Stress-free Wedding Planning Podcast #186: Essential Advice From DJs That Will Save Your Wedding Day
Is your DJ just pressing play, or orchestrating unforgettable memories?
The Stress-free Wedding Planning Podcast
Recognized as one of the Top 60 Wedding Planning Podcasts by Millionpodcasts.com
Meet Sal and Sam, your hosts for The Stress-free Wedding Planning Podcast. Additionally, this podcast is for engaged couples who feel overwhelmed with wedding planning and family expectations but want a memorable and fun wedding day.
Join us in the Stress-free Wedding Planning Facebook group
Sal and Sam are your hosts, two professional DJs with over 80 years of combined wedding expertise and thousands of happy couples. Furthermore, they’ll guide you through planning your wedding. As a result, taking you from concern and being overwhelmed, to a memorable, fun, and stress-free wedding.
Also, listen for engaging interviews from event professionals and insightful topics.
In This Edition
This week’s edition of the Stress-Free Wedding Planning Podcast is packed with tips you won’t find anywhere else!
Firstly, discover how a seasoned wedding DJ ensures seamless flow, top-notch entertainment, and unforgettable moments.
Additionally, from managing your unique playlist to ensuring every moment flows seamlessly, we’ll explain and dispel common wedding DJ myths.
After Hours Events Of New England – Music Giveaway
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Stress-free Wedding Planning Podcast #186: Essential Advice From DJs That Will Save Your Wedding Day
Host: Sal & Sam
Music: “Sam’s Tune” by Rick Anthony
Join our community for free tips and suggestions – Stress-free Wedding Planning Community
Produced by Atmosphere Productions in association with After Hours Events of New England
Transcript
Essential Advice From DJs That Will Save Your Wedding Day
DJ Sam: It’s long overdue. It’s time to dispel some rumors and misconceptions about wedding DJs and explain what couples should really know about their wedding DJ.
DJ Sal: Could one simple mistake when booking your DJ be the reason your reception falls flat. Are you sure your DJ is prepared for your timeline, your crowd, and your must-play moments?
DJ Sam: We’ll answer these questions and more in today’s edition: Essential Advice From DJs That’ll Save Your Wedding Day on the Stress-Free Wedding Planning Podcast.
DJ Sal: Thanks for joining us. Hi, I’m Sal from After Hours Events of New England. That’s After Hours Events Of N.E. dot com.
DJ Sam: Welcome, and I’m Sam from Atmosphere Productions. That’s atmosphere hyphen productions dot com. Learn more about our experience [00:01:00] and the journey to help you with Stress-Free Wedding Planning in the trailer or pilot of this podcast.
JR: Welcome to Stress-Free Wedding Planning, the podcast that will transform your wedding planning journey from chaotic to enchanting. Sal and Sam bring over 80 years of combined wedding expertise and exclusive insider information to the table. If you’re recently engaged, feeling the pressure of wedding planning, struggling with family expectations, but still dreaming of a joy-filled wedding. You’ve come to the right place. Get ready to unveil the best-kept wedding secrets. Discover practical tips and strategies and learn life-changing lessons for a stress-free wedding. Your unforgettable wedding day awaits.
We’re here to take you on a transformative journey of love, laughter, and memories, so don’t miss out on the podcast. That just might change your life. This is the Stress-Free Wedding Planning Podcast with Sal and Sam.
DJ Sam: When planning your wedding, you want the music to be perfect. After all, a great DJ doesn’t [00:02:00] just play songs. They create an experience that moves your guests from dinner to dance floor seamlessly. But, there are a few common misconceptions couples often have about wedding DJs.
Elizabeth (2):
1: The DJ Has Every Song Ever Recorded
2: If My Request Isn’t Played, It’s Personal
3: The DJ Plays Whatever They Want
4: The DJ Just Shows Up and Presses Play
5: Being a DJ is All Fun, Games, and Partying
6. Any DJ can handle a wedding!”
DJ Sal: I’m sure you’ve come across at least one of these misconceptions before. The truth is your wedding DJ is the heartbeat of your celebration. Before booking them, ask questions and share your vision, and when you find the right one, trust their experience.
DJ Sam: Now, let’s explain and set the record straight. But first, thanks to Stella D’Souza, who recently subscribed to our channel on YouTube. You can do the same and get a [00:03:00] special shout out by going to YouTube and subscribing to the Stress-Free Wedding Planning Podcast with Sal and Sam. Thanks again, Stella.
DJ Sal: Your wedding DJ is the heartbeat of your celebration. They shape moments, control flow and keep your love story center stage. Ask questions of your DJ, share your vision, and trust their experience. You’ll spend the night dancing, not worrying, and your guests will talk about it for years.
Elizabeth (2): DJ Myth #1: The DJ Has Every Song Ever Recorded
DJ Sam: According to the music streaming service stats of 2025, streaming services worldwide released around 120,000 new songs every day. To hold just a few weeks worth of that music as high quality MP3’s, a DJ would need to fill one terabyte of hard drive.
