dj or no Dj?

Have you checked out reviews for DJs in your area? People are more inclined to share negative experiences with their friends than to go brag to them about how great their DJ was. I also think that the $1500 you're estimating is super high. We're paying $950 for our DJ for ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. We're even having a 5 hour reception opposed to the typical 4 hours.

Daughter's DJ had a HUGE positive impact on her wedding, cocktail hour, and reception -- he provided the music/sound for all three. He kept people engaged, focused, and played a big role in moving the timeline along -- especially as far as the guests were concerned. He actively sought daughter & SIL's input on music, then followed their suggestions and kept the dance floor packed all night with wedding guests that ranged from 8-70+ years old. I've been to a wedding with a play list and NONE of that happened; it was kind of a mess -- people sat around and then left fairly early, because there was no clear focus/plan for the reception. I'm sorry you've been to events with bad DJ's; I think that just means you should do research to make sure you hire a great one. We're in a high cost of living area, and daughter's DJ was $1300 for 7 hours, not including his set-up and take-down time. Money very well spent to make sure it was the awesome party they wanted.

We were pretty set on not having a DJ because our venue has a sound system and we planned on just making playlists like you mentioned. We were even going to rent speakers for the outdoor ceremony and be done with it. We haven't even had our wedding yet, but I'm SO glad we decided to book a DJ. I was able to find one that was so much more affordable than the "big companies" in our area (half the cost!). We had a meeting with him and he has such a great personality. I told him how we considered not having a DJ at all and he said "I may be biased, but I think not having a DJ is one of the biggest mistakes a couple can make in planning a wedding". Without the DJ, there's no flow at the event. They make sure there's no awkward gaps between songs, no one has to stay on top of a playlist (you and FH definitely won't want to do that), and there's someone to make all announcements and keep the party going!

The quotes we got for most DJs in our area was $1200-$1400 so I don't think you're being unrealistic in the amount you've estimated depending on where you live, but I'm sure you could find a more affordable DJ than the most popular ones on WeddingWire. I would definitely consider it a necessary expense, we're so glad we changed our minds.

Our DJ was amazing and I was so happy we picked him. Our venue provided a list of recommended DJs and I researched some other ones as well. We went with one the venue recommended because he had amazing reviews and I just got along really well with him. My recommendation is to read revieww on here and The Knot for the DJs in your area. Having a DJ was never a question for us though. Our DJ made sure the day ran smoothly. He provided the ceremony and cocktail hour music as well. He announced the introductions, first dance, parent dances, cake cutting, etc. I will say he didn't play all of the songs our guests requested prior to the wedding, but we told him he it was up to him if he played them since we trusted him to know how to work the room. I had people tell us how much fun our wedding was and that they loved our DJ. He also provided smoke that looked like dancing on clouds and uplighting. He surprised us by providing a bubble machine that blew bubbles during our recessional. If you want any type of introductions or other announcements I highly recommend hiring a DJ/MC.

We decided to splurge on a DJ. my FH's sister did not do so for her wedding. My FH and the groom had to do a lot of work with setting up a laptop and sound system and when the mood changed, there was no good way to change the music with it.

I went with the cheapest DJ that i could find that came with decent recommendations ($595 & 100/extra hour). I'd highly recommend searching the wedding wire recommendations for DJs in your area and looking at the reviews. I messaged 5. 3 got back to me and the one I chose upgraded me to an experienced professional dj (I selected amateur as it was cheaper) for being off season and gave a discount due to using WeddingWire. They've been super accommodating and responsive.

It will be so much easier to put that entire aspect of the wedding into someone else's hands and it gives you someone to announce your entrance and keep the flow of the evening going.

A DJ that charges $1500 is giving you the WORKS. Ours is $1100 and it is the highest rated DJ in the area, and he is doing uplighting and cocktail hour and 5 hours of reception music. There are packages with our company from $700 and I definitely think that the DJ can make or break your event compared to a spotify playlist or an amateur. They are 100% worth it especially as your MC (even more so if you aren't having a DOC).

Thank you so much to all of you who have taken the time to reply and help me out. It’s definitely making me rethink about not having a DJ, and it would probably be a good investment to have one. I definitely don’t want awkward pauses or to stress about having to change songs, and anything else than can come with having only a playlist. I’ll have to do further research to find the best one at a cheaper rate. Weddings are pretty expensive around me us. Thank you again!!

I definitely think you should look into a DJ! They really do change the atmosphere for receptions. Like PPs have said, you can find DJs for less expensive than $1,500. I did a ton of research on DJs because I wanted DJ services, dance floor lighting, and a custom monogram. Most of the quotes I got for these services were around $1,600. I finally found someone who would do this package for only $550. He's in a very small town outside of the metro area so that's why he's a lot less expensive (but still great!). Just do your research!

I would recommend a DJ as well. It shouldn't cost $1500. As your other vendors if they have any one they recommend. This is often a great way to find newer (but still great) vendors that don't have the same amount of reviews as the more established (pricey) ones on wedding websites.

If you don't have a DJ, you will need to coordinate lighting and sound system yourself. You will also need to figure out someone to coordinate the flow of the night (getting people to sit down for dinner, first dance announcements, introductions, etc.)

It depends on your wedding. I am having a small destination wedding in Puerto Rico at a villa. Since my wedding is only 25 guest I didn’t want to spend money on a dj and just created playlist. But I would say if your having a large wedding it would be best to have a dj

I think a DJ is a must at a wedding. If you make your own playlist, you will likely have a lot of people that remain seated throughout the evening. DJ's keep the crowd engaged. $1500 is also a very high estimate. As others have said, I would read reviews of DJ's around your area and DJ's that are willing to travel to where your wedding is. You might be surprised. We had our DJ for 5 hours and he only charged $700. They did an amazing job! They had us fill out a packet before hand about what type of music we like, what types of music we wanted played, and what specific song requests we had!

My FH and I were also on the fence about having a DJ. Literally also considered just making a playlist to give a DJ so we know we’ll get what we want.
Our friends who just got married in Philly said they couldn’t find someone for less thank $1000. We found someone for $700 and he seems to be exactly what we’re looking for. We’re not into all the gimmicks but just want the night to run smoothly. I think we’re going to go for it and hire the DJ.

If you can afford it I would go for the DJ for sure. They keep the evening moving along better than just someone playing a playlist. It was the best expense we went for other than food