Weddings seem to be one of the best gigs to do for true variety of music, perhaps due to the tremendous differences in ages which often attend. (1month old to 90+years)

I love to interact with the audience, as I know that the more you, the DJ put IN, the more the audience (eg: Future clients) see coming OUT of your show, and enjoy themselves....there is another line of thought about this, which says if you make a 100% fool of YOURSELF during certain songs, then no-one else minds making a 99% fool of themselves on the night...it breaks the ice...

I've built-up a big selections of hats, wigs, masks, dummy instruments, and other props to use during certain songs...how about you? Here are some of mine.


Rocking all over the World: Fake Guitar & Long rockers wig (& dance routine)
Summer Loving: : Travolta wig AND Sandy wig....(dont ask!)
Blame it on the boogie : 16 denier black stocking and Afro wig
Post office raids : See "Blame it on the boogie"
You Sexy Thing (Hot Choc): As with "Blame it on the boogie", but with "Bald head"
Everybody...Blues Bros : "the" hat, the sunglasses, clip on tie.
YMCA: : US police hat, Indian Headress, leather biker cap & tash


What about you? or do you just stand there like a club jock? with your "Please go away, Im mixing" T-shirt on (just kidding)

I'm sure Mikeee will show us his large inflatable!

I think i'm going to have to remove this emoticon LOL, spin is right, it really does look dodgy - like he's enjoying himself a little too much!.

Yes I have, but I never use it while I'm working

I like the icon, it reminds me of something I've forgotten

Well as I said previously my favourite winking one is missing!!

Oh yes I said WINKING with an I we already have the other!

Surely the emoticon is simply a DJ eating a burnt biscuit, or a bit of black pudding, or licourish, or something...

And the one is just advertising the "Tatu: All the things she said video, yes?"

Weddings are ace you can put a bit extra £ on cus it's their special day!
as Gary said there is always loads of future bookings at any disco you do, there seems to be no "what im i getting for my money in a disco" for the person booking it's just are you free on and How much. before you answer the how much say what you offer....Video wall, bubble machine, balloon modeling.....etc, this is a good one if you have PPL say "That in cludes Insurace cover upto 1.2 m".

At most due's I find nobody does any thing till after the buffet and some dutch stuff has kicked in. But I find entertaining the kids from the start works ace, I don't mean dress up as a clown but Blow loads of Modleing balloons up as they are a let the kids make ther own stuff playing cards, I use music videos on a projector to show the cheecky girls videos and all the other party dancey songs for them to copy, then use the karaoke all kids know "Hey baby ow ah" and the parents love it. By this time the buffets open and time for some background music before the 1st dance and any speach's before you blast out the party classic's (I know there cheesy but it pays the bills!)

Oh and I see a lot of DJ's that think you can walk in to a place with a bag under each arm find the nearest plug soket and switch on. It takes me an hour and half to set up and I'll never reduce the show in size only grow (but on to price me out the market) as soon as you get lazy you start to lose the bookings, if it means 2 extra runs up the stairs for thatt extra effect then its worth it to me. Even the managers and staff from the venue will come up and say "wow this looks great, our regular dj uses 1 traffic light and a twisty thing then sticks a compalation on while playing on the fruity, HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE....." see it works


I like my job I'm on my 8th year


It take time

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Weddings are ace you can put a bit extra £ on cus it's their special day!

Not entirely fair in my opinion, unless you are offering an additional service or extra for weddings which you wouldn't usually offer at any other "gig". I tend to charge the same for any function on the same timescale whether its a Wedding or a Retirement.

But just my opinion and everybody works differently

I undersatnd chris but if you get a 18th or 30th party they proberly don't want to pay £200 out so I discount them to £160 to take the booking but if its a wedding they will expect to pay this and want all the qualities, reliablity and performance. Its like a bonus to have a wedding and by the way a wedding includes video caputre of the dance floor and guest's on dvd afterwards!

You sound like you put a lot of effort into your nights Dannyk and Im sure its appreciated but I have to agree with Chris I would charge the same for all bookings.I only charge more for long travelling or extra inconvenieces.

How much to charge for any service can be difficult to calculate. Charge too little & you get plenty of work & little profit, too much & you don't get the work or the profit.

I do agree with those who have advised to charge the same regardless of the event. People do talk to each other about prices & you could end up with a situation of 'Why are you quoting me £XX for my wedding when you did my friends birthday for only £X'

Whenever I meet another DJ at some stage the subject of charging comes up. One recently told me that he charges between £30 - £50 per hour and he bases his cost on where the reception is being held (eg 5 Star Hotel £50, local hall £30)
At a recent wedding fair two other DJs told me that they charge £100 per hour.

