So, you’ve found the venue, got the perfect dress and ordered the flowers. Whilst you’ve planned the all-important details of the day don’t forget to add some extra TLC to the evening reception.
We LOVE a good wedding boogie, so, who better to give our LOVE brides top DJ tips than multi award winning Manchester Wedding DJ Andy Murphy. Recently voted the best Wedding DJ in the UK, Andy knows a thing or two about the ins and outs of creating the best wedding receptions and of course a buzzing dancefloor.
Read on for Andy’s top 5 tips!
Emma XOXO
Music is so important when it comes to your wedding. There’s a saying that every wedding has its own soundtrack and I think that’s a great way to think about how to plan your wedding reception.
A good DJ is essential to ensure that your guests have a blast, you keep that personal touch, and most importantly that the dance floor is packed.
Here are my top 5 tips for an awesome evening!
- A Wedding DJ Doesn’t Plug in an iPod and Hope for the Best – Nor Should You!
That iPod is sure creating a good atmosphere… said no wedding guest ever!
A Wedding DJ does more than just play music! Whilst using an iPod might feel like an easy way to cut costs, the music you have on your iPod is unlikely to be the kind of music that will fit your wedding. A Wedding DJ brings expertise and experience to your wedding reception because let’s face it an iPod can’t MC, an iPod can’t maintain the energy of the room and iPods don’t have the clean version of songs for when your niece, nephew or grandma are having a boogie!
The last thing you want, after all the meticulous planning of the rest of the wedding, is to have your music fall flat on the evening. The most important thing for me is to make sure the couples I work with get the music to match the vibe they want on the day. All their favourite tunes and a playlist guaranteed to fill the floor.
- A Wedding DJ Knows the Importance of Reading the Room – It’s an Art!
A Wedding DJ is an entertainer! The most important DJ skill, without a doubt, is reading the room. Nodding heads, tapping feet, relaxed smiles and of course dancing! People will dance to what they like and typically will only dance for 3-4 songs before they want to head to the bar for a drink or nip to the loo. Reading the room is an art and all good DJ’s worth their salt will keep a close eye on the mood changes and make sure they alter the music to suit. Having an abundance of singalong feel-good-tracks up your sleeve is a must. Watching the audience and gauging the vibe is really important. People have individual music tastes, but crowds are collectives – throw in a wedding and you’ve got a mix of generations and styles to balance. Being adaptable to who is on the dancefloor and matching the mood is key.
- A Wedding DJ Helps Set the Scene
A Wedding DJ sprinkles feel-good musical magic to every celebration! Setting the scene is important. To get the night going, I tend to have the couple out of the room and invite everyone on to the dancefloor. To build trust and rapport, I have fun with the guests by playing a snippet of a good sing along tune. Once I have the wedding guests on side (basically prove I’m not a cheesy DJ) and everyone is excited, we make a huge fuss and introduce the happy couple. It builds the atmosphere and creates that magic that everyone loves at weddings. By the time the couple get to the dancefloor for their first dance, everyone is primed and ready to dance too.
- A Wedding DJ Can Help Manage First Dance Jitters
A Wedding DJ can help orchestrate the evening! First dance jitters are a real thing! Whilst some couples are happy to embrace the dancefloor, a lot of couples can be a little bit shy about the first dance. A good Wedding DJ will have gone through your wishes beforehand and will manage the dancefloor to suit your preferences. If you’re feeling a little less Patrick Swayze and a bit more on the nervous side, and once your photographer has captured that all important first dance shot, I like to invite the rest of the wedding party to join the floor too (see my setting the scene point above!).
- A Wedding DJ Protects the Wedding Vibe – AKA the NO List
A Wedding DJ can protect the wedding vibe. One man’s cheese is another man’s classic!
Having a chat with the couples I’m DJing for is really important so we get to know each other, and I can gauge what makes them tick. Everyone has songs they love but it’s equally important to know what songs are totally, absolutely, 100% off the list. Asking for a ‘No list’ is helpful to make sure that we steer the night (and the vibe) exactly like the bride and groom want because after all its your special day. In the middle of a large Indie set you don’t want to be playing ‘Lady in Red’ (even if it’s your Great Auntie Rita’s favourite). I always take requests (but I don’t always play them). Reading the room and reacting to the audience is key. Every DJ knows that guests vote with their feet so the right tunes will mean they’re on the dancefloor.
Have a wedding reception that you’ll remember forever (whether it’s full of air guitar or 80’s throwbacks). The right DJ will help match your theme, style and tone of your wedding with crowd pleasing entertainment from the first dance to the last dance of the evening. Stylish entertainment and a stress-free enjoyable reception. There’s always a playlist for that!
Thank you to Andy for sharing his top tips! If you’re looking to make sure your dress transitions from daytime to dancefloor with ease don’t forget we’ve lots of inspiration in store with versatile dress designs and brilliant bustle options that ensure you can dance the night away! Get in touch with us here at LOVE to find out more!