Given that GigMasters exists to help people find amazing DJs and other wedding entertainment, it may surprise you to learn that there are circumstances under which I think you can in fact, be your own wedding DJ. If you want to DJ your own wedding all of the following should be true:
1. You own professional quality sound equipment and know how to set it up and use it.
You don’t just need an ipod and speakers to be your own DJ, you need to be able to actually hear the music in a large, loud room. You also need to know what to ask the wedding venue about electrical needs, liability for wires, and know how to use that information.
2. You know exactly how much music you need for the length of your reception and know for a fact that everything will run according to plan OR You don’t care if there are long stretches of silence.
DJs don’t just create a playlist and play it. A good DJ can help keep your wedding reception running on schedule and solve emergencies before you even know those emergencies are happening. DJs also know how to read a room and when to speed up or slow down the tempo. Can you do all that before the wedding even starts?
3. You don’t care if other people like the music or if people dance.
There are absolutely wedding receptions where people don’t dance. There’s nothing wrong with that. I’ll admit it, although a soloist or string quartet would be nice, if you’re having a small dinner with no dancing, you can probably pre-program an ipod and let it go. Likewise, if you really don’t care if anyone else but you likes the music or dances, you can probably do the music yourself. But, if you’d like to see people of all generations out on the dance floor, you should probably hire a professional.
4. You have a friend who doesn’t mind missing the fun, or you want to work during your reception.
Someone has to be in charge of the equipment. Someone has to turn things on and off for announcements and speeches and toasts. Someone needs to be in charge when drunk Uncle Harold spills his beer on the electrical cord. If you aren’t going to hire someone, that means its you or a friend.
So, if all of the above sounds like you then go right ahead, DJ your own wedding. If not, why not let us help you find someone!