Planning your wedding reception

Planning a wedding reception can be a stressful endeavor, but it doesn't have to be. You have a TON of resources right in front of you in from your brides maid, best man, wedding party, and believe it or not, your DJ. Most wedding DJ's have provided entertainment at literally 100's of weddings. This experience has given us an interesting perspective on what makes for a fun wedding reception and have plenty of resources to help you find just about anything from wedding ceremonies outlines, mod wedding information, bakers who make mini wedding cakes, or even wedding table settings. Here are a few recommendations from the DJ's at DJ Ralph Hunter Productions.

1.) Be sure to set aside a realistic and reasonable entertainment budget: A good rule of thumb is to spend at least 10% of your budget towards entertainment. This usually gets you four hours of music/MC services and some dance floor lighting. Keep in mind the average cost for a Washington DC DJ is $1600.00. The more bells and whistles you want (such as additional lighting), the more expensive it will be. Our Essentials Package comes in under $1000.00.

2.) Delegate as much planning as you feel comfortable delegating: The job of your wedding party is to help you enjoy your big day. Nothing will enable that more than knowing you don't have to handle every little detail.

3.) On the day of your wedding RELAX, ENJOY and don't sweat the small stuff: More than likely, every portion of the day will not go exactly as planned, but any hick ups you encounter will unoticible by your guests.

4.) Nontraditional is the new traditional: More and more couples are doing away with traditional wedding reception events such as, garter toss, cake cutting, and even some (or all) of the traditional dances. Nontraditional weddings are more streamlined and in our opinion have a more festive feel to them.

5.) Be Guest Conscious: You want your reception to be memorable and the three that will make that happen are: 1 - The entertainment (The DJ), 2 - The food (quality & quantity), 3 - The hospitality (making your guest feel welcomed).

These hints are based off of what we have observed from behind the DJ booth. For a more detailed guide on how to find a wedding venue and planning your reception in general click here.