(208) 572-5117
Help Us Prepare to
Service Your Event
The purpose of this page is to assist you in planning for your upcoming wedding.
Click to See Information on:
In short, we will need:
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A full event itinerary
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Power & Location where to setup
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Each song you'll want in your Ceremony
(i.e. Processional, Bride Entrance, Recessional)
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Each song you'll want in your Reception
(i.e. Grand Entrance, First Dance, Daddy-Daughter, Mother-Son, Last Dance) -
A Sample Playlist of what kinds of music you'd like played in your open dance
Before My Wedding
This section outlines what our DJ will need to be able to setup and best prepare for your event, on the day of the wedding.
Early access to the venue to setup
Our DJ will need to be able to access the venue early well before the ceremony's start, so as to have time to setup and test equipment. The amount of time will vary depending on what all is being setup.
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For just music services they'll typically request 2-3hrs.
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With a photobooth = an extra hour on top of that.
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With a Dance floor = an extra 2hrs; or they even may request access the night before the event to setup.
Direction on where to setup
A simple description, or better yet, a coordinator's guidance, on where it is you'd like our DJ setup is sufficient in fulfilling this request.
What if I need the DJ in two places?
Absolutely accommodatable; and there are no extra charges. Its very common to have the ceremony at one place and the reception at a second. Our DJ will simply need about 30-45minutes (depending on distance) to move the essential parts of their setup to the second location. During this time they'll be unable to play music. This is a great time to take photos or mingle with guests in a cocktail hour.
A power source within 50ft
Any typical 120V power outlet (the kind you'd find along a wall in your house) is sufficient for our setup. However, it is important that you dont have too many powered items chained along one breaker. i.e. a whole row of crockpots on the same breaker as the DJ equipment-- as the combination of the setups can cause a breaker to flip.
What if there is no nearby power available at my venue?
Not a problem. We've serviced plenty of events up in mountain tops or out deep in fields or forests where no power is readily available. We can work with you to rent a quiet generator to bring with us to run the equipment from. However, the cost to rent such equipment will fall onto you, though we've often found them for as cheap as $110.
Shade during hot afternoons
If your wedding has a component outdoors in a stiff summer heat, our DJ will need adequate shade to keep, not just themselves, but the equipment cool. If our amplifiers sit out in the sun for too long and get too hot, they can "clip" rendering them unable to play.
However, we do have our own white top canopy we can bring and setup for no extra charge, we just ask permission to do so if you don't have something else in mind.
Mic Test with Officiant / Performers
If your wedding is utilizing our microphones for the ceremony, our DJ will need an opportunity to test the microphone and communicate proper microphone usage to those who will be using them before the start of the event.
The microphones are very simple to use, though in stressful moments (like public speaking) knowledge about the equipment can avoid any mishaps where someone may forget to utilize their mic properly (i.e. holding the mic down at their hip instead of raising it towards their mouth)-- rendering them inaudible to the audience.
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On especially windy days, this is vitally important as the mics sensitivity will need to be lowered to avoid picking up static from the breeze.
Structuring
My Ceremony
THE BIG THREE SONGS FOR THE CEREMONY:
The ceremony is the crux of the wedding. Of course you should feel free to do it however you please. A traditional ceremony will have a structure like this:
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DJ plays your choice of genre of prelude music while guests seat themselves and wait
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Officiant takes position at the alter and asks guests to be seated
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DJ will cue the start of the ceremony by playing the Processional Song, members of your immediate family and wedding party will walk down the aisle and take their positions in the front row of seats, or to the sides of the alter.
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Next the Bride's Entrance Song will begin to play. The flower girl will head the bride's entrance down the aisle.
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From there, the officiant will take over in conducting the ceremony. Readings, exchanging of vows, the placement of rings, and what ever else you desire to include will proceed.
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Once the ceremony has commenced, either by kiss, closing prayer, announcement, or other ceremony, the couple will begin to make their exit down the aisle and our DJ will play the Recessional Song.
**For more detailed information on Ceremony Structure check out this site link
Prelude Music
Always feel free to construct a playlist if you feel inspired to do so-- otherwise simple instructions on what sort of feel or "vibe" you'd like for your pre-ceremony prelude music will help our DJ set the mood for your ceremony's start. Popular choices are classical, or instrumental music genres.
