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Okay girls, we are in the process of changing venues/caterers and at the same time trying not to stress out and cut costs where we can (we're changing venues because our current venue lied to us about a lot of things). I have been waffling back and forth regarding hiring a real DJ and doing the ipod DJ thing. What are your honest opinions on an ipod reception? I mean it! lol. Don't tell me it's fine to make me feel good, if you really think it's tacky lol.
If you've been to a wedding that did this, how did you like it, did it flow well, etc? If you did this at your own wedding, were you happy with it and how in the world did you pull it off? lol Thanks for any input ladies!
We did this for our engagement party and we got so many compliments on the music! It was great because we chose a list of stuff we knew everyone would love. The only thing was, not too many people danced and I don't know if that was to do with not having an actual DJ there to get the crowd going or people just preferred to sit and chat at their tables.... I don 't think it's tacky at all though. We're considering it for our wedding too.
I don't think it is tacky at all but I also don't think it is anywhere near as effective entertainment as a real DJ. There is a lot more to a DJ than just "playing songs". DJs blend songs together so there isn't stops/breaks between each song, they can read the energy of the crowd and get a feel for what type of songs to play to get people on their feet and moving - things you can't do with an Ipod.
I think is you're looking for background music for your wedding, an Ipod is fine. But personally, I think if you want entertainment, hire a real DJ.
EDIT - If cost is a concern, look at a college nearby (lots of college guys will DJ parties at fraternities, etc to get their start - they may be willing to work for cheaper than an established DJ).
I've been to an ipod wedding and it was great. However, you have to be willing to put the work in regarding choosing songs. The worst thing you can do is choose a bunch of songs that are your favorites but that aren't really songs that people know really well or can dance to. Don't be afraid to embrace the cheese factor! There's a reason certain songs are always played at weddings: because they are familiar and people are comfortable dancing to them, not necessarily because they are the best songs ever written. And I'm not even talking about group dances either, just the more typical, expected dance music.
The wedding I went to had the best man acting as the MC as well, so he was able to announce the cake cutting, coordinate the special dances, etc. That really helped, so you might want to think about whether you have someone who would be comfortable filling that role.
I think you can pull it off and have a great time. You just have to be really careful with how you go about it...
We went to a wedding where the couple uses iPod and although they played good music, very few people danced. Then last month we went to another wedding and they hired an old dj that used an old fashioned turntable and it was a blast. People were dancing til it was time to go home. I don't think that dj is expensive, I didn't even hear him say a thing. He just kept on playing good music and he is using CDs, not the real turntable where the dj do the scratching and stuffs.
I agree with FutureKMM, Dj's read the energy of the crowd and play the type of songs that the crowd likes. Maybe you can find a really inexpensive dj somewhere in your neighborhood. Goodluck on your wedding planning!
I've been to so many weddings, and have never seen an iPod reception! I don't know why... maybe it's a regional thing??
Anyway, I agree that a DJ/MC's role is much more than just pressing play. You definitely need someone to make announcements too. I agree with trying to find an "up and coming" DJ in your area.
I had an ipod wedding and it worked really well. People danced the entire night.
HOWEVER! we spent ages choosing and arranging the songs (i'm not convinced that random/shuffle would be a good idea). We started off with modern floor fillers, moved on to mowtown back to more modern songs, then 60s and 70s classics, back to modern, then some (light) rock, sexy songs, and end songs. We compiled over 4 hours of music (better safe than sorry!) and used around 3 hours. The only thing i'd do differenly is save a copy of our last dance as a seperate file so when the party ended we could play the song we'd chosen.
My husband is a sound engineer so he had a programme on his mac where we mixed all the songs properly, cutting them down to around the 3 - 4 minute max and removing any profanity so no guest was offended. My job was to choose which songs would go well next to each other (good rhythms, mixing male & female vocalists etc) Husband mixed them so there were no gaps and ensured they were the correct tempo.
This took HOURS! It seriously took days to do, but was well worth it, We saved a fortune and i was over the moon with how it turned out. Everyone loved it and it's now on my ipod forever, i use it when i run, such a good memory.
We're super lucky that OH had some specialised software, but i have a feeling there's a crude blend tool on i-tunes which might make your disco flow slightly better.
Good luck!
I've been to two iPod receptions, and they were both terrible. At the first reception it felt like they just loaded all of their music onto an iPod and hit shuffle. The music was undanceable. It was really terrible. The second one was somewhat better, although still not great. At that wedding the groom had at least chosen songs that people could dance to. The problem there was that the iPod would play a couple of good songs where people were out on the dancefloor, and then a slow song would play that cleared the floor. I think a good DJ would know what music was and wasn't working and could read the crowd to know when to play what. Plus, at both receptions, there was the awkward silent pause between songs, which you don't usually get with a DJ.
