By AARON TRAYLOR
You secured the best space in Missoula for your wedding. Ordered some locally-grown flowers. Had your dress fitted by the most professional tailor in town. Bought some bridesmaids presents on the Hip Strip, and you have the finest catering in all of Montana coming in for your big event.
Hold on! Before you walk down the aisle, isn’t there something missing? You need music!
Right out of the gates, you need to decide if you want a DJ or a band. What kind of music do you want at your reception? Do you want everyone to dance to live wedding music, or do you prefer a more relaxed environment? Perhaps just a quiet string quartet in the background. Do you want a mobile DJ or lead singer of the band to make his or her presence felt to guide the party throughout the night? Maybe they need to be the emcee for the reception, making formal announcements for things like when you arrive, and your ever-important first dance.
Scour your local Facebook network, or use Google to see what locals are saying about that one DJ, or that one band that you may have found either in the phone book, or on their own website. Read and ask for honest feedback from other brides and grooms, this should help you get a good gauge on if this person or people are right for your event.
Finally, once you single out a few select entertainers, set up some face-to-face time. This is truly the key to see if they can make or break your big day.
Well before the meeting, you should have a good idea on what kind of music you want played at your wedding, more important, the songs you want to share for the first dance song, the father-daughter song, and other important songs throughout the night. Always ask if the DJ in particular has, or can get the song (legally, of course).
I cannot stress how vital it is to know the songs you want, and to also know the songs you do NOT want. If you love country music, let it be known. If you do not take kindly to hip hop, make sure you tell the performer that you would not care for that style of music at your wedding. Trust me, this will save you a potentially embarrassing moment at your party.
With just a little planning ahead of time, and either a band or DJ that’s well informed, you most certainly should be able to choose the perfect fit with an entertainer that will make your wedding reception the best it could possibly be.
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Missoula DJ Aaron Traylor blogs about local nightlife, the music scene, and generally fun things to do in Zoo Town. Check out his archive for more tips and ideas for going out in Missoula.
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To say he is America’s Tallest DJ wouldn’t be far from the truth when it comes to Aaron Traylor. He clocks in at a whopping 6 foot 10 inches and has been the premiere source of the Northwest’s born and raised talent for 20 years; he’s a radio disc jockey at ZooFM, turntable mix master, and a guy who has a hard time fitting into most clothing.