Wedding Ideas, Playlists, suitable tunes

[DB Entertainments]

Hi Guy's

Ive done my fair share of weddings and am confident in what I do, however I have recently been given a lot of work by the same venue and would to do something different with the music this weekend so the staff dont think I play the same stuff all the time.

IMO - what works - but I would like a fresh approach to what I play this weekend to make the staffs and my night a bit more interesting :)

Any help much appreciated

Daley :beer1:

[James]

What sort of stuff do you normally play?

[JTRS]

Whilst the venue staff may be there each week, the guests and the couple getting married are only there once, to them it doesn't matter what you play week in week out, what matters to them is that they have a good time with good music on their particular night.

If the customers are happy then surely that's the most important thing?

JTRS

[Megamix]

When I started to do the same venue I decided on theme nights - 80s, 'Summer', 50s&60s etc - but you will still get requests for stuff wildly outside of the theme - e.g. 60s night I was asked for the Boy From Nowhere by Tom Jones (1987). My mate has done Motown Night and and an Elvis Night - but wouldn't recommend the latter as he's an Elvis nut and could get away with it.

[Megamix]

edit - ahh, a Wedding would be difficult - you'd just have prepare a bit more and come up with a list to mix in with the usual suspects

[Ecstatic Events]

You can always play the same tracks in a different format (we're not talking vinyl/mp3/cd here!!)

Weddings are pretty SAMEY when it comes to playlists for me personally unfortunately there's no escaping it. Having said that, I always try and drop in a few "future hits" when playing commercial pop etc.

[DB Entertainments]

Thanks for the input so far guys....

Normally I play Mow-town as back round music for maybe as much as the first 2 hours (7pm-9pm) The buffet usually get announced at 8.30pm then the first dance at 9/9,15pm - then its disco time till 1am!

All times subject to change though - as it is a wedding lol.

I then play first dance song, then straight after it I play the extended version of 'celebration'... this version has a nice little build up to the the track and I use this opportunity to congratulate the bride and groom and introduce myself and tell them the disco has not started and im open for requests etc, If they want Karaoke I also now announce that will will be doing this later on in the night so for people to get their requests in now.....

Disco then comprises of standard feel good party tracks ( dance the night away / we dont have to take out clothes off / got my mind set on you etc etc ), then current chart and past chart tunes, then all the cheesy party tracks (Macarena / Saturday night, Oakey cokey etc etc, 5678, Cotten eye joe etc etc) then where ever the night takes us - all depending on the crowd - maybe some rock, pendulum, Drum and base remixes of chart tunes are going down a storm at the minute with ALL ages haha! Then wing di t down with some love tracks, and the final dance..... always try to get extreme wore than words in there.


Now the above format works very well for me - but it is pretty much the same Week in week out now ( im doing weddings practically every fri and sat and even Thursdays and Sundays too) but would like to know what others do so that I have some fresh ideas for my benefit and for the staff at the venue... :)

Daley x

[thex-faders]

Same with proms this week. been booked for the whole week... pretty much using the same playlist just in different order depending on what they react to better.

But playlist has been almost identical each night =]

Weddings will be different in terms of the style the bride and groom require.
Tom

[Megamix]

I can understand why a format is required and I know we all cant avoid playing some party tunes, but I think if I knew pretty much what i was going to have to play each time i would give up - however each to their own, and i guess if it ain't broke don't fix it. personally it would drive me insane(r)

[rob1963]

Whilst the venue staff may be there each week, the guests and the couple getting married are only there once

Exactly.

Why would you be concerned about what the staff think of the music you play?

They're not your client.

:confused:

[deltic]

i do a lot of weddings in the same venue,in fact i will be playing there tonight next saturday and the saturday after that,i try to keep it fresh by playing some different tunes as well as the standards.

i have a good relationship with the management and staff we always have a good giggle and a bit of banter,in fact a bit of a game we play.......i say to the staff "what's tonights tune then"? they pick a tune and i try and fit it in to the set,sometimes it's easy sometimes takes a bit of cunning but always manage to fit it in.

