Weddings Speaker placement at ceremonies?
- Thread starter Bill Kexel
- Start date
I use an EV SXA 100 for most wedding ceremonies up to 100 and add another if need be for others bigger. I set up behind the seats and off to the side I typically camouflage the speaker or keep it near the back of the location providing the mood music required and mic coverage needed.
For my real answer, I place my setup up toward the front but far off to the side. I'm always out of the pictures and have never had a complaint. For ceremonies we use our new wheeled ceremony system (Think Ron Auger) with the B-1 already inside and we hook up one of our L-1's for the ceremony. We have been hired before just for a ceremony based on the fact we use the Bose. In the 70 I would say ceremonies that we have done we have gotten tons of compliments. With that said I hate ceremonies because they are overloaded with perfection. But we take them to gain the reception.
My last two ceremon/receptions have been held in two separate tents and each time I was able to setup my main system and just turn my speakers to face the ceremony tent.... easy-pleasey
In a perfect world, speakers are placed on either side of the alter.
If I use my Bose Compacts, they are almost always collapsed (no stick) unless it is a BIG ceremony.
If I use my Peaveys (12's), they are placed as monitors AND covered or hidden.
The best ceremony sound is sound that can not be seen.
If I use my Bose Compacts, they are almost always collapsed (no stick) unless it is a BIG ceremony.
If I use my Peaveys (12's), they are placed as monitors AND covered or hidden.
The best ceremony sound is sound that can not be seen.
Again, you guys belittle the DJ Craft and yourselves. Think about this for a moment, if there was a Harpist doing the ceremony, do you think said Harpist will go and hide behind a bush or tree? I don't think so, they will more than likely end up in pictures taken. Same for a three piece band, whatever. Why is it always the DJs who end up beating up on themselves? Is your equipment that ugly? Any photographer worth their salt will know what angles to take pictures or how to crop out objects they don't want in the final prints. Sheesh!
What are you guys gonna do if you had to to do a ceremony on a beach? Bury the friggin speakers in the sand so they can't be seen?:trirolleyes:
What are you guys gonna do if you had to to do a ceremony on a beach? Bury the friggin speakers in the sand so they can't be seen?:trirolleyes:
Canute
it appears most of these guys say the TRY to keep speakers out of the pics.
if it cannot be helped, so be it.
just like it has been said here before...we try to keep the attention on the BRIDE and GROOM.
and even more so for the ceremony.
it appears most of these guys say the TRY to keep speakers out of the pics.
if it cannot be helped, so be it.
just like it has been said here before...we try to keep the attention on the BRIDE and GROOM.
and even more so for the ceremony.
Tell me HOW can a speaker or a DJ by their very presence, take away from a Bride and Groom?
Again, you don't see a Violinist, Harpist or Soloist hiding to perform, do you?
Why should the DJ or his equipment be in the photos?
The violinist/harpist, singers, etc are performers.
Having the DJ in the photo is not the same thing.
Briar, I am confused here. What do you mean by the above statement? Where are the radiators/tower/stick?
Many times the DJ gets paid more then these guys and they don't seem to have the hangups like DJs do.
Then tell that to the Photographer. He should be able to control the angles of the shots and final editing.
Are you guys saying that you don't get your picture taken to be part of the Wedding Album? I have had mine taken, without asking for it. Now I won't go and ruin a setup by making things aesthetically displeasing to the eye by having speakers where they should not be but come on, I think you guys are going way overboard to belittle yourselves. Sounds like a lack of confidence to me. I just don't get it. For a Band, Violinist, Harpist etc to be setup where they can be seen, it somehow becomes a No No for a DJ??? Gimme a break! :trirolleyes:
Like I said before, the violinist/harpist, etc. are actually performing. For the ceremony, we are basically the audio controllers/behind the scenes technicians. The photographers 80% of the time get a shot of us at the reception, but for a ceremony, we are to be heard & not seen. It's not about us.
When I watch American Idol (type of shows) you don't see the guys running the controls.
I think you got it wrong. It's not about us.