I think an iPod reception could work if you put a TON of work into it upfront, figuring out what songs people actually dance to at weddings and listening to the flow. But it would take a lot of work.
I'm considering this too and here are the factors I'm thinking about:
1- if we do it, we HAVE to have an MC. We need someone to step up and do the announcing, keep things moving, and be in charge of the ipod.
2- we need to spend a LOT of time compiling the music so that it is widely known and very dance-able. I love james taylor, but is he dance-able? not so much.
3- We will need to keep all the playlists separate (cake cutting, first dances, dinner music, reception/dance music, and last song) and make sure we have very detailed instructions for our MC
Honestly I'm not sure we're going to do it. I do believe that it would work if we put in the time, but I'm not sure either of us wants to put the energy into making sure the music is right.
DJ's - Pro's
I've only been to one and it worked pretty well but I've heard not so great things from other weddings. I think why it worked at the wedding we went to is because they spent a lot of time on it, had a bunch of different lists, had someone 'in charge' so they'd take requests and kinda move stuff around if it wasn't working - I guess they guy acted a lot like a DJ. So you might need to designate an in charge of the IPod man.
Hmm. I am doing an i-pod reception. We decided to do it because it's cheaper and we actually don't want a lot of announcing. We are not doing a first dance persay, or family dances, cutting the cake or bouquet/garter toss. Our reception is going to be only 3 hours long. Then we are having an "afterparty" for the younger crowd.
Choose danceable music, make sure there are not long gaps and that everything plays at the same volume. I think/hope it will be just fine!
I think DJs are worth it. I know it's a big money saver to do the iPod DJ, but i just don't feel like it's as effective as a DJ. The presence of a DJ just makes people feel more comfortable.
If you do an iPod DJ, make sure you have someone who can facilitate the music rather than just pressing play.
Hope that was honest enough :o)
We are still going back and forth on this. We put a playlist together last weekend, but are only going that route if we can figure out someone who will "man" the iPod during the wedding. And we'd actually use a MacBook, not an iPod---I don't think I'd even consider doing it using an actual iPod, since you need the flexibility to be able to shift between sets easily. It takes a lot of time to collect and organize the music, set transitions, set the order, etc., as someone said above. FI has full sound equipment, too (used to play in a band) or we wouldn't even be considering it, since if you have to rent good equipment, that's half of the cost right there. We also priced DJs, and the cheapest were $800 or so (up to $3K) so it is a big budget issue. (I'm sure that varies regionally, though.) Notably, we aren't doing announcements or toasts or first/last dance or any of that stuff, so there's much less to program. If we had more going on, I would also want someone MC'ing it.
Generally, I think a good DJ is well worth the cost. But I've also been to weddings with TERRIBLE DJs---and I'm guessing they don't cost any less. We don't really know any DJs, good or bad, in our area---if we knew a good one, I'd use him or her in a heartbeat, but I'm not super excited about shelling out that much cash for someone who might make things worse. I think it can go either way.
I think it really depends on what you're looking for - for your reception. We're doing an ipod, but we're not dancers and don't anticipate having much dancing at the reception (it's also at 2pm, so not prime dancing time!). We're going to put more mellow music (folk, classic rock) and have a more mingling, talking, social event - than a dance the night away-type thing. We will have a friend act as MC to intro the cake cutting, bouquet toss, etc and we do plan on creating a specific set list that will flow appropriately - but the clearing the dance floor issue, isn't really one we're concerned about.
Good luck, whatever you decide!
I can't recall being at a wedding that had one, but ours will - it's one of my fiance's non-negotiable wedding items. Fortunately, he's done some DJ-ing and mixing before, so I know he'll put a lot of time into it. Unfortunately, he's kind of into finding obscure music he thinks is awesome and playing songs nobody knows so I'm a little worried about that.
Everyone's tips are really helpful, though.
We're doing it!
We've got it all on our computers and the iPods, 2 of each. We're using my laptop, the other 3 are backups.
We have an MC who will watch over the playlists, make announcements, and ensure people get moving just like a DJ would.
We are also keeping playlists separate: Cocktail hour, Dinner, Cake cutting, 1st dance, last dance, garter, bouquet, etc.
We've got speakers we'll plug into and a mic for the MC, so I think it'll be ok! It's in 3 weeks, so I'll be sure to post my review.