If you want to know if your prices are too high/low then a good place to start is in your booking diary. Ignore the ones you have received thru personal recommendation but see how many of the 'cold calls' (those that have just picked you from the directory) end up as 'Hot bookings'. All of them? maybe your prices are too low (or you have an exceptional gift of persuasion). None of them? maybe your prices are too high for your area.

I'm sure this is a subject that will run for some time yet & look forward to reading other DJs thoughts on the matter.

Paul S

Maybe it was the Bank Holiday traffic, but this thread went around a big diversion there.

Errmm? So, err Props then... anybody?

I used to DJ in a fun pub in Spain. I used a variety of props while there like:

I used to have a motorcycle helmet which I popped on for Leader Of The Pack, then ran round and "crashed" when the song did.

I also during Surfin USA get someone to stand on my back surfin and then I'd swap over when they fell off... People used to really find it funny but it didnt half do my back in!!! So no longer do these ones over here.

Inflatable Guitar and Goggle Glasses for That'll Be The Day
Cork strewn hat, big glasses and beer mat (to use like a wobble board) for Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport (after getting the crowd to promise to sing!)
Inflatable Saxaphone for the Sax solo's in - Under The Moon Of Love & Simply The Best...
Chest Wig and Medallion for any Tom Jones Song.....

People used to find it amusing.. I havent used em recently but am tempted to dust them off!!


Tony
Of the VERY SaD DiSCo CoMpAny

Which reminds me of a very strange wedding reception I did a couple of years ago (thanks Tone for reminding me)

This couple very posh had on their list please play plenty of beach boys......... so me being obliging................ well anyway taking me completely by suprise (and all the guests) The groom and all his mates dive onto the dance floor and all the girls leap onto their backs and use them as surfboards!!! BUT did'nt even bother to take their shoes off............ and being a right swanky do most of them in 6" plus high heels !!!!! This went on and on every BB record all evening! OUCH!

I think we've just worked out why flat, platform heels came out in the 70's then...it was to stop perforated lungs on human surf boards.

A recent prop that I've introduced at weddings resolves the problem of every DJ's dilema "Should I or shouldnt I?", you know....when the buffet is on, but no sweet little brides mum has tottered up to you and said "Help yourself too deary".

You'll need:

1 x copy of James Bond theme music
1 x copy of Theme tune to the "Milk Tray Advert" (all because the lady loves...)
1 x Dinner suit/Bow tie
1 x Balaclava(sp?) helmet
1 x All your red lights flashing on and off
1 x Pyrotechnic Theatrical flash for good measure....(optional - check with venue first!)

Slap on the music, slap on the balaclava helmet and make your way to the buffet table utilising(weaving around) ALL NATURAL/PROVIDED COVER, including guests...quickly grab a plate and assorted goodies...and crouch/dash back to the safety of your DB7 (or should that be 7db?) Disco set up, and cue the "Milk Tray" music (just the trumpet bit)..."...and all because the DJ loves...prawn vol-au-vents, egg sandwichs, chicken drumsticks, peanuts, cheese and pinapple on sticks...(FADE)....

If you can make the above/final announcement without sounding out of breath, you're not utilising the natural cover enough!

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slap on the balaclava helmet and make your way to the buffet table

Nice idea but not in this part of the country - unless you want an early finish!

Paul S

Which brings up another good topic, do you eat/ drink without being invited or do you sit looking pathetically hungry til asked?

Any other ways to get drinks from the bar or food from the buffet without appearing to be an alki or a third world deserving case??

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Any other ways to get drinks from the bar or food from the buffet without appearing to be an alki or a third world deserving case??

I often get friendly with the banqueting manager/head waiter etc whenever the opportunity arises at the start of the night/day, and then when they've finished serving the starters I'll say to him/her something along the lines of; "in order to cut down on the amount of waste being thrown away, I'm quite willing to empty any plates you wanna throw my way " if it's said with a cheeky smile it nearly always works for me.
But usually if a client has booked me to play background music during dinner then I'll negotiate a meal to be included.

A good prop is a rubber chicken and gaffa tape.

Ooooooh gaffa tape!!!!............. (ooer Chris is gonna be after me again)

I've just been working local (very unusual for me) and again, the 'ble e e ding' height of rudeness is not to get offer a sausage!!!!

No, wait a minute...I was asked after I had finished packing away the gear.
I won't help myself or invite myself to food as that too is rude, and I feel that food is for the guests.
But it's nice when asked!
In all honesty, some, not all Istress, are either thick, rude, ignorant or a combination of all three - but always right on the night of course!
I mean who wants to risk food poisoning eating food that has been on display for hours and hours?
I need to live!

When I work, I do not expect to be fed or watered, OK it's nice if it happens. I do, at the end of the night have a little dig around the buffet, on the principle that all the guests have eaten and whats left is going to end up in the bin.

