wedding dj?

[paul3mac]

Anyone have a recommendation for a good wedding DJ?  
 Basically we want to be able to pick a bunch of the songs and have the DJ go from there with what type of music we want played.  That's the basic requirements, but would also like someone who isn't cheesy, has good equipment, well priced, etc.
 
 Oh, and needs to be willing to travel way up to Harford Co., MD

[tigersscareme]

lately i've seen the ipod replace many a wedding dj.

[Frank Gallagher]

Kosmo?

[nkotb]

I just sent you a PM.

[vansmack]

Originally posted by tigers scare me:
  lately i've seen the ipod replace many a wedding dj.

Don't use the iPod - it doesn't support crossfade and nothing is more annoying than a two second silent gap between songs when you're on a dancefloor.
 
 Rent a PA, set up a laptop, build a 4 hour playlist and turn on crossfade at like 6 seconds.  Vwellah - you've got yourself a DJ.

[nkotb]

Have you ever seen this actually work?  I was always worried about the lack of adaptability by not having a live person working it.  Even a few laptop/iPod DJ's I've seen at weddings or events still had human interaction.
 
 

Originally posted by vansmack:
 

Originally posted by tigers scare me:
 [qb] Rent a PA, set up a laptop, build a 4 hour playlist and turn on crossfade at like 6 seconds.  Vwellah - you've got yourself a DJ. [/b]

[K8teebug]

We got married at Swan Harbor Farm in Havre deGrace in Harford County.  We used Michael Thakas with Donna's DJ's.  He was really cool.  We had a cd with "our music" on it, had an extensive "do not play" list, and he accomodated it all.  Also, there was none of that cheesy banter I hate.
 
 Here's their website. Donna's DJ

[vansmack]

Originally posted by nkotb:
  Have you ever seen this actually work?  I was always worried about the lack of adaptability by not having a live person working it.  Even a few laptop/iPod DJ's I've seen at weddings or events still had human interaction.
 

Venerable and I just did it for Smackette's best friends wedding about a month ago.  I maybe made three changes to the playlist all night to accomodate the father of the bride's requests, otherwise we just let it play.
 
 You've got to be smart about it though - lots of dancable songs followed by at least two slow songs in a row, then back to danceable songs.  We even did a whole run of chick songs so the guys could go outside and smoke a cigar.  6 songs later we walked back in and danced with our ladies.
 
 We even handled the mic for the toasts - it really wasn't that difficult to set up or operate.

[K8teebug]

Correction, it's a different website now, but hopefully the "DJ Michael" listed is still the same one.
 
 We were thinking of doing the setup ourselves, but for me anyway, it was easier just to pay someone else to do it.
 
 If you're having a small wedding, it may be economical to set it up yourself.

[paul3mac]

Originally posted by K8teebug:
  Correction, it's a different website now, but hopefully the "DJ Michael" listed is still the same one.
 
 We were thinking of doing the setup ourselves, but for me anyway, it was easier just to pay someone else to do it.
 
 If you're having a small wedding, it may be economical to set it up yourself.

Thanks, I'll check it out.  We're also getting married at Swan Harbor Farm.  Originally we were very gung ho about doing it ourselves with a laptop.  Still haven't completely ruled it out, but since we don't have the PA equipment it seems for the cost it would be to rent the equipment, and then the issue of who's going to run it/make sure everything goes smoothly, it seems like for a little extra money it'd be worth just hiring a dj to do it.

[Brian_Wallace]

You know  some people think that maybe in 2007, you shouldn't even be GETTING married.  That getting married is the ultimate peer pressure cave.  That getting married (with all of the options out there) is like shaving with a straight razor or making your own soap.
 
 But these same people only like fresh music that hasn't been played to death like Fall Out Boy, Gorillaz or My Chemical Romance.
 
 Brian

[vansmack]

Originally posted by paul3mac:
   Still haven't completely ruled it out, but since we don't have the PA equipment it seems for the cost it would be to rent the equipment, and then the issue of who's going to run it/make sure everything goes smoothly, it seems like for a little extra money it'd be worth just hiring a dj to do it.

It's no secret that I always advocate the low stress option when it comes to weddings (there's a thread in here somewhere about my wedding).  Our friends got a package deal from the limo driver who also provided the PA system.  These guys do weddings all the time and have connections.  Just a thought.

[K8teebug]

It's so great that you're getting married there too!  We loved it there.  Four years later, people are still talking about how much fun they had at our wedding.

[kosmo vinyl]

Originally posted by Brian Wallace:
  You know  some people think that maybe in 2007, you shouldn't even be GETTING married.  That getting married is the ultimate peer pressure cave.  That getting married (with all of the options out there) is like shaving with a straight razor or making your own soap.
 
 But these same people only like fresh music that hasn't been played to death like Fall Out Boy, Gorillaz or My Chemical Romance.
 
 Brian

Your arguments don't even make sense anymore... Last time I checked people get married all the time and not just because there is a bun in the oven.  Why is it so wrong to want to listen to music that hasn't been played to death, if anything the people who listen to this type of music do so because of peer pressure.
 
 And just stop being a dick about everything...

[kosmo vinyl]

Originally posted by Brain Walrus:
  Kosmo?

I considered brief becoming a no frills wedding DJ after enduring one to many of those DJs who feel they need to entertain along with play some tunes.  But quickly decided against seeing as I don't listen to much contemporary top 40 music and have little incentive to want to start.  Plus, my worst case scenario as a DJ involves having been requested by the newlyweds not to play any music that people can do the electric slide. Then only to have the brides niece have a snit fit because she was really looking forward to doing the electric slide and then having people get bent out shape because I made a little girl sad.  Just don't need to have to deal with the drama of a wedding party...