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So, you’re planning a party in NYC—maybe even a wedding—and you want to pick the perfect party tunes. After all, life is always better when set to music! The trouble is you may not know the best way to choose the party tunes to make your event stand out. Here are a few tips from the Save The Date® team of premiere part planners NYC has to help you figure it all out! To really engage your guests and set the tone of your party, you have three choices of music: self-DJ’d, professionally DJ’d, and live music. Party planners worth their salt know there are pros and cons to each of these choices, and it’s important to consider your budget, venue, and musical genre before you and your party planners start choosing where you want your music to come from.
 

If you self-DJ…

…The iPod is your best friend! This is obviously the least expensive route, and one that also takes up the least amount of dance floor space, but it’s important to rent out professional audio equipment to really engage your guests with the music. More loudness (to an extent) actually does equal more fun! Pros to this approach include the ability to carefully oversee and plan your playlist, while having the opportunity to keep your playlist forever as a memento.

If you hire a professional DJ…

…You’ll have someone with a pretty extensive repertoire of music that can oversee the party and check the mood of the guests. If you’re worried that your guests may have trouble dancing, hiring a professional DJ should help put your fears to rest. The DJ is less expensive and takes up less physical space than a band, and you can ask a good one to MC special events like weddings.

If you hire a band…

…You can really influence the theme of your party (though this isn’t always necessary) and really engage listeners because, well, live music just has that thing! Some musical genres, like big band for instance, also just have a better effect when a live band is playing. However, bands are usually more expensive and take up more space than the other options, and some venues may limit band size and kinds of instruments, so be aware.
 
Regardless of your choice, party planners’ ultimate tip is to make sure that the party tunes played are all party tunes people know and can really engage with, pace the music to help transition through different parts of the event and set mood, and make sure to keep important tracks (such as wedding processional music) backed up and in downloaded, digital form, just in case! Save The Date’s NYC party planners will all tell you that you can really affect the tone of your party with music, so make sure to take party tunes seriously. But have fun too, because that’s what parties are for! And always know that we here at Save The Date® are an experience team of party planners in NYC that are here to help make this (and any other aspect of your party) a whole lot easier.