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Thread: Wedding DJ

  1. #1
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    Wedding DJ

    I am looking at getting into DJing for weddings. What do you recommend for equipment, such as speakers, mic, etc. Right now all I have is Pioneer DDj Sb3. I also don't want to break the bank! Thanks.

  2. #2
    Moderator DJ Bobcat's Avatar
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    Wedding DJ

    Let me start by stating I don’t (normally) do weddings. I’m older than many couples’ grandfathers, and I won’t play some of the “music” they prefer.

    With that said, weddings come in different sizes, so you should consider investing in a scalable system. If you buy a couple of good 12” tops, and a couple of 15-18” subs, you’ll have what you need to do almost any wedding. If you’re going to be expected to provide music for the ceremony as well, you’ll likely need a second system for that, but subs would be unnecessary for ceremonies. As for microphones, I’ve seen it done with a few wireless lav. mics or a single microphone on a stand. Usually, you’d like to have mics that won’t be visible when photos are taken. At the reception, you could get away with a couple of hand held wireless mics. You didn’t ask about dance lights, but most couples (in my area) expect DJ’s to have them, but some couples don’t like them. I provide a basic dance light package to all my clients at no extra charge, as do almost all other DJ’s around here. Uplights are also an add-on for some DJ’s. I don’t offer them, but can sub them out if necessary.
    Last edited by DJ Bobcat; 04-01-2019 at 10:07 AM.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by doubled8206 View Post
    I am looking at getting into DJing for weddings.
    Cool. What type of DJing are you coming from? You will most likely need to expand your music library to cover just about everything, house music doesn't get much play at weddings.

    Quote Originally Posted by doubled8206 View Post
    What do you recommend for equipment, such as speakers, mic, etc. I also don't want to break the bank!
    To start out rent speakers if at all possible and spend your money on a couple good wireless mic systems(1 handheld 1 lav) and a small desktop prosound mixer, the mic input on your DJ console is practically useless for this type stuff. Mic systems like the Shure BLX will do the trick, Sennheiser, AudioTechnica, AKG, and others all have good products in the $300-500/unit range to so have a look around. The ultimate in mic mixers now are digital, devices like the QSC Touchmix have all the tools necessary to delivery top of the line results but of course they're not cheap, you can still do a good job with a compact analog desk like the Mackie ProFX line, Yamaha MG, Soundcraft signature series and a few others. When you do get around to buying speakers you should be spending around $1k per box, this will give you components that can be scaled from nil to 250ppl by adding pieces.
    When it comes to wedding lighting often less is more, I don't see too many events where they go over the top with full on club lighting... usually it's very reserved sometimes there is no dancefloor lighting at all... but this is all region and market specific. The immigrant market in my area go over the top with sound and lighting at weddings, I did one before christmas with a 6000w FOH PA system plus delay speakers, 8 moving heads, 20 uplights, hazers that ran all night and cold spark machines. But many other weddings have some uplights on a static color and that is it. Don't worry about that yet, get yourself the basics and go from there as the need arrises. If you haven't figured it out yet this venture can cost a lot of money but you stand to make a lot of money so it can pay off.
    Paul O'Brien
    Old Tech Guy
    www.Techott.com

  4. #4
    Truck Driver Dix's Avatar
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    I agree with both posts above. As for speakers, I primarily use a pair of Yamaha DBR12s. You can start with anything in that range & go up. Personally, I dont use subs but, most DJs highly suggest subs.

    As noted above, playing weddings does get pricey. So, as you plan to invest, you need to plan to make a profit. To do so, will require knowing what weddings are going for in your area.

    Music was noted in a post above. For weddings, you can expect everything from 1959's Elvis Presley, Righteous Brothers to The Stones & CCR in the 60's, to Current Pop, Hip Hop & Rap, as well as 50's Patsy Cline to current Country like Jason Aldean, Jake Owen etc. When I go to a wedding, I load a little over 20,000 songs. Not all of my music cost me $1 per song because some were as albums, various artists, garage sale CDs, Ebay etc. But, for the past 3 or 4 years, a single now costs about $1.30 on Amazon. So, figuring at .50 cents per song, that's $10,000 just in my wedding music.
    You're also going to need instrumentals, Jazz & things like The Piano guys & Nat King Cole for dinner & your typical bridal marches & other special music the bride needs for the ceremony.
    Unlike a club where everyone goes to that club for "that" genre of music, its not the case with a wedding. Everything from 5 year olds to great grandparents will be expecting "their" genre to be played. Most younger people think they are going to a wedding to hear their favorite current, top 40 dance tunes & nothing wrong with that, but they forget about the party songs that always work like Footloose out of the 70's. Then there are the line dances....... Wobble, Cupid Shuffle & Aretha Franklin's Pink Cadillac still fills the dance floor. So, don't attempt to go play a wedding with a multi-generational/lifestyle audience & try to play one genre or just one specific decade of music.
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