mrs2be.ie

[PrincessB2B]

do most people just book the DJ that comes with the band? our band dont have a DJ as such they just recommend one and he gives a discounted rate for the band. Do people check out DJs aswell? I never even thought of this when we were going round listening to bands. the guy thats been recommended is €250 (including band discount) is this reasonable?

[awhiletogo]

Hi, we have a seperate DJ to our band, as the DJ is a friend of mine who DJ's weddings. I think it depends on yourself which works better for you, I've heard some people say thye've booked DJ that comes with the band to allow it all to flow better etc, plus save a bit of money, as seperate DJ and band are a little more expensive. Then i've heard others say it's better to get a seperate DJ as sometimes the bands DJ is a band member who does DJ using a lap top or whatever, and isn't always the best for getting the crowd up. I think as long as the DJ you're getting does actual DJ-ing on a regular basis and have been recommended by the band, they would be fine. 250 seems quite a good price too! Good luck!

[The Best Men]

Hi PrincessB2B,

I find that most people do indeed book the DJ that is associated with the band. Not many couples check out the DJ beforehand, but I reckon that's because couples can supply requests or a whole playlist for the DJ, so they know they'll hear their favourite tunes or styles on the night. And if a band recommends someone for the job, it's safe to assume that they trust the person to do it well, so you're on good ground there. Plus, that price is good value!

I used to DJ myself after our gigs, but now we have Pro DJs on-board instead, so I've been on both sides of the scene that AWhileToGo describes. I had to give it up because we became way too busy for me to do afternoons, band and DJ as well, just too much for me.

I used to think it was a shame that band members doing the DJ got a bad rap, because personally, I thought I was brilliant at it! If you're used to coming up with the band's set, judging styles, speaking to the audience, organising bouquet throws etc, all of that transfers perfectly to the role of DJ.

Anyhoo, that's just a bit of info,
Jonathan

[PrincessB2B]

thanks guys! think i might put trust in the band and go with their recommendation!
i was also just told (offline) to make sure the DJ either knows the bands setlist or is there while the band is playing so they do not play alot of the same music the bands has just played.

[Irish Wedding DJ]

Before I begin.... I am biased being a dj but I have been to three weddings where the band have taken over and it’s been below what I would expect from the dj's part of a band/dj combination. I wrote an article on this, but it was pulled because of complaints on other sites....

I am yet to be impressed by doing it this way.... For me, a dj is more than the music.
Music is a huge part of the act, but it’s the fresh approach of having somebody who hasn't been listening to the last two hours who can bring something completely fresh to the mix.. It's having a great lighting system that takes the night with smoke machines, effect lights etc.....

First occasion was the band's bass playing the usual suspect 10minute long megamix tracks that allow enough time for an after-set chat or to assist in de-rigging the bands stage. there was no reading the crowd, and it didn't reflect the audience, in short he didn't care.... it was the service that they had to provide to remain competitive with other bands that provide the service. . . kind of like the dirty dishes once the meal has finished.

Second night, the band were o.k., not bad but they finished at 11:45, and the lead singer sat at the side the stage at a table and played the rest of the night out.. He started with the same mixes (10mins) and then played the night switching from iPod and laptop. I made one request, the stag song and this was not played.. at 12:30 the music stopped and I was sitting down and we thought it was the end of the night but it was so abrupt that it couldn’t have been the end, because there was no finale or wind down. A minute or two later I looked up on stage and seen the guy plugging in and out cables so there must have been a fault or something, but the music was out for about 7-8 mins. At one point, I asked Mrs Irish Wedding DJ if I should go up and help, but then the music came back on….the night never really picked up from there after that…..

Different people have different experiences on this product, these are just mine and some people have said it works great. It just seems to depend on the particular service and I suppose the above could be said for hiring a dj separately. I suppose research and a viewing is the best way to ensure that your service expectation is met on the night and you get what you want from your entertainment.

Hope this helps, good luck with your wedding plans…..

Ruairi – Irish Wedding DJ

[Goodfellas]

I'm a fan of a separate Dj who liaises with the band

I'm at that age now where I've attended a fair few weddings recently, and haven't been overly impressed by the band member DJs I've seen so far. Without exception they helped out with the gear, which means putting on a long track and not looking at the floor while that goes on.

Your mileage may vary, however

There are a couple of reasons a separate DJ can't be beaten though - its a whole second set of gear set up and ready to go in case there's a problem with the band's ( we had a speaker blow one night and the DJ changed it before anyone even noticed it) , and its a person on the floor during the band's set who can deal with questions or problems where a band member tied up with playing or singing cannot.

Just my tuppenceworth!

No harm getting a quote from a real standalone DJ anyway - I've heard some high quotes from band member guys recently - more than the real thing in a few cases.

[MrsTK2B]

I'd say its a personal decision, depending on how important the DJ is to you. Personally, we were originally not going to bother with one at all cause we're not that into dancing and its a mainly older crowd. We are a bit concerned that most of the crowd will head out to the other room once the DJ starts and we'd end up with a tiny crowd actually hearing the DJ. In the end we booked the band's DJ as it was no hassle, didn't have to go and see him or pay separate deposit. And if we find on the night he doesn't work out we will just pay him his £200 and tell him to go home early. I suspect most of our crowd will be happier in the quieter residents bar but they may surprise me and dance all night!