[DB Entertainments]

Deltic - were on the same wave length here - thanks for your input.

Rob - while the B & G are the main ones I have to keep happy - The Venue management are the ones that keep booking me - So I'd like to keep impressing....... and if i get get hints and tips of here of tried and tested methods then I will be a happy guy :)

Maybe i'l get a reply where some1 tells me what they do and what works for them x

[yourdj]

it doesn't matter what you play week in week out, what matters to them is that they have a good time with good music on their particular night.

JTRS

It took me a long time to work that out. I generally have a formula now and stick to it and it works every time. bit like a comedian or band etc.

:)

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I generally have a formula now and stick to it and it works every time. bit like a comedian or band etc.

:)

I'd say that applies to most of us. There are a few here and there that you can add in dependent on the crowd but it's weird that there are a few trusty ones that always work.

[Excalibur]

Thanks for the input so far guys....

Now the above format works very well for me - but it is pretty much the same Week in week out now ( im doing weddings practically every fri and sat and even Thursdays and Sundays too) but would like to know what others do so that I have some fresh ideas for my benefit and for the staff at the venue... :)

Daley x
Daley, I can't fault your general approach. I too am inclined to use Motown early on, as it tends to please more people than anything else. As to the rest of the night, now and again I'd consciously alter the order of certain sets of tracks I usually played, for a bit of variety.

The core music you play may often be very similar, just try to slip in a few changes where you can.


Exactly.

Why would you be concerned about what the staff think of the music you play?

They're not your client.

:confused:
You :muppet: . It's going to look really poor, if with the exception of the first dance, he plays all the same tracks in exactly the same order every week! Six weeks of that, and they'll replace him with a USB stick for week 7.

[rob1963]

It's going to look really poor, if with the exception of the first dance, he plays all the same tracks in exactly the same order every week!

Not if there's a packed dance floor! ;)

It wouldn't be exactly the same tracks in the same order anyway, as each client will presumably provide a list of requests, and no two lists will be the same.

[Excalibur]

Not if there's a packed dance floor! ;)

It wouldn't be exactly the same tracks in the same order anyway, as each client will presumably provide a list of requests, and no two lists will be the same.

They will if he puts the same tracks on. :p :D :D

[CRAZY K]

Not if there's a packed dance floor! ;)

It wouldn't be exactly the same tracks in the same order anyway, as each client will presumably provide a list of requests, and no two lists will be the same.

Yes I find all this a bit confusing:confused:

Surely you ask the client for a playlist and construct the evening around that.

Waits for the play list knockers:eek:

[Megamix]

Surely you ask the client for a playlist and construct the evening around that.

Exactly - then you can build suitable material around that, which should shape the evening - and you hopefully wont sound like every other DJ

[soundmaster mobile disco]

I always play for the people whos party it .they pay me for a service that i provide.I dont think you should change in anyway from what you know works the dancefloor,unless you are given a playlist.

[yourdj]

I'd say that applies to most of us. There are a few here and there that you can add in dependent on the crowd but it's weird that there are a few trusty ones that always work.

Having said that i had one in bartley lodge tongight and most the guests left after the first dance.
I cobbled together the most random tracks and they worked (20 or so completely different folks). Judgment is key IMO.

That new Katy Perry one is a tune!!!

[Excalibur]

Exactly - then you can build suitable material around that, which should shape the evening - and you hopefully wont sound like every other DJ
Logical. But don't forget he's trying to sound different from himself as well. :eek: :D :D


I always play for the people whos party it .they pay me for a service that i provide.I dont think you should change in anyway from what you know works the dancefloor,unless you are given a playlist.
Well no. And then again yes. While I understand what you say, even that is too much of a generalisation for me.


Having said that i had one in bartley lodge tongight and most the guests left after the first dance.
I cobbled together the most random tracks and they worked (20 or so completely different folks). Judgment is key IMO.

That new Katy Perry one is a tune!!!

Sometimes, it can be a liberating experience. The guests of honour may have left, the formalities have been conclude, and you've got free rein to play the most off the wall tracks imaginable. Often a great time is had by all, and it's nice not to play " the usual suspects ".