Your big day is around the corner, and you’re pulling out all the entertainment stops for your guests. Perhaps your lineup has wedding musicians and a DJ to play the ceremony, cocktail hour and/or reception. If this is the case, chances are you’ll have to navigate who plays what and when. Thankfully, most entertainment teams are happy to work together, and you may even be able to find a way to save a little money! Keeping things simple for a team of wedding musicians and a DJ is pretty easy. Read on for our tips on making your DJ and your wedding musicians work in harmony on the big day.
Read Both Contracts Before Signing
If at all possible, try to book both of these around the same time so you can review both contracts. This is important to make sure that there isn’t any fine print or stipulations about other entertainment during the contract slot. It would be awful if you put down tons of money for both services and found out that your timeline and vision for the big day might be affected!
Look at The Requirements
Many musicians charge extra for bringing gear like microphones, amps, or sound systems. This is usually a fee for having to pack everything up and lug it over, but you can save money in this regard if your DJ team is fully stocked. Many DJs don’t mind letting musicians plug into their setup with advance notice, which often saves you money and a headache.
Organize a Run-Through of Wedding Musicians and a DJ
Your wedding coordinator or a trusted wedding party planner can help you with this, often when the cocktail hour is going on and the DJ and musicians are still setting up. During the pow-wow, everyone can get clear on the program timeline, who is playing what and what is needed when. A clear plan for the reception will help the actual timeline flow smoothly and keep all your vendors happy and stress-free.
Keep Transitions Simple
There are some exceptions, but you’ll get more harmony if you don’t make your vendors’ jobs particularly difficult. Switching between musicians, then DJ, then musicians, then DJ repeatedly through the reception program is a no-no. This creates unnecessary stress and potentially cause delays if set-up and breakdown are necessary.
Don’t Treat One Better Than the Other
Because of the nature of different contracts, the fine print may contain different requirements for vendors. DJs and Musicians who play through the reception often require vendor meals for their team. However, some vendors may have additional requirements on top of this. This can include eating the same thing the guests are eating. If there are minute differences in your contracts like this, err on the side of caution and provide the same thing for all present vendors.