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I was speaking with a prospective client recently who stated that many of the DJs he was getting quotes from were of the mindset and practice that the ceremony, as far as the DJ is concerned is a “set-and-forget” type of deal. Meaning that these DJs would set up the speakers and microphone and merely walk away to go set up in the reception hall.
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The client apparently thought this all sounded perfectly reasonable, but I was simply aghast! Now let me preface this by saying that the prospective client did not ultimately end up going with my service and probably thought I was being a bit overdramatic with my stance on this issue, but I had to tell him that if there were ANY PORTION of a couple’s entire wedding event where the DJ had to be paying the utmost meticulous attention to not only the very last detail, but also be present to ensure a smooth presentation IT IS THE CEREMONY!
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The ceremony sets the mood for the ENTIRE EVENT! It is the very thing everybody has come from near and far to celebrate (ok, the couple’s love for one-another but you know what I mean). If the sound drops out, or an aisle walk music cue is missed or the recessional doesn’t happen when it is supposed to because the DJ is not paying attention to the program or if the volume is too loud or quiet depending upon how the officiant and / or bride and groom decided last second to position themselves in relation to the microphones, if ANY OF THIS GOES THE SLIGHTEST BIT AWRY you can bet that because it is a quiet and elegant setting, not only will these shortcomings all stick out like the sorest of thumbs, but the guests will certainly be making a great deal of unpleasant conversation about it into the cocktail and dinner hours where there is nothing for them to do but have conversation with each other.
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If the ceremony goes wrong – your entire special gathering starts out on a stumbling foot. And for this reason, if the DJ you are speaking with is addressing the ceremony with you in your conversations in a relatively shrugged-off manner, you should absolutely and immediately distance yourself and seek a professional who takes your special life moment seriously!
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I have often found myself having to rearrange the ceremony setup at the last moment because the planner or the venue’s setup team did something unexpected with the layout at the last moment (happens all the time). I always make a few announcements during the prelude portion to gently remind all guests to silence all electronic devices so that their beeping and ringing does not show up in the couple’s video. I can’t begin to tell you how many times the officiant has failed to call out “All Rise” when the bride reaches the top of the aisle and I in my capacity as the “production professional” will politely call it out.  I have provided service for many ceremonies where halfway through, the coordinator will walk up to me and suddenly inform me that they decided at the 11th hour to include a special event in the middle of their ceremony – such as a sand ceremony, candle lighting, presenting roses to the Mothers – even foot washing, and have asked me to play something thematic and elegant on the fly for it. I have had a bride and groom hire me to provide the sound equipment for their ceremony only to arrive and learn that the venue actually provides the sound equipment and all of a sudden, I have to learn how to operate the venue’s unique equipment at the last moment instead of setting up and operating my own equipment which I know inside and out.
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These are all things only a true professional will be able to handle with the experience and grace required for such occurrences.
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Now let me ask you… Do you want your ceremony in the hands of someone with a “set-and-forget” mentality? I shudder to think. Screen your providers well and make good decisions out there~

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Of course the fun and games are a big highlight for a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, but when choosing a DJ / Emcee / Game Leader, it’s really important to make sure they not only understand the importance and meaning of this gathering, but that they also have the experience to know the KEY POINTS OF A TRADITIONAL MITZVAH :

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Family Introductions
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Blessing
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Washing of hands
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Partaking of the lavash
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Candle Lighting
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Toast
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Child / Parent Dance
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Hora – Simon Tov Mazel Tov / Hava Nagila typically

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Your DJ should also be keeping up on the latest music charts (at least the Billboard Top 40) with CLEAN VERSIONS of all the modern popular songs, and because different groups of young teens have different tastes – some like techno, some like pop, some like hip hop and some still like the Radio Disney hits too (many groups of young teens also absolutely HATE the Radio Disney stlye, so it’s important to determine this in advance. Some groups will scream for the Justin Bieber while others will lynch the DJ and we certainly don’t want that to happen!).

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The best way to get the music you want is to provide the DJ with a list of must-play songs about a week in advance. Now be a little careful with this because some groups of teens will intentionally pick out the dirtiest songs they can find – so dirty that clean versions simply do not exist – just to see if they can get them played. These are usually added by a joke-playing friend who had the list passed to them for their song picks (of course we know that “YOUR KID” would never do such a thing!) and you’ll need to be understanding when the DJ is not able to play these certain inappropriate songs.

