AskLexi: Should I Hire A DJ?

"Hey Lexi! I was wondering if you think hiring a DJ is worth the money, or if you think a pre-made list of songs that is run by a friend is sufficient. We keep going back and forth and I just can't decide! Thanks!"

This is such a great question! My husband and I struggled deciding whether to hire a DJ or not for our wedding. Early on I decided I wasn't going to hire a DJ, and I even made an entire playlist in preparation for the wedding day. About 6 weeks before the wedding, we changed our minds and hired an amazing DJ, and I am so glad we did.

If I would have known then what I know after attending 25+ weddings, it wouldn't have even been a question. There are several benefits to having a DJ, some I knew at the time, and some I hadn't even considered.

1. They are able to feel out the crowd to get everyone out on the dance floor and keep them there.

Obviously, you need to do your research and make sure you are hiring a quality DJ that really cares about your reception and wants to make it fun. If you get someone good, a huge benefit to having a DJ is that they usually have an order of songs that is guaranteed to get people dancing, and they can be flexible in the set list according to the crowd to keep everyone there. Having a set order of songs with someone who isn't qualified driving the show can lead to an empty dance floor.

2. Equipment for speeches and toasts.

This one I so did not even think about! Using mics from the DJ for speeches makes the whole process so much easier and less complicated!

3. They help keep the reception running on schedule.

Not only do they make sure scheduled dances run on time, but the also make any announcements needed such as cake cutting or exit times and instructions. It makes is much less hectic to have directions for lighting sparklers announced over a speaker rather than trying to yell to the masses while everyone shuffles around. Trust me on this one.

Conclusion: if you want your reception to be poppin', a quality DJ is totally worth it. Our reception was so much fun, that my photographer had to practically pull me off the dance floor for our sparkler exit, and it made the night totally unforgettable.