Congratulations! You’re engaged, you’ve picked the perfect location and hired all key vendors, including your DJ. Now it’s time to begin planning!
Music selection is such an important, yet personal part of every celebration. A professional DJ-MC will begin by creating a music profile. It starts with the client’s vision and the vibe they wish to create.
I personally start with the basics, asking both partners individually for their “Top 5”. That’s not related to dancing. It’s important to know who the top 5 artists are if each were to be on vacation and limited to just 5 artists on their phone. This brief exercise speaks volumes and I learn a lot about their taste, in general, within minutes.
Next is the vibe. NOT every client wants a high energy dance party and a DJ would be remiss to make that assumption. Using South Jersey as an example, some clients want an afternoon cocktail party on the beach with food stations, no formal dinner hour, and just great background music to create ambiance and take requests from guests. This type of client typically enjoys various beach themes from Reggae to Jimmy Buffett and any fun, summertime classics.
A great DJ doesn’t “make” people dance. We don’t force people into an awkward situation. Our role is to facilitate the right mood through music and create an ambiance for all to enjoy. There’s almost always dancing involved, but that’s predicated on choice and the DJ simply sets the right tone.
As the planning process begins, we analyze the top 5 and begin reviewing genres by ranking each based on the couple’s preference. For example, some couples love country while others don’t. Some love the line dances and an equal number request that they NOT be played. This is where we define boundaries.
Let’s start by compartmentalizing the event into hourly blocks. If there’s a ceremony, we need to decide on appropriate background music and processional/recessional selections, often leaning toward modern classical versions of today’s popular music. Artists like The Vitamin String Quartet and The Piano Guys are just two great examples here.
Next, we focus on cocktail hour. Traditionally this includes background pop, finger-popping sing along hits and favorites of the couple that are not necessarily danceable, but it’s music they want to hear. A similar approach is taken for dinner hour, but that typically leans toward love songs, ballads and some music that is appropriate for older guests.
Then, the post-dinner dancing begins… Keep in mind that typically, there’s just 2 to 2 ½ hours for an open dance floor. At an average of 3 minutes per song, that’s just 40-50 songs!
While your wedding should reflect your personal taste in music, part of being a gracious host includes catering to all your guests, at least for a portion of the evening. Depending on the crowd in attendance, perhaps a few ballads, some oldies or a little swing music is appropriate. Some early rock and roll or even a few classic rock hits can often bring out folks who wouldn’t have otherwise joined you on the dance floor. A great entertainer will make the event uniquely yours, but they’ll also use some of their own intuition and expertise in programming to ensure that a great time is had by all! Again, that’s up to the client who has the final say, but a professional will try to create the best mix possible for success. Once the night wears on and it’s just the die-hard party crowd, you can let loose a bit and turn on whatever you want to rock the crowd who remains with you.
There are three types of clients when it comes to music and I ask a few key questions to qualify each client before we begin planning.
The mainstream client. They usually start the conversation with “We’ll have all ages at our wedding and just want fun music that everyone will dance to!” This type of client understands the dynamic of bridging the generation gap through an open format and they are generally easy going when it comes to planning. I can say with certainty that this type of format best allows the entertainer to use their creativity and intuition in programming the music, from Motown and Party Favorites of the 60s and 70s, to Disco, 80s, 90s, and 2000s, including todays dance hits that are wedding appropriate.
Each decade has its own characteristics when it comes to music and once the format is identified, we go deeper. For example, a 30-year-old couple in 2022 was born in 1992. Their first introduction to music was likely the 90s sound and their influential teen years were the early 2000s. Looking at this timeframe in music, there were VERY different styles.
One couple may LOVE the boy bands of the 90s (Backstreet Boys, NSync, etc) and that usually goes well with the Spice Girls, Missy Elliott, Vanilla Ice, etc. Another couple who loves the “90s” Could want something VERY different, with taste in Indie and alternative rock, which is a category unto itself.
There are also interactive dances that must be discussed. Some clients LOVE the Electric Slide, Cupid Shuffle, Cha Cha Slide, The Wobble and Cotton Eye Joe as they are party starters, but others prefer we NOT play them. It’s our job to ask the right questions in advance so we fully understand the client’s vision and deliver what they want.
The Indie / Alternative Couple. This type of client KNOWS what they want and more importantly, what they do NOT want. Their taste in music may include Indie bands you’ve never heard of, but nonetheless, bands that have a tremendous following. Mainstream groups such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam and Nirvana are usually all welcomed by this type of client, but we must ask, download a lot of unfamiliar music and study it to ensure it is programmed properly, whether specific songs are played during cocktails, dinner or dancing. This client’s taste in music is very different than a mainstream client and it’s our job to identify their taste, educate them on what will work, when and how. Being a full-time DJ entertainer, I’ll be honest. I used to cringe when I would see a playlist like this, but over the years, I’ve learned to expand my own horizons, learn the music and more importantly, how to integrate it into a program that will still please the majority of guests. It’s a challenge I welcome today and the satisfaction of pleasing this type of client is very rewarding as they appreciate the fact that you “get” their taste in music.
The EDM Couple. This is generally a couple who grew up in the higher tech nightclub dance scene. They love their beats and want the remixes by Tiesto, David Guetta, Steve Aoki, Calvin Harris, Diplo, Avicii, Marshmello and others remixing beats. Much like the Indie client who loves underground bands, this type of client loves underground beats, creativity in the mix and even mashups that are popular today, taking classic hits and mashing them with current hits, all to a remixed beat.
There are many genres and styles of music and a true professional will have proficiency in most areas. Intuitively, it’s about understanding the music and the audience in front of you, simultaneously bridging the gap between different cultures and generations. That’s the art of programming. Anyone can push play with a playlist in front of them, but that is not the art of a great DJ.
Whether your profile resembles client number 1, 2 or 3 above, it is important to know that as the client, YOUR taste comes first. It’s also important to understand that a diverse group of guests from various generations and vastly different backgrounds will all have their own taste as they celebrate with you.
Our job is to educate, understand and deliver the perfect balance as our common goal should always be maximizing the fun and memories for the majority of your guests.
Finally, if you really want a simple summary of the perfect balance of music, I highly recommend the annual DJ Event Planner Top Requested Songs. I have a link on my website at KenSchafferEntertainment.com. This is a cloud-based list, populated in real time from clients across the nation who have planned their music through professional DJs using this popular platform. This is broad based across the entire country and these songs are the most popular among the masses for dancing and special songs for formalities.
DJ Ken Schaffer can be found celebrating with couples from all over the Tri-State area, most weekends.
609-231-1188 text or call
