has been sitting in the same water for 2 weeks and is one temperature change from wilting. But the florist ensures that their flowers are kept at a steady temperature, humidity level, and fed to make sure that your floral arrangements look vibrant, rich, and healthy for your special day.

WEDDING INDUSTRY FACT: Your wedding vendors want the best for you.
Your wedding vendors want the very best for you and it is our pleasure and honor to be considered to help you celebrate one of life’s big moments. We all have a passion for what we do along with many years of experience and acquired knowledge that we will put to work for you. We love what we do so much that we have thrown caution to the wind with the security of a “day job” to put all of our resources, talent, and reputation on the line to give you a celebration you will never forget.

dj playlist, wedding playlist, wedding music, wedding dj, club dj, connecticut dj, wedding djs in ct

Why Professional DJs Don’t use playlists

/in /by

Why Professional DJs Don’t use Wedding Playlists:

Playlists. They are the new DJ replacement according to some. What’s better than your own customized playlist for an event? Nothing! But, a playlist made by one person only caters to one person. If you’re having a wedding for example, that would mean that there would only be one or maybe a handful of people in the room who might enjoy your playlist. But being realistic here, the average wedding is around 150 guests.

That’s 150 different personalities, age ranges, music preferences, and dance preferences and thousands of possibilities for what will help guests to the dance floor to celebrate. This is why professional djs don’t use wedding playlists. A professional DJ is a master of observation. Every moment of every event we do, we are constantly scanning the room with our eyes to see who is in attendance and look at the demographic as a whole. Then we throw out a few tests to see what kind of an audience we have. Once we get the reaction we are looking for, we can then customize what we play on the fly seamlessly to ensure that all of your guests, young and old are able to enjoy the music and have fun.

It’s a speculation but, by all of the stories that are heard at meetings and events themselves, I can understand why some people are steering towards the playlist over having their DJ do their own thing. And that’s a matter of preference. But you have to go beyond the typical DJ stereotypes. When I do a wedding, it’s not the Aaron show. It’s all about the celebration. It’s my job to make sure that the people in attendance know that and are able to enjoy themselves as much as possible. But if you’ve ever experienced a DJ who wasn’t quite up to snuff who played only what their preferences were and did not fit the environment, that’s the equivalent to making your own wedding playlist. It’s the same result just driven by different means.

It is for this reason that it is so important to really choose the RIGHT dj for the job and not just the cheapest one that you found on Thumbtack.

Still not convinced? Here’s an example.

2 years ago I was helping a couple celebrate their wedding in Simsbury and the bride was VERY specific as to what she wanted played at her wedding. She was a huge fan of hardcore hip hop. Not the light and fun stuff you’d hear on the radio but, underground and pretty heavy duty hip hop. She handed me a wedding playlist at our last meeting and said, “Play these songs in this order from start to finish. Do not derive from this list you are not to take any requests. This is MY day, it’s not about them. It’s about me.”

That’s a pretty bold statement. And when you make that statement, you take 100% responsibility for the success of your wedding. The DJ becomes no more than a jukebox or ipod at that point. Because I always put my best foot forward to make my clients happy, I obliged her demands and during the wedding, started playing her list from start to finish. Besides the dirty looks I was getting from the audience, it was only her and 2 friends on the dance floor. Everyone else sat and just watched with a look that burned a hole in my stomach. I felt bad because I wasn’t able to do anything for her guests and my hands are tied.  A few songs into it, she ran up to me and said, “Why aren’t they dancing? Make them dance.” I reminded her of our conversation and she simply replied, “They should be dancing, this is good music.”

When she left the room for the safety of her bridal suite, I snuck in a few favorites and like magic, the guests ran to the floor to dance but when she returned, she demanded that I not play anything except for her wedding playlist, so we went back to it and everyone sat down and began to leave early in groups of 5 and 10.

Remember, what one person’s favorite song may be, might be someone elses least favorite. Think about your guests and the outcome. 2 things that a guest will remember most about your wedding are if the food was any good and if they danced.

hawks landing country club, hawks landing wedding, bellvista wedding, bellavista at hawks landing, connecticut wedding venue

Hawks Landing Tasting Event

/in /by

The Hawks Landing Tasting Event

is the perfect opportunity for engaged brides and grooms to get a taste of exactly what Hawks Landing has to offer. Bring your family, friends, and bridal party to help you pick out the perfect menu for your wedding or special event!

Enjoy food, fun, dancing, our photo booth and experience what some of CT’s best wedding vendors have to offer.