The Processional Song
This is the song you'll need to choose to be played while the bridal party walks down the aisle and takes their positions in preparation for the bride to enter. This song can be reverent, upbeat, or even silly depending solely on what mood you'd prefer to preface the bride's entrance.
Bride's Entrance Song
This is the song you'll choose for the bride to walk down the aisle too. The song should be meaningful and personable to the Bride herself. Sometimes this song is the same as the Processional. If there is a particular place within the song you'd like to cue when the bride begins her entrance, simply communicate this and our DJ can "hotcue" this place and ensure that, regardless of what happens, the bride will enter at the exact preferred time.
The Recessional Song
Upon the conclusion of the ceremony the audience will stand and applaud as the newly wed couple begins their exit down the aisle. During this moment our DJ will fade in this Recessional Song. Typically an upbeat song is the best fit for this selection.
Structuring
My Reception
Receptions can take many shapes and include many different featured dances / events. This section will describe the most popular formats and options.
Direction on where to setup
As mentioned in the "Before My Wedding", if it is the case that our DJ will need to relocate for the start of the reception, there is no problem nor any extra fee. All we need is a simple description, or better yet, a coordinator's guidance, on where it is you'd like our DJ to setup.
Additionally, keep in mind that our DJ will need roughly 30-45 minutes to relocate the essential parts of their setup-- during which time they'll be unable to play music or make announcements. This is a great time to take photos or mingle with guests in a cocktail hour.
The Grand Entrance with Song
The Grand Entrance is an announcement, with an accompanying selected song, of the married couple's, and often times the wedding party's as well, entrance into the reception. Each member of the wedding party's name is read as they enter, even each with their own tracks, ending with the newly wed couple's entrance as the finale.
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This entrance works best in reception structures where the couple/wedding party is away from the guests for photos or otherwise and enter the reception hall after the guests have done so.
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A Grand Entrance requires a fair amount of coordination, both on the part of the DJ, and on the part of the entering wedding party-- most especially if multiple songs are involved and paired to specific entering party members.
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Grand Entrance Best Practices:
Have a script or list of the wedding party's names that are being announced for the DJ to read-- and align the party IN ORDER of this list.
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Our DJ wont know everyone's names, and unless each member is entering in a specified order, it'd be too easy for the wrong name/song to be announced in the wrong order.
For more complicated/longer Grand Entrances consider having someone more familiar with the names and faces of the entering party take the mic and announce their entrance while our DJ focuses solely on the music. This is especially advised if members of your wedding party have particularly difficult names to pronounce.
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Be conscious of the time it'll take each party member to enter.
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If its your desire to have each member's entrance be accompanied by their own song, consider having them perform some action or have enough ground to cover to leave an appropriate amount of time for their song to play (Not the entire song of course, but at least 20-30 seconds of it). Too short of segments between songs can feel jarring to the audience.
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Consider having portions of your wedding party enter together to one song per grouping-- Examples of groupings may be: couples and partners, parents of both parties, siblings, groomsmen, bridesmaids, etc. This will ensure enough of each song is played as to flow the most smoothly.
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Dinner
Simply advise our DJ as to what genres to play or what kind of mood you'd like the music to communicate during your dinner. You're not required to provide our DJ with a meal, though it'd be cooler if you did ;)
Toasts & Speeches
We have wireless handheld microphones available for use during any point of the reception if you so choose to do so. The only thing to say about them is they have to be reasonably close to the DJ's setup so as to receive the signal, preferably no further than 100ft away.
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*A tip of advice we'd give to those couples looking to include toasts and/or speeches on their special day is to invite the guests they'd like to speak to do so before the day of the event (Inviting guests to volunteer to speak without notice can be awkward, and we've seen weddings where simply no-one will volunteer at all... super awkward) Besides, speeches with forethought are far more insightful and emotional anyway.
The First Dance with Song
Typically occurring after the meal or otherwise near the start of the reception, the first dance is the special moment when the couple cuts the rugs together for the first time as a married pair. The selected song should be especially meaningful for the couple.
Do we have to dance for the WHOLE song? (we're shy)
No. At any point during the song, if you'd prefer to be finished, simply stop dancing and our ever attentive DJ will fade the song out before initiating the applause.
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The same goes for any song in your event.
Daddy Daughter Dance with Song
Typically occurring immediately after the first dance the father-daughter dance is the moment where the bride honors their father. It represents the gratitude they have for their father's love as they enter a new phase of life.
