We would be lying if we said that the entertainment environment for parties including birthday parties, weddings, corporate events and formals hasn’t changed. With COVID-19 on our shores, and popping up within our community from time to time, the landscape has dramatically changed. But life will always through challenges at you, and it’s about how to respond accordingly. Today, we’ll discuss if these types of events are still going ahead, and if they are, how they differ to what we are normally used to.
Are you still allowed to have a DJ for you event during COVID-19?
To answer the question, “Are you still allowed to have a DJ for you event?”, we need to take a look at the type of event, and the rules at that point in time. At the time of writing this blog, the rules on gatherings state that household events can not hold more than 20 guests, but the NSW Chief Health Officer recommends a maximum of 10 as a general principle and precautionary approach. And for venues, capacity must not exceed 150 guests, or one guest per 4 square metres for a wedding service (excluding the couple, the people involved in
conducting the service and the photographer and the videographer),
whichever is the lesser.
Today, let’s focus on weddings and events within a COVID-Safe venue. Here are some key points to know when planning, as suggested by the NSW Government:
- Group singing, such as choirs, is high risk and should be avoided. Solo singing and wind instruments can spread COVID-19 if a performer is infected. If these are involved in the ceremony or reception ensure there are protections in place for guests, including at least 5 metres distance
- Consider seating guests from the same household next to each other, to make it easier to fit everyone safely together. Ensure people have assigned tables at the reception event and that there is minimal mingling between people at different tables. Ensure there are no more than 10 people per table.
- Consider having photos taken before the ceremony (rather than in between the ceremony and reception) to decrease the amount of time between each.
- Have your event host or MC remind participants of the importance of physical distancing before, during and after the wedding. Whilst it is a very natural instinct to hug each other when happy, this is where COVID-19 can spread easily. Consider alternative ways people could offer congratulations that don’t involve close contact, such as through a guest book or recorded messages.
- If a guest has symptoms and asks if they should attend your wedding, encourage them to see their GP or attend a local COVID clinic.
- Discourage people who are from an area of high COVID-19 transmission from attending the wedding in person. If the wedding is in an area of high COVID risk or must have guests from a high COVID-19 area then limit the gathering or consider having two separate gatherings with people from higher risk areas in only small numbers.
- Think about ways your guests can be involved through a video broadcast or live stream, if they can’t attend due to illness or travel restrictions, or are a vulnerable person and wish to avoid gatherings. Speak to you event planner or facility about any available options to stream the event.
- If you have guests who are at high-risk of developing COVID-19 complications such as elderly people or people with conditions affecting their immunity, consider discussing the option of attending the ceremony only, which is lower risk than the reception.
- Consider alternatives to physical gifts or wishing wells, such as online gift registries, direct delivery or electronic funds transfer.
- If you would like a guest book, consider asking guests to bring their own pen, or have a plan to clean any shared pens and the area around the book in-between guests signing. Consider alternatives like a digital guestbook that can be filled in from home
How can you keep your event fun and guests engaged without dancing?
There are still couples looking for a wedding DJ in Sydney, and students and teachers looking for a Sydney formal DJ. This is where it gets fun, because we have to be even more creative! Your DJ should work even closer with an MC or host, or individually on the microphone if they are hosting them self, and tap in to their suite of fun activities. We’ve completed a tonne of events in recent months, and these activities include:
- Trivia – Whether you have a school formal, or a wedding, or a corporate event, liaise with your DJ beforehand to agree on a set of 20 questions. If your event is a wedding, keep the questions about the bride and groom, and their journey together. If you’re hosting a school formal, keep the questions fun and about the students and their journey throughout schooling. If the event is a corporate function, think of quirky questions about the business and its journey over the last 12-24 months. Hand these over to your DJ or MC, and during your event, break each table up into their own group. We have done this and found it to be super engaging, with the DJ playing different stings (short and hyped up parts of songs) to create an awards night vibe. We’ve even surprised the winners with a bottle of wine!
- Comedian – We’ve partnered up with some funny characters in recent months, and let us tell you, it definitely keeps the crowd engaged. Having someone who can host as an MC, and double up as a funny person will keep the event flowing along smoothly, and your guests giggling from start to finish. Laughter is the best medicine, right?
- The Shoe Game – You have the bride and groom swap one shoe each, and have them sit the middle of the dancefloor (only the bride and groom are permitted here to comply with COVID-Safe guidelines). Ask them a list of question about each other, and let’s see who comes out on top. This is an event for the beautiful couple, so make them feel special by shining the spotlight on them.
Bringing it all together
Yes, these are very difficult circumstances we are going through. However, as mentioned earlier, when we face the challenge head on, we always adapt and come up with new and creative ways to deal with our situation. COVID-19 has definitely changed the landscape for a DJ. However, NSW Government, and the other Governments around Australia (with the exception of Victoria as at the time of writing this), have implemented strategies to getting to a COVID-normal. This has allowed us to pivot, and adapt. This has allowed us to still host these critical, and enjoyable events during this trying time. People looking for a wedding DJ in Sydney, or any Sydney DJ for their event for that matter, can be confident knowing that these events can still go ahead, they are safe, and they can still be a tonne of fun!
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out, otherwise, stay safe people!