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And of course, let’s not forget the GAMES! Some of my favorites are listed below!

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BEAN COUNTER - This is a good game for the dinner hour. A jar is filled with Jelly Beans along with a $10 bill for added excitement and is passed around. Each person must write on a piece of paper how many beans they believe are in the jar. They then hand it to the DJ. The person who gets the closest wins the jar, beans and the ten bucks!
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SEEK and DESTROY – This is a very high energy game the kids absolutely LOVE! It is best set to Metallica “Seek and Destroy.” Players all tie a balloon to their ankle and the object is to pop other peoples balloons while protecting your own. Players must stay within arranged areas. You can spice this up by adding a freeze portion. When the music stops, all must stop.
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LIMBO – A timeless classic great for everyone young and old. Best done to the original recording by Chubby Checker, but usually requires the song to play twice through.
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LOCKOUT (also sometimes known as Huggy Bear) – Everyone is on the dance floor. Play a song (preferably fun and number-related) and have everyone dance. Yell out a number and the people must lock together into groups of that number. Anyone not in a group of that number is locked out and out of the game. The final 2 players on the floor are the winners.
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COKE AND PEPSI – Everybody forms two lines across the dance floor, 1 is called Coke and the other is called Pepsi. When one name (Coke or Pepsi) is called, that side runs to the other side and sits on the knee of their partner. Last ones there are out. You can add some spice to this game by using other names and other things to do, i.e. call out Dr. Pepper and both Lines run to the middle and high 5 each other, etc.
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FREEZE DANCE – Play an upbeat song and stop the music at unexpected places. Anybody still moving when the music stops is out.
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LIP SYNC CONTEST – Kids pick their favorite songs and lip sync to them. Picking a winner is always hard and not always needed. This is just a lot of fun!
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NAME THAT TUNE – DJ plays a song until someone shouts out the name. Winners get small, inexpensive prizes.
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CHA CHA SLIDE – This is actually a dance, not a game, but the song leads all the dancers through and calls out what to do. The DJ should be able to lead this if needed.
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And don’t forget the giveaways! Get lots of fun but inexpensive prizes from the party supply store like party hats, inflatable guitars, rings, and most importantly, GLOW NECKLACES AND BRACELETS (an absolute must!). I have found that while it is more convenient to have a DJ who will provide the giveaways, it’s usually better for the parent to provide them because they have a continual running head count of how many kids are expected and are also usually much more in tune with the things that their kids and their friends like. Not to mention that purchasing the items yourself and avoiding the DJ’s markup price can save you a bundle!
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AVOID ANYTHING THE KIDS WILL THROW – Any projectile of any type because something will get broken. (DJ equipment such as laptop computers, mixers, microphones, etc. are several thousands of dollars, not to mention the venue’s light fixtures, art and much more).
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Just remember, you don’t need to spend a million dollars. You just need to make sure it’s a lot of fun!

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When it comes to hiring a DJ or any other service provider for that matter, it helps to know what is reasonable when it comes to deposits and balance payments, methods of payment, how much you should be paying overall and actually getting what you have paid for! I’ll take each of these points one at a time. Come along!
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DEPOSIT - The deposit is very important because in theory its purpose is to take the DJ you have chosen out of the marketplace for the date and time you have hired them for and secures them for your purposes. Most often, deposits are 50% and non-refundable. This is reasonable because if you have the DJ secured, they are not (supposed to be) bidding on other jobs and are foregoing other opportunities they could otherwise be pursuing.

I can’t write this enough – You should be thoroughly reviewing your DJ before making any sort of agreement and especially before placing a deposit. Make sure they have a strong track record, great and verifiable client reviews and indicators that they operate on a higher level (Does their website look professional? Does their marketing and correspondence contain correct grammar and spelling instead of slang? Can they accept credit cards? Do they belong to any professional organizations such as the American Disc Jockey Association or a Chamber of Commerce? Are they insured? A fly-by-night DJ will rarely pay the membership dues required to belong to such organizations or get themselves insured.) These are great indicators that can help you feel more confident when placing your deposit.   If the DJ you are choosing is a service provider with Gigmasters.com and you hire them through the Gigmasters system, Gigmasters will guarantee your deposit in case anything should happen to your DJ (DANDY DJ is a 5-star service provider with Gigmasters and was recently awarded an accolade from them for retaining a 5 star rating for the entire year of 2011!).