The tasting is from 6pm to 10pm at the Bella Vista Banquet Room this Saturday, February 13th 2016. It’s just $25 per guest and groups of 8 or more guests will receive $10 off of their total table.

Call Jamie at 860-793-6000 ext. 8 or email [email protected] to purchase tickets! We’ll see you tomorrow at HAWKS!

 

spotify for weddings, wedding playlist, itunes for weddings, ipod wedding, no dj wedding, djs in ct

Use Spotify for your Wedding and SAVE

/in /by

Use Spotify for your wedding and SAVE!!!

You’re probably asking yourself right now, “Ok, you’re an entertainment company that specializes in weddings. Why on earth would you promote a cheaper alternative?” Let’s begin.

Recently, Spotify has been promoting their ability to DJ your wedding for you with the use of custom playlists for your wedding. How awesome is that? Just hook up your iphone to a speaker and you’re good to go! It sounds too good to be true.

I understand the need to be budget conscious on some things. But knowing what to invest in and what to be frugal with are a matter of priority. If you want that 10,000 dollar dress and as a result, can’t afford a professional wedding photographer to capture you in your Vera Wang 5 digit dress, $800 Chris Louboutin heels, and designer necklace, what good is spending $10,000 on a dress? Same goes for your entertainment.

You’ve taken great care for making sure that every last detail is how you want it. The venue is exactly as you dreamed it would be, the centerpieces are just perfect, and every chair back comes wrapped in linen and decorated with a bow. A beautiful setting fit for a queen. And right near the dance floor is a speaker sitting on the floor with your iphone sitting on top and a cord draped over the speaker. Charming!

Now here it comes time for your introductions and first dance. Who announces you and your bridal party in? Who controls the iphone while you’re busy with introductions? Can they use them simultaneously to announce you in and change the music and or volume if it’s too loud or soft? Will spotify decide it’s a great time to let your 150 guests know that you can enjoy even more music by using Spotify premium for just $10 a month? Will the person using the microphone stand far enough away from the speaker to not let it feed back and squeal with delight during your introductions?

Phew! Now that we’ve got the intros and first dance out of the way, we’ve got to do a toast to the happy couple. Your besties head up to the lone speaker on the floor and grab the microphone and set their whiskey sour on the speaker. (Where else would they put it? They have 3 pages of stories to tell) In a moment of excitement, the best man bumps into the speaker knocking your $600 iphone to the floor and to add insult to injury, siri does a shot of whiskey sour to soften the blow when his drink crashes to the floor. Your iphone needs to be dried out to prevent it from shorting out so you run up and quickly dry it off with an expensive napkin from your table only to find out that the phone is toast. You quickly beg someone for their iphone to use and try to download spotify into their phone to get your music back but alas, it won’t be your account because the phone is assigned to it’s owner with an entirely different email address. Your wedding list is gone.

Thankfully, you can still stream regular spotify so you choose one of the safe playlists like jazz for dinner and like clockwork, every 3rd song has a commercial before it. Nice! You want to dance with your father following dinner but can’t seem to remember what song it was because it was in your whiskey soaked phone and you didn’t need to write it down because Spotify had you covered. So you pick a song quickly and grab your dad. Theres a long pause while the phone buffers a new song and finally begins to play. You and dad dance for 3.5 minutes and at the end you hear a round of applause followed by, “Did you know? Spotify Premium is just $10 a month!”

I don’t think I need to tell you that there is more to come.


It’s no secret. You can have spotify for your wedding, of course! But, what do you have to play it on? Are you going to invest in a pair of $600 powered speakers (That’s as cheap as they get. We are an authorized dealer for many brands of audio and lighting), speakers stands ($90/pair), a microphone, extension cables to plug it in and tape to ensure that your guests don’t trip over your thrifty investment? After all is said and done, you’re going to spend at least that much on a wedding DJ. Its your wedding. You deserve BETTER.

 

10 things a smart bride never says

10 things a smart bride never says

/in /by

10 things a smart bride never says:

“It’s all what you make of it.”

You’ve heard your parents, grandparents, teachers, and friends say that phrase before. It sounds like a meme you’d read on facebook but, it’s short, sweet and to the point. When it comes to weddings, this statement couldn’t be anything closer to the truth.

While many people will tell you that weddings typically cost 5 times more than the average party, they’d be correct. There’s a reason for that though. When you lay your money down on the table for something, does it meet your expectations? Was it everything you wanted and more? What is the most important feature that you want for your wedding? And how do you get the most value from it? It’s all a matter of priority.