So no, your DJ probably doesn’t have track four from an [00:04:00] obscure YouTube mixtape.
DJ Sal: Instead, your skilled wedding DJ carries curated collections. Thousands of tried and true tracks that sound amazing, and keep the dance floor moving.
DJ Sam: If you have a “must-play” that’s a little off the beaten path, communicate that in advance, so it can be sourced before your big day. This is where a good list of songs that you like, those are your “must plays”, and the list of songs you don’t like, those would be your “do not plays”, comes in handy to give to your DJ.
DJ Sal: I wanna kind of emphasize this. Your “do not plays” make that list as long as you want. You want your DJ to really know what you do “don’t want”, and so they stay away from it. But, I do wanna make a comment about the “must plays”. You don’t wanna pick so many that you don’t give your DJ the opportunity to be creative in keeping everyone happy.
Elizabeth (2): DJ Myth #2: If My Request Isn’t Played, It’s Personal
DJ Sal: It’s never personal, but it’s [00:05:00] strategic. With a really good DJ who’s experienced and knows what they’re doing, they’re always reading the room. Seeing how people are reacting to different songs, and this is how they bob and weave. So you gotta worry about having too many requests for your DJ ’cause you wanna give them room for creativity to keep things going.
DJ Sam: They’re not just playing your request, they’re managing the energy of the room. So please don’t take it personally. Sometimes a song you love might just not fit the vibe of that moment. Maybe a slow ballad may derail the momentum, right just when the guests are hitting peak dance floor energy. The best DJs know when to hold a request and when to drop it. Thus ensuring everyone has an unforgettable night.
DJ Sal: What we’re finding, at least what I’m finding at my weddings, is more couples are choosing not to allow guests to give requests, and this is because they’re afraid that those requests might throw off the [00:06:00] vibe of the room and they trust their DJ in keeping that vibe at all times. You know people, you have wallflowers who want to request a song, and they’re not gonna even dance to the song they request it. So why would you kill a dance floor and not keep the energy going? You always go with the energy, and it’s a good idea to keep those requests away, so that the DJ could do their job, take care of your music, and take care of your crowd at the same time.
Elizabeth (2): DJ Myth #3: The DJ Plays Whatever They Want
DJ Sam: In reality, DJ’s work within a framework. For example. Your chosen style, you may just want country for the whole night. So therefore, if somebody requests some hip hop or techno, it is just not gonna go. And maybe the couple have a “must-play” or “do not play” list that has been provided.
DJ Sal: DJs tend to build a customized set that fits your day. Just like a venue sets the style of the menu, your DJ follows an agreed-upon musical format.
DJ Sam: If you want the mix of [00:07:00] Motown, pop and modern hits, your DJ will blend these elements thoughtfully, but asking for a heavy metal halfway through a salsa set. Well, that’s just crazy. That’s like asking the caterer to serve sushi at dessert time. It just doesn’t fit with the flow.
DJ Sal: That’s an absolute train wreck, Sam, you never wanna do that!
DJ Sam: Do you have a question or concern? Go now to Facebook and join us on the Stress-Free Wedding Planning Community and now in the Connecticut Wedding Advice Community. You can also join us on our YouTube channel. Just search for the Stress-Free Wedding Planning Podcast with Sal and Sam. Like, comment, subscribe, and get it first. We’d also like to thank you for listening and watching because of you, we are now ranked at number 13 in the Top 60 Wedding Planning podcast by Million podcasts dot com.
Vanessa: This is the Stress Free Wedding Plan podcast with Sal and Sam. A podcast for [00:08:00] engaged couples concerned about wedding planning and family expectations, but who wanna have a stress-free, fun and unforgettable wedding.
JR: You are not the same as the person next to you. You dress to reflect your personality. You enjoy customizing your drink at the coffee shop. Even your pet’s collars match at least two pairs of your pants. It’s only natural that your wedding would showcase your unique touch After Hours Events of New England gets this, they like to give their clients full artistic control.
If you find yourself lost, their team of event specialists can help. They handle everything from DJs, photo booths, event lighting. Photography, videography, even Officiants. Give them a visit on the web and call today. Let’s get planning. After Hours Events of New England. After Hours Events Of N.E. dot com.
Don’t forget to like and follow on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and be sure to subscribe to their YouTube channel all at After Hours Events Of N.E. That’s After Hours Events Of N.E.
DJ Sal: And now it’s time for our favorite segment. It’s Wedding Tip Wednesday. But first, it’s [00:09:00] my experience that marriage is a mutual relationship. If both parties know when to hit the mute button.
DJ Sam: Now ain’t that the truth. On today’s Wedding Tip Wednesday, hold your bouquet around your belly button height. This is great advice, so listen up. Keeping your bouquet elevated can create a barrier and might make you appear stiff or uncomfortable. Instead, position your bouquet at your belly button level, letting your wrists rest on your hips. Remember to angle the bouquet outward.
DJ Sal: And that’s another wedding tip with Sal and Sam.
Adam: Wedding Tip Wednesday is available on the Stress-Free Wedding Planning Facebook group page every Wednesday. Join the group for free.
