What Flavor of Jazz?

Typically, a wedding DJ will play background music during cocktails and dinner. There are many types of music suitable for these phases of your reception.

Jazz is one category that comes to mind.

However, to make sure the music suits your style and your taste, don't just think "jazz." Telling your DJ to play "jazz" is like telling your caterer to serve "beef." Just as there are many cuts of beef and ways of preparing it, there are many styles of jazz.

Here are some of the most popular "dishes" on the "jazz menu":

• jazz vocal “standards” sung by traditional artists (Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Billie Holiday singing songs written by Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, Rodgers & Hart, etc.)
  
  
• jazz vocal "standards" sung by contemporary artists (e.g., Harry Connick Jr, Diana Krall)
  
  
• instrumental versions of jazz "standards"
  
  
• classic 50s jazz recordings (e.g., Miles Davis “Kind of Blue,” Dave Brubeck's "Take Five," John Coltrane's "Giant Steps")
  
  
• Vegas-style jazz (e.g., Sinatra, Dean Martin)
  
  
• bluesy jazz (e.g., Joe Williams, Diane Schur, T-Bone Walker)
  
  
• Brazilian jazz (bossa nova e.g., Astrud Gilberto, Joao Gilberto, Stan Getz/Charlie Byrd, Antonio Carlos Jobim)
  
  
• smooth jazz (e.g., Kenny G, Grover Washington Jr., George Benson).

Some of these styles can be mixed together. Or you can have one style played for cocktails and another during dinner. (For example, vocal jazz during cocktails but switching to instrumentals during dinner).

These jazz options aren't your only choices for background music. We'll explore other background music options such as light pop-rock, romantic R&B, and many others in future blog posts.

MICHAEL JACKSON 1958-2009

He was King of Pop in the 1980s on the basis of his mega-selling albums of that era (1979's "Off the Wall, 1982's "Thriller," and 1987's "Bad"), the hit singles and ground-breaking music videos spawned by those albums, and his signature "moonwalk" dance steps.

Since then, Michael Jackson's career faltered as his private live grew weirder. By the time of his shocking death today at age 50, he was more often in the public eye for his bizarre eccentricities than for great music.

But Michael Jackson's R&B/pop masterpieces (for which credit goes also to his producer Quincy Jones) live on in his recordings. And nowhere more so than at wedding receptions.

To this day -- over two decades after their release -- Michael Jackson's 80's hits remain THE most popular and powerful songs in a wedding DJ's repertoire. By "powerful," I refer to their power to pull people onto the dance floor.

Rarely do I deejay an event without playing at least one of the following: "Billie Jean," "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "P.Y.T.," "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin,' "Thriller," or "The Way You Make Me Feel." If I don't play some M.J. on my own, you can bet the guests will request one. Or more than one. And people don't just dance to these tunes. They greet them with squeals of delight.

So although his life has ended with his public image forever tarnished, his music shines on.

Back-Up Equipment

One of the standard questions wedding guides suggest brides ask prospective DJs is "Do you carry back-up equipment with you to each event"?

Good question. The only problem is, every DJ you interview will answer "Yes" regardless of whether it's true.

I arrive at each event in a full-size Chevy van chock-full with speakers, mixers, CD players, microphones, cables and cords, and various accessories. I have extras of everything with me on-hand -- not back in my home/office.

But I often see DJs arrive at events in a regular-size passenger car stuffed to the brim. There is no possible way for back-up equipment to fit in such a vehicle. There's barely enough room for one set of everything, no possible room for extras.

Does it matter? Most of the time, no.

But what if your wedding is the one in 100 at which a major piece of equipment malfunctions? Then you'll sorely wish that your DJ was speaking the truth when he told you he carries backup equipment.

Of course, the DJ who didn't invest in a larger vehicle and all that extra equipment has lower expenses, so he can afford to charge you less. You get what you pay for.

