1. Schedule speeches carefully
   • Toasts are an enduring and fun part of weddings, and the exact timing of where they are can play a critical role in having the night move smoothly. Check in with your toast makers before to understand how long their speeches are. If they know they’ll be brief, scheduling them after introductions and before dinner is served can be an excellent option because it means everyone will be in the room, and they can easily get all the attention they deserve. If their speech is too long and they’re scheduled before dinner, they could annoy your guests by causing a dinner delay. I’ve also seen venues send staff out during long speeches to start serving. Imagine serving and placing silverware for 100 guests; that would cause quite the commotion in the middle of a poignant speech! If their speech is longer, schedule it when your guests already have their main course so they can deliver a rousing toast and not delay the program.
2. No requests on invitations
   • Everyone wants to have a good time on the dance floor, and song requests definitely play a role in that. I’d advise to let guests make requests at the actual event, and not sooner. Some events allow to guests to RSVP songs in advance, which seems like an awesome idea, but can be self defeating in practice. When songs are requested in advance a few bad scenarios can occur:
     1. Songs requested may no longer be popular or appropriate to play
     2. The requestors may not have ended up attended the event
     3. Songs may not work with the vibe of the event

• • All of these scenarios leave your DJ playing songs for a crowd that doesn’t want to hear them; the ultimate no-no. Your guests will enjoy your event less and you will wonder if you booked the right DJ services. The solution is simple; have guests make requests during the event and whether you’ve booked Wedding DJ services, or a DJ for a Prom or any event, your guests will have a great time!

3. Dead time
   • Nothing kills an event like dead time. This tip is straight forward; no matter what type of event you have, if you’re planning a schedule that advances towards a dance party, be sure that your program has something happening to keep your guests entertained. For example, if you’ve got a lengthy dinner service with nothing punctuating it, it’s very easy to lose a crowd’s energy and have the tail end of your event become a flop. When planning, just be sure to make a schedule that keeps the event moving.
4. Assigned seating bottlenecks
   • This is probably the most commonly overlooked logistical hurdle. At an event where there are assigned seating arrangements and all the guests will enter at the same time, be sure to have assignments visible to the guests before they reach the room. If assignments are at the door, you can easily end up with all your guests making a single file line and each stopping to review the seating chart. I’ve seen events delayed by 15-20 mins just because people didn’t know their spot in advance. Save your event from delay by avoiding this bottleneck.
5. Sunday evening parties
   • It’s pretty much impossible to party without party guests. Sometimes it may be unavoidable to schedule events on a Sunday night, but unless Monday’s a holiday, there can be pressure for guests to go home towards the end of the event. Even events as special as a wedding aren’t immune to a sudden migration from guests. I’ve seen numerous Sunday evening weddings where guests hit the door directly after dinner, leading to an empty dance floor. Keep your guests obligations in mind when planning your event so you can make sure your dance floor stays packed till the end of the night!

1. Invitations: There are two great options: green paper and doing it online. Some companies offer paper made from bamboo (which grows really quickly) or even paper with seeds in it that guests can plant! Save the date cards can be sent via email or you can use your wedding website to have people respond to cut down on paper use.
2. Lights: Lighting makes your event look great and help set the mood. You also want to make sure that guests can see the action. LED lights do not require a lot of electricity and offer a wide range of colors so you can coordinate with your theme and build the ambiance you’re looking for without wasting so much electricity.
3. Registry: Pick green versions of the products you need like organic bedding and natural products for your kitchen and bathroom. Or, skip acquiring more stuff and ask people to donate to your favorite green charities or buy carbon offsets for your honeymoon instead.
4. Favors: Speaking of gifts, couples often give favors to guests and bridal parties. Like invitations, you could go the plant-able root (pun intended) give seeds or small succulents. You could give local food in a glass jar (check out farmers markets for great options). Or you could again opt for charity and let guests know you made a gift to a green organization instead.
5. Flowers: Not all bouquets are created equal. Some companies offer organic options, others offer local, seasonal options. Alternatively, you don’t have to walk down the aisle at your wedding with live flowers – silk options or even beautiful veggies can be great too. The same goes for centerpieces. Check out options you can use later like plants that can be planted, candles, or even books.

