A polite request...
Monday, 3 August 2009
During a disco, a request is just that. Like most DJs, I invite wedding guests to approach and ask for a tune that they want to dance to. It's why I'm there; to play the music that people want to hear.
At Get Wed, we encourage the bride and groom to email a song list over before their big day, so we can ensure to arrive with every track they want. Of course, I need to be able to fit them all in. I once received a list which totalled nine hours of playing time! If a guest asks for something, I can even (phone sigal permitting) download any tracks that I don't have during the gig. In short, when it comes to disco music, I'm a flexible kind of guy.
Does anyone else feel a but...coming on?
But (there it is!) I do reserve a few rights when it comes to requests. I'd like to explain these and assure everyone that it's not because I don't like a particular song - my tastes simply don't come into it. Any decision is based on my experience and what's best for the success of the wedding reception. So here goes:
1) I may not play your track straight away. If I play Endless Love during a rock music section, it will bring the evening to a grinding halt. Please be patient, and I'll do my best to work it in smoothly.
2) I might have played it already. With the amount of requests I receive during an average wedding reception, I usually can't play a song twice. Of course, for the bride or groom, I can always bend the rules!
3) It contains unsuitable language. Even if there's no kids present, a glare from a Nan is always unsettling! I always try to play radio edits or clean versions but if there's a track I'm not sure of, I'll have to run it past the happy couple first.
4) I can't squeeze it in! If you come to me ten minutes before the end, the chances are that the final songs will already have been picked in advance. And by the way, it's not me that dictates the finish time, it's the venue's licence. The 'One more song' chant doesn't work!
By looking back at the gig logs on the laptop, I can see exactly how many requests I've played per evening. The number is typically between 95 and 98% of those asked for, which I believe is a pretty good average. So, if you're a wedding guest and your song happens to be left out, then please let me apologise in advance. There's always a good reason for it which should hopefully lead to a full dancefloor and a brilliant wedding reception.
Labels: endless love, reception discos, song requests, wedding disco, wedding dj, wedding reception
posted by James McCann @ 21:47,
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Setting the standard...
Friday, 31 July 2009
One thing that every couple tells us is that they don't want a 'standard wedding.' Which is lucky really as it's clear that there's no such thing!
Everybody has a differing opinion of their perfect wedding and sometimes even the bride and groom don't agree! It was not easy keeping everyone happy at a recent reception when half the guests wanted trance music and the bride and her maids insisted on Take That and Girls Aloud. Still, with a bit of compromise, blows were avoided and the dancefloor stayed full. It's our job to mix your requests with other great tunes and ensure everyone has a good time, not always a simple task!
Living TV have a new show called Four Weddings which has been described as Come Dine With Me featuring weddings instead of dinner parties. It features a similar sarcastic voice over and has brides rating their competitors' weddings in an attempt to win a honeymoon. Every week features four weddings (hence the title) and they couldn't be more different. From a fairy inspired civil ceremony to a Greek Orthodox service, it certainly reflects the sheer number of options that couples have for their perfect big day. Some choose intimate dinners with no music whereas others hire troops of pipers or Irish dancers to keep their guests (and the TV audience) amused.
If you manage to catch it, it may just inspire you to book one of the venues featured or even wear a similar outfit. After all, your big day is about you and what you enjoy. A word of warning though, not everyone's tastes will match yours exactly. If you request a night of unbridled rock for your wedding disco, it may well lead to the DJ receiving death stares from older relatives who aren't big fans of Pendulum or Metallica!
It would create a far better atmosphere if you arranged a rock section (perhaps later in the evening) and gave the DJ a bit of freedom to play other genres. By all means create a Do Not Play list (some suggestions from me would be the Cha Cha Slide and Barbie Girl) so you don't have to suffer anything you hate, but a good DJ will guage the reaction to the music and play songs suitable for everyone. That way, every guest will have a great night and hopefully remember your big day as fondly as you will.
So, for a successful disco there are a few things that you should definitely do:
1) Create a playlist and get it to your DJ before the wedding
2) List your favourite genres as well as individual tracks
3) Pick a first and last dance, so you can end on a high
4) Give the DJ (a little) freedom to use his skill and entertain the audience
We can now download requests during the gig, if someone asks for a track that we don't have. This service relies on a phone signal, so if you're getting married in a basement room (or cellar, or cave or in the middle of nowhere) it's even more important to get the list over to us in advance. We can then arrive with everything you want to hear.
The evening reception is a major part of the day, so it pays to give it plenty of thought. Just don't forget to choose a professional entertainer (instead of a cousin or an ipod!) and rely on their experience.
Labels: four weddings, living tv, playlist, reception discos, rock music, song requests, wedding dj
posted by James McCann @ 20:40,
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