Anniversary and vow renewal DJ Birmingham

Celebrating the years together

An anniversary party is a mix of a wedding reception and a family reunion. Some guests were at the original wedding; others are children and grandchildren who weren’t born yet. The best anniversary sets tell the couple’s story through music, starting with the songs from when they met and moving through the decades.

Traditional milestones include:

• Silver (25 years)
• Pearl (30 years)
• Ruby (40 years)
• Golden (50 years)
• Diamond (60 years)

Any anniversary is worth celebrating, of course. Tell us which one it is in the form, along with the year you married.

Music by decade

A good place to start is the year of the wedding. From there, a DJ can build a set across the decades you’ve shared.

• Married in the 1960s. Motown, the Beatles, Northern soul, 60s pop and rock and roll.
• Married in the 1970s. Disco, soul, glam rock and the songs from Saturday night television.
• Married in the 1980s. Synth pop, new romantics, soul, early house and the big power ballads.
• Married in the 1990s. Britpop, dance, R&B, boy and girl bands, and the songs that filled the floor at weddings that decade.

Most anniversary parties need something for the younger guests too. A few current songs and some 2000s party favourites usually work alongside the older music. Pick the decades in the form and add your must-plays.

Ideas that suit an anniversary

• Your original first dance, ideally the same version, played at a set point in the evening
• Songs from the wedding day, if you remember what was played
• A number one from your wedding week as a talking point
• Requests from your children and grandchildren, gathered in advance
• A slideshow of photos while the DJ plays quieter music during food

If you want the DJ to introduce speeches or invite the family onto the floor, mark confident announcements as important in the form.

Vow renewals

A vow renewal is often a smaller, more relaxed version of a wedding day. The order of the day varies, but a common shape is:

1. Guests arrive, with background music.
2. The ceremony, with music for the entrance, any readings and the exit. Some couples choose the songs from their original wedding.
3. Drinks and photos, with relaxed background music.
4. Food and speeches, often from the couple or their children.
5. The first dance, sometimes the original song, sometimes a new one that marks the years since.
6. The party, with music through the decades.

If the ceremony and party are in different rooms, or the ceremony is outdoors, ask whether the DJ can bring a separate sound system and microphone for it. For ideas about ceremony music, our wedding DJ page may help, and our what a DJ needs from your venue guide covers the practical side of the room.

Planning it as a surprise

Many anniversary parties are organised by the couple’s children as a surprise. If that’s your plan, choose one person to be the DJ’s contact, and gather the music quietly: old photos, a wedding video or a chat with friends who were there can tell you which songs mattered. Let the DJ know when the couple are due to arrive and what you’d like playing as they walk in. A song from their wedding day is a gentle way to start the evening.

Volume and timing

Many anniversary guests want to talk and catch up as much as dance. Tell the DJ when the meal is and when you’d like the dancing to start, so the music stays comfortable for the first part of the evening. For older guests, an afternoon or early evening party can work well. For quotes and what changes them, see our DJ hire prices page. For other kinds of family celebration, see the party DJ hire hub.

How we match you

Tell us the anniversary, the year you married and the songs that matter to you both. We pass your enquiry to the one DJ in our Birmingham pool who suits your music and your guests. They’ll contact you directly to plan the evening.