Photo credit: www.racheladelestudios.com

But let’s talk one step cheaper…what about when you don’t want to pay anything for a DJ? When is it OK to do a DIY event and load up an iPod and let it fly? Here are three guidelines to test if your event is good to go with just an iPod.

1. Liveliness

If you’re hosting a dance party, having a DJ is going to make the party much more lively than a set playlist running off your iPod. A DJ is going to keep the energy going, and keep the dancefloor from getting stale. If your event doesn’t need a pro at the helm keeping a continuous mix for your guests, your shindig is a good candidate for a self-running playlist.

2. Spontaneity

What was that song from that thing, that goes “something like this?” A DJ should have a wide breadth of musical knowledge and be able to help you figure out that track. Having a DJ is going to allow you to throw in tracks as you want them; that preloaded gadget with tunes you picked last week might not be enough to satisfy your guests. If you don’t need a wide selection with ability to change up the tunes as your night is going, then an iPod could be in your event’s future.

3. Sound requirements

One major advantage of a DJ is leveraging their sound equipment. DJs know how to fill a room with high quality full-spectrum sound. Your DJ should be ready to accommodate any size venue with all the appropriate speakers. Just tell your DJ the area of your room and they’ll instantly know if they need two speakers or six, etc.

Like most things in life, you get what you pay for, so if you hire a pro, you’re bound to have a much higher quality experience than a DIY party. Then again, not every experience requires you go all out. Hopefully these tips help you when planning the music for your next party.

• Backup equipment
  • This is a biggie. Many high-end production companies will bring extra vans of backup equipment for large galas, but this isn’t a given with your normal mobile DJ. Some DJ’s really like to push this, and usually at really high cost. What’s tough is that sometimes this can be a justified expense, but nearly always clients pay a lot for nothing. Any truly professional DJ knows their equipment well, knows what it can handle, and is using it every week so it’s constantly being tested. If you’re going with a rookie, it might be actually worth having them bring extra equipment since they’re most likely to be using rookie-grade equipment.

Rest assured, Disc Jockey Boston has your back if you’d like backup equipment; just ask!

• Setup time
  • Charging for setup time makes sense…sometimes. If your DJ needs to set up far in advance of starting or your event requires an extensive setup, that’s about the only time it’s an allowable charge. Industry standard is to charge either for performance time or a flat gig rate. If your DJ presents a bill with setup time, definitely inquire about that charge.
• Assistant
  • Assistants can be great, but usually they’re unnecessary. Extra help can be nice for your DJ with moving equipment and making announcements, but most DJ’s should be able to do all of that by themselves. All that said, mitzvahs and weddings tend to be best types of events to hire an assistant for, as they tend to have the most moving parts. If your DJ is offering an assistant, it could be a good thing, but make sure you need one before signing the contract.
• Meetings
  • This is a touchy subject among DJ’s. Typically, everything can be worked out in one meeting, but sometimes when planning a large event, it’s necessary to hold several meetings in person. Meeting fees makes this list because even though charging for excessive meetings makes sense, it’s nearly always an unnecessary expense that can be resolved just as easily with a quick call or email.
• Special songs
  • Some DJs like to bill for everything! At Disc Jockey Boston, we like to keep charging as a last resort. Many events call for customized songs and cueing. At some vendors, this is one of those pesky add-on costs that can run up the bill. At Disc Jockey Boston, we love to go the extra mile to make our customers happy; this one’s on us!

Rest assured, if you’re hiring Disc Jockey Boston, you’re hiring a DJ that ACTUALY DJ’S. You’re getting a DJ that loves music, knows how to keep a party moving, and is great at the DJing craft. You can meet your DJ upfront, and know you’re getting the best!

5 Traditional/Oldies

Queen – You’re My Best Friend
Van Morrison – Sweet Thing
The Turtles – So Happy Together
The Four Tops – I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)
Marvin Gaye – How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)

5 Modern Tracks

Trace Adkins – Sweet
Maroon 5 – Sugar
Flo Rida – Sugar
DNCE – Cake By The Ocean
John Powell – Romantic Flight (How To Train Your Dragon OST)

There’s a lot to account for when you’re planning a party, but hopefully these tips can point you in the right direction, so when you book a DJ for your next event, you get your time and money’s worth!

