DIY DJ?

Is there anything you can cut costs on (NOT food/alcohol) that can go towards the DJ? It's really not possible to DJ your own event.

I would be worried about something going wrong or someone not being able to truly enjoy your wedding due to being consumed in attending to the music.

I wouldn't do it. They do more than just play music. Who will introduce you as husband and wife? There's a reason that they're paid professionals. They know when to start the music, when to stop it, what to play to get people onto the dance floor, etc...

I am a huge advocate for DJ's. I just don't see how a wedding can work without one. UNLESS you want a more laid back mingling feel instead of a party atmosphere. Otherwise DIY DJ's just don't work in my opinion. You need to find someone to navigate the songs first off. DJ's transition into music nicely where an ipod wouldn't. You could make a playlist that would do that for you but it takes a lot of work. Then there is the announcements - again you would need to find someone who would do that for you and more than likely it would have to be someone you would invite to the wedding in which case they would no longer be a guest. I highly suggest cutting your budget where you can and getting a DJ if you want any sort of party atmosphere for the reception.

DJ wedding app... it's great if you just want some background music playing. At the end of the day, there is someone who still has to be in Charge and responsible for it.

The app gives you categories of weddings like first dance, couple dances, cake music, and etc. Then the user loads in song to each category. When you are ready for your first dance, someone slides the button and it plays. Then if you want to cut the cake, then someone slides that menu bar and it will play all the songs loaded in to that section.

A pro DJ will cue it up correctly and time music as needed. He can fade out and in when needed unlike the app. I mean you can wait for it all to play or turn off mid song.

It takes someone to be in charge of this feature. I would consider hiring someone over using the app.

IMO it depends on what kind of wedding you're envisioning. If you're having a big wedding, looking for a party atmosphere, a professional DJ would be best.

If you're having a tiny, laid back wedding with family and close friends, go ahead and DIY DJ. My brother had an awesome, back yard wedding with big speakers that they rented and a huge playlist downloaded on someone's phone. For the kind of wedding they had, it worked perfectly.

I would be nervous to diy...your chord may not work, poor wifi...too many unknowns. Djs bring back ups to back ups.

I had the same problem! I had no idea that DJs could be so expensive, but we really wanted them because they coordinate everything. We decided to just find room in our budget and we asked them to be there for the main events and at the end we will just play our own music

I guess I should also note that I am not having a typical traditional wedding. My guest list is about 150 and my venue is small and intimate. I am totally fine with filling up a large play list and putting my iPod on shuffle for the reception. I am mainly concerned about the ceremony and again, would love someone to coordinate and make the announcements. Having a DJ during the reception is definitely a plus but if my budget doesn't allow it, I am fine with that. We have already looked at cutting other things from our budget but it just isn't going to happen.

150 is not small and intimate.

It is small compared to everything I have read about weddings. Everything is according to guest lists running around 300-400 people. And it is small to someone whose family takes up 100 of those people.

How are you fitting 150 into a small and intimate space?

I find that hard to believe.

Oh boy... please don't.

A good DJ is essential to a wedding. They set the tone, they keep the flow of the wedding; they don't just play a set play list. They edit songs & make everything specific to your day. I've attended weddings with horrible DJs and well it was just that.... a horrible time. 150 guests is not a small & intimate wedding. I'd highly recommend a professional DJ- an iPod is not that.

Uhhh 150 is not small and intimate. Those huge weddings are the minorities. Most of us are within the 100-200 range... A lot are even less! Small is less than 50 people.

Don't diy a DJ. This is the third thing- food/venue, photographer, DJ. Good DJs are irreplaceable.

I agree with PPs, 150 is not a small & intimate wedding at all. I would keep searching for a professional DJ that you can afford, or cut the guest list.

Be prepared to have nothing more intricate than background music. Because your friends are going to either lose interest or go in with no skill for this. The ceremony will be uncoordinated and the announcements will be amateurish.

100 people is not small, and 300-400 is not normal. And you're in prime season; no good DJ is going to sell you half a day.

I have discussed it with my venue already. They can hold up to 300 people. What I meant by small is that it's not your typical 800 guest venue. Apparently my idea of small and intimate isn't the same as yours but the size of my wedding is beside the point. I am simply pointing out that it is not a huge venue with a few hundred people and going without a professional DJ is not going to break my wedding. I have a very large family and about 100 out of 150 guests will be family.

$800 is a small amount of money to come up with. You have 5 months to figure out how.

I would recommend looking to cut your guest list before cutting your dj.