Five Things A Wedding DJ Can Give You That An iPod Can’t

Hello lovelies, wedding music is important. When I hear a bride or groom say they’re going to just pop their iPod on shuffle, I do an internal cringe. So unless you have some mad DJing skills I think it’s best to leave it to the professionals, after all, this is one of the biggest parties of your life!

Check out this fab guest post – five things a wedding DJ can give you that an iPod can’t… it’s bound to give you a little music for thought and have you questioning whether your iPod really is up to the job..

It seems simple really – a wedding DJ is just someone who stands there and facilitates a playlist. An iPod or MP3 player is a piece of equipment you already own that does exactly the same thing. One costs money, the other doesn’t. Just plug in your own player, whack on some disco lights and you’re sorted, right? Perhaps not. While saving money is always the more tempting option, we have expert wedding DJ Mark van den Berg of Mighty Fine Entertainment on hand with five things a DJ has to offer that a piece of plastic just can’t give you.

A DJ knows how to sense the mood to get the party started.

It might be tempting to stick your Uncle Terry on the decks, but a professional wedding DJ is actually the glitter glue that holds your party together. For example, you may have agreed on the music in advance, but if your guests just aren’t feeling it, it takes an expert ear (or a ‘party whisperer’ if you will) to sense the tone of the evening and change things up to get the party started or slow things down for a more intimate moment. A professional DJ will come with an enormous catalogue of music to ensure that there’s a plan B if the mood or energy starts to dip.

An iPod can’t talk – or host

A professional DJ will know when it’s appropriate to speak – and, equally importantly, when not to speak. Many professional DJs will also act as an MC, host, events coordinator and more, meaning that you acquire the skills of several professionals in one person and that all announcements are made at the right time.  Most couples now prefer a policy of letting the music do the talking, aside from the key announcements, and an experienced wedding DJ will know just when the time is right to make these.

Expert guidance will keep your dance floor full all night.

While your personal tastes are important, and your MP3 player is packed with the tracks you love, your wedding is also a party for your guests. A successful party soundtrack needs to be an eclectic collection of your own favourites as a couple, and a range of songs from different genres and eras that your guests will enjoy too, played in an order that will warm people up and keep them dancing all night long.

A professional DJ should arrange a catch up to chat about you and your guests’ musical tastes in order to create your perfect playlist. As well as having thousands of songs to choose from in their own collection, if there is a particularly obscure song you want, they can track it down (no pun intended).

No hassle with equipment hire

No need to worry about party lights, a professional DJ usually comes prepared with world-class equipment. While a DIY disco company might come with a smaller price tag, it’s important to know how to use the equipment on the night. For example, would you know how to change the lighting to fit the mood of a song? Or as the light changes outside? Or even for the special moments a photographer needs to capture? A DJ will take all of these things into account and use lighting to add to the mood of the day.

Crowd control

We’ve all been there – a party at a friend’s house huddled around an iPod/ iPad, however when the alcohol kicks in things get pretty messy as everyone now believes they’re a DJ. That kind of situation guarantees that no song is played all the way through and that even the right songs are played at an inappropriate time. A big party needs someone to control the ebbs and flows of the night (and someone who can be impartial when it comes to drunken requests) thus a DJ trumps your poor, defenseless iPod, as he/she will bring some calm and order to the proceedings.

Mighty Fine Entertainment is an award-winning team of handpicked professional wedding DJs. Established in 2006 by internationally acclaimed DJ, Mark van den Berg (aka Mark Luvdup) Mighty Fine Entertainment is one of the leading wedding DJ hire and mobile disco providers in London and the South-East.

At the end of my wedding day, the four inch heels were well and truly discarded. Best. party. ever!

image credits | images via bluebird vintage: photography by brooke schwab

View the Gallery