I never said it is about us or for that matter about me. I find it very amusing that SOME of you guys go out of your way to be invisible, not only at Ceremonies but at the Gig/Reception itself. It is no wonder everyone wants to shove the DJ aside. This is why it is so important to negotiate and plan a setup area so that everyone knows what to expect of each other. With proper planning the DJ does not have to show up in the pics. Many times the DJ is an afterthought and everything else gets higher priority. If anyone thinks that they are not just as important as the other vendors then they are indeed belittling themselves.
As a Reverend, I've worked many ceremonys that had harpists / violins / etc., as well as many that had a DJ other than me for the ceremony sound.
In EVERY case, the live performers would set up off to one side where they can be seen only if you took the effort to turn your head.
With the DJs, it's always a crap shoot where they'll put the speaker, where they'll put their gear, whether they will provide a microphone, and whether they can read the detailed script for the music cues.
I did an outside wedding this past Saturday. The DJ set up for the ceremony in the back (Good!). He also had his speaker in the back. (Bad!). He told me he didn't have a 9V for his microphone. (Bad!) He ran to a local 7-11 to buy one. (Good!) That killed the extra time he needed to change clothes, so he wore a T-shirt at the ceremony. (Do I need to comment?)
The bride gave him the music list at least a week ago. When we went over it prior to the ceremony, he was scrambling to make sure he had the correct songs. I told him what cues to look for and that he may need to loop the second song. Instead, the second song played to the end, which wasn't enough time, so the third song started. The third song was also the cue for the horse & carriage to start their approach. As a result, the carriage arrived while bridesmaids were still walking the aisle, killing all the anticipation. He did fade out OK after the bride walked the aisle, however, he missed both cues to start and end the music during the Handfasting. I.E. He started late, and ended early.
He hit the recessional cue OK.
At the reception, he cued up the wrong song for the mother/son dance.
After that he was pretty good. In fact, he kicked ASS.
I rarely stay to the end, but even I was having so much fun that I stayed. Yeah, most guests probably left without knowing any of the problems, besides the mother/son song. And probably left thinking he was a great DJ.
Does that make it OK?
In EVERY case, the live performers would set up off to one side where they can be seen only if you took the effort to turn your head.
With the DJs, it's always a crap shoot where they'll put the speaker, where they'll put their gear, whether they will provide a microphone, and whether they can read the detailed script for the music cues.
I could not have said it better myself.
I did an outside wedding this past Saturday. The DJ set up for the ceremony in the back (Good!). He also had his speaker in the back. (Bad!). He told me he didn't have a 9V for his microphone. (Bad!) He ran to a local 7-11 to buy one. (Good!) That killed the extra time he needed to change clothes, so he wore a T-shirt at the ceremony. (Do I need to comment?)
The bride gave him the music list at least a week ago. When we went over it prior to the ceremony, he was scrambling to make sure he had the correct songs. I told him what cues to look for and that he may need to loop the second song. Instead, the second song played to the end, which wasn't enough time, so the third song started. The third song was also the cue for the horse & carriage to start their approach. As a result, the carriage arrived while bridesmaids were still walking the aisle, killing all the anticipation. He did fade out OK after the bride walked the aisle, however, he missed both cues to start and end the music during the Handfasting. I.E. He started late, and ended early.
He hit the recessional cue OK.
At the reception, he cued up the wrong song for the mother/son dance.
After that he was pretty good. In fact, he kicked ASS.
I rarely stay to the end, but even I was having so much fun that I stayed. Yeah, most guests probably left without knowing any of the problems, besides the mother/son song. And probably left thinking he was a great DJ.
Does that make it OK?
OH HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!
how we setup for a ceremony has nothing to do with the way we are treated, or being shoved aside
or the DJ being an afterthought, or being important
this is OUR PERSONAL CHOICE about being seen at the ceremony...
and just like many others, I dont feel the need to be seen if I can help it.
I dont go out of my way to NOT be seen, either...I just want all the attention to be on the B/G
I am not knocking you for thinking otherwise....what you prefer is what YOU PREFER
now, the RECEPTION is a different story...
Why can't the DJ do the same? Whats wrong with the DJ setting up likewise?
Mike A DJ can often be an afterthought. Go tell otherwise to some on the board who have had to setup with no covering for their equipment or speakers. Ask Bill Kexel who had his speaker overheat. You think they really care about us?
[video=youtube;97nAvTVeR6o]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97nAvTVeR6o[/video]