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BALANCE PAYMENTS – Ok, you put skin in the game with your deposit. It is not unreasonable to desire your DJ to put a bit of skin in the game and collect their balance payment on the actual date of the event. With that stated, please be prepared to pay your balance before the event begins as most DJs will not begin until the balance has been paid. This is for a very good reason because you are there to celebrate and have a great time and celebratory environments are filled with distractions. It would be very easy for a client to inadvertently exit the party at some point and forget to pay the DJ, especially if alcohol is involved which is usually the case at most events which include a DJ. Some DJs require the balance payment to be completed 2 weeks before the event to give them an opportunity to replace the booking should the hiring party need to cancel. Be sure to have the agreement clear and in writing.
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METHODS OF PAYMENT – Your DJ should be able to accept a variety of payment methods, but a great litmus test of their professionalism is if they are set up to accept online payments and credit cards. They should also not have a problem with a personal check, money order and certainly not cash! If you pay cash, be sure to only do it in person and get a receipt.
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HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU PAY? – This is a tough one as every provider and every situation is different, but two old sayings ring so very true here: #1 You get what you pay for. And #2 If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Keep in mind that a professional DJ will be rolling in with about $10,000 worth of sensitive electronic equipment and possibly more. Factor in their marketing, vehicle and fuel, insurance, association dues, upkeep of equipment, upgrading of equipment and their time and trouble of doing all of this and you will quickly see that there is something very wrong with someone quoting you only a couple hundred dollars for an event unless you are a charity organization which has touched their heart. There are DJs who do sell themselves for a couple hundred dollars and even less and they will almost certainly ruin your party and make it worse than having no DJ at all. They will often have shoddy equipment with no backup, no insurance, no music library, no experience and will often show up and ask you for a table to set up on and possibly sound equipment! My suggestion is to run quickly from this type of provider.
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On the other end of the spectrum - there are DJs who charge in the thousands and are at the very top of their profession. These DJs usually come with a lot of extras such as a huge sound system, a big light show, decor lighting (uplighting), a sitdown meeting with the client, a walkthrough of the venue and helpers to assist them with all setup and teardown.
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Then there are the providers in the middle who charge a fair rate for a solid service with lower overhead while still giving a great value and a professional product (this is the range of DANDY DJ).
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Think of your DJ like a hotel and all the boxes on their calendar as rooms they have to fill in order to make their living. Pricing will depend on factors such as how far in advance you are booking (the farther in advance, the more you will likely pay because the DJ is not desperate to sell, so they hold out for top dollar. Likewise, the sooner your event is coming up the better deal you will likely land because if the DJ has not yet sold the date, they will be more likely to cut a deal to ensure they will be making a paycheck on that date ), how far they will need to travel from their home area, the day or night of the week you are booking them (weekends will cost more than weekdays or nights due to demand) and also if your event is during peak or off season and also if it falls on a major holiday.
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The bottom line with pricing is that it all boils down to supply and demand as well as the amount of service time you are purchasing along with how many extras.
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GETTING WHAT YOU PAID FOR - Make sure you get everything in writing as far as exactly what the DJ is to provide, the type of equipment and how much the pay rate is. Once again I reiterate that it is so important to research your DJ and make sure they have a solid track record and a verifiable history of pleasing clients. Another reason to check for membership in professional organizations is that they can be kicked out of their professional groups if it becomes known that they have engaged in any dishonest practices. Beware of a prevalent scam in the DJ industry where the DJ takes your deposit and books with you and then continues to market themselves for the date you hired them trying to get more money. Once they land a higher-paying event, they return your deposit and cancel on you. Then they continue to seek an even higher-paying event so they can cancel on the next client and right up the chain. This type of dishonest practice is very prevalent with fly-by-night providers, but is almost unheard of when hiring a DJ who operates on a higher level with the above-mentioned indicators you should be looking for.
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At the end of the day, everything boils down to getting someone you can trust who takes your needs seriously and truly cares about you and your guests having the time of their lives. A true professional will always be passionate about serving you with all their heart.

