How Long Do You Need a DJ for Your French Wedding?

While DJs are important people at any wedding, they take on an even more critical role for French weddings due to the sheer length of wedding reception parties and the inclusion of other celebrations (such as the vin d'honneur) that may also require the help of professional musicians and entertainers.

So, how long exactly do you need to hire your DJ for when celebrating your nuptials in France?

How Long Will You Need a DJ For Your Wedding?

While the specific time you require your DJ will vary depending on your specific celebrations plans, you can expect to need a DJ for a minimum of seven hours. This estimate is based on playing at the wedding reception party only (which traditionally begins at midnight and ends at 5 am) and two hours of preparation time, including meeting with the couple prior to the big day to discuss music choices.

However, you may need the DJ for considerably longer if you want them to handle the background music for other celebratory elements such as the vin d'honneur after the ceremony or if you want the party to continue right through to the next morning at 7 am or later.

As mentioned, it's not just the time-on-site for your special day that you need to factor into your requirements (and therefore costs), as we shall now explain.

DJ Time Requirements Before the Wedding

Many couples don't realise that DJs rarely, if ever, just show up and perform. They need to spend time with you, the couple, to get to know you and your musical tastes, as well as the theme(s) of your wedding before the big day arrives. The more time they spend with you, the better they will be able to gauge your tastes and preferences.

They might also need to take venue measurements in order to set up their equipment (especially for those who are bringing additional musicians or performers), so they can ensure the music will be loud enough for all guests to enjoy without unintentionally drowning out guests further from the stage looking to have conversations with each other.

DJs may also be in charge of the entertainment at pre-wedding events, such as a meal for close friends and family the night before the wedding.

How Many DJs Do I Need at My Wedding?

Generally speaking, most French wedding celebrations only require one DJ who will be in charge of playing the genres and song choices you have requested during your previous meetings. However, you may want to hire additional DJ(s) if they are performers in their own right or specialists in specific music genres.

For instance, you might want to split your wedding reception party in two, with a DJ playing all of the classics for the multi-generational crowd before switching to a specialist electronic dance music (EDM) DJ to instil a rave vibe after the older (and younger) participants have retired to bed.

Or perhaps you want a DJ to play chilled out classics during the vin d'honneur as the sun sets before upping the tempo with a different performer for your wedding reception party.
In summary, while the choice is yours, one DJ will suffice for the vast majority of French wedding celebrations.