🎧 5 Guest Types Every DJ Has Seen—and How I Handle Them Like a Pro

Because every reception has at least one of these characters—and sometimes they all show up at once.

Thank you for reading this post, I look forward to hearing from you soon!  :-)

Let’s set the scene:
The dance floor is lit, grandma’s out there doing The Wobble, and the energy is ✨ immaculate ✨.

Then, from the corner of my eye, I spot them.
Not a drunk raccoon or a rogue flower girl—
No, no. I see a wedding guest archetype.

And if you’ve DJed as many weddings as I have, you start to recognize the patterns.
These five guests show up every single time. And lucky for you, I’ve developed the DJ equivalent of Jedi mind tricks to handle them like a pro.

Let’s meet the lineup:

🥴 1. The Drunk Request Machine

This guest is here to party. And by party, I mean slur their way through a song request every 3.5 minutes.

They’ll corner the DJ booth like it’s a Taco Bell drive-thru at 2AM:

“HEY. Do you have, like… Pitbull but make it… romantic? No? Okay but what about that one song from TikTok with the whistling and the drop and—wait I’ll just hum it for you.”

How I Handle It:

• Smile warmly. Nod like a therapist.

• Pretend to type it into the system (while queuing up a banger the bride actually approved).

• Casually redirect them toward the photo booth or any snacks in a 15-foot radius.

💡 Pro move: Have a decoy “Request Pad” where they can write songs that will never, ever see daylight.

🎤 2. The Wannabe MC

This one grabs the mic “just to say a few words” and next thing you know, you’re 11 minutes into an unsolicited stand-up set that somehow circles back to middle school gym class.

They think they’re helping. They’re not.
They think they’re hilarious. They might be… but this is not their moment.

How I Handle It:

• Keep the mic close—like it’s the last breadstick at Olive Garden.

• If they sneak in a mic grab, I hit the background music cue like a Grammys wrap-up.

• Politely reclaim the vibe with a line like:

  “Let’s hear it for Steve and that entire Netflix special he just gave us! Now back to your regularly scheduled bops.”

🕺 3. The Overly Enthusiastic Dancer

You know this guest. Arms flailing. Tie on their head. Attempting breakdancing on carpet.
You fear for your lighting rig and any nearby glassware.

How I Handle It:

• Give them one safe hype track to burn their energy (usually “Turn Down for What”).

• After that, I steer into choreographed group dances so they have boundaries. (Cupid Shuffle = organized chaos.)

• If all else fails, I play “Shout” and ride out the storm like a dance floor captain in rough seas.

Bonus: They make great footage for the video team.

📋 4. The Aunt With Opinions

This lovely lady was not consulted on the playlist and is determined to fix that.

“Sweetie, when are you going to play something nice? Like Frank Sinatra. Or Josh Groban. Or both at the same time?”
“You know what this crowd needs? The Macarena. Trust me.”

How I Handle It:

• Compliment her taste.

• Say it’s “coming up soon” (in another dimension).

• Buy time with a slow dance or cocktail crooner while keeping the bride’s “do not play” list locked and loaded.

She feels heard. The party stays intact. It’s diplomacy at its finest.

🧠 5. The Guest Who Thinks They’re Also the DJ

This person has thoughts.
Volume’s too low. Bass isn’t bass-y enough. Why are you mixing this into that? Don’t you know wedding energy theory?

They will try to engage in a deep technical discussion while you’re mixing live during the father-daughter dance.

How I Handle It:

• Smile. Nod. Keep one headphone on like I’m decoding The Da Vinci Code.

• Occasionally throw out an “Oh yeah, great point!” while doing the exact opposite of their suggestion.

• If necessary, throw them a pair of imaginary faders and say, “You want to give it a go?” (Kidding. Mostly.)

Final Thought:

Wedding guests are delightful, unpredictable, and occasionally one mimosa away from becoming a full-blown DJ sidekick. But no matter who shows up, I come prepared.

Because being a great DJ isn’t just about dropping the right tracks—it’s about knowing how to read the room, calm the chaos, and spin the whole thing into an unforgettable night.

So whether it’s a ballroom, barn, or backyard…
I’ve got the music, the mic, and the mental fortitude to handle any guest that comes my way.

🎧 Want a DJ who can juggle requests, dance-offs, unsolicited mic grabs, and still keep the party fire all night long?

Book DJ Rock My World —because I’ve danced with chaos and lived to tell the tale.

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