Ipod instead of a dj

@Greyash I made backups of my playlists for mine just in case. ;-)



We rented equipment for our ceremony too and the sound was really good and the mic was very small and not noticeable! It was from the same company as the DIY DJ equipment and the guy stayed and manned it and I gave him the CDs for the ceremony music. Of course there was some miscommunication between him and the coordinator because my girls started walking with no music and then he just started their song when the last girl was half way down the aisle then skipped to my song since I was already coming out. :-p At least he got my song and our exit song! He stayed and showed BIL the DIY DJ equipment up through the first dance then left and came back when the wedding ended to break it down.

Ah, it seems easier to find a reasonably priced DJ with a good reputation. On the other hand, depending on the type and style of the wedding and your budget AND talented, generous, hardworking, available, and willing friend(s) and family's help, it could work out. A lot of times, the people around you care and want to help and they are just waiting for you to ask! That approach saved me a lot of money on a bunch things.

@JJ That is true. I spent HOURS upon HOURS perfecting my playlists and worried what everyone would think about the music. I actually got quite a few compliments on the music though. :-) And I am glad that I had complete control over the music too.

We were originally going to go Ipod, but because we have live music for the ceremony and readings, etc., we needed a professional with equipment. Fortunately, we have a friend who is a DJ and who gifted us his skills as a wedding gift. We are also having another dear friend be the Master of Ceremonies. The MC will do the usual MC duties of introductions, etc., and our DJ will be the "life of the party" so to speak. However, our DJ will ctually make a playlist of our songs(Yes, we picked out every song we wanted.), so he can have a good time in between doing his DJ duties.

The size of the wedding is irrelevant to the sound quality produced by an ipod, it's the sound system that makes a difference. Also, if you're using very low quality mp3 downloaded from lousy sites, you'll get bad sound. But you could also get that from a dj who doesn't have good quality mp3 files and a good sound system.

Renting a good sound system will depend on how big the room is, number of people, etc. If you're near a major metropolitan area it should be easy. Inquire about set-up, take down, etc.

The real issue with ipods/DIY wedding music is your expectations and the style of reception you want. If you want a dancing crowd and need someone to make announcements, coordinate with the photogs, caterer, etc, then you need a professional. If you want background music and don't expect dancing, but more of a cocktail party, a DIY approach will be fine.

Why do you consider an I-pod over DJ?

What is your underlying reason? Is it really about money or mundane performances with DJ's?

Imagine going to a concert and rather have the artists come out and perform...they play prerecorded music. They audience sits and watches an empty stage.

Since the band is not there, they can't see the audience reaction to gauge whether or not the crowd is enjoying. There's no connection. An I-pod is nothing more than interrupted music.

Is this the feel you want for your wedding?

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If all you’ve seen is the typical wedding DJ...I can understand your frustration. Why would you want to shell out money if you don't see the value? The typical DJ introduces “things” not people. Says things like "everybody make some noise!" "I wanna hear you scream!!!!

The best MC's are typically not on the mic all night, Wedding DJs typically are. The best MC gets applause by the DELIVERY of the line not by requesting it.

The best MC can move an audience with Tone, Inflection & pacing. They can get any emotion desired, including laughter, applause & even tears all in HOW they deliver the prepared lines.

Sadly...most brides rarely see a great performance and don't expect much in the planning process. How do I know? 90% of all brides book their entertainment last or next to last.

Hopefully I’ve painted a clearer picture for you.

There's a difference between hiring a professional Dj and getting someone to just play music. A good Dj and master of ceremonies will keep your party alive and people entertained everyone tells me how much they loved the Dj and how great he was and kept them on the dancefloor. My Dj made the whole party.I would really suggest looking around I didn't pay thousands for the service and everyone was sure I did

We used a CD for the ceremony music. However, that is much more cut and dried than reception music. We put the prelude songs on one CD, and just had it loop if the wedding was delayed beyond when we had intended. (That CD was about a half hour long.) We had the rest of our music on a separate CD, with instructions to the operator on what song to play for what part of the ceremony, and to fade out any song that lasted longer than whatever it was supposed to go with (e.g, a processional song that wasn't finished when the processional was finished). We also had a tiny ceremony (a dozen people), so we didn't have to worry about having the sound cover a huge area or anything.

You will save a lot of money. The good thing is you get to choose the music you want to hear. Better make a playlist before the wedding. You'll need a lot of music...it might not be a bad idea to ask your fiancee and others songs they'd like to hear.

We are using my laptop but my step dad is working the music from it, he was a DJ in college part time so he knows how to make it flow. Our wedding is also pretty small and we thought the cheaper the better

We have done a number of weddings where we have seen both. DJ's are there for more than just spinning tunes...they are also there to keep the party going. For the wedding we have done those with Dj's have faired better than those without.

Thanks everyone for all of your helpful responses. We are going to definitely go the dj route. I'd rather shell out some more cash and have a memorable fun event.

My friend did it for her wedding. I was a bridesmaid, and my fiance ended up being the person to keep an eye on it. The bride and groom didn't make a playlist, or remove certain unapropriate wedding songs (Pantera, Korn, etc).

Lots of good comments here. I see the "slanted" views from the DIY brides, and the pro DJ's, so I won't step between them with a comment... but, I'll ask this question, because I read all the time about brides who are going to use an iPod, but I never hear the outcome after the wedding took place. I wonder why that is?

Of those brides who went iPod, would you mind outlining how the reception went? Buy that, I mean... can you give all of us some articulate details on how your iPod wedding turned out, and if the dance floor was full or not. Tell us about the "energy" of the event and how the music affected the guests. Did your guests talk about the event or if they had "fun". Did the person(s) who operated the iPod talk about their "duties". Did anyone have to stop songs, or were there multiple operators who wanted "their" style of music over others?

I'm truly interested in hearing about the outcome (besides the few from above).

We are going to use an i pod because 1 the reception will only be 2 hours tops, and the only dancing we will do is the first dance so why pay hundreds or thousands of dollars for MAYBE a half hour of tunes.

@Tyrone Blue Don't know if your question is soley for ipod only or those that still did DIY like me with the laptop. But I'll answer.



"can you give all of us some articulate details on how your iPod wedding turned out, and if the dance floor was full or not."

The reception was fine. The dance floor was full for the first song (a slow one) to start off the open dancing. We had our MC/DJ whatever you call them, DH's brother basically, make an announcement for everyone to join the bride & groom on the dance floor. No one did at first but then my parents did and everyone followed.



Tell us about the "energy" of the event and how the music affected the guests. Did your guests talk about the event or if they had "fun".

It was a tough crowd, not really into dancing except for that one slow song. But that's ok, I kind of expected that and it was a small (about 50 people) daytime wedding. A few people did get out and dance to the faster songs and the kids had a blast.

I received several compliments on the music.



"Did the person(s) who operated the iPod talk about their "duties". Did anyone have to stop songs, or were there multiple operators who wanted "their" style of music over others?"

DH's brother who was in charge of the laptop and music said it was very easy and no one complained about the music or tried to change it.

Jazleen,

Please let me know if you need a referral. even though I'm in California I know a couple of DJ's in PA.

Best wishes!

My wedding ceremony was outdoors and they ran on an i-pod system with Bose speakers. I sat down with the owner of the venue and picked my songs out and her assistant ran the music- it was beautiful and it ran smoothly. For my "reception" being it was a destination wedding we had no music. We were more concerned about eating and then going tour the area and doing our own thing. I am trying to plan an at home reception after the holidays, and I don't plan on hiring a band or a DJ (alot of people around here will get a band). I see nothing wrong with having an iPod.