We had a laptop wedding and it worked really well. I think the key is having a great MC. We had a groomsman who was perfect for this. One of DH's employees kept an eye on the laptop to make sure things ran smoothly and to switch between playlists. We used the laptop instead of ipod because it was easier to make changes. As mentioned before, it takes a lot of time to select and gather the music. We had a detailed timeline for the DJ and MC. We made each segment (cocktails, dinner, cake cutting, first dance, dancing etc) its own playlist and had a backup computer. We also chose additional slow and fast songs that we could speed things up or slow things down anytime we wanted.
I have seen an ipod wedidng that did not work well, mainly due to a bad sound system (we could barely hear the music) and no MC. Both ipod and DJ have ther advantages and disadvantages. If you go with a Dj be sure to find a good one, not just the cheapest.
If you take the time to carefully select your music and make your playlist, combined with a good sound system you will have a great time. I wish I'd done that actually, but the DJ wasn't very expensive and equiptment rentals and set up would have been about the same price. I went with "The Pros" and regret the DJ, he was constantly talking with me, didn't follow my original instructions, and had a "helper" with him who was really weird.
Go for the iPod, just be sure to have someone in charge of the iPod/soundsystem on the big day!
I think it will work well if you have someone designated to man the iPod (and have a good variety of music) and you have someone MC'ing the event.
Also take into consideration what kind of sound system the venue has.
I think an iPod reception could be great - it just takes more planning from a music perspective.
I dont think it tacky, but I think you might be missing out on the DJ experience. He will give you the freedom to enjoy the night instead of enlisting someone to be your emcee. You might want to consider it, and if you're looking for an inexpensive DJ to help keep costs down, turn to your local university or college newspaper classifieds. you'd be pleasantly surprised...
I think it depends on the wedding you're having. What's the vibe of your wedding? If it's more of a laid back theme then I say go for it. If you want to have the dance floor packed & all your guests on their feet then I say get a DJ.
I think it's possible to have a kick@$$ reception with an ipod however like CazS said, I think it will take A LOT of work.
You can find inexpensive DJ's fairly easy. Check out local bars & ask around - bars generally hire 2 or 3 different DJ's regularly at a pretty low price. Ask local radio stations, college stations and ask local highschools who they use for Proms etc. Since they're spending municipal funds from the BOE they have to shop around for the best deals.
Also ask DJ's if they have different packages. Sometimes just getting rid of 1 lighting system can be the difference of a couple hundred dollars.
@Entangled, when we did our play list, it was with a group of friends, which helps a lot with the obscure music (my FI loves that stuff too). People yayed or nayed each song and artist and we took off a lot of otherwise good music that just isn't super danceable or well-known. I also started from the master lists of top requested songs that DJ Intelligence (www.djintelligence.com) puts together---combined all of the lists from the decades we thought our crowd would like and then took out the duplicates, which left maybe 500 songs. Went through all of them and whittled it down to around 100, plus added a dozen others that people came up with along the way. It was a really good exercise even if we do end up getting a DJ, since now I know a lot more about what people actually want to hear. (We also had a bunch of songs where someone would say "Man, I hated that song---but you know what, they played it at xx's wedding and everyone was dancing, so let's keep it.")
If you can find a really great DJ in your area, I think you should do that. But if it really is a necessary budget cut and you can find an MC who will do it, then that's great. I would worry about taking someone from your wedding party to do it because it might seem more like "work" than a fun time at a wedding and partying, because he'll have to be behind the scenes so much. Conversely, if you ask someone to MC who is just not that good at it or doesn't know timing very well, it could end up being pretty bad too. I suppose I just see more pros than cons when it comes down to it.
Wow thanks for all of the responses ladies! I guess I never thought about the fact that people aren't as likely to dance without an MC. Like I said it's still something we are tossing around and truth be told we've found a dj that will do it for about $750, I just can't decide if it's really what we should spend the money on.
I actually work on a college campus so I'll definitely look into seeing if there are some students that could do it. We've managed to get great deals on photography, working on the catering which I think will be a decent price, I'm doing all things paper since I'm a graphic designer, so things are getting done a fairly decent price point. All that's left is the florist and DJ and I'm not so sure we can cut costs with the florist (all we need a bridal bouquet, BM bouquets, mom corsages and bouts), so DJ was my first though.
Thanks for all of your input!