We hear many stories from once bridesmaids turned bride on what their experiences and the experiences of their friend (the bride) had at their wedding. Some are full of happy memories and some not. Here are the 10 things a smart bride never says.

1. Aww man, I wish I could have done this instead of that.

2. I had a buddy of mine take care of (insert assorted wedding service here) because he was cheap and available.

3. We really wanted a photo booth for our wedding because they were so much fun but we figured, people are just gonna take selfies in the bathroom anyway so, what the hell.

4. Thank god we opted for the chair coverings and chocolate fountain. It really made the wedding more amazing than I had hoped.

5. I didn’t allow my DJ to stray from my playlist and as a result, I loved the music. Nobody was dancing though, that DJ sucks.

6. It’s my wedding. The guests are there for me. They should be happy to get a free meal.

7. I spent $10,000 my dress that I will wear for exactly 14 hours in my lifetime and now I don’t have enough money to buy all the things that Pinterest told me that I need for my wedding.

8. I am going to wear these 5 inch heels if it kills me.

9.  My DJ never showed up and he kept the $300 we paid him even after he promised he’d do my wedding.

10. My wedding SUCKED!

Check out this DJ’s package.

/in , /by

Check out DJ Packages.

It’s the first line of nearly every email that we get. “HI I’m Samantha and I would like to know what your dj packages are. Thanks.”

Of course you do! You are trying to plan your budget for your wedding dj or event. It makes sense. The first question anyone asks when trying to get all of their ducks in a row is about price. And why shouldn’t you? It’s an important question. But think about this. If you’ve ever called a cable company or a satellite provider and set up service, you probably know their schtick by heart. And it probably sounds a lot like what you’d expect a DJ to say. So many DJs across the country are also programmed to respond with tantalizing packages to make the largest one seem appealing. But, what if you’re not looking for 100 uplights, two 90″ TVs with hip hop videos and a 2 man entertainment team? What if your wedding is supposed to be a laid back affair with family and friends? DO you really need all of that stuff? Or better yet, does the venue you chose for it’s beauty and charm really fit with the 2016 equivalent to Studio 54?

If not, that’s ok! But, if you did want to go for the gusto, you could always have those options. Ultimately, the choice is yours. If you look at our wedding dj prices page you’ll notice that there are just 4 things offered on that page. These are our most popular options that people ask for. You certainly aren’t limited to those four and there are many more enhancements to choose from depending on your preferences but, we don’t want to limit you to what you can or cannot have by forcing you into a decision that just doesn’t work. Much like the cable tiers that include the basic channels, about 40 more that you don’t care about, and if you act now, they’ll throw in a month of Starz and 20 home shopping channels if you sign a 3 year contract today, you know and I know that you’re probably going to watch about 10% of what they are offering. And if you did want just one channel that isn’t included in that tier, you’d have to upgrade to a lot more undesired channels to get the one you’re looking for and pay exponentially more. In that scenario, who comes out on top?

We have a simple philosophy that we work from. “Take care of the client and everything else takes care of itself.” That’s why we don’t offer vacuum sealed, pre-made, postage paid packages for the events that we do. When you sit down at your first meeting, we want to know what YOU want so that WE can help you reach your goals for getting the wedding dj, lighting, photo booth, and any other amenities that you’re looking for. And by forming that partnership with you, it allows us to create one of a kind experiences for you and your guests.

So grab a pencil and a pad, and dream away. It’s not the Pryme Tyme show, its all about you.

Do I really need lighting at my wedding?

/in , /by

Do I really need lighting at my wedding?

Weddings are a very personal experience for many couples. The majority of couples that we meet have the same goal when it comes to their entertainment. Make my guests dance.
But in 2015, the role of wedding djs has evolved into more of an events production approach and that’s where lighting comes in to play.

If you’ve been to a wedding at The Riverview, Waterview, Aqua Turf, or Aria this year, you’ve probably seen uplighitng in the ballroom. Come to think of it, the majority of Connecticut Wedding Venues has installed uplighting as an option for couples to take advantage of and give the room a dash of color. Because these wedding venues have installed permanent uplighting, you can rest assured that the lighting that they have installed will compliment the room and enhance what is already there. Uplighting is a great option as you have many different color combinations available to create a vibrant environment.

But what about other types of lighting?

