Planning the room layout and set-up of tables for the reception

There are many things to consider when deciding where the tables will be positioned.  You should take these tips with you when meeting with the venue hall management and use these as guidelines for a successful Wedding Reception.  Firstly, determine the capacity of the room when there will be seating and a dance floor.  If the DJ is providing the microphone for speeches, check with the service to see if they use a corded microphone or wireless.  If it is a corded style, then the DJ table should be located near the head table podium.  This will reduce the amount of cable laid out on the floor and reduce chances of a tripping hazard.  Note:  Be sure that they will tape all cables down for safety.  If the DJ service can provide a cordless or wireless microphone, the table can be located almost anywhere.  We must also consider the speaker placement of the sound system.  Ideally, the DJ table should be located on the opposite side of the room, so that the speakers are far away from the podium, thus reducing the chance of that terrible squeal called feedback.  This only occurs when the speakers are too close to the microphone, or the mic level has to be raised up to compensate for someone NOT talking directly into the mic (see section on microphone use age).  The DJ table should also be located at the edge of the dance floor and not along the back wall or behind the head table.  Speaker volume is always loudest at the speaker, and the level drops with distance.  During the dance portion of the evening, the DJ will aim the speakers at the dance floor area and generally, the volume is louder than that of the background dinner music played earlier in the evening.  Imagine anyone sitting between the speaker and the dance floor - Don't seat your guests there!

Other areas of consideration is the flow of traffic - how your guests and wait staff will flow through the room.  Make it comfortable for all and you will have a great party.  If you are having your wedding party introduced into the room before dinner, make sure that there is enough room between the tables to allow your bridal party to walk side by side all the way from the hall to the head table.  Plan this as you would during the ceremony.  This will also allow for great photo and video opportunities.

Glitter

Every table looks great when you place glitter or confetti chips on the tables.  For a DJ though, this spells disaster IF you put any flakes of confetti or glitter on or near the DJ booth set up area.  This stuff tracks easily, and can (and usually does) end up on the very CD's that are getting played that night.  Just one piece will cause a CD to skip, or not even read in the player unit.  Worst case, the piece falls off INSIDE the player, making it inoperable.  Please take the precaution of keeping the skirted DJ table absolutely clean.  This will help ensure that you have a successful party.

Microphone Handling Tips

These tips will apply to corded and cordless microphones alike.  Firstly, a microphone CANNOT correct for poor usage.  It only processes what it receives.. if the guest speaker has a really quiet voice or one that is too far away from the head of the mic, we cannot correct to make it sound great.  The farther your mouth is away from the microphone pick-up area, the less the voice signal will be.  If we try to increase the volume though our DJ system, we run the risk of feedback... that annoying high pitched squeal that makes everyone cringe.  With proper set up and usage, we can virtually eliminate all of it using the type of mic's required for each application.  There is a specific pattern assigned to every mic we need to use (which help eliminate feedback) and with your help, will make all your speeches sound great.  Look at the sample pattern below... the shaded area represents the location where you need to have your mouth.  If you get out of that area, the ability to pick up your voice drops significantly.  You should be talking directly into the microphone or within about 2-4 inches for best results.  If the mic is mounted on a stand at the podium and you swing your head side to side to look at both sides of the room, shift your body slightly to keep your mouth in direct line to the mic head, or your voice will fade out and be more difficult to hear you.  If you are using a cordless microphone and holding it in your hand, please refrain from hand gestures that move the mic all over.  Instead, try to hold the mic vertically and rest the head of it on your chin for best results.  Before your evening gets underway, have your MC visit the DJ and get instructions on how to turn on/off the microphone and verify the agenda for the evening.

When using a microphone that is removed from the stand, be sure that you keep your body between the microphone and the speaker.  This will reduce the risk of feedback which occurs when the mic is pointed directly at a speaker.  The squeal is caused by the hidden static noise produced from a sound system that gets amplified over and over until it's loud enough to be heard... thus the squeal.  When a mic is pointed directly at or held very close to a speaker, this amplification occurs very quickly.  By keeping your body directly between the speaker and the mic your are holding, this will reduce or eliminate all chances of feedback.  The closer you speak into the mic, we can lower the volume, again reducing feedback possibilities.