For nearly twelve-and-a-half years, I’ve been learning and honing my skills as a wedding DJ. In previous posts here, I’ve talked a little about some of the things that I’ve picked up during that time. Most people, when asked what a DJ does, only think about the fact that the DJ plays the music throughout the night.
A wedding DJ, especially a good one, does so much more. We’re called upon to not only play the right combinations of music at the right times, we’re often called upon to make announcements and steer the overall flow of the evening. In short, wedding DJs aren’t JUST wedding DJs; we are masters of ceremonies and essentially act very much like wedding reception coordinators.
Throughout the years, I’ve done countless wedding receptions. While I can’t say that I’ve seen absolutely everything, I’ve seen and participated in a lot of different events (and facilitated different ways to execute those events). With that in mind, here is my personal countdown of the top five spotlight events I’ve facilitated during a wedding reception.
5: The Anniversary Dance
One of the things that I like most about anniversary dances is the opportunity to have the last couple standing give words of advice to the newlyweds. It’s an awesome moment, especially if the last couple standing happens to be the grandparents of one of the newlyweds. I always compare what could be said to what happens when working with children or animals: you never know what to expect those words of wisdom to be.
4: The Bouquet Toss
It’s rare for the single ladies in the house to try to avoid participating in a bouquet toss. In a previous blog post, I added a link to the origins of the bouquet toss. The excitement that some of these ladies have when it comes to the bouquet is often something to marvel. That same post primarily discussed a variation to the traditional bouquet toss that still impresses me as I “speak.”
3: The Grand March/Entrance
Usually, this is the first true interaction that I get to have with the crowd as a whole that night; as such, it’s the ice breaker that will set the tone for the rest of the evening. Not only does the crowd get an introduction of the wedding party, they also get the first glimpse of who I am as an entertainer. The grand entrance is the moment where I cease to be just the DJ and become the individual that the crowd trusts to guide their journey through the rest of the evening’s celebration. It also serves as a segue to the more formal parts of the evening before the dance begins.
2: The Mother/Son Dance
There are nuances that I always try to point out whenever I introduce this particular event. I always recall many of the conversations that I’ve had with my own mother about myself and my siblings. I think about all of the hard work, the sacrifices that she made for my family; many of them the same sacrifices that my wife makes for our children. I recall the conversations that I’ve had with most of the mothers that I’ve had the pleasure of being friends with throughout my lifetime. It’s not uncommon to bring the grooms’ mothers to tears with my words; it’s also not uncommon to see the same reaction from other mothers in the room. It’s my way to let them know that they’re appreciated; hopefully, they also understand that they are not alone.
1: The Garter Removal/Retrieval/Throw
Oh, the fun that can be had with this one! I’ve done a few different variations of the set-up for the groom to remove that all-important garter. From using the Anniversary Dance as a means of presenting the garter (and the bouquet) to blindfolding the groom so that he has to prove just how familiar he is with his new bride, the garter ceremony is arguably the one spotlight event that I tend to enjoy the most.
So… What do you think? Let me know what your favorite spotlight event is to watch (or that you participated in). I’d love to hear it; most importantly, I’d like to hear why it is your favorite. Click that comment button below and let me know your thoughts.