If you have your heart set on a destination wedding, you have different details on your mind than your friends who are planning local weddings. While they search for venues large enough to fit their guest list, for example, you will be thinking about flights, travel insurance and how to transport your wedding dress.
Something you’ll have in common, however, is your quest to find the very best DJ for your big night. Whether your wedding is down the street or on an exotic beach, you’ll want the right DJ to help you properly celebrate your wedding.
Here, we’ll look at how to find the best DJ for your destination wedding. But first, let’s step back — why do people choose a destination wedding? What makes them so appealing?
Why a Destination Wedding?
Let’s face it, weddings can be stressful. Many engaged couples see a destination wedding as a chance to combine their wedding and honeymoon while eliminating the stress of a big event.
Many destination weddings are smaller, by design. With a shorter guest list — with only your closest friends and family — you will likely have a more intimate wedding experience.
Of course, the setting of a destination wedding is the big draw. Whether you picture saying your vows barefoot on the beach, atop a mountaintop or standing in front of a lush, tropical view, the scenery of a destination wedding can be hard to beat.
Naturally, once you’ve said your ‘I dos’ and danced the night away, your destination wedding provides a built-in honeymoon for you and a vacation for your guests. Many couples who choose a destination wedding feel immediately relaxed. No sooner have they said their vows than they can start their vacation.
Even with these benefits, however, a destination wedding is not for everyone. Some couples have a hard time asking people to spend the time and money to travel for the sake of their wedding. Others feel disconnected, planning their wedding at a distance. If you decide a destination wedding is right for you and your fiancé, you’ll have a few key variables to figure out, including your wedding DJ.
Why is the Wedding DJ so Important?
If you think back to weddings you’ve attended, you probably think most fondly of those that ran smoothly and had you dancing all night long. This is often the work of a skilled DJ. The right wedding DJ is familiar with the natural ebbs and flows of the evening. They know that emotional and energetic highs are often followed by moments to recover and regroup. An experienced DJ knows how to make smooth transitions, leading the room by reading the crowd and responding to the moment.
In other words, a skilled DJ plays a vital role in the flow and feel of a wedding. This is true, whether you have a crowd of 300 in your hometown or a group of 35 at a destination wedding.
So, if you have your heart set on a smaller wedding at a resort or other destination, how do you make sure you can include the right DJ for your big day? Let’s take a closer look at some of the options.
BYODJ – Bring Your Own DJ
While this might sound a little ‘extra’ at first, there are real advantages to bringing your own DJ to your destination wedding. First, you’ll know exactly who you are getting. If you are familiar with a DJ and love his or her style, it’s worth asking if they are willing to travel for a destination wedding event.
Second, bringing your own DJ to your destination wedding means they will be up-to-speed on your wedding structure and your hopes for the event. Whether you would like your DJ to emcee the evening, play a role in communicating with the wedding coordinator or simply handle the music for the dance floor, you will have plenty of time for communication and a mutual understanding of your wedding itinerary.
If you decide to go this route, be sure to find a DJ you trust. Look for someone who has done destination weddings in the past and enjoys both the work and the overall experience. Unfortunately, some of the best wedding DJs do not offer this service. You will need to do your research to find the right fit for you.
You want to make sure the DJ you bring to your destination wedding will be both thorough and professional. The best way to ask all your questions will likely be through phone conversations, both with your DJ and their referrals.
Check Local Recommendations
If you decide to use a local DJ for your destination wedding, your options may be limited by your venue. Some destination wedding venues will insist you use one of their recommended DJs. Others will provide you with a list of options, but allow you to explore outside this list, as well.
Just as you would do in a hometown search for a local wedding DJ, look for referrals, reviews and videos, so you can get a feel for potential DJs and their vibe. When you speak to them directly, ask about their experience and see how flexible they might be on itinerary changes and music requests.
Try to arrive before your guests to your destination wedding. This will give you time to review details with the local event staff, including your wedding DJ. An extra meeting or two will allow you to run over itinerary and layout details that can be hard to envision from a distance.
Once you are physically in the setting where your wedding will take place, you may have new questions or details you’d like to cover. With these conversations in place, you can take comfort in knowing your wedding night will be in good hands.
Step Back and Trust Your DJ
Whether you bring your own DJ or hire a local service for your destination wedding, at some point, it’s important to hand things over to them. You want to relax and enjoy your wedding as much as possible. A skilled wedding DJ will give you room to do just that.
While you take in the emotion of the day, your DJ will be ready to fill the space with the right music for the moment. Trusting your wedding DJ to come prepared, to have backup plans in case of emergency and to set the tone for the evening while reading the pace and sentiment of the crowd, will give you the freedom you need to dance the night away and enjoy the people who have travelled to be with you on your big day.
At Pro DJ Services, we serve Detroit and southeast Michigan with first-class wedding services, including DJ services, wedding photo booths, wedding uplighting, wedding photography, and wedding videography. We are proud of the relationships we build and the awards and recommendations we have received, including more than 400 5-star ratings for our wedding services.
Contact us to talk about our extensive wedding services. We will make your wedding in southeast Michigan, or wherever you desire, a night that you and your guests will always remember. We deliver peace of mind while helping you create the wedding of your dreams.