[Bay Bride]

My fiancée and I are into music and wish to have complete control over what songs are played at our wedding reception. What's your take on using an iPod for our reception music? We feel it suits our style and budget. Who would be good to ask to emcee the event and change playlists (eg, groomsman, usher, non-attendant friend,...)?

[The Video Pros]

You can still have control by hiring an experienced DJ with good sound equipment, wireless microphone, and digital music. Most DJs work very closely with their clients to ensure the play list is what the client wants, often pulling from lists of more than 40,000 songs.

Please don't ask a family member or friend attending the reception to perform this task. They should be allowed to celebrate the day with you, not worrying if they might mess up your evening. It's a heavy responsibility to place on a person.

If you're that into music, do your research now and find a reputable DJ in your area. Ask for an equipment list as well as a song list. If they're missing a few of the songs that you want played, ask if they can play from a CD that you supply.....most will and can.

Sadly, many couples spend a ton of money on food and beverages (40% of the average wedding cost), and so little on what is truly important.... the photography and the entertainment (only 5% of budgets are spent in this area). As one friend told me today "after spending all that money, most couples are often left with only bill receipts". Put your money into the photography and good entertainment, so your memories will speak for themselves years from now when you gaze at the photos of your friends and family dancing and have a great time.

[Bay Bride]

Thank you for your advice. I wish I could offer my guests wonderful entertainment with a live band or DJ, but it just isn't in my budget. And even if it was, our reception location has limited space for a DJ to set up.

Your comment that the responsibility of switching iPod playlists is too much to ask of a friend or family member does give me cause to reconsider having dancing at our reception. It would be a shame to lose that aspect of it, but more regretful for a loved one to lose enjoyment of the event due to iPod overload.

One other option I am considering it a way to do it myself. With the iTrip I can broadcast the iPod to the nearest radio and just keep the iPod in my groom's pocket. So long as no one notices, it will be the best of both worlds.

There has to be someone else who has considered this or used an MP3 player instead of a DJ. I wonder how they did it.

[The Video Pros]

If you have the music, consider hiring a local highschool student who DJs for their school. Most often schools have the sound equipment and usually use a laptop for the music. For just a couple hundred or less, you'll have great sound, a microphone, and a person to announce and keep the music flowing. If worried that they may not have the music, bring your own set burned to CD in the sequence you want played and have them play from your CDs. The sound will be better, the young DJ will probably have basic special effect lighting and all will have a good time.

Rock ON!!!