Ingreso rápido:  

Forum: General Discussion

Tema: Wedding DJs, have you ever had anything like this? - Page: 1

Esta parte del tópico es antigua y puede contener información incorrecta para la nueva versión.

Quote = "Here is the playlist for the disco part of the evening, following straight on from cutting the cake (43 Songs). I sincerely hope you don’t mind playing this, it’s just a good friend of mine, who also DJs, can’t make it to the wedding and compiled this as a gift. I would really appreciate it if you can play this in the same order thanks.

We’d like to cut the cake approximately 9:25pm, then straight onto the first dance (‘Amazed’ by Lonestar) at 9:30pm. The playlist has been timed at 2hours 43 mins, but I’ve been assured by the Manager, with your expertise, those extra 13 mins can be lost through the fine mixing of the tracks, one to the next, so we can finish bang on 12am. Also, where possible, single/radio mixes have been chosen as they’re better and keep the time down. There are only two specific tracks with remixes, Little Mix ‘Black Magic’ Cahill Remix and Bobby Brown’s Two Can Play That Game’ K Klassik Radio Mix.
" Unquote.

Can I phone a friend if it all goes wrong??? Lol.

This will be my 199th wedding in the last 4 years, never had anything like this before.

I have all the tunes, however, I had to source the specific mixes requested. So, should I just setup the list in Automix, press play for the first dance and let Automix take care of it, go for a walk and then come back at midnight to pack it all up? Lol......... I suppose at least I walk away with the money ha ha ha.

I heard tonight that the groom has also got an iPod with a playlist of songs for before the cake cutting that is just to plug in and press play! The whole day has been planned with military precision timing for everything (a list of timings has been given to the staff). The Hotel staff are as bemused as I am.

This happens this Thursday coming, help! Will be interesting to see how it pans out lol.
 

Mensajes Mon 23 Jul 18 @ 2:22 am
I've been waiting for this easy type of work. Hopefully it's the same amount of $$$$ they give you for HARD or EASY work.

I'll take the easy any day :)

You don't any luck this Thursday, hopefully you can press that PLAY BUTTON and have some drinks :) (while waiting for it to end).

At the end it's the same big $$$$.


 

Mensajes Mon 23 Jul 18 @ 3:19 am
locodogPRO InfinityModeratorMember since 2013
I give the marriage 2 months before someone puts a fork in the spoon compartment and the homicide police get called in.
 

Mensajes Mon 23 Jul 18 @ 3:21 am
I may be wrong, but, I have a suspicion that the "DJ friend" is actually the groom who can't DJ his own wedding, so, doing it this way lol.
 

Mensajes Mon 23 Jul 18 @ 9:58 am
Hate that type of playlist. What is the point if the dance floor is empty then you look like an incompetent DJ.
 

Mensajes Mon 23 Jul 18 @ 10:11 am
VDJ RonPRO InfinityMember since 2010
On the positive side it takes the responsibility for keeping the party going away, and they might know some good songs so we might learn a little. This kind of thing is not uncommon. Whatever..just get the money.
 

Mensajes Mon 23 Jul 18 @ 10:32 am
bigron1 wrote :
On the positive side it takes the responsibility for keeping the party going away, and they might know some good songs so we might learn a little. This kind of thing is not uncommon. Whatever..just get the money.


but do the people at the party where no one is dancing know that the DJ is working from a playlist? Answer is No all they hear is music that nobody wants to dance to. The DJ is left to look like a dick and take the rap for someone elses bad taste in music.
 

Mensajes Mon 23 Jul 18 @ 12:04 pm
Ultimately its a risk vs reward situation.
Folks who are there, that might hire you, vs reviews from the folks who are most important in this scenario - Bride Vs Groom.