They say that funny virus going around started after a buffet....I think it was in the peanuts.......

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I do, at the end of the night have a little dig around the buffet

You'll always find me around the Buffet at parties!

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You'll always find me around the buffets at parties

Wasn't that Jona Lewi's OTHER song?

I don't have any buffet food any more - even when told to help my self, I just feel weird and out of place eating while working and somebody will always come up to ask for a song just as you've bitten in to an egg sandwich. Also at most due's the whole family has chipped in the night before making the sarnie’s, it's a real bad recipe for food poisoning. I stick to the mrs making me dinner before work and 1 packet of salted and dry roasted peanuts with a pint of redbull and lemonaid mixed (and yes no alchol whilst djing).

Oh, you should always be prepared....

For Leftovers.... take tupperware....

...totally agree with "entertaining" the kids at the beginning of weddings.... I use this ploy all the time and once the kids are up S-clubbing or cheeking girling then the adults just cant wait to follow suit! It always gets the gig off to a good start - I also find that once you have done the kids bit, go straight for the duffers... they are the ones who dont need ten pints before setting foot on the dance floor and believe me, the psycology works and you will have a packed dance floor all night...... we dont want to get them in the last two hours after all, we want them there having fun all night!!

WE find at weddings you need to be proffesional, I cant say that inflatable props would go down well at our gigs, we feel that the DJ should be heard and not seen, works well for us, I have been to loads of weddings as a gust and never yet seen a dj that gets involved with the guests!

On the food issue, we never eat unless invited to do so and then after the geusts always!

Best to be prepared though, as on occaision we have missed out when we havent been invited, its a pain if you didnt have time to eat before hand or its a long event.

A good tip.....if you get to to talk to the event manager or party organiser ask if they want you to announce when the buffet is served, this usually prompts them to tell you to help yourself....

hhhmmm... heard and not seen? I act totally professionally (I have to this is my only source of income) but I am heard and seen - I believe as a DJ you are also an entertainer.. If I am dancing away behind my decks then it really does encourage guests to do the same... they always are waiting for someone to start off the dancing. I am very much part of the party - whether I am working at Canizaris House in Wimbledon, Chelsea Harbour hotel - or any top venue - my style is the same. I am told that I am the only dj to ever have got the penguined suited-up bar staff at a v.plush venue dancing in sequence with me AND the guests. The duty manager LOVED it, the clients LOVED it (mostly saying how great it was to have such a fun DJ)...... and I LOVED the tip at the end of it!!! - BE SEEN, BE HEARD!!!

Must admit, I used Karen's idea about entertaining the Kids whilst the Adults arrive and chat at the bar to great success . Or rather my Roadie did - I did wonder why I returned to find the Cheeky Girls playing at 8pm - that was when I realised that Richard also reads this forum and had been taking notes . Come Rick - sign up and join in!!.

I had my doubts about how it would be received, but the parents were over the moon, and we will be doing it again. Most adults are not interested in the Disco, until after the buffett in any case, so it least it fills your dancefloor early .

I agree with CK Though, I would never use inflatable hammers etc at weddings either, although I would still play music for the kids for the first 30 - 45 minutes even so. Don't forget, that they are part of the host/ess family too, and have been invited to the function. It also means that you won't be forced to play Steps or Sclub for them later - usually in the middle of your 60's or 70's set!.

Within reason, everybody has got good points. I agree with Karen the most as I do the type of event that you would get hung drawn and quartered, even if you mentioned it. But of the other hand, if your doing a function for eh shall we say a couple of notches below middle class, then yes I think I could have got away with inflatables.

Im glad my advice came in handy chris..... just a quick one on the use of props... of course some events they are a total "no-no", but having said that,there is a very exclusive little estate in weybridge...I am sure some of you know it (cliff lives there) where at first, I thought using inflatables (guitars, saxaphones etc) would not go down well.... however, if we dont chance things how do we know...I took a chance.... our multi-millionaire friends are human too and are equally responsive to having a bit of fun....... Brilliant feed back from these well heeled peeps and I get some really good jobs out of them.... they actually now request that I bring my "props" bag complete with wigs etc and they love it..... I have had more bottles of champers given to me by these clients than anyone else and I have a job getting my props back from them at the end of the night! Parties are supposed to be fun and I believe it doesnt matter who you are or what you got, we all still love to have FUN!!

Karen, I know the estate, i try " a bit of fun and games" at a 60's night for a greek shipping magnet, and it was not acepted, wot a sh*t night. Althought i have worked there since, i have found they want jukebox music, NO fun and games. BTW the guy lived next door to Sir cliff....

Inflatables????
Blow up dolls?