That said, just like anything in life there’s a certain etiquette to requesting songs, and over my years DJing, has led me to write this code of conduct for when it comes to requesting songs at an event.

DON’T: Ask to look at my songlist

Just like most DJ’s these days, I have 60,000+ songs. To get just a feel for what I have would take you a solid 30 mins, then you’d have 59,000 other tracks to look at. Neither of us have time to play that game. I try to keep my library stocked with all sorts of diverse crowd pleasers, so your imagination will probably hit something I’ve got.

DO: Request songs earlier

The earlier a request comes in, the more likely an appropriate moment will present itself to play it. Especially at weddings, it’s better to request songs earlier because it’s typically slower paced, and there’s plenty of time to work on requests. During dinner, can be a great time to incorporate some songs that wouldn’t make sense later.

DON’T: Expect to hear your request immediately

Many guests will come up to me one song after they make a request and ask why I haven’t played their song.  A DJ is a performer. Just as your favorite headliner doesn’t break into their mega-hit at the beginning of a concert, DJ’s don’t play every hit immediately when it’s time for dancing. Your DJ is trying to make a cohesive experience, and some songs are pretty jarring right next to each other. Just because your song isn’t playing immediately doesn’t mean it isn’t coming. If the request is good…it’s coming.

DO: Know exactly what you want to hear

If I had a dollar for every time someone said “it’s the song that goes like…,” or “I think that’s the artist,” I could buy a mansion. Especially when it’s dancing time, it’s critical that you know what you want before you come up. A DJ’s top priority is keeping the party going. It can be difficult to do that while having lengthy conversations, trying to figure out what a guest wants to hear.

DON’T: Make vague requests

“Play some R&B,” could mean B.B. King & Stevie Wonder or Usher & Ginuine depending on who’s asking. DJs want to make sure guests are getting the requests they’re expecting. It would be helpful to a DJ if you request “play some classic rock,” instead of “play some 80’s music.” At the heart of the matter, DJs want to make people happy, so help us, help you.

DO: Make odd requests

This isn’t to say it’s good to request totally bizarre songs that nobody knows, rather an invitation to request songs that isn’t on the forefront of everyone’s minds and playlists. Everyone’s heard the latest Beyonce song, and probably except that it’s coming. If someone requests a throwback nobody’s thought about in years, that can help everybody out and take the musical odyssey on a totally different route.

No DJ wants to be the one to play Pitbull all night. While some times, that’s exactly what’s called for, it can be good when a guest helps guide the night.

1. Salt ‘n Pepa – Whatta Man
2. Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want To Have Fun
3. Christina Aguilera – Can’t Hold Us Down
4. Bruno Mars – Marry You
5. David Guetta – Where Them Girls At
6. Iggy Azalea  – Fancy
7. Gwen Stefani – Hollaback Girl
8. Spice Girls – Wannabe
9. Destiny’s Child – Independent Women
10. Meghan Trainor – Dear Future Husband

What’s your personal favorite? What do you think should be on this list?

• To have material for potential clients
  • In exactly the same way a photographer needs a portfolio when booking a client, a DJ needs musical samples to show clients that their musical choices and mixing abilities pass muster. Since DJ’s presumably spend a lot of time at the decks, not having at least one mixtape can be a big strike against any DJ seeking business.
• To stay relevant musically
  • Music will be different tomorrow. DJ’s know this. Seeing how quickly their mixes become dated, as well as knowing they need to stay on top of musical research constantly will drive them to show that they are still current and are on top of their game.
• To test out their skills
  • A mix is a blank slate where the DJ has total control. A good disc jockey has been practicing their craft and is constantly learning new ways to mix. Creating a mix is the perfect showcase for these new skills.
• To show off to other DJs
  • Whether they admit it or not, most DJ’s are in competition with each other and putting out mixes consistently lets others know that the releasing DJ is still kicking and is working hard to make a name for themselves. Nobody wants to get caught sleeping.
• To have fun
  • At heart, DJ’s are artists and are in their field because it’s fun. A mixtape is a place for a DJ to express themselves without limits. We can compile a creation and distribute it to everyone forever. It’s an artist’s ultimate playground.

In summary, next time you’re hiring a DJ or come across a mix, now you’ll know what to listen for. The DJ isn’t simply crafting a mix, they’re putting a little bit of themselves into it; spreading the musical love around.