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ARTICLE
I’m passionate about weddings. In my role as DJ, master of ceremonies and wedding party host, I’ve attended hundreds of weddings both large and small. A wedding is a unique family celebration; the wedding ceremony and reception reflect what lies ahead for the couple.
In many ways, the kind of wedding and the style of the reception form a social statement and, as such, the pressure is on to create a bigger, better and different experience for the guests to enjoy – more so than ever with the ever-growing social media scene. In this article, we’ll look at some of the most basic skills you need to transition from the DJ who does the evening reception, to specialising as a wedding host. I’ve met thousands of brides-to-be at wedding fairs over the past 30 years. They invariably have a vision as to how their big day should be. When I’ve probed them further about their vision, it often transpires that to transform their vision into reality, a great deal of planning will be required. Brides will often say things like “I want everyone to enjoy themselves”, “the music has to be perfect”, “after our first dance I want everybody on the dance floor” or “I want everyone to be up dancing all night long”.
All of these are easier said than done. Achieving each of these wishes requires more than trusting to luck and careful music choices. Where entertainment is involved, staging, production and direction are all critical for success. The old adage, “it’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it, which gets results,” has never been truer.
I remember when weddings used to be smaller and more intimate. Traditionally, all the guests were invited to the ceremony and joined the bride and bridegroom for the wedding breakfast and stayed on for the evening party.
This all-inclusive wedding ensured everyone was involved and were a part of the celebration. The whole day flowed seamlessly and all of the guests were able to absorb the events of the day without interruption. The newlyweds would often depart before the end of the party, and guests would gather to ‘send them off’ to a secret location where they would spend their first night together as husband and wife.
Changing times have created a totally different template for most weddings in twenty-first century Britain. Some still follow the example above, but most do not. Nowadays, the celebration is often divided into two halves: the daytime and the evening. I can understand how this has developed, especially when you see how much the cost of feeding people has risen over the years.
This new template for a wedding reception has also created a number of challenges. The time-line has now expanded. Formerly, an average wedding would be six to eight hours in duration. Today, a wedding may well last more than 12 hours. This creates new challenges with regard to keeping guests engaged and entertained throughout the day.
It also means that the guests who attend only the evening party are disadvantaged because they lack the emotional connection generated earlier in the day.
The emergence of the evening reception has created a disjointed event. The addition of an evening buffet meal has also produced a number of challenges, especially from a logistical and entertainment perspective. There is a need for someone to take control and join all the segments together, in such a way as to engage the guests and help them transition from one stage of the proceedings to another.
These changes have led to a growing number of professional DJs retraining, seeking ideas and methods to unite the party and entertain guests in more ways than simply playing music. I have worked very closely with hundreds of wedding party hosts over the last five to ten years. Together we looked at the way wedding receptions are celebrated in other parts of the world, with a focus on North America and Canada.
Their wedding receptions are very much like ours used to be. This is not surprising when you consider that large parts of their population originated from Europe. Some of the American weddings can be over the top and a little too brash for our tastes, however the concepts behind them hold substance.
The challenge has been for me and my colleagues to adapt their ideas and produce interactive introductions and spotlight moments, which British people can embrace and enjoy. Fortunately, a lot of what goes into an American wedding consists of ceremonies that originated right here in the UK and central Europe. It appears we simply forgot about them!
A friend and colleague, Dave Windsor, once said: “Without memorable entertainment a wedding reception is little more than a very expensive dinner party.”
I am certain that almost all DJs are passionate about music and that while many specialise in one particular genre, they also acquire over the years a great breadth and depth of knowledge of all types of music.
A mobile DJ is also driven by a need to fill a dance floor and keep the party buzzing with various degrees of energy as the event progresses. So, long story short, music and dancing are almost taken for granted as I try to explain the differences between a DJ and a host.
As a wedding host, you should have or develop a passion for weddings similar to or greater than your existing passion for music. You must understand that the wedding day is a unique and once-in-a-lifetime event, which requires some very special spotlight moments sprinkled throughout the day to create emotional memories that will last a lifetime.
There is a tremendous responsibility in stepping up and offering a wedding hosting service and this should not be undertaken lightly.
A wedding host will need a selection of additional skills to deliver exceptional entertainment:
Most DJs have an ego that drives them forward, so this should not be an issue. However, while this ego is essential, it needs to be kept in check and you need to understand that at a wedding you are employed in a supporting role. The couple are the stars of the show and the spotlight needs to shine on them at all times.
This is where the wedding host needs to do their homework and research how weddings have evolved over the years, what the significance is of certain traditions, and why they are so important. This is crucial if you take on work outside your own culture. YouTube and Wikipedia are good places to start this research.
This is something I can help you with. I have written extensively on the subject and have held many practical workshops on microphone techniques. The main piece of advice I can offer to any wedding host is that less is more!
Think about what you need to say before you say it. Try to eliminate any redundant words or phrases. Use words that will direct the audience or motivate them to act. When delivering announcements or making introductions, you need to be able to reflect enthusiasm, sincerity, and passion. In short, emotion is paramount when interacting at a wedding.