Vanessa: And now back to the Stress-Free Wedding Planning Podcast.
DJ Sam: Now onto the second half of our discussion. Essential Advice From DJs That’ll Save Your Wedding Day. I’m Sam from Atmosphere Productions.
DJ Sal: I’m Sal from After Hours Events of [00:10:00] New England.
If you imagine a packed dance floor and guest raving about the party, one ingredient is essential, the DJ! But here’s another misconception.
Elizabeth (2): DJ Myth #4: The DJ Just Shows Up and Presses Play
DJ Sam: If only it were that easy! Behind every packed dance floor is hours and hours, sometimes days worth, of prep work. From confirming timelines and equipment needs to custom-editing songs and arranging first dance mixes. A wedding DJs job starts long before the guests arrive on the day. Sal? What’s your prep work like?
DJ Sal: Yeah. Besides meeting with a couple multiple times to really find out what their vision and what they’re looking for musically, uh, it’s time to prepare the music and creating edits for everything. And that take a couple days or so. When I edit things, I actually like the couple to listen to it and make sure it is something that they enjoy and is gonna work out for [00:11:00] them. Or if they need an explanation why I did something a certain way so it, it will flow for them. Everyone thinks it’s just a couple hours and you’re done. No, you are spending a lot of time on every single wedding. Uh, I usually say it’s typically around 24 hours or so for every wedding. So that includes meeting with a couple, you know, two or three times. It is listening to the music, especially the ones, the songs you don’t know very well, ’cause they’ll give you some odd things. So you wanna be prepared to know how those songs are laid out so you even know how to mix them into other songs that are gonna really work on the dance floor.
So you’re kind of doing the wedding. Before you actually do the wedding, ’cause you want it to flow nicely and understand exactly what that couple’s looking for.
Elizabeth (2): DJ Myth Number Five: “Being a DJ is all fun, games, and partying
DJ Sam: Yeah, that’s a big misconception, but let’s talk about what really matters. Sure! DJs love making people dance. I mean, that’s why I got into it. It’s also [00:12:00] hard work.
DJ Sal: Yes, it is! High-end sound and lighting equipment require major investment and constant maintenance. Travel set up and tear down, add long hours on either side of each event. And I gotta tell you, we set up our equipment again at the office, prior to the event to make sure everything is running smoothly. You don’t want anything to come up that day, even though something may come up. We always have back-up equipment to make things roll.
DJ Sam: Yet. Despite all of that, a passionate DJ still brings energy and excitement to every performance. I live for that magic moment when guests cheer as the first note of their favorite song hits, there really isn’t anything like it.
Elizabeth (2): DJ Myth Number Six: Any DJ can handle a wedding!”
DJ Sal: A radio DJ and a wedding DJ are absolutely two different breeds. With a wedding DJ, which are typically MCs at the same time, they [00:13:00] understand the flow of a wedding. I’m gonna tell you an experience. I once had. A radio DJ, DJing a wedding. What did they do? They actually took breaks after a few every few songs as if they were putting a commercial on and walked away from their system and stopped the music altogether. Then came back 10 minutes later and started again. They don’t understand a flow of the wedding. So you want someone who’s a true professional wedding DJ doing your wedding.
DJ Sam: That’s incredibly to hear that story, Sal. A wedding DJ is part entertainer, part event manager, part MC they’re responsible for pacing your day, coordinating with vendors and managing a crowd of all ages and tastes.
On the other hand, a radio DJ is connecting part of a predetermined long list of music. He doesn’t have the responsibilities of a wedding DJ of keeping the flow going. When you find a DJ who combines technical skills with wedding [00:14:00] experience, communication, and professionalism. You’ve struck gold! That’s the person who’ll create an unforgettable party that makes you feel uniquely, you!
DJ Sal: So there you have it. Your wedding DJ is the heartbeat of your celebration. They shape moments, control flow and keep your love story center stage. Ask questions, share your vision, and trust their experience, that way you’ll spend the night dancing, not worrying, and your guests will talk about it for years to come.
DJ Sam: Now as you spend the next week planning your wedding, if you want me, Sal, or our community of stress-free engaged couples and wedding experts to answer any wedding-related questions, then join us in the Stress-Free Wedding Planning Facebook group.
DJ Sal: Once you’re in, go ahead and share your concerns and worries, and we’ll let you know if you are on the right track or if there are. Things you need to work on. The link to join us is in the show notes of this edition, or go to Facebook and search for the [00:15:00] Stress-Free Wedding Planning community.
DJ Sam: Remember to do something nice for someone today, and if you can’t, then do something nice for yourself. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve just heard, leave a review and share it with a friend or someone who would benefit from this information. Until next time, it’s TTFN, Ta Ta For Now!
DJ Sal: Thank you for listening to this edition. A new edition is released every Wednesday. Subscribe and get it first. We’ll catch you then. Cioa!!
Wayne: The Stress-Free Wedding Planning Podcast is produced and copyrighted by Atmosphere Productions in association with After Hours Events of New England.
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