Finding the perfect DJ can transform your wedding reception into the event you’ve always imagined! Join us today as Valentina Marianetti, also known as DJ Valentina, takes you behind the veil (or should we say, behind the turntables)! Valentina’s approach to curating the ideal set for your wedding might surprise you. As a female DJ, she brings a distinct style to your special day. Discover the secrets to selecting the ideal DJ, asking pertinent questions, and becoming the ultimate client on this episode of Wedding Secrets Unveiled!
Meet Valentina.
My name is DJ Valentina and I serve clients, corporate weddings, you name it and I do it. I also own a networking community, which is where women in business can connect, so I also serve women in business.
Tell me a little bit about that community that you started!
Babes in Business is primarily a networking community and gathering for women in business/female entrepreneurs. It was a calling and something I felt has been a part of who I am for a long time. I found a franchise that I can buy into, which basically allowed me to get moving, instead of starting from the ground up. Now I’m able to kind of just do what I do best and unite women of all backgrounds and businesses to network with one another.
I love that. One of the reasons I wanted you to come on the podcast was to talk about DJing, but also because I wanted to talk about being a female in the entertainment industry. You’re one of the few female wedding DJs that I know of.
Yeah, I mean there are definitely a couple more in the Boston area, I think. But as far as someone who’s really made a park and a social media presence, I am definitely one of the few to do that.
As someone who photographs wedding and is at your events, I think it’s different and lends itself to a really cool vibe. People always want to do something different for their wedding and having a female DJ is one way to do that.
I agree. And I think you know, those who do book me are looking for something different. I am in a male dominated industry. So, right off the bat for you to go with a female DJ, it’s setting a tone for something fresh, something different.And it’s not for everyone, you know, but those who booked me are booking me because they’re looking for a different vibe altogether between me being female and the fact that I play differently.
When you say you play differently, what does that mean?
For me, when I go to a wedding or any event, one of the things that I don’t love is when a DJ is talking too much into the microphone or scratching too much. There’s an art to scratching but there’s also an understanding of when and how often to do it. I think that’s kind of lacking in many DJ sets. I’m pretty sensitive to that, personally. I just feel like I play to the crowd and go by feeling – looking around and seeing what’s happening instead of just playing a set. A lot of DJs will already have a curated set. But, events have certain vibes and you need to prepare for that to win a crowd over. Then, when you’re there, you have to be able to venture off of your plan based on the energy happening in the space. That’s something I do really well: reading the room and reading the vibe.
I have a small story. I had a bride and we were talking about her vendors and when we got to the entertainment, she said she hadn’t found a DJ yet. She said it was really important that the DJ played every song that they gave them. Now look, I’m not a DJ and don’t know much about it but I would assume it’s really hard to find someone who will only play every thing they’re given. One of the things you’re doing is entertaining right? And every wedding and vibe is different.
Exactly. And that’s the kind of thing that really has to happen organically. No professional DJ in their right mind is going to allow you to give them a playlist and play every single song. You’re setting your DJ up for failure right off the bat. You have to allow them to use their creativity to guide the people into the direction that you want them to go. It’s one thing to look at it as a reference point. Some songs might work in different parts of the celebration, but some songs may not work at all. So allow the professional that you’re hiring to know what works and when.
How can couples find a DJ that reads the room, like you were saying?
Social media is such a great way to find your person. I think that the way that because of the way that we put out our vibes, it’s easy to read a DJ when you’re scrolling social media. I think that’s the easiest way to find someone and see if their vibe jives with you. After that, get in touch and share a playlist with them to see if they fit with what you like. Of course, the must haves are one thing – we will make sure we play the songs you chose for the formalities of the night. But the rest is like “let’s just figure out how many of these songs I can throw out there”. Spotify is great for you to share with your DJ, if they’re into it.
I like that you mentioned the vibe. DJs aren’t just the person playing the music. They’re your emcee and they have a presence at your wedding or event. So let’s talk about the emcee portion of being a DJ. What’s a good way to see how a DJ acts as an emcee?