Why Your DJ Shouldn't Stand Still

You might think that a DJ's place at a reception is always behind the table where his equipment is set up.

Most of the time, that's where the DJ should be.

But not ALL the time.

First, there is no way the DJ can ensure the music sounds just right -- not too loud and not too soft -- from behind his table. He needs to occasionally walk the room and check out the sound from where the guests are. Believe me, things sound much different in front of the speakers than behind them.

No, his initial sound-check before the guests arrive isn't enough. It's necessary but not sufficient. Sound travels differently in a room full of people than in an empty room.

Second, the DJ's role at a wedding is not merely to press the "play" button for the next song. He also serves as MC and behind-the-scenes coordinator.

There are times he needs to slip away from his post and touch base with the banquet captain, site manager, photographer, or even the bride and groom (or their coordinator if they've hired one). There are quite a few points throughout the reception where the DJ's checking with or giving a heads-up to someone can make the difference between a smooth-running event and a snafu.

Experienced DJs are great at instinctively knowing how much time they have before the next song -- they scoot out and quickly monitor the sound on the floor or quickly speak to the banquet manager and get back in time to start the next tune.

CAKE-CUTTING TIME

Consider cutting and serving your wedding cake during a break in dancing, NOT right after dinner. Let’s say you have a 5:00 ceremony and a 6 to 10:00 reception (cocktails at 6:00, dinner at 7:00, dancing at 8:00). A good time for cake-cutting would be 9:00 – after about one hour of dancing.

Here's why.

What I call "energy flow" is a key to your reception's success. By the end of dinner, your guests have spent three hours watching your ceremony, standing around for cocktails, sitting down and eating. Now it’s time to get them up and moving -- to get that energy flowing!

If, instead, they continue to sit and eat cake, they might be less likely to get up and dance. After all that sitting and standing around, yet another serving of rich food is likely to make them feel drowsy, less energetic. (We all know that sleepy feeling after a huge meal.)

Also, it's considered rude to leave a wedding reception before cake-cutting, but permissible to leave anytime after. Cutting the cake roughly halfway through the dance period ensures all guests will stick around for at least the first hour of dancing -- even those who need to depart before the night is over (elderly relatives, parents of young children, guests with long drives home).

Of course, there may be reasons you or your caterer prefers to serve the cake immediately after dinner, and that's okay. But in my experience, a later cake-cutting works best.

CLINKING GLASSES -- AN ALTERNATIVE

By tradition, when the guests loudly clink their glasses together at a reception, the newlywed couple must kiss. In recent years, this ritual has fallen out of favor, but it's still common. It can be fun, but some brides and grooms prefer not to be put on the spot repeatedly, and some simply tire of all that clinking.

Here's a fun alternative: If a group of guests want the bride and groom to kiss, they must stand and sing a snippet from a love song. It can be any kind of love song -- rock or R&B, new or old, romantic or silly. Sometimes the bride and groom require that lyrics include the word "love" or "kiss."

Guests can be informed of the sing-for-a-kiss routine by written notices at the dining tables or by a DJ announcement at the start of dinner.

One side benefit is it gets the guests at each table talking -- and usually laughing -- as they try to come up with a mutually agreeable song with which to regale the bride and groom. And it's fun for everybody else to hear what songs the others have chosen, and to take delight in how well -- or how badly -- they sing.

I first heard this done at a wedding I DJ'd a few years ago; I hadn't even heard of it before. Just as I share my ideas and experiences with my clients, I learn from them as well!

WEATHER AND WHETHER

It's easy to have your heart set on an outdoor wedding. Perhaps you envision your ceremony outdoors in a garden, in a grove, at a vineyard, on a mountainside, by a lake, or on a pleasant patio. Perhaps you envision your guests mingling outdoors during cocktails. Perhaps your reception site even offers a pleasant outdoor setting for dinner or dancing, or both.