In many ways, the kind of wedding and the style of the reception form a social statement and, as such, the pressure is on to create a bigger, better and different experience for the guests to enjoy – more so than ever with the ever-growing social media scene. In this article, we’ll look at some of the most basic skills you need to transition from the DJ who does the evening reception, to specialising as a wedding host. I’ve met thousands of brides-to-be at wedding fairs over the past 30 years. They invariably have a vision as to how their big day should be. When I’ve probed them further about their vision, it often transpires that to transform their vision into reality, a great deal of planning will be required. Brides will often say things like “I want everyone to enjoy themselves”, “the music has to be perfect”, “after our first dance I want everybody on the dance floor” or “I want everyone to be up dancing all night long”.
All of these are easier said than done. Achieving each of these wishes requires more than trusting to luck and careful music choices. Where entertainment is involved, staging, production and direction are all critical for success. The old adage, “it’s not what you do, it’s the way that you do it, which gets results,” has never been truer.
I remember when weddings used to be smaller and more intimate. Traditionally, all the guests were invited to the ceremony and joined the bride and bridegroom for the wedding breakfast and stayed on for the evening party.
This all-inclusive wedding ensured everyone was involved and were a part of the celebration. The whole day flowed seamlessly and all of the guests were able to absorb the events of the day without interruption. The newlyweds would often depart before the end of the party, and guests would gather to ‘send them off’ to a secret location where they would spend their first night together as husband and wife.
Changing times have created a totally different template for most weddings in twenty-first century Britain. Some still follow the example above, but most do not. Nowadays, the celebration is often divided into two halves: the daytime and the evening. I can understand how this has developed, especially when you see how much the cost of feeding people has risen over the years.
This new template for a wedding reception has also created a number of challenges. The time-line has now expanded. Formerly, an average wedding would be six to eight hours in duration. Today, a wedding may well last more than 12 hours. This creates new challenges with regard to keeping guests engaged and entertained throughout the day.
It also means that the guests who attend only the evening party are disadvantaged because they lack the emotional connection generated earlier in the day.
The emergence of the evening reception has created a disjointed event. The addition of an evening buffet meal has also produced a number of challenges, especially from a logistical and entertainment perspective. There is a need for someone to take control and join all the segments together, in such a way as to engage the guests and help them transition from one stage of the proceedings to another.
These changes have led to a growing number of professional DJs retraining, seeking ideas and methods to unite the party and entertain guests in more ways than simply playing music. I have worked very closely with hundreds of wedding party hosts over the last five to ten years. Together we looked at the way wedding receptions are celebrated in other parts of the world, with a focus on North America and Canada.
Their wedding receptions are very much like ours used to be. This is not surprising when you consider that large parts of their population originated from Europe. Some of the American weddings can be over the top and a little too brash for our tastes, however the concepts behind them hold substance.
The challenge has been for me and my colleagues to adapt their ideas and produce interactive introductions and spotlight moments, which British people can embrace and enjoy. Fortunately, a lot of what goes into an American wedding consists of ceremonies that originated right here in the UK and central Europe. It appears we simply forgot about them!
A friend and colleague, Dave Windsor, once said: “Without memorable entertainment a wedding reception is little more than a very expensive dinner party.”
I am certain that almost all DJs are passionate about music and that while many specialise in one particular genre, they also acquire over the years a great breadth and depth of knowledge of all types of music.
A mobile DJ is also driven by a need to fill a dance floor and keep the party buzzing with various degrees of energy as the event progresses. So, long story short, music and dancing are almost taken for granted as I try to explain the differences between a DJ and a host.
As a wedding host, you should have or develop a passion for weddings similar to or greater than your existing passion for music. You must understand that the wedding day is a unique and once-in-a-lifetime event, which requires some very special spotlight moments sprinkled throughout the day to create emotional memories that will last a lifetime.
There is a tremendous responsibility in stepping up and offering a wedding hosting service and this should not be undertaken lightly.
Skillset for a wedding host
A wedding host will need a selection of additional skills to deliver exceptional entertainment:
Outgoing personality
Most DJs have an ego that drives them forward, so this should not be an issue. However, while this ego is essential, it needs to be kept in check and you need to understand that at a wedding you are employed in a supporting role. The couple are the stars of the show and the spotlight needs to shine on them at all times.
In-depth knowledge of marriage traditions across different cultures
This is where the wedding host needs to do their homework and research how weddings have evolved over the years, what the significance is of certain traditions, and why they are so important. This is crucial if you take on work outside your own culture. YouTube and Wikipedia are good places to start this research.
Microphone skills
This is something I can help you with. I have written extensively on the subject and have held many practical workshops on microphone techniques. The main piece of advice I can offer to any wedding host is that less is more!
Think about what you need to say before you say it. Try to eliminate any redundant words or phrases. Use words that will direct the audience or motivate them to act. When delivering announcements or making introductions, you need to be able to reflect enthusiasm, sincerity, and passion. In short, emotion is paramount when interacting at a wedding.
The microphone
The full review can be found in Pro Mobile Issue 111, Pages 44-48.
