Drum Roll for the Right DJ: Choosing the Perfect Music for Your Wedding

Drum roll for the right DJ

Indian weddings are colorful. Indian weddings are long. Indian weddings are LOUD! Well not anymore. At least as far the sound of music goes.

Gone are the days when Indian weddings beat the heck out of percussions – Indian classical, Bollywood, or Pop music – and one could scarcely hear oneself. All in the name of holy matrimony. Weddings today use context to bring in appropriate music. And the architect behind the bells and drums, acoustics and wind are the DJs and/ or bandmasters who are mavins of their craft. They read the room for the energy and vibe before they let the music flow. They understand that dancing to the beat is as important as catching up with family and friends at these special occasions and plan their music accordingly.

So, choosing a DJ, or (for that matter if you’re planning to go with) a live band, is crucial to the success of the event – be it pre-wedding, or the wedding ceremony, or the post wedding celebration.

This can be quite tricky and here we’ve put together some useful tips on how to choose the right music magician for your event.

Package deal or itemized offerings

Once you decide on the number of events and guest list, you can approach a vendor to see if they offer packages or only offer DJ services. Will they emcee or will you bring your own? Will they bring their own equipment also or only their skill set? How will they open and how will they close the party? Will they handle guest requests or prefer to stick to the agreed upon list?

Do they offer a package deal to include all the events, or will the billing be separate based on the number of guests and location etc.?

Availability

Will your DJ be available for the mehndi/ sangeet/wedding date, and/ or the weekend of? Remember to give (preferably) the exact dates for the various events, so they can check availability. The start and close timings are as important as the locations where events will be held. Make sure your dates don’t clash and there’s no double dating. Will the DJ be available only for the main events or can you also book them for lunches/ dinners/ cocktail hours?

Style and taste

Music is among the top, most important aspects of a successful event. Too loud, too soft, too upbeat, too low-key, too ‘so many things’, can leave a dent on an otherwise perfectly happy memory. Discuss the mood you would like to set for each event. It will be good to share your playlist and ask for theirs, so you can add or delete ahead instead of being surprised at the time of. Entry and closing songs/ music is key to your event’s success.

On the other hand, if you are planning a live band, be sure to ask for videos of their latest gigs. Make sure you know exactly how many performers to expect, and what kind of accompaniments they bring with them. If it’s a live band, there’s also the question of equipment – do they bring their own, or rent it, if the latter, whose tab is it on and the payment schedules. Too many movies have comedy tracks running on unpaid performers and the fiasco thereafter. It’s just not funny at all off screen. Once that is fixed, check with the lead on their repertoire. Make sure you are in sync with their list of songs. If the lead singer takes a break, then discuss fillers, unless you don’t mind having a lull now and then.

South Asian weddings require as much “dhoom-dhamaka” as they do gentle flue, shehnai, and sitar strains. So, your DJ will have to be in the know of when to have the crowd jive to the groove and croon to the first-dance melodies.

Set up, clear up, and such

Housekeeping is integral to having a hassle-free musical experience. Check how long your DJ or the band requires for set up. And make sure you know the policy of the event location too. Some hotels open two hours ahead of the event for set up and permit the same for post event clear up. If that’s not enough, speak to them ahead. Remember, your florist and décor team will also be ready for set up about the same time. No fun if they have to step on each other’s toes.

So, get with your DJ for an easy, hassle-free event. Record your progress with Uthsav.com’s app. And enjoy the best day of your life.