DJing for my Cousin's Wedding

[SlvrDragon50]

So my Uncle asked that I DJ for my cousin's wedding. I have about 3 months to prepare which I figure should be okay. I've got a few questions though since I have to fly to the other side of the states to DJ regarding equipment.

I'll be renting pretty much everything since I've sold my controllers and gone to CDJ/DJM, and I have no intention of bringing those. Am I going to be able to rent a controller? Or is it going to be pretty much the same price as renting a pair of CDJs and a DJM?

For lights, I have no experience with them. Again, since I'll be renting them, would the rental company just set them up for me and maybe just do some simple automatic programming or is this another thing I'll have to learn?

For speakers, I have yet to find out the details of the room yet, but it's supposed to be 200 people. I was thinking QSC K12s or JBL Eons. I don't know what is available yet. Is a subwoofer really necessary for weddings? While I am sure it adds a lot of fun, I imagine the PAs already have a ton of bass. Budget is not an issue so I can rent one if need be.

[robdquick]

For speakers, I have yet to find out the details of the room yet, but it's supposed to be 200 people. I was thinking QSC K12s or JBL Eons. I don't know what is available yet. Is a subwoofer really necessary for weddings? While I am sure it adds a lot of fun, I imagine the PAs already have a ton of bass. Budget is not an issue so I can rent one if need be.

From what I've heard, I'd go for the QSC's over the JBL's. I would also get a subwoofer, doesn't need to be a massive one, a 15" will probably do fine, just because a 12" speaker isn't going to put out much bass below 80Hz. Even if I'm just DJing for 100 people, I always take a sub, just makes everything sound fuller. I'm sure whichever rental company you're going to rent them from will be able to give you better suggestions though.

[SlvrDragon50]

Awesome, thanks. So if anyone has any suggestions on where to get good equipment from in San Bernandino, CA, please let me know!

[Kwal]

Laptop with Virtual DJ installed

All you need to be a hero

[SlvrDragon50]

I was gonna use Traktor since I already own it.

Really though? Laptop only with just cross fading? Seems kinda boring. I have to look into more how Wedding DJs mix.

[Kwal]

I mean you can sync and use the volume faders

But I was kidding. It can work though.

[ToOntown]

Laptop with Virtual DJ installed

All you need to be a hero

This is 90% of the wedding DJs in the US.

[ToOntown]

I was gonna use Traktor since I already own it.

Really though? Laptop only with just cross fading? Seems kinda boring. I have to look into more how Wedding DJs mix.

I do weddings from time to time and it is key to keep it simple. Go with songs everybody knows (a blend of old and new), and if you can work some clever mixing into it, do. Otherwise keep it high energy and break it up with a few slow songs from time to time.

As far as renting gear, just get speakers (2x JBL 15s is plenty for 200 ppl--not all of them will dance), a wireless mic, and lights (2 LED par cans is plenty). Don't forget stands. If you want to add a sub to fill out the sound, you're probably the only one who will notice, but it will sound good.

The DDJ WeGo outputs pretty good sound and has a mic input (1/4"). You could either rent one for buy a used one on eBay for about $150.

[ZxZDeViLZxZ]

Virtual dj by far better for weddings unless you enjoy mixing every 3 minutes autoplay in traktor doesn't do fades however cross dj and virtual dj allow you to set mix in and mix out time this is pretty much essential... Rule of thumb for anything never let it be silent... I recently did a wedding for 250 in a building capable of 400 had 2 15 mains 2 15 subs and a 12 just because I could..... Lighting is fairly straight forward remember though too many of one light effect is sometimes cheesy... Most lights are capable of sound active stick with thoose unless your going to run a dmx controller..... I don't recommend this for common pratice but would work and have done it with great results.... Get a cheap USB sound card route headphones to laptop and main to external card... Go from 1/8th to RCA then RCA to 1/4 TRS connect to input on sub then from sub goto mains out to the mains

[soundinmotiondj]

I was gonna use Traktor since I already own it.

Really though? Laptop only with just cross fading? Seems kinda boring. I have to look into more how Wedding DJs mix.

The "excitement" of a wedding does not come from pushing "play" - it comes from the coordination of all the moving parts. Who will be MCing the reception? You need to make sure that whatever solution you come up with will handle a mic (or two).

Wedding receptions are NOT club gigs. There is a WIDE range of ages, and a WIDE range of musical tastes, and a WIDE range of expected genre/tempos to be played.

Most of the time at a wedding reception there is no need (or ability) to mix. The background music for the early reception and meal doesn't need to be mixed. The music for the special dances will typically have a gap to allow for the people to be introduced.

During a wedding reception, it is really only the "party" music that could be mixed. Even there, the variety of music makes mixing all of it tough. The party music is less than half the time of a typical "four hour" reception. There is a wide enough range of genres and tempos that the "slam" transition is sufficient. Thinking back over the weddings I have done this year, I typically only manged 4 or 5 song mixes in a stretch.