I NEED ADVICE & experiences with DJing your own wedding, Ipod style... well, laptop style actually. Please!

Our iPod master was a friend, so we paid him in beer. Since it wasn't all that much queueing up (the playlists were in alphabetical order on the iPod), all he had to do was change the music over twice, then remember to take the iPod with him at the end.

Ok, my wedding is not until April 2012, but we are already creating playlists of our wedding songs. We are having an IPOD, IPAD, and laptop, just in case one of them fail. We are having our wedding at a theater, so our music will play thru their sound system. They will have a lighting/sound guy on hand, but I have an uncle and nephew as backups. Also, my FH has a big family and everyone couldn't be in the bridal party, so I assigned his sister and his co-workers as MCs. I have already written a script for each of them, so everything should work out fine. I also have a back-up MC on the back burner.

Yep, my kid brother was amazing, he really came through on our wedding day. What if you did CD's since Ipod's not an option? Archaic lol I know, but it may be an easy way to have set playlists, then just put them all in a 5-disk CD player.

Just a thought.... good luck!

I decided on a laptop DJ and will be setting my playlists on itunes. Not only am I having a small shindig with just close family and friends. I just need to rent the sound system to hook it up to and we'll be fine.

I'm not into the bouquet toss, garter toss, we will cut the cake, I'm still not sure about the first dance cuz my guy is really not a dancing kinda guy. I say rock on with your IPod DJ....I understand vendors preferring things a certain way but not everyone has the money to spend on a DJ with all the trimmings but does that mean we can't have a great wedding because we can't afford 'professional' vendors? That's ridiculous.

We are doing an Ipad/laptop playlist. We are having a good friend who works part time at a radio station on the air (so he's comfortable announcing stuff, etc.) be the emcee. I suspect that ours will be similar to the others here......we aren't having a lot of announcements, laid back. I think we'll be fine even though it's all doom and gloom from the vendors.

Thank you for asking this. We are going to use an IPOD/laptop. I don't know who is going to be in charge of it though...it is a little worrying, but I just find DJs to be really boring, and most of the time awkward.

We are going to have 1 play list for 6-8 hours of romantic music from the 40's to day.. its going to play lightly in the background since only a few that are coming to my wedding maybe 5 out of 60 people like to dance the rest of us like to just hang out and talk and see everyone. We are going to have a portable CD player with a cd with the First Dance, Mom and Kid dance, and Money dance. Otherwise the IPod will be playing lightly in the background.

Emily - I am with you! These positive posts about IPOD weddings made me even feel a little bit better. It's what the FH wanted so we can spend the money on other stuff. But I think after reading all of this, it makes it sound a lot better! I am sure I could find someone that would make the few annoucements and such. Even the lady at the venue said that she likes the IPOD's better and they have a sound system.

The only thing she did suggest though is to hire a string quartet or some kind of band to do the ceremony music... The ceremony will be outside and the reception inside (both at the same place), so i'll have to see about that.

And p.s. I don't think you're posting too much on your own thread! I am learning so much from it!

I love this post! We're also doing an IPOD for our reception. We're having a late night (9-midnight) reception with just cocktails and appetizers. We're not doing any of the boring (in my opinion!!) dances, bouquet toss, garter toss, etc. I feel like weddings have gotten away from what they're really about: the uniting of two people who are madly in love So while it's nice to hear the opinions of vendors who work in the business, I think you know what's best for your particular wedding, and don't worry, everything will be just fine!!

As a DJ, I hear this all the time. There are distinct advantages to an iPod reception. One is of course cost. One is that it's easy. One is you get to pick all of your favorite tunes.

Now, I have to give you some dis-advantages: Your playlist is set, and hard to change. There is a long pause between each song. You need to put a playlist together that you think will work... if it doesn't you're stuck for several minutes fixing and changing. You still need a sound system that will allow everyone in the room to hear the music. After the event, many folks will talk about each and every problem that occurred, and how cheap it appeared (sorry, but that's true).