So I was recently at a wedding where a very close friend of mine was DJing, I was helping with some equipment, and it was a similar situation, the song order wasnt chosen, but the list was pre-ordained ahead of time. Other guests came over with their "suggestions" and all he would tell him was that this was the "Bride's Party, she picked the music, go ask her". I remember later, the bride came over to us with an Eagles album in hand that she got from the kitchen staff, and asked him to play one specific track from it. He did and the kitchen staffer who owned the album came over and commented "how boring".

He called me the other day and said that he booked another wedding from one of the guests.

So its all in a matter of how you handle it, and what the context is, a wedding is for the Bride and Groom, and no one else, so unless they are the ones who are complaining, then who cares?
 

Mensajes Mon 23 Jul 18 @ 3:35 pm
VDJ RonPRO InfinityMember since 2010
@stevendrennan

There is no risk if you use your microphone to tell the people that these are the carefully chosen songs of the bride / groom for their wedding and as such you are also not taking requests. They have the right to listen to what they want.
Just do your job..or refuse the work (and that's stupid if it endangers a venue offering regular work).
Too many DJ's are prima donnas.

 

Mensajes Mon 23 Jul 18 @ 4:21 pm
sorry i would turn the gig down as it may tar your good reputation its not all about the money


 

Mensajes Mon 23 Jul 18 @ 8:50 pm
I don't know how things work in US or in the UK, but where I come from the wedding party is NOT 'about the Bride and Groom and no-one else'
The wedding party is something that the Bride and Groom through out in order to celebrate with their guests and please THEM for being present at the most significant moment of their lives.
Therefore, where I come from, if every guest leaves with a big smile and tells the Bride what great time they had, how much they enjoyed the music and that they couldn't stop dancing even when their feet were hurting them, the Bride will be happy and she won't care if I haven't played even one of her "suggested songs" list, or if I have played out 10 tracks of the "forbidden songs" list... :P
 

Mensajes Tue 24 Jul 18 @ 9:17 am
It really is about what the Married couple want, they are the ones paying for the gig, right?
So they become who is "in charge" so you do what they want, if you are uncomfortable doing that, then dont take the job, simple as that.

The couple says "play these songs for us, and only these songs" then they can be responsible for how its received.
The couple says "these are the songs we like, you can add some of your own, we are counting on you to make the party fun", then you communicate (professionally) how some songs wont work , how some might be inappropriate, etc...

The couple says "we saw you DJ at so-and-so, can you do what you did for them, for us" then you can still have the talk about music selection, etc...

Ultimately it really IS a party for them and no one else, otherwise its not about the wedding, then is it?
 

Mensajes Tue 24 Jul 18 @ 5:03 pm
A DJ is a professional that you hire for a reason: To do a specific job: Select music for your party and make people have fun and dance!
You wouldn't tell your plumber how to fix the pluming of your house or what tools to use, now would you ?

Case 1: Play these songs and only these
The couple could as well plug a tablet on a PA and leave a playlist running. No need for a DJ there...
Case 2: Play these songs and if you seem fit you can add a couple of your own
Same as above. Plug a tablet with a playlist and let it go. Perhaps add your nephew in charge to add a couple of songs on the list here and there...

That's how I see things, but then again I'm from another country with different customs.
 

Mensajes Tue 24 Jul 18 @ 5:56 pm
I'm with George on this one (and I'm in the UK).

If someone hires a DJ then they should realise it's the DJs job to select the music. Yes by all means a DJ should take requests (fitting them in where appropriate) but if all they want is a list of tracks played in a set order then they don't need a DJ.
 

Mensajes Tue 24 Jul 18 @ 6:22 pm
I've done plenty of weddings where the Bride/Groom specify the music that THEY want played for their big night, yes , there's been times the floor was empty but the crowd(s) never seemed that bothered.........UNTIL.....The father of the bride (almost guaranteed sent up by the mother of the bride) is sent to TELL me to change the music (which I do), but almost within 90 seconds I get the bride or groom or both come and say "This isn't on our list, change it back!. Like what has been said before, sometimes you just have to think about the money and what THEY want, rather than being a DJ and doing whats best for the audience, after all it's the only time you'll ever have to play for just the minority of a crowd.