If you’ve ever been to a wedding where the room is very bright, you notice that it is more difficult to get people to let their guard down and head to the dance floor. Nobody wants to be the only one out there and especially in plain view of the other 150 guests attending the wedding. So, when the house lights are dimmed, it helps to lose those inhibitions and head to the floor to move, shake, and sing. But turning the lights down only goes so far.

Intelligent lighting is an enhancement that excites as much as it’s soothes. We’re not talking about the type of lighting that you’d see at a roller rink or bowling alley but more like a theater, concert, or nightclub. Computer controlled and motorized lights (moving heads) are the tool of choice for professional entertainment companies like Pryme Tyme Entertainment. With these very powerful lights, you can add new dimensions to your wedding. Imagine for a moment dancing in the center of the dance floor for your first dance as a soft white light follows you around the floor. It’s an intimate moment that can turn your first dance from ordinary to extraordinary. And with the same type of lighting, it can also be used to enhance an otherwise blank ceiling during dinner service by projecting patterns and colors. During dancing, these moving heads will dazzle your guests and create an exciting environment to help them to the dance floor.

Pinspotting has become a very popular option as of late. By focusing a beam of light on certain objects such as centerpieces, the wedding cake, or sweetheart table where the couple sits, it creates a tasteful contrast in the room. When uplighting is used on the walls, the middle of the room becomes dark and everything turns into a silhouette. Especially if cool colors like the very common blue and purple uplighting you see at nearly every wedding. Pinspotting centerpieces  ensures that your investment in wedding decor doesn’t get missed out on and makes them stand out.

Image projection is another very dramatic effect. From a simple monogram of the couple’s names in lights being projected to a fully patterned wall, image projection gives a 3 dimensional look to a plain wall, ceiling, or floor. Stencils or “gobos” are used in front of the light source to project just about any pattern or stencil of your choosing.

Dry ice or “Dancing on a cloud” is an old favorite. Some of the great features to using this theatrical effect are a bride’s white dress that seems to stretch to the far reaches of the dance floor during a first dance and paired with intelligent lighting makes for a very beautiful and dramatic effect. The other benefit is that the fog stays low to the ground and will not set off smoke detectors in the venue and is non-toxic.

Atmospheric haze is the best way to enhance all of these lighting effects. When a light is refracted (and reflected) off of a small amount of haze, it creates a beam. If you’ve ever driven through a fog and have seen headlights, you’ll see the beam. Although haze makes for an incredible lighting display and is safe to use, many venues do not allow this effect unless a fire marshal is hired to supervise and ensure that the venue’s smoke alarm won’t falsely alert the fire department.

When it comes to weddings, lighting is a great enhancement that can help you create an exciting and beautiful environment.

Classically Trained Pop Musicians

4 Famous artists who are classically trained musicians

/in /by

4 Famous Artists who are Classically Trained Musicians

Joining the ranks of the elite in the music industry for many has just been a matter of being at the right place at the right time. For others, it may have been youtube or some whacky on-stage antics that got them noticed. But for these 20 music titans, it’s all about their passion for music.

  1. PSY
    Gangnam style was one of the most infectious songs of 2013 with it’s deep hooks and who could forget the dance moves that swept the nation. But for Park Jae-Sang, his journey as a professional musician started in 1996. (Wikiquote) After attending an English-language summer course and studying for one semester, Park dropped out of Boston University and applied to study at Berklee College of Music instead. During his time at Berklee, Park took core curriculum lessons in ear training, contemporary writing and music synthesis, but he soon dropped out and returned to South Korea to pursue a career as a singer, without having attained a degree from either Boston University or Berklee.In South Korea, Psy made his first appearance on Korean national television in 2000 after his dancing caught the eye of a TV producer.

  2. John Mayer
    John Mayer was born  John Clayton Mayer in 1978 in Bridgeport, CT. This Fairfield, CT native dominated the airwaves with his 2001 Grammy Award Winning Album, Room for Squares but before 2001, John had attended Berklee in Boston and later had moved out of New England to Atlanta Georgia. Since then, John has shared the stage with some of the worlds most respected musicians including Eric Clapton, BB King, and Buddy Guy. Although for a short time, John was known for his off stage persona as a ladies man and wild child, this 37 year old’s dedication to his craft is one of the most respected in modern rock music.

