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Wedding Venues - A Mobile Dj's Perspective
From a DJ's viewpoint, the function room size is one of the most important factors for the success of your party. A room that is licensed for 150 evening guests is (reassuringly!) a much better atmosphere with 150 guests in it. If the number of guests were, say, 60 in the same room then crowds become patchy as they space out, and a lot of the intimacy is lost. If the only available suite for your wedding day is too big for your needs, ask if it can be made to look smaller using room dividers or ornamental screens. Acoustics Delights for all DJs to see upon entering a venue are lots and lots of carpets and curtains! All soft furnishings soak up sound waves and thus reduce that dreadful echo effect found in many village halls. High pitched roofs are also a bit of a pain where sound is concerned - it tends to rise up and swirl around in the rafters, again creating echoes and also losing momentum. Some of the most architecturally-stunning and historic hotels and venues have the worst acoustics of all - they simply weren't made for pumping stereo sound! The Bar Sometimes a DJ's worst enemy...the positioning of the bar within the function venue is very important to the success of the night. When it's situated in the same room, no problems; an adjacent room with an open entrance, no problems; a separate room with doors/passages in-between; lots of issues! Announcements, wedding formalities, requests...all these can be missed by those in the bar area, and it's very hard to whip up an atmosphere if there's no-one in the room! So best to avoid suites with this arrangement if you can. Sound Limiters When a venue is within close proximity to a residential area, the local authorities can insist on fitting a power cut-out system which shuts down a DJ/bands' equipment when the preset level is exceeded. Obviously, we hate the bloody things! Most (in my experience) are set at a lower level than is workable, and nearly all of these sensors are triggered by microphone announcements, not thudding bass or music. It is advisable to check with your venue beforehand whether they have one, and let your DJ know. I once turned up with a 2000w system at a venue which was situated just 3 yards from a house next door...needless to say the limiter was set so low that I received complaints from the guests that I couldn't be heard over the ambient crowd noise! I'm pleased to say the venue has now shut down, and I'm sure the neighbours are well chuffed! DJ Positioning All venues have their usual place for DJs to set up in, and 99% of the time it is the most appropriate area in the room. You should let your DJ know how much space they're going to be allowed, so they can accommodate their equipment. Try to avoid positions close to the bar (the bar staff can't hear the orders!) and make sure that tables and chairs are cleared to create at least a 15'x15' dancefloor right in front of the DJ if you can. Venue Lighting Here's a good one...there are a large number of venues where their own lighting is either on or off...no dimmer or separate side lights. If you leave them all on, no atmosphere, if you turn them all off, too dark. Try to find out beforehand how it all works, and let your DJ know. He'll be able to bring extra lighting (such as colour washes or stage cans) which can illuminate whole walls when the lights go out and still leave enough light for Auntie Beryl to find her table after strutting her stuff... On The Level... A big complaint from DJs is playing venues above ground level. Even with goods lifts (when they work!) the job of setting up and packing down often takes twice as many trips. Expect your DJ to add on a few quid to pay for a roadie (I certainly have....) DJs don't do stairs!!! Well, I hope I've given you a little insight into the things that us DJs have to consider each and every week, before embarking on our mission to keep you all happy and all dancing! Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com The Author is a professional mobile DJ in Essex he has almost 20 years experience as an Essex Wedding DJ. Visit Essex Wedding Services for further articles. |
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