Karaoke Forums

Okay so I have my first wedding gig coming up on October 23. This is in central Texas and the groom has been a singer at my gigs (not so much recently) for the past 2 years since I started hosting here. He sings mainly country but some pop/rock too. The bride doesn't sing at all really but when she sang once she didn't sound that bad. I just got a call from the wedding planner who is going to begin email communication to organize some of the who what and where questions.

I've only done one private party before and that was solely karaoke, this one I expect to have some pre-dinner music, dinner music and also dance music in addition to what will probably be a relatively small karaoke set. (I'll know more for sure as we start communicating.) I have my own personal iTunes library along with the few more hip-hop dance tracks that go down well on a Friday night that I have acquired. I have most of the UK NOW CDs but again that really is more of a UK flavour not a TX flavor!

Any suggestions for helping things go smoothly? Any questions I should ask them that they may not have thought of? Should I be busting out for a bunch on Time Life collections on ebay?

My phone can tether so I'll have internet if the venue doesn't, but who knows if I'll have 3G or not. (6KB/s EDGE doesn't cut it for downloads on the fly)

At this point my butterflies are probably worse than the bride & groom's!

- Jonn

If you are doing the wedding also... This is your first time so go to the rehearsal. Somebody should provide a CD for the marches etc. If not see what the bride wants and burn your own. Timing is critical here You have to provide the PA and the speakers should not be noticeable yet placed where everybody can hear. Mics for the preacher are what they are used to Some provide their own.

For the reception get the songs they want for the bride groom dance etc. Have some good dinner music. See how formal it will be. Work with the wedding coordinator in fact I like to meet them at the rehearsal and discuss things like setup at the reception. Work with the staff too.

Sometimes the brides mother can be very nervous and demanding Just relax her and agree with what she says and then do it the right way. I really dont like weddings but they do hone your hosting skills. Usually if you watch the bride and guage what music she likes then you have it made. They are all different but these are some basics. Good Luck Jonn...

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Search the web to find DJ's that have posted their Reception Questionnaire online to get some ideas of what you should ask and have documented in writing before the reception. Make sure you have light dinner music to play during dinner and plenty of dance music based on the couple's preferences.

Have the bride tell you what events and dances she wants, have her specify the order, and have her lists the songs and names that you'll need. Definitely get the names of the entire wedding party including the parents. Your job is that of an Emcee, so if they're doing a grand march, you're the one that's got to run around and find everyone to get them lined up. If possible bring an assistant with you to help with that. Even better, if you can find an assistant that has DJ or other experience with weddings, that's a god send.

Be sure you find out what time you can get into the hall to setup. You don't want to be setting up while people are arriving so make it as early as you can. You may need to contact the venue directly for this. Visit the venue ahead of time so you can get an idea of where you'll be setting up and come in with a plan for where all your equipment will be going. Be ready to have your microphones available during dinner for toasts and stuff. This works out much better of course if you have a wireless mic they can use (if it's a big hall with multiple rooms, check that you've got enough range to get to the head table with it).

Back to the whole emcee thing, remember you are there to do more than just host karaoke and play some tracks. Your job is to get the party rolling and keep it rolling. Talk to folks over the PA, have fun, tease people, make jokes, use your personality and just do what comes natural.

Some final hints. Make sure you have a written contract and insurance. Weddings easily turn into lawsuits when things go bad. Get all expectations in writing and protect yourself. Find out whether dinner for you will be included, it isn't always, and put this in the contract either way. If you're dinner is included, do not go into the buffet line until all the guests have. This is a little DJ etiquette item that is very important. Find out how they expect you to be dressed. Put this in the contract, they may expect you to be in a tux so be ready.

Get all this information at least a month before the wedding. Call the venue a few weeks ahead of time and see if you can setup a time to walk through the area in the days leading up to the gig. This will help make sure nothing changes between when you see it and when you arrive for the wedding but still leaves enough time if there are some last minute items you need in order to accommodate the venue.

I know it's a lot, but I hope that helps. PM me if you want to see my examples of a wedding contract and the reception form. I don't keep them online but would be willing to share to give you some idea of what you need.

EDIT: One more thing and this is also very important. Get a 50% deposit when they sign the contract with the other 50% due 14-30 days before the wedding date. You don't want to be chasing around drunk people after the wedding to get your remaining balance due. This is normal DJ Protocol, the planner should be used to this.

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DJ Tony
Let It Rip Karaoke

stop the karaoke at around 10pm and just dj. the thing is with weddings a lot of the guests want to dance....stopping dancing all the time to get a singer up fragments the flow...and thinking like a dj, once you got them up dancing..you want them to stay dancing.

Why hide the speakers? Make them look like part of the decor.