If your dream wedding involves the outdoors, do give careful thought to your "plan B" in case of rain or other inclement weather. Be sure that the rain-plan for your wedding site is satisfactory to you and accommodates your needs. If the indoor rain-plan wouldn't be to your liking, consider finding a different site for your wedding.

In addition to rain, excessive heat and humidity can also mandate a shift indoors. In some cases, so can chilly weather.

Contingency plans are particularly important for outdoor April weddings. The poet T.S. Elliot wrote "April is the cruelest month." I don't know what the poet had in mind, but as a wedding DJ in the Mid-Atlantic region, I think it applies to the weather! Spring officially arrives in late March, but rain and cold are not uncommon in April.

Weather can be unpredictable in any month. A couple of years ago, I DJ'd at a mid-September wedding that was so hot (felt like 100 degrees), the bride literally fainted during outdoor picture-taking after her outdoor ceremony. (Fortunately, the reception was indoors.)

A satisfactory contingent plan for bad weather in ANY month will ensure you'll be smiling on your wedding date even if it turns out Mother Nature isn't smiling upon you that day.

KEEPING YOUR GUESTS HAPPY

There's so much information on the web, it's easy for the gems to be overlooked.

So today, I'm going to use my blog entry to refer to one of my favorite on-line wedding advice articles. It's from Washingtonian Magazine's wedding guide and it's titled "How To Keep Wedding Guests Happy."

What I like about this article is that it focuses on small things that can make a big difference in your guests' enjoyment.

Wedding planning is bride-centric -- focused on pleasing the bride. Which makes sense -- after all, it's HER special day. Next in line is the groom. And the parents of the bride and groom, who may have strong views about things, and who are often footing the bill.

But it's my observation that at the end of day -- as the reception draws to a close -- the bride and groom will be MOST happy if their GUESTS had a great time. When planning their wedding celebration, the wise bride and groom (and their parents) will consider the guests' perspective -- putting themselves in the guests' shoes.

The result will be a truly fun event for all -- and an event full of wonderful, happy memories for the bride and groom.

Group Photos

Most wedding couples tell DJs "We're looking for someone who will keep the dance floor filled!" Favorable reviews of DJs often say "He kept the dance floor full all night long!"

Yet, sometimes during the dance period, the DJ is requested to interrupt the music and invite guests to leave the dance floor for group photographs. Things like: "Will all members of the extended Smith family please step outside on the patio for a group photo" or "All University of Virginia alumni, please meet in the corner of the ballroom for a group photo."

Those group photos are great. They'll give you wonderful pictures to look at in the years ahead. It's fun to see all those folks together in one shot.

But . . . keep in mind that every organized group photo during the dancing disrupts the dance floor. The spoken announcements interrupt the flow of the music. Most important, all those guests gathered for the group photo are guests unavailable for dancing.

Like so many things at your reception, it's all a matter of balance. I'm not saying dancing is more important than photos. It's just this: IF you want a full dance floor, schedule the group photos PRIOR to the start of dancing.

Group photos can be taken immediately before or after the ceremony, during the cocktail hour, or even immediately after the meal (and just prior to dancing). If it's not possible to get all the group shots by then, another option is to schedule the remaining group shots just before or just after the cake-cutting (since we're already taking a break from dancing for the cake).

I've DJ'd a couple of receptions recently where for prolonged periods during dancing, as many as one-third of the guests were off to the side posing for group photos. Needless to say, this significantly lowered what I call the "dance energy" for a portion of the allotted dance time.

Please believe me, I am not criticizing the photographers. Like the DJ, they're trying to do a great job, and like the DJ, they're responding to the planned or impromptu requests of the bride and groom and their friends and families. What I am doing is suggesting that there IS a trade-off here. Brides and grooms who highly prize a full dance floor need to consider this trade-off when thinking about the timing of group photos.

CEREMONY -- LIVE MUSIC OR DJ?

Even though I work as a DJ, I would never criticize anyone's decision to hire live musicians to perform at their ceremony. Live music sounds wonderful. Besides, many of my best friends are live musicians!