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Class reunions are a true joy! While the modern fact does exist that it’s easier than ever to keep up with your old classmates through the magic of many different social media platforms, there is nothing that will ever replace physically seeing each other again, handshakes, hugs and talking about old times! If you are the lucky chosen person to organize your upcoming class reunion, read on for some great tips!
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FIRST THINGS FIRST – FORM A COMMITTEE !
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The first step to organizing a class reunion is the formation of the reunion committee. You will need to find energized and committed people who are willing to really dedicate themselves to a successful and fun reunion.
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You will need to appoint a chairperson who will arrange meetings, collect agenda items from committee members and keep the agenda on track at the meetings.
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You will also need a treasurer to handle and be directly accountable for all financial matters.
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You will also want to appoint a Volunteer Coordinator who will assign tasks to the individual volunteers, track their progress and be accountable for making sure the various assigned duties are fulfilled.
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The key to keeping things from becoming overwhelming is to be organized and delegate.
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WHEN TO START ORGANIZING
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The amount of advance preparation you will want to do really depends upon just how elaborate you would like your reunion to be. Some committees start forming as early as TWO YEARS IN ADVANCE! In order to get good attendance, people will need to be able to schedule it into their calendars and the more advance notice the better with today’s busy schedules, vacations, workloads, families and more – especially if they will need to travel from far away. Also, good venues will often book a year or more in advance!
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COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULE
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You should plan on a monthly meeting with your committee either remotely via teleconference or in person and should give serious consideration to setting up an online group forum so that committee members can stay in touch about matters between the meetings.
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TASK LIST
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Setting the date of the reunion
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Choosing the venue
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Event format (speakers, activities, tributes, etc.)
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Lodging (try to work a group rate for traveling alumni)
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Finances / Budgeting
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Contact list of classmates
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Creation and maintenance of a reunion website where classmates can stay up to date on the progress and also obtain information about the event and ways they may be able to help.
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Event Decor
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Hiring the right DJ / Emcee and any other desired Entertainment
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Hiring a good and professional photographer
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Staffing the event
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Prize giveaways and momentos
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Marketing / Promotion / Selling the tickets
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Before and After Reunion events (such as a tour of the school, luncheon, etc.)
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Class donation to the school (consider a raffle where the proceeds go to the school and also have a method of accepting individual contributions to the school.
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CONSIDER YOUR UPFRONT EXPENSES !
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You will have some upfront expenses as you begin and also as you proceed through the planning process. Consider having a method for classmates to contribute monetarily both online and also via mail to help cover them as you start.
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You will need:
Postage
Stationery
Printing
Giveaways
Decorations
Website (may be able to get this free or very cheaply. Consider a web platform specifically designed for organizing reuinions such as ClassCreator and others.
Liability insurance
Venue and vendor deposits
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PLANNING TIMELINE
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2 YEARS -
Committee formation
Review venues
Develop a budget
Develop a classmate contact list and put out a survey to get ideas, likes and dislikes
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1 1/2 YEARS –
Choose and reserve the venue
Hire the caterer
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1 YEAR -
Start reviewing photographers and DJs
Set ticket price
Send out reunion announcements including website
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6 MONTHS -
Choose your DJ and Photographer and secure them with deposits
Send out classmate registration materials
Re-confirm all reservations and vendors you may have not been in touch with for a while.
Set the menu
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1 MONTH –
Finalize all details
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GET ORGANIZED, DELEGATE, SHARE RESPONSIBILITIES AND YOUR REUNION ORGANIZING WILL BE A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO RE-CONNECT! HAVE FUN!

