Whether true or not, most agree that wedding DJs are expensive. A popular tip circulating on the net is to replace your wedding DJ with an iPod and DJ your reception yourself. While this may sound like a great idea, there are a few things to consider. As with any DIY project, you need to know all the facets before you begin.

The first most important job for a good DJ is to play music that the crowd enjoys. A simple shuffle has no way of knowing who is dancing what. One person needs to run things, but not just anyone will. Putting your 12-year-old nephew in won’t do you any good. The person in charge of music needs a great deal of musical knowledge. A good DJ must have this knowledge. A good DJ should be able to identify a song based on a few beats that are out of tune or a snippet of lyrics that is slightly wrong. Your DJ shouldn’t be afraid to speak in front of a crowd, and this isn’t as easy as it sounds. One simply has to think of all the best men who have ever made their way through a waist-high microphone wedding toast. Also, do you know how to auction off a garter or any of the other traditional receiving activities? If not, will the bride and groom want to do these things while enjoying their guests? Oh, and just like you would tip your wedding singer or officiant for performing your ceremony, don’t forget to tip your impromptu DJ.

Unless you’re a music collector, chances are you don’t have a music library with waltzes, polkas, old country, new country, oldies, classic rock, new rock, soft rock, hard rock, hip hop, dance, etc. And, unless you want to subject your guests to your musical tastes, you should probably buy a selection of these songs. If you’re not up to speed on popular waltzes and polkas, or if you don’t know which songs currently top the country’s Top 40, search the web. $25 bucks should buy enough music on iTunes to cover enough musical tastes that most guests will enjoy.

Another of the tasks of a good wedding DJ is one that is covered by insurance. Sure, his homeowner’s policy *might* cover him, but I wouldn’t want to see his premiums next year if an accident happens. Don’t you think accidents are going to happen to you? Are you serving alcohol at your reception? If you say to yourself, “All the drunks I know never act dumb!” stop and think about it again. Also, many places require proof of insurance because they don’t want to see their premiums go up because their grandmother tripped on speaker wire and broke her hip. Searching the web for “wedding event insurance” will turn up a plethora of insurers giving you a $1 million dollar policy for around $200.

Equipment is of course another important factor that a good DJ brings to your reception. Do you know where to get speakers? Or microphones? gold mixer?? Larger cities will have rental companies that can provide these things. You can even find many of these companies by searching the web for “dj equipment rental.” Most wedding-sized systems rent for between $250 and $500 per day. In most cases, you must provide a truck or van to transport the equipment. Now, do you know how to configure these things? If not, will the rental company give you a tutorial? Some rental companies will give you a tutorial when you pick up the equipment, but be sure to take notes, because if you have to call them later, you’ll likely be charged for a service call. Some equipment rental companies will deliver, install and test your equipment and pick it up later, but this is extra.

That said, if you KNOW that your group will interact without being prompted (or just don’t care if they interact or not), and if you have a person with an encyclopedic knowledge of music who will play your iPod (instead of enjoying its reception ), and you have adequate insurance to cover any accidents that happen due to your iPod setup, and you have a large enough music library to make sure everyone listens to the music they want, and you can get your hands on dancing lights and proper speakers, and you’ll save money by spending $550 to $700 and then, of course, using an iPod. You honestly don’t need a DJ.

If planning and organizing all of this sounds like one more hassle, you’re probably better off hiring a professional so you can enjoy your reception and spend your first day as husband and wife doing something besides returning rental equipment. For a few dollars more you’ll get professional equipment, professional knowledge from someone who has planned and performed hundreds of weddings, peace of mind knowing that any faults will be resolved quickly, no hassle of taking equipment apart when the reception is over, and not worrying about getting it back. before you owe another day’s worth of rental fees.