DJs for Gay and Lesbian Weddings

Questions To Ask The DJ For Your Same-Sex Wedding Now that same-sex marriage is legal in the U.S. and neighboring countries, thousands of gay couples have been getting married or engaged. Like any wedding, a same-sex wedding is a joyful occasion, full of hope for the future and the exhilaration of pledging a mutual commitment in front of family and friends. The wedding day is a peak experience for everyone involved, and a good DJ is a key part of this. Although there are way more similarities than differences between gay and straight weddings, there are a few special details that you should think about when hiring a DJ for a gay or LGBT wedding.

• Setup. In some cases a gay wedding ceremony will take place in the same space as the reception, which means that the DJ may be asked to play processional and recessional music for the ceremony, and then set things up for the reception quickly during the cocktail hour. Make sure your DJ knows what your requirements are in that area.
• Music. Music is an integral part of every wedding, and it’s no different with a gay wedding. You should go over the music in detail with your DJ, not only to choose what music you want, but also what you don’t want. There are some songs that are clearly inappropriate (e.g., “When A Man Loves A Woman”), and the DJ needs to know which ones not to play.
• Rituals. Since DJs often act as the Master of Ceremonies, give your DJ all the information about who’s giving the toasts, who’s in the wedding party, whether there will be a cake cutting, whether there will be a Father/Daughter or Mother/Son dance, and any other rituals you may want to add or subtract from the day.
• Adaptability. Last but not least, you should always look for a DJ that can be adaptable, because unpredictable things can happen in any wedding situation. Unexpected weather, accidents, delays, volatile emotions, mistakes, illness -- it can all occur, and the DJ needs to be able to adapt to the circumstances and make the best of them.

Actually, all of the above could apply to a straight wedding these days just as much as a gay one. And why not? There are really no differences. Most of the questions you ask when shopping for a DJ are the same basic ones: How much do you charge? How much experience do you have? Can I see some references? Are you available on my wedding day? How big is your music collection? Do you have backup equipment? Are you insured? How much do you charge for overtime? In the end, you still need a DJ who fits your budget and schedule, a professional who will work closely with you to make the wedding day the best it can be. And that’s no different than what anyone wants on this special day.