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I also have the discussion with clients. I talk about the flow of the evening and how, along with their requests, I'll play songs my experience will show that they will flow and mix well with what's going on.

When people are filling a list, they never consider how these songs are all going to flow together, and they shouldn't. That's my job.
However, If my hands are tied to only playing songs from a list that never considered this, as the night goes on, the struggle gets tougher and tougher to mix and flow songs together. The end of the reception, which most people will remember, can end up being a jumbled mess of the least desirable dance songs because I was instructed to only play songs from this list. You don't want that and I don't want that either.

This is why I limit the "must play list", But feel free to put as many on the "play if possible" list.

Once I started discussing this.I rarely if ever have this issue any more
 
I just thought of this. What if it snows? What if it's a blizzard? How will you get there to do the wedding. Around here we've had some bad winter blizzards that it's not safe to drive in. You don't want to get stuck. Once in 84 we got 18" of snow. I can't forget that because I had to come to work to remove the snow around the building. Luckily I live only 4 blocks away, I walked to work. There was nothing moving for about a week. No cars, trucks, buses, planes or even trains. We normally were given 4 hours for snow removal. We had as much time as we needed to remove the snow. There was so much snow we didn't know where to remove it to.
 
I also have the discussion with clients. I talk about the flow of the evening and how, along with their requests, I'll play songs my experience will show that they will flow and mix well with what's going on.

When people are filling a list, they never consider how these songs are all going to flow together, and they shouldn't. That's my job.
However, If my hands are tied to only playing songs from a list that never considered this, as the night goes on, the struggle gets tougher and tougher to mix and flow songs together. The end of the reception, which most people will remember, can end up being a jumbled mess of the least desirable dance songs because I was instructed to only play songs from this list. You don't want that and I don't want that either.

This is why I limit the "must play list", But feel free to put as many on the "play if possible" list.

Once I started discussing this.I rarely if ever have this issue any more

In this case, I was the sub-contractor to my friend (venue owner) and didn't have the typical meeting prior to booking. I do have that discussion with my own clients and let them know clearly that while it is their option to micro-manage the list that it usually doesn't work out well. Out of hundreds of gigs, it's a very rare situation to be in. 99% trust me to be the pro but it's that 1%, and they usually don't show that side until they hand you the too long list.
 
But was the client happy with the results?

Seemed to be but, to be honest, by the end of the night I was so agitated that I just wanted to get away as soon as possible. This was definitely one of those "cash the check and forget it" gigs.
 
Why were you so agitated?

Ex-wife giving me grief, 4 hours sitting outside in the cold (physically miserable), bride who's a micro-manager, and I just started a diet program last week and the pills can make you quite agitated. FWIW, I do have a Little Buddy propane heater but when it gets below 45 even that is not enough to stay warm.
 
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Seemed to be but, to be honest, by the end of the night I was so agitated that I just wanted to get away as soon as possible. This was definitely one of those "cash the check and forget it" gigs.

Thankfully, I can only remember 2 of those type of events. Sorry you went (got) through that...especially under multiple added stress factors.
 
I just thought of this. What if it snows? What if it's a blizzard? How will you get there to do the wedding. Around here we've had some bad winter blizzards that it's not safe to drive in. You don't want to get stuck. Once in 84 we got 18" of snow. I can't forget that because I had to come to work to remove the snow around the building. Luckily I live only 4 blocks away, I walked to work. There was nothing moving for about a week. No cars, trucks, buses, planes or even trains. We normally were given 4 hours for snow removal. We had as much time as we needed to remove the snow. There was so much snow we didn't know where to remove it to.
More than a dozen times in my career here in Wisconsin I have done events were travel to the gig was in heavy snow conditions, just leave early and drive careful guest count was down a little but not as much as you would think
 
More than a dozen times in my career here in Wisconsin I have done events were travel to the gig was in heavy snow conditions, just leave early and drive careful guest count was down a little but not as much as you would think

Same here in Nova Scotia it's just part of the job if you take winter gigs. One night I slept in my car on the side of the road there was about 2 inches of ice and police weren't letting anyone through. Basic rule of thumb here always have a full tank and some food an water for those type of gigs just in case
 
Must not have been that obvious ??:laugh:
I saw that his friend that owned this venue got him to do the wedding and he didn't get to talk to the bride very much. I see that would make doing this wedding difficult. I would want a clients input because it's their event. Give me some kind of an idea what you're looking for and what you expect me to do,
 
last saturday I had a list the groom had been working on for 2 years - 7 hours of music (i put it in a folder).

I didn't play it all, and with zero cell service I couldn't fetch their requests on the fly (never heard of most of them anyway).
Bieber Stay I didn't have. Oh well.

I DID get half a dozen plus comments about how great i was, the music selections (yes i had a list, more eclectic than my normal selections - 3 polkas, gretchen wilson, shania twain, B52s, less motown, less hip hop), The venue manager even commented on how good things sounded (a VERY hard surface barn - concreted floor, tin ceiling, wood walls, glass end wall...no curtains or anything soft).

This was the third wedding this year of 'the group' (aka bridal party) - best man was married earlier as was one of the brides maids - and they said I beat those DJs in fun/music, etc.

Was some of that because I took 'their' request list and played what I thought was 'good'? Yep, I think so.

BM wanted 'macho man' in the worst way...it was a big hit.
I played 2 queen songs - I never play queen at weddings...they were the 'faves' of the 4 ring bearers...who 'sang' them on the floor with the groom and parents. Quite cute actually to see 4 years olds singing We Will Rock You.
 
Tough.
If the wedding is 'on' well, you'll be there. Or liable for breech of contract.

2 weeks ago I did a 930 am ceremony in a park, it was 27F.

This coming weekend i'm putting posi traction rear end in my van so I can deliver my product in the snowy weather here.

I have 2 december weddings, and working on some jan/feb dances.

I just thought of this. What if it snows? What if it's a blizzard? How will you get there to do the wedding. Around here we've had some bad winter blizzards that it's not safe to drive in. You don't want to get stuck. Once in 84 we got 18" of snow. I can't forget that because I had to come to work to remove the snow around the building. Luckily I live only 4 blocks away, I walked to work. There was nothing moving for about a week. No cars, trucks, buses, planes or even trains. We normally were given 4 hours for snow removal. We had as much time as we needed to remove the snow. There was so much snow we didn't know where to remove it to.
 
Tough.
If the wedding is 'on' well, you'll be there. Or liable for breech of contract.

2 weeks ago I did a 930 am ceremony in a park, it was 27F.

This coming weekend i'm putting posi traction rear end in my van so I can deliver my product in the snowy weather here.

I have 2 december weddings, and working on some jan/feb dances.
I understand one part but I don't understand having an event outdoors in 27F weather. I've known situations where the client cancelled the event. Just thinking of being safe then sorry.
 
I understand one part but I don't understand having an event outdoors in 27F weather. I've known situations where the client cancelled the event. Just thinking of being safe then sorry.

Unless they are laying on the ground not moving and scantly clad there really isn't much of a safety issue at 27F
 
I was talking about me. I wouldn't want to get sick and besides I hate cold weather!

Well you actually don't get sick from being cold that's an old wives tale but I get where you're coming from
 
Tough.
If the wedding is 'on' well, you'll be there. Or liable for breech of contract.

2 weeks ago I did a 930 am ceremony in a park, it was 27F.

This coming weekend i'm putting posi traction rear end in my van so I can deliver my product in the snowy weather here.

I have 2 december weddings, and working on some jan/feb dances.

I don't mind a ceremony out in the cold. You're typically only talking about sitting out in the cold for a half hour. Much different than spending 4-5 hours out in the cold.