I was at a bridal show earlier this year where I met a bride and groom that were wandering around.  When I asked them about their choice in entertainment for their wedding, they stated that they were going to use an iPod for their music.  At this point I was really curious as to why. 

Everyone would agree that weddings are important events, one of the most important in a couple's lifetime ... and I wanted to know how this couple planned to replace a seasoned professional disc jockey with an iPod.  Now, I could understand if the bride and groom needed to cut costs because they were on an extremely tight budget, and it would have to be

extremely tight.  But this was not the case with this couple.  They were planning an elaborate wedding with over 250 guests, a premium bar, and a 6 course dinner.  This bride and groom believed they could do it better by themselves using an iPod, than by hiring a professional that has performed for weddings hundreds of times.  

These are my thoughts on the DIY (do it yourself) wedding:

You would not use a jukebox at your wedding.  I think most people would consider this option very tacky.  However, this is essentially what an iPod is, a jukebox with no musical direction from a Master of Ceremonies or without any crowd interaction. 

Costs are more expensive than you think.  Let's break this down.  You will need to purchase an iPod, if don't already have one; $150 - $200.  You will need to put songs on it.  Even a conservative playlist will run $100 - $150, at a dollar a song.  The iPod will need something to play through, so a PA system will need to be rented.  After the speakers, amplifier, microphone, and a converter for the iPod, you are looking at $300 - $500.   

After you buy and rent your equipment, you will need to hire an MC.  Brides and grooms are usually preoccupied with the wedding reception to start the music or introduce their first dance.  While a friend or family member might do it for free, you still have to worry about them cuing the wrong song, getting names incorrect, or not being there because he/she is enjoying the party. 

Stress is added to the overburdened couple during their wedding planning.  The music on the iPod will need to be organized.  For most couples this is their first wedding.  They don't know all the in's and out's of coordinating a reception, timelines for each of the events, or how many songs are needed for a particular portion.  iPods and the casual user don't work very well "on the fly."  

An iPod wedding is really no less expensive than hiring a professional disc jockey after taking in all the costs plus the investment of time and all the lost sleep.  A professional disc jockey company will entertain a wedding for $800 - $1,500.  They provide all their own equipment, all the music, and let's not forget, they provide a DJ.  This is a package deal for your wedding day of an expert entertainer, a professional MC, and all the necessary tools.

Back to the couple that started this article.  I hope the bride and groom from the bridal show have a wonderful, fun, and eventful wedding day.  However, I believe the only story their guests talk about will be how funny everything went because they tried to DO IT THEMSELVES!

For full disclosure, this article included a video of an actual iPod wedding which was produced by The American Disc Jockey Association.