dj required?

It is your day and if someone wants a DJ they can hire one. Just have a good spotify playlist and some speakers. Just be sure no commercials.

I think this depends a lot on the atmosphere you're looking for. A good DJ can have a huge impact on the vibe of a reception: they read the crowd and select and transition music to get and keep guests engaged. They act as an MC and have a lot to do with managing the timeline. Is it required to have DJ? Not at all, but the reception will likely have a much different vibe. I've been to one wedding with a play list.... The spot light dances were downright painful to watch because the bride didn't realize she should use shortened versions of songs, and there were four dances in a row (B&G, B&FOB, G&MOG, B&MOB), so we guests stood around very awkwardly for a good 15 minutes watching dances that seemed like they'd never end. (Also, the family member running the playlist got the songs mixed up, so there was a super awkward, "now the G&MOG dance!" "Oooops! Wait! That's the B&FOB song....") The bride was insistent it was going to be a "rocking dance party!", unfortunately, it was not. Guests mostly sat at their tables and talked. That's not a bad thing, but it wasn't at all what the bride wanted to happen. Contrast that with daughter's wedding where the AWESOME DJ kept the dance floor packed all night with guests ranging from 20-late 60's. He did a wonderful job of reading the crowd and changed things up and/or moved them along to match the energy in the room. We were exactly on the planned timeline through the end of the night. When he played the "last song" it turned into three lasts songs, because it was clear no one wanted the night and dancing to end. I definitely understand a tight budget, but if possible, be sure the cuts you make are consistent with your vision. Like a pp said, if you just want background music, a playlist can be fine. Good luck!

We didn't have a DJ (we used a spotify playlist) and it went over really well! A few things though... make sure you have someone responsible for MCing (like, making announcements, encouraging people to get up and dance, etc) and to manage the playlist. It really isn't enough to just press "play" and let the playlist go... you need to change songs if people aren't responding, adjust the volume, etc.

Another thing is don't be afraid to go off-playlist! We used our playlist for about 30 mins and then my husband's best man (who we had put in charge of manning the playlist) and I ended up just picking some off-playlist songs because we felt like they would fit the mood really well, and THAT was when people actually started getting up and dancing.

A DJ definitely does WAY more than just pressing play on songs. I cannot emphasize how important it is to read the room in order to choose what song (or what type of song) to play next. That being said, I still don't think hiring an actual DJ is "necessary" if you have a friend or relative who would enjoy taking on this responsibility (and who you trust to do so!)

It depends on your crowd. I know my audience so I need one!

Everyone always told me not to cut back on the dj since they act like an MC and can make or break your wedding

We're not using a DJ because my friend will be singing and playing guitar throughout the reception. We have carefully chosen playlists to use when the band isn't playing and our friend will be acting as MC for the night. A DJ isn't a requirement for a great wedding. I've been to several weddings with DJs that weren't that great and several weddings with playlists that were fantastic!