Weddings What is a Wedding Reception?

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D

djsarge

Mac Daddy DJ
Feb 5, 2008
3,686
316
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Nothern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
www.specialoccasionsdj.com
his post is prompted by a comment made by a caterer over the weekend that just kind of cheesed me off. As a Wedding DJ, I like to be as close to the floor as possible and try to explain this to my clients. When setting up last Saturday evening, under a tent, I was near the entrance along one long side but still had to shoot sound over a table to the dance floor and my sub was partially blocked by this table. I made mention of this to the caterer who said she normally puts the DJ in the corner. I took this as meaning the DJ just plays music. It's not important. If I had been in the corner that night, I would have had to shoot sound over several tables. Now granted, the table set up under the tent was not the best. The dance floor was centered with the main center tent pole right in the middle. All the tables were basically set on each side with a head table along the long side opposite the entrance.

While stewing over this a bit, I came up with my own definition of a Wedding Reception that I might be able to use to explain to a client AND other vendors why the DJ is so important to the party.

Put simply, my take is that a Wedding Reception is a celebration in honor of the B&G.

To follow, since it is a celebration (party) it is our responsibility as Wedding DJs and MCs to make sure the party happens. With or without a Wedding Coordinator (or in spite of, another story), we are responsible for making sure the flow of the event stays smooth and orderly. We need to gain the attention of the guests to focus it on any upcoming activities. In order to do this, we need access to the dance floor, not be stuck in a corner.

Even though I can't really say it to other vendors (or maybe I can), we all know that regardless of where the reception is held or how the guests are fed or even how they dress, it is up to the Wedding DJ/MC to make it fun.

What is your take on this?
 
I agree 110%!

Will the guests remember the food? Probably not.

Will the guests remember the flowers/centerpieces? Probably not.

But will they remember having a good time at the wedding and have everything flow without a hitch?
Absolutely!!!

Without us the reception would go on...but with us it'll be a great success and something for people to remember. Hence referrals to follow.
 
There is a VFW hall here in my small town that I absolutely hate playing in. When I do, I tell the couple they need to leave room be the floor for me.

The stage is in the back corner. In front of the stage is carpet for about 20 feet. Then these square pillars or poles to hole the building up.

If they would get rid of the carpet, it would not be a bid deal but if the wedding is there, I make sure I am on the floor and not on the stage. I tell them to use the stage for the gift table.
 
djsarge said:
I made mention of this to the caterer who said she normally puts the DJ in the corner. I took this as meaning the DJ just plays music.
Click to expand...

Who hired you, the caterer, venue or the Wedding Party (Bride/Groom)? Why are you fussing with a caterer who only wants their presentation to look good and don't give a rat's azz about a DJ with two boxes (Thats what most of them think). Would she have done that to a band? I keep telling you guys that you all need to make those arrangements with the Bride, not the venue or caterer.

Here is a suggestion as to what to say when discussing DJ placement.

You: Mary, so that I would be able to provide you with then best sound for the musical entertainment of you and your guests, I will need your help in securing the ideal spot for me to setup. We have to take into consideration power/AC source, the safety of all attendees, seating arrangements in close proximity to the speakers and adequate room for the gear etc.
Mary: Well I can give you the name of the person in charge who is handling this/venue manager/caterer/my parents/whatever.

When you meet with that person it is important that you tell them Mary sent you to take care of this arrangement and articulate all your concerns to pick or settle on a spot where you will set up. Get it in writing and make it an addendum to your contract.

Going this route has afforded me no problems except for one time the venue did not do as ordered but in the end they had to comply. You see lots of venues, caterers etc view DJs as a guy coming in to just play music with two speakers on poles. They think we are overpaid and in lots of cases just plain jealous/envious. You have to protect yourself so that you make yourself look and sound good. Most others don't really care and won't do it for you.

What you don't want to do and I know this is unavoidable in some cases, is wait for someone to assign you a spot! Just my two cents.
 
True, there is something to be said for wait staff or venue management busting their humps all night for $7.00 per while the DJ company has fun and rakes in more money than the staff typically earns in three weeks. :eek:

Honestly, the B&G would not book a DJ company if they didn't feel one was needed. Announcements, introductions and so forth are critical and the guests need to be able to hear this clearly. It's usually an issue with in-house catering as the house manager tends to dictate where the DJ company is to set up.

House management will listen to their client when laying out the floor. If the client wants the head table or cake on the stage, that's where it will be. If the client wants the DJ company on the stage, that's where it will be. So make sure your needs are discussed with the B&G. :)
 
trafficgoo said:
I agree 110%!

Will the guests remember the food? Probably not.

Will the guests remember the flowers/centerpieces? Probably not.

But will they remember having a good time at the wedding and have everything flow without a hitch?
Absolutely!!!

Without us the reception would go on...but with us it'll be a great success and something for people to remember. Hence referrals to follow.
Click to expand...

I beg to differ with these, if the food sucks, people will remember it. If the flowers are wilting and are ugly as sin, people will remember.

The DJ isn't the end all be all of a reception. We're part of a team of professionals whose job it is to pull together a wedding reception.

