As a bride and groom, you want your wedding reception to hear music that gets people energized and see your friends and family out on the dance floor. But being a great wedding DJ is much more than just playing music. A great DJ will also be your Master of Ceremonies Emcee and ensure the night flows seamlessly. He/she will take the time to learn about the couple and find out what they really want for their magical evening.
An equally important, but sometimes overlooked, trait of a great wedding DJ is communication. A DJ needs to communicate with the wedding coordinator/planner, caterer and photographer/videographer.
I have been in situations where I've been called in to DJ a wedding at the last minute but have been given no details and the vendors weren't communicating with one another. I've taken the initiative and created a timeline for the ceremony and the reception. I've also reached out to the vendors and let them know what was going on. Otherwise, the wedding would have been a disaster due to a lack of communication.
I could have just shown up and collected a pay check, but that's not who I'm about. There are some DJs that are all about the money, but there are a few that really care about the couple's big day. They get more satisfaction out of seeing the bride and groom at their happiest and being a part of their big day. My biggest reward happens when everyone talks about the wedding for years to come and tells the couple how much fun they had at their reception.
Yes, having great equipment and knowing how to really mix songs are important. Being a personable emcee with a good voice is critical as well. But in my opinion, there are other traits that separate good/average DJs from the great DJs. An important one is the desire to get to know the couple and find out what they truly want for their wedding day. That can only be accomplished by sitting down with the bride and groom and listening to their opinions. Another trait that is equally important is having strong communication skills so that everyone knows is going on at all times.
However, the most important trait of all is caring. When a DJ cares about your big day as much as you do, then that passion flows over to all aspects of the wedding... which results in a magical day filled with memories that will last a lifetime.
