How to DJ Your First Wedding
So, you’ve been DJing clubs or bars for a while and someone has asked you to DJ their wedding. You want to help them out and make some money, but don’t know where to start. Check out the 5 steps below and you will be on your way to making guests of all ages (and intoxication) go crazy.
1. Get some gear
Equipment is the most overrated part of DJing a wedding (I had to begin with a controversial opinion). You can get more stuff later, but when you are starting out, here is what you should rent or buy:
- A good wireless microphone (spend your money on this)
- Two tops (what we call speakers)
- Speaker stands & cables
- A cart with big wheels
- I assume you already have a controller or something
2. What kind of music was I supposed to play again?
Aside from having a good mic, this is the most important thing. Here is the number one rule for getting people to dance at a wedding: People only dance to songs they know. Ask your couple for:
- Must-play songs
- Other songs they like
- Do not play songs
If more than 2 or 3 of their must-play songs are on the rare side, then talk to them. “The talk” is awkward but necessary (don’t insist, just suggest). It’s their wedding and they can have what they want, but… people only dance to songs they know.
3. Get organized!
The way I organize my crates/folders is make a separate crate for each “tradition.” So, First Dance, Father-Daughter Dance, etc. often have their own song so I make a crate for each one and only put that song in it.
Things move very fast at weddings and this is how I find the song quickly. Should I tell you about the time the couple stopped their first dance after a minute and I was still looking for the song for the next one? Nah, I’ll save that for next time.
4. You’re on – now DJ!
Because most weddings have guests of different ages (0-100, Drake voice), I often start with the oldest stuff first and then go up through the decades. This is great for older guests because they often leave early.
Make sure you ask your couple the age breakdown of their guests. If it’s mostly their friends, then you can skip the older music.
I would suggest playing at least 2 choruses of each song (no quick-mixing please) and play (mostly) clean versions of songs. Remember you’re not at a club and there are often kids around.
5. Deal with requests (every DJ’s favorite)
If the request is like the music your couple requested, and you think the crowd will know it, then play it. If not, don’t. Stay strong and be careful not to say something that will make the person bother the couple (“Sarah, the DJ says he won’t play YMCA at your wedding”). Let them enjoy their night.
Sometimes guests will get drunk and belligerent, but that rude person might be the groom’s sister or the bride’s best friend so try to be nice. But… if you can’t be nice and have to tell them off, then make it good.
Bonus tip: Get booked again
If you like the venue, give the manager your business card. Same for the wedding planner. And if you say something on the mic at the very end of the night (for the last time, please get a good mic), it can’t hurt to thank the venue staff for all their hard work.
In conclusion, the only warning I would give you is, once in a while you will get a wedding where the guests aren’t really into dancing. It happens. If you are playing music and only a few people are happily dancing, then don’t sweat it – the next one will be better (but if the dance floor is full of people not dancing who look annoyed, then you are screwing up!).
Good luck and let me know how it went. If you are good, I might hire you.
While you’re at it, check out my wedding playlists:
Modern Wedding Essentials: Vol. 1
Ben Boylan
IG: @djbenboylan