Dangerous Dan
8:41 AM - 20 July, 2009
I do quite a few weddings...here is the key...
Bring the club to the wedding with the following items in mind:
1. Always lean more towards whats on the radio, and what has been on the radio.
2. With format restrictions in consideration, start with some 70s/80s and work your way newer as the night progresses.
3. Play stuff like the Cha Cha slide and YMCA only if appropriate...DON'T PLAY the Chicken Dance (unless its for a polka club)
4. Only slow it down if people are asking for it
Most of the recent weddings have booked me because "You're the guy who doesn't play the Chicken Dance and has the bad ass sound and lights." I charge quite a bit more than other local "mobile DJs." Like a club crowd, I've developed a certain personality of people who hire me, so most of my weddings follow the same music format.
Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire, and Bob Seger to get things rollin'. I play 70's and 80s with a bit of Tone Loc and Young M.C. for a while while people get intoxicated. Once they get going they get some Gretchen Wilson, maybe some John Denver and of course Lady Gaga. At this point everyone is usually dancing, so I just play everything from Journey to Pussycat Dolls or whatever else I feel like BUT -- keep it to songs people know by heart. B-52s, Bon Jovi, Outfield, Prince, whatever, but make sure its music 75% or more of the dancing crowd can relate to.
Every now and then a few old people seem to survive the mixing and scratching, so I'll toss in some -- Lets Twist Again, Tequila, sometimes Shout (too many wedding DJs play this song). It will send the oldies back to their seats as they get tired after one or two songs.
No matter what people ask for, unless its a straight hip-hop crowd, T.I. will not get a huge reception. Down tempo and Hip-Hop shouldn't be played, with the exception of faster songs like Way I Are or Low. Also remember to play about 2 months behind trends. People at weddings don't know brand new music. They DO know what was hot last Summer and will dance to it.
Typically I only play slow songs at the end, just like the club. This is a very different trend than just a few years ago when I literally had to play a slow song between every 7 or 8 normal paced songs. If slow songs are in order and the crowd seems to be about 5% country this would be a good time to drop Neon Moon or Amarillo by Morning...follow it up with a 2 step, or if you have a Hispanic crowd drop a cumbia. Country is widely accepted for slow songs and it makes for a good transition to any other type of music.
Regarding special songs like the Chicken Dance. The good ol' "CD" is a novelty for people who never go out. Don't play it ever if you want to maintain a good standing with people who have money to hire you at other events. The Cha Cha slide is a good alternative to the Electric Slide, although occasionally I play the latter when people bitch enough. YMCA has a decent beat, and I play it in the club every now and then anyway, so I suppose its cool. I think most of the other songs like Cotton Eyed Joe, Strokin', or God forbid, the Bunny Hop are now extinct. (I've been deejaying way too long!)
All crowds are different....almost all weddings are the same. Just have a grip of music from different genres and eras.....get up on your music knowledge and you'll rock it.
One last thing. Have the first dance, mother son, father daughter and so on on your computer in a crate or playlist. Keep another copy on a jump drive and maybe another one on a second jump drive. That's the one part that could screw you if you don't have the right song.
Hope that helps!