I went to a wedding where the couple did an ipod reception and it did not go well. The system at the venue was not compatible with their mp3 player and when they eventually got it to work they couldn't get the sound to work. This is the only experience I have had with an ipod reception. I think that if you guys know what you are doing (really know, not just are confident you can do it) then you should be fine. But maybe a practice run at the venue with all of your equipment would be a good idea if you decide to do it.
We are the Wedding Hosting/MC business but in CO, some 2 thousand miles away so this is only professional advice to you and anyone else interested.
Some great information has been posted in this thread, read it and take notes!
We actually rent an “Ipod Wedding” sound system to those who can’t afford, don’t want or need our Wedding Hosting services.
We have a database of music on our web site with the top first dance, father daughter dance, mother son dance and last dance tunes etc. It’s free so be our guest (www.celestialevent.com)
Discount DJ’s…You can find a decent Wedding DJ for a reasonable price but, again, you have to do your home work on this. Hiring a bad DJ can be worse than having none and the DJ industry is rife with bad DJ’s.
Remember this is a celebration and, when it’s all over, your guests will remember if they had fun more than the food, flowers, centerpieces, etc.
Have a great wedding!
In the UK we have toast masters, who can announce stuff like cake!
My friend had some fancy computer program that meant that it would shuffle say 15 set songs for the mingling then move on to shuffle 25 set songs for the cheesy dancing and then shuffle a set 6 slower songs to wind everyone down!
but we are having a band - more fun!!! and some cheesy songs for the breaks!
I'm doing my own reception music with my laptop, so I clearly think that is the better idea, but it really depends on what is important to you & how much time you are willing to commit to choosing and arranging music.
While some djs may be worth every penny, I've never really been impressed by any of the djs I've heard/seen. One dj in particular left me wondering how the couple was not outraged at his poor choices! There are generally some lulls on the dance floor (time for drink breaks, snack breaks and bathroom breaks), so I don't think that is a huge concern. Don't panic if the dance floor empties for a song (or 2), but have someone you trust in charge of editing the playlist (ie if no one is interested in slow songs, then have that person quickly edit/delete a few of the slow songs you had planned).
As youre picking songs, think of your guests (particularly the ones who you know will get up and dance) - make sure you play a variety of music to satisfy most if not all your guests. Mix it up, but try to make sure that you transition between types of music (going from Johnny Cash to Ja Rule is probably going to clear the floor for a minute). We're planning to include a line on our RSVPs asking for guests favorite songs to dance to, hopefully that will help to be sure we have some music for everyone.
Also, keep in mind that some songs are just really hard to dance to (generally theyre songs that are too fast to slow dance to, but too slow to fast dance to). It sounds kinda funny, but as you are picking songs, if you're not sure they are danceable, play them and try dancing to them. If you're still not sure, its probably best to skip it (even if you love the song to listen to - maybe move it to a dinner playlist or something).
And as someone earlier recommended - do a practice run! (You dont want to start the reception in silence while someone tries to locate the right cord/equipment!)
As a side note: some of the "disaster" stories of no one dancing at an ipod reception make me wonder if the couple knew they wouldnt have many guests wanting to dance (regardless of music source) and just chose not to waste much money or time on music since it wasnt a priority.
Whatever you do, as long as you put some time into planning, will be just fine I'm sure.
This was such a helpful post!!! I am glad you asked this question. It helped me a lot too! :)
IMO, you can do everything a DJ can do! You'll have to put in the work he or she does, but maybe that's worth it to you. The technology/resources are so good these days that it shouldn't be any problem to make it happen. People have posted a ton of great advice in this thread. I'm very much intruiged by DJing my own wedding because my SO records music and already has the sound equipment and necessary skills. Plus he works in IT, so he's a double threat. :P
My experience with DJs has been less than stellar. The first was completely forgettable. The second was obnoxious and didn't know what Cotton Eyed Joe was (seriously?). The best wedding DJ was the one who...didn't say much, was really chill, and just picked tunes from his computer. Go figure!
It seems that an understanding of your guests is key. Make sure the music is loud, don't allow pauses between songs, one or two slow songs every hour to account for couples/bathroom and food breaks, pick good upbeat danceable tunes, have a friend who's really loud...yeah, it's doable!
Yes- I am also doing an iPod reception. The feel/vibe of our reception is like an extended cocktail hour, not a dance party.
I'm pretty shy and really do not want a DJ calling attention to me and the groom and announcing things all night. To each their own, but this is my main reason for using an iPod.
If I could afford a live band, I totally would. But our venue is too small to set up a band and there is not enough $$ in the budget. But we did hire a harpist for the ceremony so there is guaranteed music in case the iPod fails.
