All Weddings Are Threatened By The Wedding Killers Below:
The Venue
The Caterer
The Officiant
The DJ
The Photographer/Videographer
The Wedding Planner
Chances are you've heard of these wedding killers. Or worse, witnessed these slashers live at a family member or friend's wedding.
The good news is, virtually every wedding can eliminate their threat with these JMAN Productions tips & callouts.
Read on to understand the threat, so you can hire against it.
The DJ | Killer #4 | Part 2 of 4
No Show, Not Playing Your Playlist, Playing Your Do-Not-Play List, Not Having Your Ceremony Songs, Sub-Contracted DJ, No Mic/MC Skills,
Drinking, Sound Is A Tin Can, Not Enough Lights For The Guest Count, Makes The Wedding About Them,
No Redundant Equipment, No Backup Power, Giant Ad(s) Displayed During Your Reception,
Poor Cable Management/Trip Hazard, No Backup Music, Can't Handle Multiple Simultaneous Rooms, They "Mix" With Spotify,
A Redliner Not A Headliner, No Standard Operating Procedure To Keep Your Timeline On Track & Moving,
Wi-fi Only DJ For Rural Weddings, They Don't Play Any instruments/Aren't Musically Trained (This is HUGE!)
Okay, this list is HUGE, but I've seen it all.
Drinking During Performance
Yeah.
The cheaper the DJ, the more they may be tempted to get 'paid' in other ways, e.g. an open bar. Don't do it. This is preventable. Don't let it happen to you.
I say anything more than a champagne toast is too much. I often toast with a Mountain Dew or a Red Bull.
Sound Is A Tin Can
The music, and mic, is difficult to hear clearly, up close, at a distance, at any serious volume.
I'll level with you on this one: If the booze is flowing, people will dance to pretty much any stereo. But if it's a dry wedding, it's going to wear your guests down.
I am also a stickler for sound - I'm a DJ. And my particular sound system is concert grade. There's an origin story behind that, but the result is having a downtown club sound, absolute clarity, and thumping bass you feel in your organs, really elevates the dance floor to a level a Guitar Center rental, and even Premium wedding DJ sound rigs cannot compare. Literally. I grew up in the underground 1999 warehouse rave scene, this is the sound equipment I bring. NOBODY has been disappointed.
Sound Not Positioned Correctly
SO MANY DJs GET THIS WRONG
Kitty-corner/Surround sound on the dance floor. 19 out of 20 DJs put both their speakers and their lights in front of the booth and think that's ok. That's only HALF the equation. Immersing the room in sound is the way to go: Everyone hears the same level of music, and/or exactly the level needed, no matter where they are on the dance floor or/and in the room(s).
I do my best to immerse the dance floor in each speaker's cone of sound. Sometimes it's a speaker far enough away to throw sound in a wide enough cone, and putting a speaker opposite/complimentary, so no matter if you're in the front, back, or side of the dance floor, you hear the same level and clarity of music. Somtimes I use three cones of sound, surrounding the dance floor, all pointed to the dance floor. The only asymmetrical speaker is "The Big Sub", which I _do_ keep next to the DJ booth, so I can increase the gain (intensity) of the bass at peak tracks and at peak moments. Nicki Minaj - Anaconda, when I get to play it, increase the gain of "The Big Sub" during the chorus is a signature move. It’s an instant noise-complaint if I did it at my house, but dropping that bass at the perfect moment on your dance floor is my favorite part of the night.
Not Enough Dance Floor Lights For The Guest Count
Same concept as the speaker/sound immersion.
If you blast all the light from one direction, what happens? Shadows happen. If you have dance floor lights only at the front of the DJ booth, the far half of the dance floor is covered in shadow.
EVEN VETERAN 1000+ FOLLOWER DJs GET THIS WRONG. You can have all the moving heads and lasers and bells and whistles you want - the far/back half of the dance floor shorter than anyone in the front doesn't get to enjoy it. And this is SUCH an easy experience to elevate! BUT THEY DON'T DO IT. Every other DJ does it like every other DJ. Nobody actually thinks about this. Is it going to ruin your wedding? No. But if your DJ could elevate the experience of your guests with the equipment they have at no additional cost, shouldn't they? Yes. Why wouldn't they? I don't know, but they don't.
Makes The Wedding About Them
It's not about how cool your DJ is: It's about how cool your DJ makes YOU feel. - The JMan
That's it. Only you can determine how your DJ makes you feel, but booking one that makes YOU feel cool, comfortable, confident, stress free, happy, is the one I recommend you book.
JMan DJ Philosophy: As a DJ, I don't force people to dance. Instead, I create an environment where they WANT to. I read the room. If someone is shy but secretly wants to be on the floor, I create the musical catalyst to get them there. If someone wants to sing but has stage fright, I bring the mic directly into the crowd which creates an opportunity they can't resist! You invite your guests, I bring out their best energy & amplify it!