Why do I need a DJ?
You might be asking yourself, why should I even need to hire professional DJ for my wedding – Can’t I use Spotify?
Planning a wedding is challenging, and for *most* people, it’s also costly. Between the venue, food, photographer, entertainment, flowers, cake, and décor… budgets can double – even triple – by the time the wedding day arrives.
I constantly see brides in wedding groups asking how to stretch their budget, and a common theme is to cut the entertainment. “Oh, just use a Spotify playlist and buy some speakers; that’s the same as a DJ.”
I am going to explain that is an absolutely TERRIBLE idea.
Trust me, your guests care!
Let me start by saying this: Your guests value the entertainment at your wedding. Guests travel long distances; some take flights, get hotel rooms, take days off work, etc., to attend a wedding. The reception is the party. The two things most guests remember about a wedding are 1. the FOOD. 2. The ENTERTAINMENT. Here is an article from Brides.com that goes more in-depth on guests surveys after weddings:
https://www.brides.com/story/what-millennial-wedding-guests-love-and-hate-most-about-weddings
In planning your wedding, do you vision your reception with your friends and family dancing and having a great time, or do you think about them just sitting around and “enjoying” a playlist? Playing a playlist off Spotify is cheaper, but will it achieve your goal of getting people on the dance floor all night? Highly doubtful.
When it comes to the soundtrack of your wedding, you are playing for ALL of your guests, from your grandparents to your friends’ children. How often have your grandparents or parents told you, “I just don’t understand the music these days.” How about your fiancé’s family? The fact is everyone has different musical tastes. Can you account for all of those different tastes in music and still have a flow to the night where people don’t just sit down after the next song plays?
A wedding DJ’s biggest skill: Reading the room.
A professional DJ has the ability that no computer/Spotify playlist/iPod/etc. Will ever have: reading the room. A playlist doesn’t see the reactions when you play songs and make adjustments as needed. To get that, you need a real human being. If the crowd isn’t feeling a song/genre/etc., a professional DJ can see that and make adjustments. You see, a DJ is doing more than just playing a playlist you helped curate.
Do I need a DJ for a small wedding?
Another thought you might have is my wedding is only a sit-down dinner for a couple of hours, so why would I need a DJ for that? Well, even if your micro wedding is only for 2 hours, guess what? You may still want to do an entrance into a first dance or even parent dances after that. You may also need an MC to help with toasts. A professional DJ does all of that. Last, you will still appreciate a DJ playing your favorite music live during those perfect moments.
The entertainment at a wedding NEEDS professional equipment.
The other element of that argument is the equipment. Let’s face it: No one remembers the ambiance of an iPod hooked up to some bargain bin Bluetooth speakers. There is a reason that a $200 speaker is $200… just like everything else in life, you ABSOLUTELY get what you pay for. A professional DJ has professional equipment. Even if the songs are exactly what your guests like, it doesn’t mean much if the speakers are cheap and sound terrible. Also, regarding equipment, a professional DJ carries things like backup computers, extra equipment… things that can keep the party going if something terrible happens.
You should hire a professional wedding DJ for many reasons to help make your wedding a day that everyone will remember. Hiring a professional ensures an event with a perfect mood, ambiance, and fantastic music. If you are in the Gulf coast area (AL, MS, FL) and are looking for a DJ that can do all these things, feel free to reach out at djlynch.com anytime!