How often do you hear from brides that their iPod wedding was a roaring success. Sure, there's a few here and there... but have you wondered why you don't generally hear from brides that their iPod wedding flopped? Embarrassment! -continued-

My iPod wedding was a roaring success! *does chair dance* Then again, there was an open bar standing between them and the dance floor...

Sorta like going to jiffy lube for a mechanic to swap out your transmission... aint going to happen.

If you insist on doing this anyway, you have to do your homework. Don't use the music that you personally like, but pole your guests to see what's going to "move" them. Eminem might work for you, but not for gramma or Aunt Betty. Do the Hip Hop much later on your playlist, when the "older" guests are gone. Play the Black Eyed Peas first, and the older folks are leaving early (trust me on that).

The reason you hire a DJ is to handle and solve each and every problem your going to have with an iPod. Make sure you have a quality sound system, and arrange your music to flow with the evening. Then, come back and tell everyone how it went. I always ask that, but it never happens... wonder why?

Speaking as an old fart bride to be, I def agree that you have to create a playlist that the old folks will like in the beginning. At the same time, these tunes need to motivate the younger crowd. If techno or rap is the music of the evening, I am out of a reception ASAP. I know with our crowd dancable classic rock, Motown and the oldies gets them up and dancing, with or without their canes.

Tyrone...BTW...this old fart knows who the Black Eyed Peas are and enjoys their music.

...hrm, I seem to recall posting exactly how my iPod reception went. Several times. On this very thread.

But I guess the fact that it worked well must have occurred in some sort of alternate universe. One where only DJs can push 'play.'

My sister used an iPod for her wedding. It was a catastrophe.

Right before the wedding, they had to sync the laptop and iPod, and it deleted half the songs on the iPod.

Plus, the songs managed to get disorganized so that the right song wasn't played for ANY part of the ceremony. Even walking down the aisle. The father daughter dance was lost, so they danced to something else.

She took it well, and didn't panic, but make sure that if you do that, you have a back up plan, and that everything is set up and tested well ahead of time, plus that morning.

Eh a bad dj or band will result in the same crowd of people not dancing. I went to a wedding last year that had a cover band and they were really good. Alas the couple found them at a bar, so all they played was bar music which isn't really that easy to dance too. The older crowd dissappeared quick and the younger crowd mingled (go figure, that's what happens at a bar too!) and the groom spent the whole night asking why people weren't dancing SMH.

Put a lot of planning into your IPod wedding, definetly do the fade in / fade out thing so there's no silences and find a guest that enjoys making announcements. Good luck!

Sami...I agree. I have been to many weddings where the DJ truly sucked and I would have killed for music from a boom box playing a mixed tape. Yes, I am dating myself.

Although I am obviously biased... I think this is a good time to revisit the iPod wedding video, as the same would apply to your wedding.

Before you even look at the video, think: Who is going to make announcements? how will people be able to hear everything? A standard home stereo doesn't have a microphone input. So you will have to do something different.

By the time you add up the expenses... an iPod/laptop wedding might not be too far off from what you would pay for a DJ.

And now... for the dreaded video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IglmKy242Oc

Shannon - Thank you for your positive input. It all balls down to this - planning and having a plan B and/or C. I'm using an IPOD, IPAD, and my laptop for backup. The sound system will and is great b/c it's going to be at a theater and all the music will play from there. I will have various playlist w/o the long pauses, that I have seen on this post and if my music is lost on the IPOD, well, I will just plug in one of my other devices. I think that it didn't work for most is b/c they didn't plan. Why wait to the last minute to sync your music anyway? WTH - Emily, go for it and I'm sure after your wedding, you will be posting a post like Shannon.

Yes, you CAN pull off a successful event, if you plan, do your homework, and invest the effort. Many brides don't want to do that...thus the concern from DJs here on this thread.

One post just mentioned a "disaster". They occur much too often, and 99% of the couples it happens to, aren't willing to come in here and tell you about it.

All, I'm asking is for you to post your results... help other brides who are considering this. Pros and cons...