Music Makes It Marvelous

Well after the reception is over, it's great to sit down with the photo album and remember those many joyful moments of your special occasion. There were many things that contributed to making your event memorable but the most important was that it was your day of celebration to be shared with family and friends.

The flowers, the food, the facility, the fashions, your family and your friends are all important factors in creating a great event. However, the one thing that more or less ties everything together and sustains your guests' involvement throughout the reception is the entertainment - music in particular.

Having provided disc jockey (DJ) services at hundreds of wedding receptions, proms and parties over the past twenty-some years, I know the importance of how music can make an event memorable for everyone there. Low-volume background music throughout cocktails and dinner can help set the mood and actually create an atmosphere conducive to conversation. Once the dancing begins, I do my best to 'read' the audience and focus on those types of music that appeal to the largest common denominator. Still, it's important to play a diverse mix of music styles to appeal to the inevitably wide variety of musical tastes in any large group of people. I travel with over 1,000 compact discs representing all kinds of music to satisfy almost any request.

It is my practice to consult in advance with the client on how they want music to compliment their event. If it is a wedding reception and there are formal dances involving the wedding party, I will help the client determine their particular choices of music and how they want to be introduced. I will make announcements as requested by the client but otherwise I remain as unobtrusive as possible and concentrate on just playing music for everyone's dancing and listening pleasure. (Be advised that some DJs are more talkative and demonstrative than you may like so it is important to determine beforehand what your expectations are.)

When the party's over, people will reflect on the time they had. They will probably remember the event best for what it celebrated and the energy of the musical entertainment that kept them engaged, happy and/or dancing until the very end. To help make your event special, remember that "music makes it marvelous".

(Written by Fred Wilber, DJ-in-residence at Buch Spieler Music, Montpelier, Vermont)