Wedding Entertainment: Need vs. Want
Article By | Travis Rollins, Owner of Downtown Event Services
As wedding receptions have become longer and more spectacular, DJs have assumed increased responsibilities by adding more services and more equipment to their repertoire.
Couples feel pressure from social media, magazines, and blogs to have the latest and greatest innovations to host a successful reception.
The experts at Downtown Event Services, who host over 90 weddings per year, believe the most important service a wedding DJ can provide is the ability to communicate the planned activities to the guests and then get out of the way to play great music.
That has always been the top priority, and it always will be.
Before getting caught up in the latest trends, know the difference between a need and a want.
DJ Services during the Reception:
The DJ has a direct impact on the flow of the reception with effective communication to the guests and an excellent music playlist.
Need: If you visualize you reception as a party, you need a professional DJ. (If you have an extremely small reception, or you have hired a band, you may not need a DJ.)
Want: You may want a DJ if the band you have hired has little experience playing weddings. A DJ can guide the reception to the point when the band begins to play.
DJ Services during the Ceremony:
Most DJs offer a ceremony package which includes a second sound system, lapel microphone, and wedding music.
Need: You don’t plan to hire musicians, your venue doesn’t provide a sound system, or there is no one to operate an in-house system for you.
Want: You do have musicians, but you want your guests to hear the ceremony clearly. Or, your venue has a sound system, but you prefer the peace of mind by having a professional operate it.
DJ Services for Ambiance:
Up-Lighting
Up-lights are portable light fixtures often placed on the ground to shine a pillar of light up the wall, giving them the name.
Need: When your venue has lighting issues that results in too much or too little light. Up-lights supplement low-light or no-light places like outdoor tents. They can be used in lieu of harsh overhead lights that are too bright.
Want: Your venue walls are plain, or you’d like the room to pop. Up-lighting for the wow-factor should be included in your decorating budget, not your entertainment budget.
Café Bulbs
Café bulb installation is time consuming; your DJ may not offer this service.
Need: Outdoor tents or open-air receptions may offer little or no overhead lighting. If you have long distances to cover, be sure your prospective company installs a wire harness prior to hanging the lights.
Want: There are no real lighting issues that impact visibility, but it looks great and complements your venue.
Defining needs as services that resolve a functional problem like visibility or assuring that guests can hear what is going on, the following items are for the fun and the dramatic impact on the event. They are wants.
Monogram Lighting
These are also called GOBO light. Your names, monograms, or almost anything you desire can be displayed in light.
This effect photographs beautifully projected on a large flat surface, and just looks cool. The dance floor is a popular choice if the fixture can be safely mounted from above, but walls provide maximum visibility.
Cloud Dance
Sharing your first dance on a cloud is a dramatic way to start the party.
Cloud dances are a fairly new trend, and many guests have never seen one. It’s definitely a “Wow Factor”. It makes a great video and photographs well too but be aware of outdoor venues; the slightest breeze will carry the magic away.
Confetti Cannons
This is an exclamation point for a key moment in your reception.
First dance, last dance or any moment that you want to create an exhilarating point on the dance floor, this will do it.
Confetti cannons requires additional clean-up, so alert the venue in advance.
Your wedding reception is an event unlike any other you will plan. You want it to be fun, exciting and entertaining – memorable in every way.
Your DJ is a critical element to the success of the event. No amount of confetti or clouds can make up for poor communication and lousy song selection. Don’t sacrifice the needs to satisfy the wants.
Your DJ creates the flow with engaging announcements, good timing, and great music.
You not only want a professional DJ, you need one.