However, if you are having your ceremony at the same site as your reception, there are some advantages to having your DJ provide the ceremony music.

(1) You'll save money. Your DJ may charge a bit extra for the additional time, equipment and preparation, but it's still going to cost you less than hiring live musicians.

(2) Your DJ can typically also provide microphones, if you need them, for the officiant and/or for the readers. So you'll get amplified sound for the voices as well as for the music.

(3) Your DJ can provide a wide variety of music for the ceremony in whatever style or styles you'd like. For example, if you'd like your classical music for your processional but want to switch to rock&roll or R&B for your recessional, your DJ can easily do that. If you want a completely different genre for the prelude music, your DJ can easily provide that. And so on.

Before hiring a DJ to play at your ceremony, make sure he's had experience with ceremonies, not just with receptions. This is not a time and place for an inexperienced DJ to wing it, or to learn on the job!

SWEET TUNES FOR CAKE-CUTTING

You might not think of cake-cutting as a musical moment, but music can enhance it. Especially if it's the right song -- a song that somehow relates to that moment. The DJ plays the song in the background just after he announces the cake-cutting.

Some examples:

• "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You." A great choice, because it connects the sweetness of cake to the sweetness of love, and it's a song everyone recognizes. You can use the Motown original by Marvin Gaye or the pop version by James Taylor.

• "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" by the Four Tops. Another Motown classic with "sweet" references.

• "Sugar Sugar" by the Archies. A silly "bubblegum pop" tune, but a fun choice for cake-cutting.

• "Ice Cream" by Sara McLachlan. Pretty tune, "your love is sweeter than ice cream ..."

Another great choice which might not be obvious at first:

• "When I'm 64" by the Beatles. Its refrain "Will you still need me, will you still FEED me ..." connects to the bride and groom spoon-feeding each other a piece of cake. Also, it's a song that just makes people smile.

Two more possibilities:

• " Hit Me With Your Best Shot" by Pat Benatar. This is only recommended if you and your spouse intend to smoosh the cake in each other's face.

• "Cut the Cake" by AWB. You'd think this'd be a great choice, but basically it's just a funk instrumental with the band occasionally shouting out "cut the cake," so it's not on my A-list.

These are just some of the more popular choices. I have a list of over 20 songs that I've used for cake-cutting. Feel free to post any suggestions of your own in the Comments section.

Location, Location, Location

There's an old saying that the 3 secrets of real estate are location, location, and location.

There's a lot more to DJ'ing than location, but the location of the DJ relative to the dance floor and the dining tables is a crucial, and often overlooked, element in a successful wedding reception.

If your grandmother is seated at a table three feet from my speakers, the music is going to sound too loud to her – EVEN during dinner, when I’m playing SOFT background music.

And if the dance floor is one part of the room and the DJ is in another, the music might lack “punch” for the dancers.

What I’m getting at is this: Correct placement of the DJ relative to the guest tables and the dance floor is critical to the success of your reception. It is not rocket science. The DJ (and his speakers) should be placed right next to the dance floor, and should NOT be placed right next to tables where guests are seated for dinner.

Does your DJ review your floor plan in advance of your wedding reception? He should.

Greetings

This is the first post in my new blog devoted to weddings.

In my 10+ years DJ'ing at hundreds of weddings (in the Washington DC area), I've seen it all: the good and the bad. The purpose of this blog is to help you embrace the good and avoid the bad, to help you have a sucessful wedding -- one that's fun and memorable, that expresses the tastes and preferences of the wedding couple while also pleasing their guests.

I've worked with wedding couples of every description and at wedding venues of every type. I've observed closely, learned from personal experience, and learned from the experience of others. And I've been coached by some of the top wedding DJs in the country.

In this blog, I'll share my experience with you.

Feel free to add your own comments or to contact me privately at steve@goodnote.com.