Whether you are planning a creepy, spooky Halloween Party, A Christmas or Hanukkah gathering or a big blowout for New Years Eve, the thing that will make or break your party is the DJ. The following 6 tips can help you choose the right person for your special gathering so you can actually enjoy the party you worked so hard to coordinate!
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#1 – MAKE SURE YOUR DJ IS INSURED ! - Even if the place you are having your get-together does not require it, considering only insured DJs is an easy way to separate the neighborhood inexperienced hobbyists from those who service events on a more professional level and help you whittle down the pile of candidates. Look at it this way – if they aren’t serious enough about what they provide to operate on a professional level, how serious do you think they will be about making your party the best it can be?
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#2 – MAKE SURE YOUR DJ IS A GOOD FIT FOR YOUR PARTY - If you are going to have a mature crowd, it’s not usually a good idea to hire the teenage techno club dj with the sideways baseball hat to please your guests. If yours will be a family setting, you will want someone who can please both the kids and the adults with popular modern songs as well as classics which everyone will enjoy making sure to only play CLEAN VERSIONS of songs. If you will be playing games – it is important to get a DJ who enjoys leading games and getting out there to make sure your guests have fun. If you are having a costume party, make sure your DJ isn’t “too cool for school” and will join in the fun and dress up! Be sure your DJ will be happy to decorate their table to go with your theme. The last thing you want is a stick-in-the-mud who won’t help you have any fun (that stated – please stay mindful that the DJ does actually have to be behind the table for much of the time to cue up songs, beat match songs and transition from tune-to-tune).
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#3 – CHECK YOUR DJ’s REVIEWS - Make sure the person you are considering is well-reviewed and has reviews on 3rd-party websites (websites they do not control) so you can verify that their good reviews aren’t all written by THEM!
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#4 – ASK ABOUT THE DJ’s EQUIPMENT – Ask if their equipment is professional-grade. Ask if they bring their own table (if they do not – that is not a good sign.). Ask the DJ about backup equipment in case something goes wrong (a good DJ will have backup plans for most everything that could go wrong).
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#5 – IS YOUR DJ AFFILIATED WITH ANY PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS? – This is another great way to separate the hobbyists from the pros. A fly-by-night provider will rarely pay the dues required to join professional organizations such as the ADJA (American Disc Jockey Association), Chamber of Commerce or similar organizations. When you encounter a DJ who involves themselves in professional organizations of these types, it is a good indicator that they are serious about what they do and are much more likely to be serious about pleasing you – after all – their professional reputation depends on it and a reputation is everything when trying to get business referrals from others in their profession!
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#6 – LOOK FOR TELL-TALE SIGNS OF AN UNPROFESSIONAL DJ – Such as an unprofessional-looking website, use of slang in their correspondence, misspellings and grammatical errors in their marketing and communications, and most importantly – if their conversations with you are more about how to best service you or more about what they can get out of you. A DJ with your best interest in mind will never try to sell you extras you don’t need and will often advise against extras you may inquire about if they don’t feel it will serve you well. You can tell if someone is just trying to wring whatever they can from you. Avoid DJs like this at all costs!

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I know I have posted horror stories here before, but it bears repeating – If your number one concern is finding the lowest price, you are setting yourself up for having your special life moment absolutely ruined!

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That’s apparently what this poor wedding couple did and I will let the video speak for itself regarding the repercussions of this unfortunate decision. Please don’t let this happen to you! Research your DJ thoroughly. Make sure they present themselves professionally and have solid and verifiable reviews.

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Another great litmus test which will quickly separate the hobbyist from the true professional is if the DJ you are considering carries insurance, even if your venue does not require it. Other tell-tale signs of the quality of a DJ is their website and communications. Are they professional-looking? Is all spelling and grammar correct? Do they use slang or profanity? These are quick ways to separate the PROS from the NOs !

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Be smart and get the right provider for your needs! Your special gathering deserves it and so do you!