Be sure the bride and her mother are ok with your jokes and teasing before laying out some dumb blonde joke that is not appreciated. Get an idea of what they expect of you. Just music? Announcing dances? Starting toasts?

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KingBing Entertainment C'mon Up! I have a song for you!!! [font=MS Sans Serif][/font]

I meet with the B&G six weeks ahead of time and we work out the 'framework' - i provide two email addresses for them to reach me, as well as cell phone and home phone numbers. A month ahead of time I reaffirm that I need their must-have music list -- if they have something I can't locate, I can then arrange to get it from them. I also advise the B&G that they don't HAVE to provide me with every single piece of music they want - that I have plenty of experience with weddings and can be depended on to have pretty well whatever they want or what will go over well. That takes some pressure off. I just ask for their very favorites or at least their favorite artists. As well as asking what songs they JUST HAVE TO HAVE, make sure you get the name of any artists or songs that are a NO-NO! Doesn't matter how many songs you play, if there is one of the no-no's included, they'll hear that one!

I emcee most of the weddings we provide our services for and require at the one-month revisit before the wedding the names of all out-of-town guests. I get the name of the best man and the maid/matron of honor. We work out the time schedule and order for all the special activities, and I have a pretty detailed time schedule sheet so I know when things have to get done. Most couples are VERY happy to have someone that will take care of all this. If you can, arrange for one of their friends who is not involved in the actual ceremony to serve as a gopher for you, too.

I set up all my play lists ahead of time. It's easier if they have a specific genre in mind - like country. I did a country wedding that basically took me about 5 hours to set up - including ripping my own country CDs and then skipping to Napster or Rhapsody for the newest stuff. ($.99 may seem steep per song but you are getting ONLY the songs you want.) For ideas about the most current stuff, go to the local radio stations and take a peak at their playlists for ideas.

If you're providing music for the ceremony get their CD or the very same versions of any of the ceremony music, load it on an iPOD or laptop in the order it should be played in on a separate playlist. Sure eliminates confusion. Just go from one song to the next. I have 2 backup lappies available too, each loaded with different types of music - seldom have I had to say that I didn't have a song someone requested.

I have all my wedding music on 3 different laptops - one is set up with a DJ program that hasts several play lists: one is pre-ceremony and dinner music that just flows very easily from one song to the next. If you want some idea about artists, pm me and I can send you a list. Then next play list is is the 'warm-up' music and it is played at a slightly higher volume. Next is the 'dance' playlist. Finally, the music that I play when all the old people are gone - and it's LOUD. This is always a flying success for the youngsters (6-26 years basically).

I do offer a service that people seem to love - I record their entire service (from the precessional to the recessional) on a CD for them. That means I provide a cordless mic (on a stand or hand held) for the ceremony - usually speakers are BEHIND the crowd so even the people in the back of the facility can hear the service and all the important stuff. Especially with a large wedding where there are children present, the people in the back really appreciate that they can hear what's going on through the speakers.

If karaoke is a big part of the wedding reception, you'll find in that situation that most people will be far too afraid to get up and sing -- then they'll all want to start singing 15 minutes before you're finished. Make sure you are prepared to tell them what you charge to stay beyond the agreed upon time.

Best of luck, relax and enjoy it.

I am speaking specifically about the wedding itself.

Even at the reception I have no cables showing we host from a cloth covered table and sometimes drape the speaker stands with cloth. This is not a gig this is entirely different than parties. You have to provide what the bride and groom want as far as formalities or format. Some want formal announcements and others just want to party. That is why a consult is necessary to determine these things. Like I say they are all different and the trend now is changing to more of an informal format. ESP with karaoke singers. There is less demands and more relaxation. This was my last wedding. Two speakers no cables..

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Actually this pic shows one of the speakers. Look all the way to the left below the cross in the distance and slightly to the right is an Eon.

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ourdjtalk dotcom has all the information you are looking for.

Samples of dinner music, dance playlists, sample contracts, and overall very good advice regarding weddings.

In addition, I'll add, be prepared for last minute changes.

As an example...we did a wedding a few weeks ago. The week prior, I called and confirmed the bridal party introduction names - along with pronouncitations, and mandatory song lists (father-daughter song, cake cutting song, garter removal song, etc...), and in what order. Well, the morning of the wedding, the bride calls with several changes. No problem, I tell her, got it covered, don't worry. Then, at the reception hall, as we're lining up the bridal party for introductions, we discover someone didn't show and there was a replacement. Again, no problem....all went well and they were very pleased with the entire event.

Question... One of my nephews runs a floral shop and does a lot of weddings. Brides are begging for bargains with the economy the way it is. I talked to a gal the other day that really cant afford my wedding rates but will only have 40 guests. With this one I really am working with party rates. Is anybody here giving discounts or reducing prices?