Also >
locodog wrote :
I give the marriage 2 months before someone puts a fork in the spoon compartment and the homicide police get called in.


Thanks for the biggest laugh I've had all day.
 

Mensajes Tue 24 Jul 18 @ 8:30 pm
VDJ RonPRO InfinityMember since 2010
There is another aspect to this which is the DJ's support for the venue. DJ soulman does a considerable number of jobs for this venue and the bride and groom are difficult clients. We should feel a responsibility to try to help those venues that offer us long term work. Hence a little "self sacrifice" to aid those who employ us is not out of place.
 

Mensajes Tue 24 Jul 18 @ 9:00 pm
I can only remember one party where I got a playlist for the whole night that had to be played in that particular order.

I have gotten playlists with more than a hunderd songs on it more often though, but in those cases I could at least decide the order in which I would play them. If the songs are good dance songs, I don't really mind those cases. I just make a playlist in VDJ so I can order the songs on BPM, style etcetera.

A little while back I got a playlist with more than 200 songs on it, for a 4 hour party. Luckily, the bride said I didn't have to play all of those songs :-D

In my opinion, the one who pays for the party is the boss. Most clients just want everyone to have a great time, but some want to force their own taste in music. If that causes an empty dance floor I'll talk to the client and advise them to change the music, but if they really don't want to I'll respect that choice.

I've had a bride and groom once who only wanted hard rock. They had 2 friends who liked that as well, but the rest of the guests went home two hours before the end. Of course, that was my fault...

 

Mensajes Wed 25 Jul 18 @ 8:33 pm
yourlive wrote :

I've had a bride and groom once who only wanted hard rock. They had 2 friends who liked that as well, but the rest of the guests went home two hours before the end.
yourlive wrote :

Of course, that was my fault...


That's why I don't take gigs like these.
First of all I find it disrespectful to hire a professional and tell him what to do or how to do it. Therefore a couple that wants to hire me to play a specific playlists does NOT respect me as a professional DJ. I prefer to loose some money (and maybe book another gig instead) than work for someone that doesn't respect me. Yes, I do take suggestions, I do use "must" and "don't" playlists, but I always limit them to 20 tracks max each in order to get a picture of what the couple wants.
If they like my way of doing things then I'll be glad to work for them. If they don't like my way then they can hire someone else. Even if I don't book another gig for that night I won't loose my sleep as I won't expose myself for someone that doesn't appreciate that!



 

Mensajes Thu 26 Jul 18 @ 9:28 am
i have stayed away from weddings for the nearly 10 yrs... ive done hundreds of gigs with zero complaints. Always get awesome feedback and repeat customers time and time again.

Reluctantly i started to dip my toe back into weddings and bam i get the mother of all bridezillas. Think i may go back to just doing what ive been doing past 10 yrs, taking gigs that are fun for me!
 

Mensajes Thu 26 Jul 18 @ 10:54 pm
***** Update ***** I'll spare some of the details, but.......

Just back from the gig. Didn't go down quite as well as was meticulously planned. To add insult to injury, the groom brought some crappy old disco lights!!! They were small boxes placed on the floor in front of the disco booth pointing up in everyone's face (arranged with the Manager). They missed the first dance timing by 20 minutes, had to dump a few songs from the carefully constructed playlist lol. They also hired a dry ice machine for the first dance which failed to work til halfway through. Then, 30 minutes into the playlist and......... empty dancefloor.......... and it was mostly empty for the next 20 minutes. A lot of the guests were drinking outside in the Hotel gardens as it was very hot.

I did mention on the mic a few times that I could not take requests as I was working to a playlist provided by the bride & groom.

Job done, next........
 

Mensajes Fri 27 Jul 18 @ 2:25 am
69%