For many people, their wedding is the first event they may have ever tried to plan in their lives! With this in mind, it’s not hard to see how some may have a real head-scratcher when it comes to choosing the music for the special portions of their big day. While any seasoned DJ is able to do a great job even on the fly if required, your wedding will be so much more special if the music reflects what is special to you.
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I have had many clients request a list of the special portions of their celebration which they should be considering music for, so I assembled the following list of the key portions of a wedding where you should be considering music which best reflects your vision and tastes.
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CEREMONY
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Pre Ceremony (selections you wish your guests to be entertained by while they are seated and awaiting the ceremony to begin)
Honored Seatings (usually the mothers, fathers and grandparents)
Groom’s Aisle Walk
Bridal Party Aisle Walk (groomsmen, bridesmaids, flower girl, ring bearer aisle walks)
Bride’s Aisle Walk
Any Other Special Portions of the Ceremony (sand ceremony, candle lighting, presenting of roses to the mothers, foot washing, etc.)
Recessional (when the officiant presents them and they walk away)
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COCKTAIL HOUR - Usually upbeat but low-key.
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RECEPTION
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Seating and Dinner Music (usually a continuance of the style played for the cocktail portion)
Grand Entrances (bridal party introduction and bride / groom grand entrance – often two different songs)
Bride and Groom’s First Dance
Mother / Son Dance
Father / Daughter Dance
Money Dance (Usually takes about 3 songs – Bride and Groom go to separate sides of the dance floor and people line up to dance with them with monetary contributions until the next person in line comes and cuts in)
Anniversary Dance (This is where all married couples come onto the dance floor and the DJ dismisses them from the floor in order from soonest married to longest married until only the longest married couple remains. This is always a huge crowd pleaser!).
First Song for Open Dancing (Should be a popular song that the majority of your guests young and old will enjoy)
Open Dancing (Be sure to choose your favorite songs, but be careful that they are danceable songs or your DJ could end up with tomatoes being thrown at them for simply playing the music you have required them to play. Try to leave your DJ some breathing room in the playlist to play music they know from experience will get everybody dancing and also so that they may take requests from your guests)
Cake Cutting (Songs about sugar and sweetness usually work well.)
Boquet Toss
Garter Removal
Garter Toss
Last Song
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And very last but not least - If there are any songs you would not want to be hearing on your wedding day, don’t be shy about giving your DJ a DO NOT PLAY list. This is common and no professional DJ should ever have a problem with respecting such a list.

Your wedding is a special time when family and friends gather from near and far and almost assuredly, some of your guests will have already gotten a head-start on you with families of their own and will have a child or two in-tow. Knowing that children do tend to have much shorter attention spans and patience levels than adults, and hoping to keep everyone happy, many brides and grooms like to make special preparations ahead of time for the little ones to keep them entertained rather than having them “create” their own entertainment on their special day!
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Here are some ideas for keeping the kids happy. I hope you find some of them helpful!
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CEREMONY –
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Kids will usually behave a bit better when they are actually a part of the proceedings. In addition to your ring-bearer and flower girl, perhaps consider an early part of the aisle walk just for all the kids where they come down the aisle and then circle around to the rear seating where their parents will be waiting. You’ll likely want to seat those with children towards the rear anyway in case a child starts acting up. This will allow them to excuse themselves quietly and make the very least impact possible on your other guests.
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RECEPTION –
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You may wish to consider choosing a venue with an outdoor area where the children may play safely and keep themselves entertained away from the older adults who will be happier with a more peaceful setting.
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Designate a special room at the venue just for the kids. Stock it with games, sodas, waters, juice and special snacks. Cover the tables with butcher paper and place crayons in buckets and let them color to their hearts’ content! Colored pipe cleaners are great as well. Kids love to make animals and all kinds of crazy things with them, but make sure to get around 20 pipe cleaners per kid because they get used up fast!
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Hire a special entertainer just for the kids room.  clown, cirque, balloon twister, face painter, Kids DJ / Gameleader.
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Hire a DJ for your wedding who is also good with kids and will lead them in special portions such as the limbo, chicken dance and the hokey pokey. You might be surprised how many of the Moms, Dads, Aunts, Uncles and older cousins will love also doing these with the kids – after all, how often do they all get to have fun together?
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Have special goodie bags just for the kids. Bubbles are a great and inexpensive wedding favor that everyone loves!
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Have an open mic portion where everyone gets to share sentiments for the bride and groom and allow the kids to also share theirs over the microphone.  This is always well-received and usually adoreable.
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Invite the kids to line up along with the adults for the money dance.
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These are just a few ideas to get you started. Get creative and have fun!

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Planning the celebration for your loved ones’ special Wedding Anniversary can leave a person scratching their head wondering where to begin and what  special activities they should be organizing. Below are some ideas I have gathered from the Anniversaries I have been honored enough to have provided my services for. I hope they will be of some help to you!
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Your DJ should have a great selection of music reflecting the era in which the honored couple were married, and don’t forget: they will definitely want to have their first dance again, so make sure your DJ will have that song ready to go as well!
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Be sure to have a lot of pictures from the wedding and from around the time when the couple were dating and be sure to include lots of old pictures of friends and family. A projected slide show which runs continually throughout the party is a great idea.