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As mentioned above, you are not required to dance the entire length of the song. Our DJ can fade out the song whenever you feel the urge to finish the dance.
Mother Son Dance with Song
See above, but with the mother and son.
Bouquet Toss with Song
It is said that if you catch the bouquet tossed by the bride, you will have good fortune and will be the next to be married. This event can be a lot of fun, and provides an excellent photo opportunity for the photographer.
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If you have a song you'd like played that isn't Single Ladies by Beyonce, let us know and we'll be glad to do so! Otherwise we're playing Single Ladies by Beyonce... its a great choice.
Garter Toss with Song
Much less common nowadays, but removing the garter is basically the male equivalent to the bride's bouquet toss. The bride sits on a chair so her new husband can take her garter belt off her leg and toss it to a crowd of bachelors. Supposedly, whoever is lucky enough to catch it will be next to get married.
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Its best to do this event only if you know your friend group is the kind to get into it, otherwise you can expect the process of getting the bachelors onto the floor to participate to feel more like pulling teeth.
Cake Cutting with Song
Our advice is to have the cake cutting in one of two places, depending on how hard/long you expect the open dancing to go. Having the cake cutting after the dinner and just before the First dance is a great place, as guests can be served and eat cake while they watch the First Dance.
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However, if you know your guests will be going long and hard on the open dance, the cake cutting can serve as a great "intermission" for guests to take a break from the dance floor, enjoy some cake, recompose themselves before getting back on the floor.
Last Dance with Song
Its not uncommon for the couple to want to have a Last Dance. Whether alone or with the guests this will be the last dance of the night before the couple takes their exit and the wedding fully concludes.
Send Off with Song
At the end of the Reception the couple may decide to have a send off, with accompanying song. Therein, guests will file through a receiving line and then gather outside of the church, or down away from the reception site. The newly wed couple will then exit down the middle of the filed guests. The guests then shower the bride & groom with something like rice, confetti, flower petals, birdseed, confetti, bubbles, etc. Or they'll often hold sparklers (a great choice for great photos)
**If you decide to do this, ensure what your guests throw is easily cleaned up or at least bio-degradable when outdoors-- otherwise the venue might throw a fit.
Other Fun Ideas with DJ
Looking to spice up your reception? Or perhaps you'd simply like your event to have a unique schedule and cater to a personal preference-- check out our list of special DJ interactive events and featured dances!
Anniversary Dance
This special dance is a sort of celebration to fidelity and marriage bonds. Your DJ invites all married couples onto the dance floor. After a few minutes of dancing, the DJ asks all couples who have been married for one year or less to leave the dance floor. After another few minutes, he asks all those couples married for five years or less to leave the dance floor, and so on. Eventually, you are left with the longest married couple. The DJ can then interview them, asking them their advice for a long lasting marriage.
Interactive Country Swing Lesson
Our DJ, Antonio Silvaz, teaches country swing at the College of Southern Idaho. For crowds they may be hesitant to get on the dance floor, or just for the fun of it, Tony can take up the mic, grab a partner and get on the dancefloor himself to interact with the crowd by teaching an impromptu country swing lesson. After demonstrating three or so swing dancing moves, he'll play a song and allow them to get down with their new-found dance skills.
Group Photo Dance Ice-Breaker
A trick we learned from a photographer years ago-- when we're finished with the featured dances (first dance, daddy-daughter dance, etc) and we're ready to open the dancefloor to the guests, we can invite everyone to the floor for a group photo with the photographer. After the photo is taken, our DJ will get on the mic and say something along the lines of "Well, now that I got you all here on the dance floor, lets party!" and play a irresistible dancing track.
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A simple and effective trick to break the ice and get people dancing.
Money Dance
The money dance is a cultural tradition at many wedding receptions where guests offer the newlyweds money to dance with them, or they shower the couple with money. The custom is to help establish the couple in their new life together, or to show how much they are loved and appreciated.
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There are many different takes on how to do this-- whether they pin their donations to the brides dress with safety pins, place donations in a jar, or simply tossing the money into the air above the dancefloor.
The Shoe Game
The Wedding Shoe Game is a popular reception activity that tests the couple’s knowledge of each other. From who is the funniest to who is the best cook, the newlyweds will have to answer a variety of questions without seeing one another’s answers.
