Wait, What!? Things People Get Wrong About Wedding DJs

by Chris Brower
Last Updated: March 21, 2022

As you build your wedding DJ business, you’ll continue to hear some odd and sometimes hilarious assumptions about wedding DJs – how we DJ, what equipment we use, and just how things work in general.

Let’s dig into a few of my favorites.

Our Equipment Is Just an iPad/Phone Plugged Into the Venue’s Sound System

Many people are astonished when they see wedding DJ equipment. Wait, you use all that!?

I still meet people who assume we just plug an iPad/phone/etc. into the venue’s sound system and that’s it.

Of course, it’s possible some wedding DJs do just that, but most don’t.

It takes a LOT of DJ equipment to be a professional, fully functional wedding DJ. In fact, I’ve compiled everything into the Complete Wedding DJ Equipment Guide.

While you could just plug a tablet or phone into a house sound system, your level and ease of control will be greatly diminished. Things like mixers, DJ controllers, and backup equipment are what make our job easier – and our DJ work better.

**We’re Required to Play Any Song the Family Asks For**

Generally, your sole clients on the wedding day are the newly married couple. They dictate the music and what you should or shouldn’t play.

Still, you’re likely to get parents, siblings, or other relatives who will pull the, “Well, I’m related to the bride/groom…” as a reason why you have to play their song request.

Sometimes they’ll even raise the stakes and say, “And I’m the one paying you.” Eee!

Of course, if their song request works well with the couple’s wishes, sure, go for it! But if not, this can make for an awkward situation.

While you want to make everyone happy, your clients are the couple. It’s their day, not this other person’s, no matter how much they think.

When a groom told me, “No matter what, please do not play Maroon 5,” I had to follow his instruction even when his mom got upset when I told her I couldn’t. He and his bride were my bosses for the night, not his mom.

That said, if a relative is really pushing you to play a song that goes against the couple’s wishes, you can always check in with the couple again. Some might relent and allow it.

In fact, you can even build this into the couple’s song list for the night. I’ve had couples tell me, for example, “Please do not play ‘The Cupid Shuffle,’ but if my cousin requests it, okay.” Let couples know their song list instructions can include things like this.

Ready for the complete guide to becoming a wedding DJ? Here you go.

All We Do Is Play a Pre-Planned Playlist

Many people assume the song selections for the night are all pre-selected and put into a playlist that you just press play on that night.

For most wedding DJs – most good ones, at least – this is not the case at all.

Of course, a pre-planned playlist can work for the background music portions of the night, such as the ceremony, dinner, and cocktail hour. But for the dancing portion? Rarely is this a good idea.

Good wedding DJs pick each song one at a time during the reception, trying to create a good flow, taking requests, and responding to how things are going (uh-oh, is no one dancing!? Let’s try something else…).

Some couples will ask for the playlist ahead of time so they can review your choices and approve or make changes. I always kindly explain that a pre-selected playlist rarely works at weddings. I say that they’ll get a much-better, more-successful playlist if I pick each song one at a time that night (based on their general ideas).

However, if they would prefer I make a playlist ahead of time and follow that, okay, I can. Most, though, immediately agree with my advice (to not make a playlist ahead of time) and drop the subject.

We Just Use Spotify to Play Music

Similarly, many people think wedding DJs just use Spotify (or other streaming services) to get music and play it during the night.

While this is possible, DJing through Spotify is not the easiest in terms of control. Plus, this is technically against Spotify’s terms of services! Same with many other streaming services.

There are many other, better places to get music, such as mp3s, CDs, and vinyl. That’s all covered in detail in the article, The Best Ways to Get Wedding DJ Music.

**The DJ Chooses All the Songs**

When you’re meeting with prospective clients, make it a part of your sales pitch to ask what they’ve liked or disliked about other wedding DJs from weddings they’ve been to.

This offers a great education in what people think – what they love or can’t stand about other wedding DJs. You can then tailor your sales pitch to that.

One assumption that frequently comes up is that the wedding DJ essentially chooses all the songs throughout the night. Aka, that if someone didn’t like what the DJ played, that it’s all the DJ’s fault. “Ugh, the music he played was terrible!”

Of course, it may have been the DJ’s fault. But there’s also a good chance the wedding DJ was simply fulfilling the couple’s wishes.

Couples will sometimes pick some songs that are likely to fail, that are likely to clear the floor or send people to the bar or the bathroom.

You can talk with clients and share your concerns and urge them in another direction. But in the end, if they still want you to play it, well, you have to.

Thus, if guests hate your DJing, it may not be your fault! It may be the couple’s fault for making bad selections.

Do the best you can. In most cases, you’ll get to pick at least some of the songs, so you can hopefully steer things in a better direction, as long as it still jibes with the couple’s general wishes.

Our DJ Table Is a Place for Guests to Set Their Drinks While They Dance

Ugh, doesn’t this one drive you crazy?

Your wedding DJ table likely has lots of expensive electrical equipment on it. It’s your “desk” for the night, and you don’t want to risk any of it getting wet. Still, guests will often set glasses on it while they dance.

Soon, four, five, six glasses can appear, as more people think it’s okay. And many of those glasses will remain there as guests forget about them.

You can try to correct guests, “Nope, no drinks here, please,” but it’s hopeless during loud dancing times. You’re there to DJ a wedding, not police guests’ behavior!

One easy way to stop this, plus make your wedding DJ setup look better in the first place? Get a DJ facade*!

In short, DJ facades are like DJ booth walls that you place in front of your DJ table. They essentially hide your DJ table and make your setup look much better. They also make it nearly impossible for guests to place drinks on your table!

Since getting a DJ facade two years ago, I’ve never had a guest leave a drink on my table again!

Our DJ Table Doesn’t Need to be Near the Dance Floor

Ever get a room layout and see that the coordinator positioned the DJ table far from the dance floor?

Perhaps they placed you in a back corner or some other spot not close to the dance floor.

Setting up your wedding DJ equipment in the proper manor and location is crucial to a smooth night.

Many coordinators or couples forget that DJ equipment includes speakers that should be positioned by the dance floor, not behind tables where guests will eat (and thus, any audio would be right in their ear). As well, some people don’t seem to be aware that not all DJ equipment is wireless or Bluetooth-enabled.

This can make for some logistical challenges. You don’t want to have to snake cords all throughout the room or have your audio only be on one side of the room.

That’s why it’s a good idea to see the room layout ahead of time so you can offer your two cents. Some coordinators will change based on your advice. If not, you’ll just have to make the best of it.

Conclusion

Have a laugh at the wrong assumptions people have about wedding DJs. It can be frustrating at times, but wrong assumptions are part of any job. But each wedding you DJ with your professional service will help others learn.

*If you click the product links and make a purchase, we earn a commission. This helps pay for this website and other expenses. This is at no additional cost to you.

Wait, What!? Things People Get Wrong About Wedding DJs

Our Equipment Is Just an iPad/Phone Plugged Into the Venue’s Sound System

We’re Required to Play Any Song the Family Asks For