Two Brothers Roundhouse wedding? Here are 4 things your DJ must know.

The Roundhouse is like a second home for our DJs; we’ve been working events there since the start of Backthird Entertainment. This downtown anchor is a hotspot of Aurora, Illinois, and a fabulous place to get married – provided your DJ knows how to make the most out of the Roudhouse’s unique spaces.

Whether it’s the history, the architecture, or – let’s just be honest here – the fabulous craft beer that’s drawing you to a Two Brothers Roundhouse wedding, it will take more than that to make sure your guests stick around all night and have a stellar time. Here are 4 things your DJ can do to make your party unforgettable.

1. Use the house sound for your outdoor ceremony.

I’ll be honest – it’s not often that I tell a bride or groom to actually rely on the installed sound system at a wedding location. Usually, your DJ’s rig is more reliable – and better sounding too.

But not so at the Roundhouse gazebo, where local bands play through the sound system every weekend. There are speakers built into this outdoor ceremony space and the Roundhouse provides microphones to make sure your guests hear your vows.

Just make sure your DJ is familiar with them.

When our DJs work at the Roundhouse, we often get asked to play music for the wedding ceremony. We’ll provide and cue your music, and we’ll run your sound – but we’ll do it using the Two Brothers Roundhouse house system.

Better yet, you can book one of Backthird’s live music groups for your ceremony – and your DJ can still run the sound system.

2. Make two spaces into one experience.

Often, a couple’s biggest worry about Roundhouse wedding DJs is “how will you set up in the main reception space?”

That’s true especially if you’re getting married upstairs, where the main reception space is on two levels: A lower level for your dance floor and some dinner seating, plus a larger level for additional dinner seating. Some couples worry that dividing guests in this way will divide their party. It’s the right question to ask – but if your DJ treats both levels as one space, it won’t be a concern at all.Your DJ should set up close to the dance floor – probably on the lower level – but make sure to cover both areas acoustically. Since the spaces aren’t truly different rooms – it’s easy to see between them – this is usually as easy as facing a speaker toward the upper level for part of the night.

Then, your DJ will want to perform his or her master of ceremonies duties with an eye toward both spaces. If we address guests on both levels, engaging them or asking them for feedback and applause from time to time, it will always feel like everybody’s part of the same big party.

Another trick your DJ might suggest is to hold your formal dances right before the dance floor opens. By inviting guests to gather round the dance floor for your first dance or any parent dances you decide to do, we’ll have a great excuse to move folks from their seats into the dancing area when it’s time to start the dancing. This guarantees what when your dance floor opens, there’s a crowd of guests ready to party – no matter where they happened to be seated during dinner.

3. Light it up.

If your DJ offers uplighting, think about it. This enhancement plays especially well at the Two Brothers Roundhouse – it accents the rough-hewn brick and other architectural features, and it ties the space together in the colors you want to define your day.

How many lights is right? At Backthird, that’s a decision best talked through with your Account Manager. We generally like a larger, 16-light setup – especially if you’re celebrating in the downstairs gathering space. But even a small touch, like a 4-light accent on the fireplace or behind your head table, can make a big difference.

4. Keep it personal.

You chose the Two Brothers Roundhouse for your wedding for a reason – and that tells us something about you. So does the music you request, the people you invite, and the wedding traditions you decide to include, alter or ignore.

The most important thing any entertainment company can do is help you make your wedding yours. That might mean including a particular type of live music, which works great in the Roundhouse’s spacious rooms. It might mean adjusting a wedding tradition or incorporating something from your family’s roots. Or it just might mean playing the songs you love, in the best possible order, so you can celebrate with the people you care most about.