A wedding ceremony is one of the most important moments in peoples lives. They have been preparing for this moment for a long time, and they have hired you as a DJ to ensure this moment is perfect. As a professional DJ, there are a number of things you can do to be prepared so that you can deliver the most amazing wedding ceremony for your clients. Here are a few tips.
1. Use a wind sock on your microphone.
Outdoor weddings can feature all types of weather, but wind is a consistent factor that I deal with on a regular bases. Even a slight gust of wind can be amplified through your lapel microphone, leading to an unpleasant sound coming through the speakers. A wind sock can take care of this problem. Even during heavy wind storms, my wind sock rarely allows any wind through. This is definitely one of the best investments you can make.
2. Utilize the EQ on your mixing board.
As a DJ, everyone has dealt with feedback issues. It is one of the most unpleasant sounds, and definitely not one that you want your guests to hear. Some wedding officiants speak very quietly, which means you have to push their volume on your microphone. This is when you can run into feedback issues. I find the best way to combat this issue is using the EQ on my mixer. I use an Allan & Heath Z-10 mixer, which offers a low, mid, and high frequency EQ. The nice thing about the mid EQ on this mixer is that I can sweep the frequency spectrum to target any specific range in the mids. I find most of the time, with a little dip in the low end and mid frequencies, the problem frequencies can be removed, which allows you more headroom to push the volume.
3. Be prepared with 2 music sources.
As a professional DJ, you have to be prepared for every scenario. When dealing with technology, it is important to be prepared for the worst case scenario. A wedding ceremony is so important to your clients, and you have to unsure the music plays without a hitch. I always have 2 music sources connected to my mixer, typically my laptop and my iPad. Both computers have the ceremony playlist loaded and ready to go. In the event the my computer crashed, I could quickly switch the music over to my iPad in matter of seconds. It is important to be prepared for everything.
4. Communicate with the wedding officiant before the ceremony.
Every wedding officiant delivers the ceremony in a slightly different way. It is important to communicate with them ahead of time to know when exactly you are to cue the music. A very important question I always ask my wedding officiant is “what is the last phrase you will say before I play the recessional song?” This is a very key moment in the ceremony, as this is the moment the bride and groom exit the ceremony as husband and wife. The energy needs to be high and you need to know you aren’t playing the song prematurely. Some officiants will end with “ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you Mr & Mrs Smith” while others might end with “You may now kiss the bride”. Knowing their last phrase is very important to ending the ceremony with a bang!
I hope these tips help you deliver the best ceremony possible for your clients!