I'm doing my own music; no DJ!

A DJ is the last thing I would skimp on! Have you really weighed all the pros/cons?

Pros:

1) You save a few hundred $$.

2) Only the music you want to hear will be played.

3) ....hmm can't really come up with any more!

Cons:

1) W/O a DJ who will also act as your MC?

a) no one will announce your arrival

b) your guests won't know when you are cutting the cake, doing the bouquet/garter toss or any other highlight of the night

c) if you are doing a buffet, no one will know when it is their turn to get in line

d) your schedule of events will be useless w/o an MC to ensure the timeline is followed

e) ...I could go on, but I think you get the idea of why an MC (ie DJ) is important!

2) I'm no expert on sound, but I can't imagine that an ipod playing through the venues speakers will be all that great.

3) What about lighting & all the other exciting things that will make your guest want to get on the dance floor?

One of my friends did that and regretted it. You may be able to find someone decently priced, or just starting out on craigslist?

I attended my cousin's wedding in February and she did the same thing. I will say, it was really hard to manage, and didn't keep the party going. As an attendee, I did not feel compelled to dance, honestly, or even really leave my table.

But if you have to save money, you have to save money.

Wait, I'm not done!

4) A good DJ will take your play list and use it as a guideline...if you only have gansta rap songs on your play list and all your guests are wearing cowboy boots...he will probably have to play some country music to get them on the dance floor! OK, that was an exaggeration...but you get the idea!

5) A DJ isn't just some guy that presses the play button...he/she is someone that keeps the day moving as you planned, engages your guests and sometimes even entertains them too.

6) I could go on, but I digress...

While I have never been to an ipod wedding, I can only imagine it will be quite boring and will leave your guests wondering when the party will get started and ultimately they will leave and your reception will end much sooner than you had hoped.

I think it is doable, but not ideal. I think if you get an mc like Amy it would be much better, however it will be a LOT of prep work.

Maybe if you have an outgoing friend that could act as an MC and announce things as they are about to happen? I think you would just need to have everything scheduled exactly so that it would go smoothly.

I'm not having a DJ either, because we are just having a really small reception in a private room at a restaurant. I just made a playlist on spotify, and will play that as background music.

Good luck!

I'm having a very small, intimate wedding. about 60 people, all family. the venue has a mic so that's not an issue. it is a sit down dinner and cake will be immediately following, then the rest of the night is for mingling/dancing. fortunately, my family knows everyone that works at the venue, so getting someone to announce the arrival/cake cutting/etc is also not an issue. this is not your traditional everyday wedding with garter tossing and a crazy disco. my sister in law had her reception at a local pub in williamsburg, va and she did her own music on an ipod. same shpeel as my wedding and i couldn't imagine it any other way. i guess i was looking for more insight on those who have already done this and how they handled it, advice, etc.?

We're ipoding everything after the ceremony, but we are having an emcee and someone to cue the various playlists. I'm not worried about it. Our friends are competent adults who can pitch in if we need extra help with this. I'm really not worried about it.

Now, making tulle pompom garlands and other decorations that don't look like crap . . . that has me stressed.

I guess it truly depends on your guestlist.. I will be doing the same. But I know that I wont be having a "party" for a reception. I know that my guestlist is ALOT of my church family so I wont be doing anything crazy lol. The most dancing that will happen is the slow dancing and first dances. As far as an MC yeah its good to have but if you only want someone to announce the things that are going on maybe ask someone on your guestlist or someone in the wedding party. Im sure theres someone who likes to talk to crowds and is excitable.

My bestie did this and it was an absolute disaster! her MOH kept skipping thru songs ot keep things going (even though she killed it), people started leaving! and there were no announcements so we didnʻt know wth was going on

I am gathering a list of songs from all of my guests that they want to hear throughout the night.

Milica do what ever makes you happy. Your money, spend it your way.

@Milica...I think not having a DJ us a good idea especially if you're a budget bride like me and have to save money...I'm not having a DJ but I do have a friend who happens to have wonderful taste in music and can charm a crowd...go with your idea but also make sure that you have organization and nobody touches your music...

Andre'ya - I have a few friends that DJ/MC. I didn't think about it until now but i think that will be a high possibility, just so that I can relax and not worry about any complications or anything that could possibly go wrong! I don't expect a full service, if they would do it that would be great, but more so just to manage it!

Milica, exactly! What you don't want is stress because some person decides to fiddle with your music...find a person you trusts who can also do a good damn job and give them your playlist...trust me, you'll save money and stress...

Glad to find a fellow bride who is not using a DJ as well...

Andre'ya - what are your plans for music during the ceremony? i'm slightly stumped!!

Hey ladies! We are iPOD'ing it as well... 40 guests at my aunt's home... no need for a super huge shin dig! My undle has "DJ'ed" acouple events and we'll rent speaker/microphone equipment. that's it though! I'm thinking of just setting a designated song for him to navigate for the ceremony.

I did the ipod thing but i also designated someone to run it. ( MMOH's brother) and he did all the announcements and whatnots its was ok!

Thank you ladies for shedding some light!!!

I am making a playlist on my ipod, plugging it in, and then just leaving it alone. My mother will be the MC for special announcements, and my younger brother will control the music for the ceremony. I have a small $2500 budget for my wedding. (Including invites, dress, photography, and honeymoon.) We are having it in our back yard and renting speakers and a mic from a local party rental place for only $60.