If a guest leaves talking good or bad about specific parts of a reception then we (all the vendors) as wedding professionals failed. If a guest leaves talking about the reception as a whole then we succeeded.
 
djsarge said:
To follow, since it is a celebration (party) it is our responsibility as Wedding DJs and MCs to make sure the party happens. With or without a Wedding Coordinator (or in spite of, another story), we are responsible for making sure the flow of the event stays smooth and orderly. We need to gain the attention of the guests to focus it on any upcoming activities. In order to do this, we need access to the dance floor, not be stuck in a corner.
Click to expand...

If'n I recall, you adapted some verbiage from a post of mine here that could be used in your initial consultations and planning meetings to very effectively convey this point to the clients! :sqwink:

djsarge said:
What is your take on this?
Click to expand...

You are absolutely right. How are you supposed to do introductions effectively if you can't see the door. If you are in an L-shaped room in one side of the l with the dance-floor, how are you supposed to efficiently coordinate toasts, activities, blessings, etc that occur where dinner is taking place.

Stand your ground on this one. As for other vendors, don't be afraid to remind them - if they're worth their salt, they should KNOW better, but Houston and Fred are right - All YOU have to do is convince the couple/clients that your reasoning is sound and educate them as to why it DOES matter and you will have won your battle before one even starts. They will then work with the venue and tell them where they would like to see the dj area layed out.

If its a venue that is just stuck in their ways and is more concerned about the convenience for them and their wait/serving staff than they are about the success of the client's event, I would seriously be reconsidering if I want to do events there in the future until they change their tune.:sqcool:
 
Fred Wright said:
True, there is something to be said for wait staff or venue management busting their humps all night for $7.00 per while the DJ company has fun and rakes in more money than the staff typically earns in three weeks. :eek:

Honestly, the B&G would not book a DJ company if they didn't feel one was needed. Announcements, introductions and so forth are critical and the guests need to be able to hear this clearly. It's usually an issue with in-house catering as the house manager tends to dictate where the DJ company is to set up.

House management will listen to their client when laying out the floor. If the client wants the head table or cake on the stage, that's where it will be. If the client wants the DJ company on the stage, that's where it will be. So make sure your needs are discussed with the B&G. :)
Click to expand...

Exactly! Thats what I am talking about! If the Wedding Party are feeding you and your staff you can even get a reserved spot(s) at a table close to your setup! Again don't depend on the waitstaff to serve you. You would be surprised that they may want to bring your food to you on a paper plate with disposable fork.

Please bear in mind that it is imperative you get a good review even from the Caterers, venue waitstaff etc. So don't bully them either. Compliment them and help out as needed.

Politeness works both ways!
 
heck
we've ALL played in room setups that SUCK!
sometimes the hall is "L" shaped and half the guests cant see you
sometimes there are tables between you and the floor
sometimes they have a beautiful stage
(that is 10-feet high and NOT accessible to ANY of the guests)

I have not had a real problem with anyone DEMANDING to pick my spot
the problem (for me) is usually that the room does not allow it to happen any other way!
 
DJ J Mac said:
I beg to differ with these, if the food sucks, people will remember it. If the flowers are wilting and are ugly as sin, people will remember.
The DJ isn't the end all be all of a reception. We're part of a team of professionals whose job it is to pull together a wedding reception.

If a guest leaves talking good or bad about specific parts of a reception then we (all the vendors) as wedding professionals failed. If a guest leaves talking about the reception as a whole then we succeeded.
Click to expand...

I have to disagree with the bolded above...

If the food sucks..there's a fast food drive thru down the road.

If the flowers are wilting...some women will notice...the guys most likely won't.

If guests don't like parts of the reception...we ALL don't fail. Believe me...we've saved some receptions because of the incompetence of other vendors. It happens...it's how you turn things around and save the day. At the end...it's the memory of the celebration and the party that you coordinate.
How do I know this...the DJ that did my wedding...not good at all...what do people remember to this day...our DJ...not the food or the flowers.
 
Put simply, my take is that a Wedding Reception is a celebration in honor of the B&G.
Click to expand...

You're take is wrong.

It is given to honor the support and friendship of the guests who have come to pledge their support for this couple and their union at their wedding ceremony.

The reception is a reciprocity - a welcome and a thank you where the guests are "received."

Of course, all this has absolutely nothing to do with your DJ & sound issues. Tents are difficult because the issue of primary importance here is to keep people out of the sun and under the tent. The corners and edges are not the prime places to seat people. Hence, that is where the bars and DJs often end up.

I approach these situations by realizing that waht need to be on the dance floor is the SOUND - not necessarily the DJ. I typically take care to make sure I have more than enough cable and/or rigging to get the speakers where they need to be without intruding on the dining space or creating a hazard.

Monitor wedges (15" 2-way) are a great way to deal with situations like this. You can palce them at the steeper angle and tuck them at the ends of the head table right on the edge of the dance floor while your DJ booth can be anywhere else in the tent.

This keesp the out of the line of sight, out of the photographs, but right on the dance floor where they can do the most good.
 
Proformance said:
You're take is wrong.
It is given to honor the support and friendship of the guests who have come to pledge their support for this couple and their union at their wedding ceremony.
Click to expand...

gotta agree with that!

I approach these situations by realizing that waht need to be on the dance floor is the SOUND - not necessarily the DJ. [/QUOTE]

but ya gotta admit, it's a alot tougher to motivate a crowd that cannot see you!
 
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