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Pass the microphone around and let the guests share their special memories and sentiments of the honored couple.

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Having a trivia portion can also be a lot of fun (what was the name of the wedding officiant? What was the bride’s special pet name for the groom when they were dating?)
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If an old friend or two whom the couple haven’t seen in years will be attending, try to keep it a secret and have them make a surprise entrance as a special treat!
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Encourage guests to dress up in the styles of the decade the honored couple were married (this can be a LOT of fun!).
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Since the Anniversary party will likely be a family affair, make sure to have some fun activities for the kids as well, otherwise they could start inventing their own! Renting a bounce house (if it will work with your chosen venue) is a sure-fire hit, and if the setting will be dimly-lit, glow necklaces and bracelets are a slam-dunk. Also, having a DJ who is versatile enough to please the older folks and also happy to lead games for the kids should definitely be a consideration in your choice of provider.
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And if you have ever wondered about the traditional gifts to get for which milestone year, here they are!
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1st Anniversary – PAPER
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5th Anniversary – WOOD
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10th Anniversary – TIN
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15th Anniversary – WATCHES
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20th Anniversary – CHINA
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25th Anniversary – SILVER
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30th Anniversary – PEARL
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35th Anniversary – JADE OR CORAL
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40th Anniversary – RUBY
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50th Anniversary – GOLD
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55th Anniversary – EMERALDS
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60th Anniversary – DIAMONDS
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65th Anniversary – STAR SAPPHIRE AND A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT (you can usually obtain this through your Congress-person).

As a professional DJ and Emcee who services a LOT of weddings, I am often asked by brides and grooms how I will keep the guests engaged and having fun throughout the course of the occasion. This is a fair question which deserves a proper answer.
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First, let me start with what your DJ / Emcee should NOT do!
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Your DJ / Emcee should never create an atmosphere where they make themselves the focus of attention at YOUR wedding. This is both tacky and inappropriate in my opinion. I have heard so many horror stories about the ego-driven wedding hack who thinks they are a comedian and their client’s wedding is all about them, and in most every case the end result is the couple and their guests feeling as though their special time has been hijacked and in the worst cases – completely ruined!
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It has always been my approach that the DJ / Emcee’s role should always be a compliment to the proceedings rather than the focus of the proceedings. While it is not out of line for your DJ / Emcee to have a little fun (after all, you want to have fun and don’t want your DJ / Emcee to be a total stick-in-the-mud), they should have a clear grasp on their boundaries and mostly keep their role to making the announcements they are asked to make and playing the music they are asked to play at the appropriate times.
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There are more than enough activities one can plan for their big day which work very well all on their own to keep things active. By that same token, you should also not try to plan TOO MUCH as you don’t want your guests to feel like cattle being herded from one activity to another. Quite often, this is the rare occasion old friends and family who perhaps haven’t seen each other in years get a chance to catch up a bit. You want them to have some time to relax and enjoy each other’s company.
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With that stated, below is a list of the most typical wedding activities which can keep things humming on your big day!
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CEREMONY

• Pre Ceremony / Seating Music
• Aisle Walks (Honored Seatings, Groom and Groomsmen, Bridesmaids, Flower Girl / Ring-Bearer and of course the Bride).
• Ceremony (Candle-Lighting, Sand Ceremony, Presentation of Roses to the Mothers)
• Recessional

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RECEPTION

• Cocktails / Hor Devours
• Grand Entrances
• Salad
• Dinner
• Speeches and Toasts
• Special Dances (Mother / Son, Father / Daughter, Bride and Groom’s First Dance)
• Open Dancing
• Money Dance (One line for the Bride, another for the Groom)
• Anniversary Dance (Lots of fun and a real crowd-pleaser! All married couples are on the dance floor and the DJ / Emcee dismisses couples by number of years married until only the longest married couple remains. This always gets a huge applause and never fails to be an incredibly special moment!)
• Cake Cutting
• More Open Dancing / Mingling
• Bouquet / Garter Toss
• Open Dancing to the end
• Farewells / Seeing off the Bride and Groom

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KEEP THINGS LOOSE AND HAVE FUN!