My "please don't play Barbie Girl or that T-Spoon song" bride

I've just had a follow up email from a bride who requested that I don't launch into T-Spoon or Barbie Girl to kick off the night. I of course assured her in my original reply that I'm all for not playing songs if a customer says they're not to be on the menu & she got back to me explaining why she asked.

A while ago she was at a friend's wedding & once the bride & groom were up on the floor for the first dance - rather than go straight into the first dance song the DJ said "Here's a song that means a lot to the bride & groom" and played "sex on the beach". This was not asked for, or agreed with the couple in advance of the event. According to their venue, this is what their DJ has done on more than one occasion & he's still there peddling his 'act'.

I enjoy a joke as much as anybody, but this? Shocking!

yeah they asked me to stop that after a while

Well if you market yourself as a full on cheesy and chatty DJ then not really surprised... Wouldn't be me saying or doing something so cringey as that myself.

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Originally Posted by DeckstarDeluxe

Well if you market yourself as a full on cheesy and chatty DJ then not really surprised... Wouldn't be me saying or doing something so cringey as that myself.

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Now just hold on a minute. I don't do that. The venue gave the bride to be my email address & the first thing she said in her email was 'don't be that guy' not 'don't do what you're known for doing'. It was pitched to me as if this is something that happens at a lot of weddings these days :O

I wouldn't necessarily use the word 'reverence' with regard to how I conduct myself as a wedding DJ but I'd certainly never dream of trying to make a joke out of the first dance. That stunt's somewhere up there alongside mother inlaw jokes in the best man's speech - definite no-go areas. I'm not completely straight laced & sometimes I do engage in 'banter' (e.g. being asked to play 'Gold digga' by the prom girl who just won "classmate most likely to marry into money" & gently pointing out the connection) but it's never (IMHO) inappropriate to the time or situation. Deliberately playing a track to make a 'joke' before the first dance song is just beyond the pale.

Defensive much, MOI? Heh.

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Originally Posted by juski

I'd certainly never dream of trying to make a joke out of the first dance.

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See, I've cracked a joke once or twice in the past. I once got everyone to cheer as I accidently (on purpose) invited the B&G onto the dancefloor to consummate the marriage, before following it up with "I don't mean that, do I? First dance? Yes! First dance, that's the one!"

See that'd be funny Benny, but it's not at the couple's expense. That's the big difference.

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Originally Posted by juski

See that'd be funny Benny, but it's not at the couple's expense. That's the big difference.

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Bingo.

I'd have been :Censored::Censored::Censored::Censored:ing LIVID if some clown DJ did that to me to the point I'd probably be expecting money back.

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Originally Posted by Jim - Scotland's Party DJ

Bingo.

I'd have been :Censored::Censored::Censored::Censored:ing LIVID if some clown DJ did that to me to the point I'd probably be expecting money back.

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When I first read the email I was taken aback that anybody would assume I'd do such a thing. But then it's easy to forget that DJs have a really bad rep out there. And it's their own fault.

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Originally Posted by juski

When I first read the email I was taken aback that anybody would assume I'd do such a thing. But then it's easy to forget that DJs have a really bad rep out there. And it's their own fault.

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The positive to take from that is that unless you're a complete halfwit, it's not hard to put yourself above the "competition"

Recently I've had venues and clients ask some really dumb questions about how I operate (do you have your own extension leads or will we need to get you some? being my personal favourite) but the penny dropped that there's so many useless DJs out there that the general consesnsus is you're probably a grade A bellend if you're a DJ.

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Originally Posted by Jim - Scotland's Party DJ

...you're probably a grade A bellend if you're a DJ.

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Personally, I think I'm more of a B+ player.