What FD announcement do you make?

[yourdj]

Just wondering as I have harley ever seen another first dance and I always use the same thing. Goes along the lines of:

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, Can i have your attention (pause), please be upstanding - welcome to (venue) for (bride and grooms first names) wedding. I hope you have had a wonderful day. my name is Toby and I am your DJ for the night. Are you all ready for a party? (They normally say yes!).

Well before that happens its now time for first dance (pause)

so would you please give a big round of aplause (I always have them out the room if poss) for your bride and groom. (pause)

Mr & Mrs .... (Surname).


Here is a half decent one Not quite like above as I adapt it to suit the venue and crowd.

YouTube - YOUR DJ - MOORHILL HOUSE WEDDING...

[DerekPen]

Hi,
congratulations to you for having the courage to share this with us.

Actually performance is subjective so there is no right or wrong, good or bad way of doing what we do. What we can do is take what we do and make it more effective and dynamic.

The following is all intended to be constructive and helpful.
It is offered sincerely as advice, nothing more or less.
Congratulations on striving for excellence.

The first thing i would suggest is that you are trying to do two things at once. An introduction / welcome and an entrance by a B&G for their first dance. I would separate them.

In the video you start talking while you are walking from behind your system to the focal point you have chosen to make your announcement from.

You continue to speak even though you do not have the attention you asked for. You make a side comment to the table which reflects you are in DJ mode and not in your announcers role.

"before the entertainment starts"........is the entrance & first dance not entertaining?

The staging could be so much better.
firstly there are guests blocking the entrance.
You ask for a round of applause even though the guests have already started clapping and cheering.
There is no dynamic energy, why not have some music, or a fanfare to precede the announcement and raise energy levels.
Use a background bed of music to transition the B & g from the doorway onto the dance floor.

I hope this helps

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I give everyone a 10 minute warning and say something like....

"Good evening Ladies & Gentlemen. I hope you have all had a great time today celebrating (for example) John & Jane's special day with them. Please have those cameras ready as (for example) John & Jane will shortly be doing their first dance in public as (for example) Mr & Mrs Smith".

Then when it comes to the moment I will say something like....

"Ladies & Gentlemen, we have come to that moment in the evening where it is time for (for example) the Bride & Groom to do their first dance".

I will have already sorted out with them in the pre-function meeting as to how they want to be announced...(for example - Mr & Mrs Smith, The Bride & Groom or John & Jane)...it's what they feel comfortable with.

As I start the music I will say "Congratulations to you both and all the best for the future" and then I will get the guests to give them a massive cheer.

[soundtracker]

Interesting that this thread died a death and no response was made to Derek's excellent critique!

[Daryll]

I give everyone a 10 minute warning and say something like....

"Good evening Ladies & Gentlemen. I hope you have all had a great time today celebrating (for example) John & Jane's special day with them. Please have those cameras ready as (for example) John & Jane will shortly be doing their first dance in public as (for example) Mr & Mrs Smith".

Then when it comes to the moment I will say something like....

"Ladies & Gentlemen, we have come to that moment in the evening where it is time for (for example) the Bride & Groom to do their first dance".

I will have already sorted out with them in the pre-function meeting as to how they want to be announced...(for example - Mr & Mrs Smith, The Bride & Groom or John & Jane)...it's what they feel comfortable with.

As I start the music I will say "Congratulations to you both and all the best for the future" and then I will get the guests to give them a massive cheer.

Yep , that's about the same for me as well/

Daryll

[yourdj]

Oh good. pretty much what I say too.

I usually say are you ready for a good party and they normally go yes

So i repeat it and they then get more involved and shout it.
I then say well before that happens we need to do first dance so give a big round of applause for
your bride and groom (who are normally out of view if poss). etc.

Interesting that this thread died a death and no response was made to Derek's excellent critique!

That was probably down to my rubbish title.

congratulations to you for having the courage to share this with us.


The staging could be so much better.
firstly there are guests blocking the entrance.
You ask for a round of applause even though the guests have already started clapping and cheering.
There is no dynamic energy, why not have some music, or a fanfare to precede the announcement and raise energy levels.
Use a background bed of music to transition the B & g from the doorway onto the dance floor.
s

Cheers for that. Most my venues are country hotels so its often VERY informal and relaxed.

What kind of fan fair would you suggest. something like the Rocky track .
I do not like the idea of that - sounds a bit american. The first dance is always straight after my speech.

Its not easy to make people go where you want them and especially to shut up on cue.
I know where you are coming from.

What about this one. A bit better?

YouTube - Your DJ - East Close Wedding...

[Booche]

Might have to borrow this for next year for the wedding i have booked.

Useally i introduce myself and then say "Ladies and Gentlemen can you please put your hands together and give a warm welcome to Mr & Mrs Whoever as they make there way to the floor for there/the first dance."

Then play the first dance and then again ask the to put there hands together for Mr & Mrs whoever.

[Charlie Brown]

What about this one. A bit better?

YouTube - Your DJ - East Close Wedding Disco.m4v

I like how you come out of the booth to speak to your guests.

If I had a SM58 wireless - I'd probably consider doing something similar.

You're either a really good Dj or your fortunate with your crowds. They always seem to be having a blast.

[yourdj]

I like how you come out of the booth to speak to your guests.

If I had a SM58 wireless - I'd probably consider doing something similar.

You're either a really good Dj or your fortunate with your crowds. They always seem to be having a blast.

I get very good clients. as I was saying in another post. people who have money but are down to earth and just nice people.
Their friends are normally the same too. i am pretty hard on the odd idiot and they generally do not bother me again - same with the odd venue staff.

Did you get a set of AKG's in the end. I cannot recommend them more for the cash. I must have dropped mine ten times now and it still works!
Crystal clear sound and a nice solid feel to them, which is important to me.




Come on is there anything different I can add?

The one thing I have hardly ever done is act as MC for speeches. The best man has always nicked the mike and got on with it.
I will start doing this in future as it helps introduce me early on instead of the bloke in the corner.

[DerekPen]

Cheers for that. Most my venues are country hotels so its often VERY informal and relaxed.

What kind of fan fair would you suggest. something like the Rocky track .
I do not like the idea of that - sounds a bit american. The first dance is always straight after my speech.

Its not easy to make people go where you want them and especially to shut up on cue.
I know where you are coming from.

What about this one. A bit better?

YouTube - Your DJ - East Close Wedding Disco.m4v

Toby,
I would use a traditional fanfare which is very short and loud. It will grab peoples attention and quiet them down, that's what fanfares do, and they are very British.

There is a danger in your current presentation syle that this moment, the first dance, is visually and vocally more about you than the B&G.You are inadvertantly deflecting the spotlight away from the B&G until the moment when you actually use their names. This is why I suggest that the "welcome" and the FD should be two seperate events.

You are currently using "Redundant Phrases". Less is more.
Try taking a red pen to the words that are not required. You don't need to ask for a round of applause. The audience will offer this up spontaneously if your announcement is succinct and you inject energy and excitement through your vocal inflection when making the introduction.

At our recent DJ Workshop in Newport almost all of the very experienced and talented DJs in attendance where suprised to learn that their introductions where too lengthy and lacked dynamic impact. Needless to say that they found this part of the workshop to be most rewarding.