We also want people to be able to talk/socialize. I really dislike it when it is so loud at a wedding you cannot talk to the people you are there to see.
Minutiae said, "IMO, you can do everything a DJ can do! You'll have to put in the work he or she does, but maybe that's worth it to you."
While I agree with most of the rest of your post, I respectfully disagree with that statement. Experience and the ability to read a room is a unique and not so common ability, even for DJ's. An Ipod wedding can be a sucess but an Ipod can not replace an experienced Wedding Host/DJ.
As for you poor experience with wedding DJ's, I also agree as most people shopping wedding DJ's have no clue what they are looking for or how to look. They are usually shopping price or pick a club DJ who may have little or no idea how to entertain a mixed crowd like one finds at a wedding.
Like I said, for those like yourself, who want to DIY, we happily rent them the gear. Afterall, it's their special day.
@CE: I didn't say an ipod could do everything a DJ could, did I? ;) It's a set of skills, not an enigma. It's too bad good DJs are hard to find or maybe I wouldn't consider them so easy to replace.
We were going to do an Ipod wedding until I read enough posts about it on here and elsewhere that really make me take a hard look at it. From what I understand, the most successful Ipod receptions are where the couple already has some great technical knowledge - the bride or groom works in a technical field and/or already has some great song knowledge, etc.
In my case. neither of us really has much taste in music, sadly LOL and I just got more and more worried about the ability to choose the songs, put together great playlists and not to mention handle all the technical elements. We even had one of our groomsmen lined up to be the MC and everything...we also have minimal announcements. But in the end, we hired a DJ that our hotel recommended. He's on the cheaper side and I'm sure I could've found someone more "polished" for more money but I'd much rather just have someone reasonable in charge of the music so I don't have to be worrying about it all night. Crossing my fingers but anyway, that's the decision we made.
Minutiae, sorry if I misrepresented your statement. You did not say an Ipod can do everything a DJ can do!. You did say, "you can do everything a DJ can do!" My reply was to that overall idea. While I respect your opinion, I simply don’t agree with it.
I've never understood it when people dog on the idea of doing an iPod reception. I've been to several weddings that have done it that way and have had an absolute BLAST - plus, the couple was able to choose all of their favorite songs and dance to exactly what they wanted! Case in point - I recently went to two weddings, one had a DJ, and the other had a friend manning the iPod. The friend who hired a DJ had been on a budget and the DJ was pretty terrible...the one with the iPod had put a lot of work into choosing fun, danceable songs, and it went super well! So based on that experience, I'd say either way, whether there's a DJ or an iPod, it all depends on how you do it/who does it, and what your guests are like (if they're eager to dance and party, then it won't matter who is playing the music!) If you do the iPod thing, you will want to designate somebody who will be willing to emcee the night (like announcing the first dance, cake cutting, etc.)
(Just had to add - I'm having a DJ and am definitely not opposed to doing a DJ - I just know you can have just as much fun without one.)
I have been to two ipod wedding and they were the most horrible receptions I have been too. No one danced and the MCs tried their best, but people just weren't into the mood. Plus the one wedding was all slow or swing dance music, nothing in between. If you don't know how to swing dance it was pretty alienating. Also, the play lists were very limited, so people couldn't request music at all and you were stuck listening to what the bride and groom thinks is good music. I don't think I will ever like an iPod reception.
All DJ weddings I have been to are fantastic! They have lights, good sound systems, and definitely know how to read the crowd and get people dancing! Plus they usually honor requests if it within a wedding appropriate category. Our DJ even included karaoke at no extra cost. Since I come from a family of good singers it will make for an interesting night. :-)
I had an iPod reception and it was a blast and would never do anything different. One guest even mentioned that we had the best background music for a dinner at a wedding 'cuz we had massive attack. That's something you'll probably never get from a DJ. My H put together an awesome playlist and had a big music library. I also love to flexibility of some designated people being able to choose the music they want. It all felt very personal and crazy fun without some outsider (DJ) to interfere with our fun.
I myself have been to other weddings with either DJ or iPod. I have never met a DJ I liked. All the wedding DJs I have experienced as a guest are awful and were often cheesy, awkward, and didn't play the right songs. I have heard that a great DJ can make a reception awesome because he/she can also be an great MC/comedian. However, I figure that if one has to put so much time into research, vendor interviews, and $ into a great DJ, the cost/benefit analysis doesn't work out well there. You might as well put that effort/time into making your own playlist and organizing friends/family/wedding coordinator to operate the iPod or make general announcements. The cost benefit analysis there is much better.
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