Nigerian Wedding DJs: Everything You Should Know
It’s no doubt that entertainment at a wedding is very important and should be taken seriously if you want your guests to have premium fun at your wedding…
Hiring the right DJ for your event is just as important as finding the perfect MC or Caterer.
Many times, the DJ is always at the bottom of couple’s wedding to-do-list and this shouldn’t be because practically speaking, the best DJ’s are often booked well in advance.
What you should know before booking your Nigerian Wedding DJ
1. Some DJ’s don’t have their own sound equipment. This may affect their charges because they would have to rent these equipment.
2. It is advisable that Nigerian Wedding DJ’s should always bring their own sound systems, rented or owned. As long as they are not sharing with the band.
Wedding TIP: It is advisable not to allow your DJ share sounds with the band (that is if you are going to be using a band for your big day).
There are 2 important reasons why I advise this: the first one is to avoid any form of risk that may come up as a result of sound from the Band.
Many halls normally don’t provide electricity for the Band, so they have to come with their generators. Their generating set may develop a fault on the job and this may affect the DJ and MC as well.
My second reason is that, Nigerian Bands can act in a very funny manner. They may decide to turn off their generator just when the DJ is about the start or may just decide to give the DJ unnecessary issues.
More so, there is sometimes this Band/DJ feud, where both parties try to outshine the other. If one person is in control of the sounds, this may pose a problem. And the DJ may be at the mercy of the Band.
Most times, the Band leaves earlier than the DJ and what this means is that once they leave, they won’t be anymore music because they would leave with their sound systems. So you can as well kiss your after-party bye.
3. Not all DJ’s understand that the responsibility of providing at least 2 wireless microphones for the MC or the Traditional hosts (alagas), rest on their shoulders. So be sure to inform them.
4. Most Nigerian DJ’s charge according to the size of the venue space/hall/event centre and not necessarily the number of guests. And the reason for this is simple:
For example, if you are expecting 500 guests and your hall’s capacity is for 1000 guests, it is only sensible that the DJ should charge according to the hall’s capacity because this would determine the type of and also the number of sound systems he would be needing.
Some halls may require sound extensions or else it will only be the guests at the front that will have a good time, while those at the back will only hear echoes and this can also be a big issue for the MC as well.
5. Do not assume that DJ’s know the songs to be played. If you are particular about the songs to be played at your wedding (and you should be), then ask your DJ to send you a mix and also have some important songs for important moments listed out for him.
6. If you are lucky, your DJ may come with a hypeman for the after-party and this can save you some bucks. Although some Nigerian MC’s also double as hypemen.
Related: Questions To Ask Nigerian Wedding MC’s Before Booking Them
7. Not all DJ’s come with paparazzi set up’s, like lighting and the likes… so if this is important to you, then you may want to confirm with the DJ before booking him for your big day. This may also come at an additional cost, while some DJs may already have an all inclusive package.
8. Some DJ’s charge an extra fee to play at the after party, so be sure to confirm what their fees cover.
9. Not all DJ’s know how to work with musical bands amicably and vice versa. Ask if working with a band will be a problem for the DJ.
10. Club DJs are NOT Wedding DJs.
Wedding Truth: A professional wedding DJ can perform as a club DJ, but a club DJ may not be able to perform as a wedding DJ.
Do you really want a person that is just playing his mostly unedited music selections, not taking requests, stumbling when asked to do any announcing or completely blowing off guests when they ask him something?
I say that a professional wedding DJ can perform as a club DJ if need be, because they have the ability to remove the restraint they hold so dear and DJ as well, if not better than most club DJs because they are trained in the fine art of listening to their audience and not caught up in their egos.
It is best to hire a DJ who has experience with weddings; the professionalism and gear required at a wedding will be different from that of a club, bar, birthday party, or corporate event.
11. You don’t necessarily need a DJ and a Band at your wedding, especially if your wedding budget cannot accommodate this. A good DJ will do just fine.
While some DJ’s can double as a band as seen below and vice versa… This is not always the case.
What Can Go Wrong
1. Playing the wrong songs
The DJ can play the wrong songs for your special moments. Or even in appropriate songs generally.
Wedding tip: Ensure that your special songs for special moments are communicated with the DJ before the wedding day. They may not even have the song on their laptops when you tell them last minute at te wedding reception. Also indicate the kind of songs you wouldn’t want him playing at your wedding.
It is also important that DJ’s have your list of songs early enough, so that they can mix the songs according to their tempos, so that the song mix can have a natural flow.
2. DJ/Band feud
This normally happens when both parties want to show off their skills. They may be impatient with each other and one of them may not agree to stop playing when he is supposed to.
Wedding Tip: To avoid this, create a wedding reception event flow, indicating at what point of the event that both of them are to play…
Example:
Parents entry- Band Plays
Couple’s entry- DJ plays
Couple’s first dance- DJ Plays
Father/daughter dance- Band plays
3. The DJ may not bring wireless microphones if he hasn’t been told to before the wedding and the MC will need the microphone.
Some Nigerian Wedding DJ’s need to be informed about this development.
4. A Laptop malfunction, be sure to ask if the DJ has a backup laptop incase his first choice fails.
We once had an event where the DJ’s laptop just refused to come on. He had to go back home to pick up a second laptop.
5. DJs may not play any and all requests the way you want them.
They know their jobs best and know how and when to mix and play some certain songs. Trust that DJ when they try explaining some things to you.
They develop a playlist after an in-depth discussion with a couple or Wedding Planner, including considering the demographic of the guests and how the couple want their guests to feel.
A good DJ will use their judgment and filter out requests they feel will not fit.
You Know I Love You
X.O.X.O Your Integrity Planner
Olamide~ The Heiress
Head Planner,
La’ Heiress Weddings
You Can Also Read: Questions To Ask Your Nigerian Wedding DJ’s