On Saturday night I was an actual guest at a wedding. One of my cousin’s got married to his high school sweetheart and it was a great time to see family that I do not typically get to spend time with. They are a good couple and glad they are finally getting married.
It was also an opportunity to listen to how my family members would respond to the professional DJ without asking questions, a data collection mission of sorts. The comments were somewhat surprising but more importantly, they mirrored what I was experiencing as well unfortunately. I am not one of those people that likes to criticize my peers. Here are a list of lessons I learned, again, about the honor of being a professional DJ and MC at a wedding:
1) Never let your microhone be louder than the typical volume of the music. It jars guests and is hard to hear what is being said.
2) Pay attention to the crowd. They will ‘tell’ you what to play and what not to play.
3) Don’t force the issue. If you want to move towards a genre or era of music, let it happen naturally and don’t make the guests switch gears without a proper segue.
4) Remember all the guests! As a Wedding DJ it is easy to fall in love with what is working and forget the rest of the room. Diversity is the key.
5) Keep your eyes on the people not dancing as well as those on the dance floor. Often the secret to an excellent event can be seen in the eyes, expressions and energy of those that are not participating. If they look bored or disinterested it is revealing of something. If they are having fun and full of energy and excitement, the fact that they are not dancing does not mean that you are not being successful.
6) Cheesy DJ/MCs are rarely appreciated.
7) Invite guests to make requests and honor them. The may think think you do not accept them if there is no offer.
8) Enjoy yourself! Who wants a Wedding DJ that looks miserable?
The reinforcement of the basic challenge of a professional Wedding DJ was clear to me in the reality of trying to meet the needs of The Bride and Groom and their guests. It only takes a bit of communication for this to be resolved and a great wedding is the result.