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We have heard the same around here regarding brides looking for deals/ways to cut wedding costs due to the economy.

While we haven't reduced our rates, we have been giving some discounts, depending on the factors involved...such as - if/or how they were referred to us, location of venue, number of bookings already scheduled, etc...

One thing that often gets overlooked... get the "NO PLAY LIST"!!! This is a list of songs that are not to be played under any conditions.

This list can include songs that drive them crazy or were "The Song" for them with other people... last thing you need is the bride stomping off the dance floor because you pop in "Set the night to music" not knowing that was the groom's song with his ex-wife.

This is a typical request list generated by DJ Intelligence, If we dont have we get.. They also can make a no play list.

link

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And....KNOW your songs thoroughly.

The last bride had specifically requested NO CUSS WORDS....PERIOD!! She was expecting a large number of children at the reception.

I was amazed at the number of songs, including some country dance songs, I had intended to play that did have swear words. Fortunately, I previewed every song and found the clean/radio edit version, or replaced them altogether with something else, prior to arriving at the venue.

In instances like this, I try to look for the Radio Disney or Nickelodian versions... can get a LOT of songs that you wouldn't concider "Kid Friendly" able to slide with the official "G" rated version.

Thanks to all for some truly great tips. Some I'd thought of and some I hadn't! Wedding isn't until the end of October so there's enough time to plan, although the way this year's been going that time will pass in no time!

I'll add that for those looking for songs free of colorful language, amazon and iTunes do a good job of labeling songs as 'EXPLICIT' too.

I'll post how things go - the planner was supposed to email last night but......nothing yet!

- Jonn

Best resource out there for wedding songs that will make any crowd happy:

http://www.mobilebeat.com/top-200/

Also, if you need a good, free auto-mixing software, this is what I use:

http://www.djmixpro.com/djmixlite/djmixlite.html

No bells and whistles, the demo just does automatic cross-fading, but that's all you need for smooth transitions. Also REAL easy on system resources, so it is perfect add to your karaoke laptop.

The only other advise I would give you about the wedding reception is that YOU are in charge of the scheduled activities. The music/dancing is the easy part. The hard part is running around behind the scenes to make sure the introductions, first dance, toasts, etc. all go off as scheduled without a hitch. Make sure you have a written game plan that you have gone through with the B&G so they know the order of things. Write down general TIMES for each scheduled activity, but don't be strict about specific times. Because the B&G are the center of attention, they will always be busy talking to family and friends, and everything WILL run late. Just keep it in order, be respectful of the other things they are doing, and make sure you fit everything in, and you'll be fine!!

Have fun!!

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C Mc
KJ, FL

Hello Classic Karaoke,

go to your phone book or internet and put in wedding DJ's. Call them up and take them to dinner and work with what they know. If you have a contact use him or her. The wedding is the MOST IMPORTANT day of the Brides life (at least until the divorce...) so make sure it's top notch.

There is a TON of work that goes into being a wedding DJ as they acutally become the MC for the entire night. It's WAY different from Karaoke in bars and don't expect their guest to know how to do Karaoke. They'll come up to you and just request a song , not write it down and expect to be up next.

PM me if you have any specific questions.

Jason Christopher
Acclaim Productions

Everyone pretty much have given great advice.
Take notice about the NO CUSS or demeaning lyrics.
Do easy listening music for dinner time also referred by us DJ's as "Dinner Music"
anything rat pack is good, also Eva Cassidy, Michael Bolton, etc...also Wal Mart has cheap weding love songs in packs of three for around 6 to 9 bucks, I thought this would be nice if I didn't already have the songs, so it may be perfect for you.
One useful thing I did whenI didn't have a specific song in my DJ Library, I found it in my Karaoke library that had "vocal guide", sure it wasn't the original voice but they had no clue and as far as they were concerned, I PLAYED THEIR SONG, good for me, especially since it wasn't one they asked for previously.
One more thing about KARAOKE portion, try to get a list of singers and song that will be sung, you don't want break up songs, dorky songs, or stupid slow songs.
Remenber this is a wedding and FUN is what they want, not boring !!
...and yes, end karaoke early !!
Good luck, you brave soul....
DJ/KJ Rodney

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Karaoke is supposed to be fun, if it isn't, then it's NOT KARAOKE.......

I have a DJ library of about 25,000 songs that I own. I recently stopped buying the latest tracks before hand but rather added broadband connection to my cell service and can now download any song on the fly in about 10 seconds if something brand new is requested at a wedding. Pretty much makes your DJ music selection unlimited which is a good selling point when meeting with potential clients. Still need to do your research on the new hot tracks but I just don't have to buy them until needed because God knows I won't be pumpin "Boom, Boom, Pow" on my home system.

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"Don't worry. It will feel better when it quits hurtin."