That’s such a really great question. Clients don’t tend to ask me for videos of this, but I do a pretty good job of putting myself out on social media. So, by the time they’ve gone to my Instagram account, they’ve seen videos and are ready to book usually. They understand I fit their vibe and what they’re looking for. From time to time, I share videos that have me on microphone. The vibe for each event is a little different. I have to find it there.
That answers my question, because like you said, you won’t need to provide content – the content is in the music. How you are when you talk to someone is probably a little different than who you are at the event.
Completely. Hopefully a couple is speaking with someone who gets it and you’ve already discussed everything that needs to happen by the time the event comes. The day of the wedding or event, I can just handle and not have to worry about someone coming up to delegate something. By the time the wedding day comes I put on a completely different persona, and I’m so engrossed in what I’m doing, looking at everyone and making sure that I’m doing the best that I can to create the vibe as close to what they’re looking for as possible.
That comes with experience and talent though too. What are some other things a DJ handles, that our couples might not know about? Or what would you handle for your clients in an ideal situation?
Let’s keep it real here. It’s just unbelievable. Ideally, I’d just concentrate on my job. Tell me the vibe you’re looking to create and let me work on that. You get to let go and I get to do my job. But, too often, that’s not the case. I’m not just playing one role. I guess that’s part of what makes my job so exciting! Wacky things happen on wedding days that push us well beyond the role of a DJ. But I love it.
I think you and I are fueled by the excitement of all these other things happening also. We do wear many hats and people don’t realize what you’re doing throughout a day.
Absolutely. What can clients do then, to make the process even easier?
Let go and trust the process. If you hired a professional, you did it for a reason. When we’re interrupted, the energy of the event is interrupted too. I can’t explain it but it’s my energy, whatever I’m feeling, I’m tracking my movement. I’m transferring all of that into my equipment and into that music and that is being sent out to everyone else. So, if that vibe that I’m feeling is interrupted, then you’re kind of messing with the crowd and the energy of the space too.
How do you handle requests during the event, like when someone comes up to you?
I love that question. I actually love getting requests right then in there. Like I’ve said, I don’t stick to a set playlist. I want to see what’s happening. So, when someone comes up and requests as song, it’s because of something they heard that triggered them to think of another song! Sometimes it works and sometimes it’ doesn’t but it’s up to me as the DJ to decide. And it’s not often that I get the junk or some one who is trying to mess with me.
What about formalities, DJ Valentina? Do you like to get them out of the way upfront or throughout the night?
I feel like it’s better to spread it out. Dinner takes such a long time and I feel like, when you have something to capture their attention, it’s a smoother process. But also keep in mind our attention spans are short. You can’t get past that. So, you don’t want to overwhelm people with too much at once.
If you’re doing the introductions, followed by first dance, followed by parents dances, it’s just too much. You need to give them a little bit of a breather. Not to mention the speeches – you have no idea how long they’ll be. So, you have to prepare space for things, just in case. My personal preference is to space it all out.
I agree with you. There’s obviously no right or wrong. It’s whatever somebody feels. Talk to me about some of the trends you’re seeing right now.
People are definitely becoming more aware that you can combine your DJ with a live musician. I personally love that. You can use both a band and a DJ to elevate your experience. So that one’s been going on for a little bit, but I think it’s a great option. There’s also immersive entertainment – like robots or stilt walkers interacting with your guests. It’s very theatrical and that’s trending for sure.
Wrap-Up Question
What are some key points that couples should be asking their DJ when they’re inquiring to make sure that they are working with a true professional and to ensure that their wedding day is going to be an absolute perfect event?
Check out their website and whatever social media platform they use to really learn their vibe and what they’re putting out. Mine is Instagram.
Ask for samples of their mixes. I think one of the most important things is whether or not a DJ is able to transition flawlessly song to song. So whether or not they can mix matters.
Find out what their mic presence is like. A video would be ideal.
What We Discussed
Meet Valentina (1:53)
The importance of reading a crowd (4:23)
How to search for DJs (8:09)
The role of your DJ (11:20)
Wedding trends (20:32)
Wrap-Up Question (28:51)
Links Mentioned in the Episode
Find DJ Valentina at Website | Instagram | Facebook
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