  3. Billy Squier
    William Haislip Quier was born on May 12th 1950 and grew up in Wellesey Massachusetts. Starting off as a piano player, Squire was bribed by his grandfather to keep going with piano lessons but when he discovered Eric Clapton at age 9, he grabbed the guitar and never looked back. This Berklee student went on to write one of classic rock’s most memorable arena anthems, “The Stroke” and in the mid 2000’s toured with Ringo Star. Later, rap artist Eminem would sample Squire’s “The Stroke” for the 2013 release of “Berzerk”

  4. Pat Benetar
    You’ve heard it and you’ve probably sung the chorus a time or two. Hit me with your best shot, was Pat Benetar’s most successful hit song. This Brooklyn NY native and Julliard School graduate went on to write 17 Billboard chart toppers and win 4 Grammys.

20 Happiest Wedding Songs

The 20 Happiest Wedding Songs Ever

/in /by

20 Happiest Wedding Songs:
Weddings are one of the happiest times in a couple’s life.  It’s a time to celebrate and throw caution to the wind. And the music plays a big role in the happy memories. Check out the 20 happiest wedding songs that will have you tapping your feet and singing out loud.

  1. Burning Love – Elvis Presley
  2. Pon de Replay – Rihanna
  3. Crazy Little Things Called Love – Queen
  4. Freedom – George Michael
  5. Bust a Move – Young MC
  6. Dancing on the Ceiling – Lionel Richie
  7. Love Shack – B52s
  8. Single ladies – Beyonce
  9. ABC – Jackson 5
  10. Marry You – Bruno Mars
  11. Zoot Suit Riot – Cherry Poppin’ Daddies
  12. Dynamite – Taio Cruz
  13. I wanna dance with somebody – Whitney Houston
  14. Let’s Groove – Earth Wind and Fire
  15. I gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
  16. Celebration – Kool and the Gang
  17. Good Feeling – Flo Rida
  18. Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
  19. Let’s Groove – Earth Wind and Fire
  20. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da – The Beatles
dj aaron demarest

Getting the most out of your wedding dj

/in /by

Getting the most out of your wedding dj – get on the floor when ever you can.

It’s no secret. Weddings can be an expensive endeavor. Most wedding receptions last 5 hours and when you’re trying to jam in cocktail hour, a formal dinner service for 180 of your closest family and friends, dance with your father, your groom dance with his mother, toss a bouquet, do a couple toasts, have a blessing before dinner etc… the time flashes by quicker than you might think. Your wedding dj is the keeper of the keys when it comes to your wedding timeline. They will guide you and your guests through the events of the day ensuring that everything is set to plan with the coordination efforts of your wedding team. But there are times where things take a little longer than expected or maybe dad is in the restroom right when it’s time for the father/daughter dance. It happens. But fear not, you can still get the most out of your wedding dj.

When you think of wedding djs, the mind thinks first of the dance floor. The goal of most couples is to get to the dance floor as soon as possible and have the maximum amount of dancing time to enjoy with their guests. Depending on the meals you choose, and the formalities that you add to your timeline, each thing plays a role and takes a certain amount of time which in some cases can take away from open dancing. So how do you get the energy up and keep it going to have a fun and memorable wedding reception and get the most out of your wedding dj?

There is no right or wrong time to dance. If you’ve ever heard your favorite song come on and it just compelled you to dance or at the very least, tap your foot to the rhythm, you know this is true. A great opportunity for dancing is the bridal party introductions. Your wedding dj will introduce your bridal party and then your grand entrance followed by your first dance. Now this is when the magic happens. Either towards the end of your first dance or shortly after, have your wedding dj invite everyone to the floor to join you and kick off the night with a high energy song to get everyone in the mood and set the tone for the rest of the reception.

Although it’s not customary to do this, it’s a great way to keep your guests wanting more. If you’ve been snacking on finger food for an hour, followed by a 4 course meal that could feed a small army paired with some spirits and wine, that’s a recipe for a food coma. But if you get them all on the floor from the start, it’ll get their blood pumping and get them excited for what is to come. Another great way to get more out of your day is to dance in between courses. Your dj might instruct everyone to stand up and push in their chairs and then head to the dancefloor for another short and powerful set. This does 2 things. It offers more dancing time but also is a great way to help the waitstaff clear tables in between courses without having to reach around guests and efficiently serve the next course.

Following this, once the newlyweds are done with their meal (because they will be the first to be served), this is a great opportunity for the cake cutting. By doing the cake cutting before parents dances, this allows the catering staff to cut and plate your cake to be served while your parents dances are happening and give your guests another focal point so that they won’t be waiting for the next event to take place. The goal is to always keep them moving. After that, it’s time to toss that bouquet, maybe do an anniversary dance to get your married couples out on the floor and then in to open dance until the end of your night.