DJs
Bring a vintage spin to your cocktail hour with a 90-minute live vinyl set delivered on two professional turntables. This package transforms the in-between moment after the ceremony into a memorable musical chapter, where guests sip drinks, mingle, and enjoy hand-selected LPs spun in real time by a seasoned vinyl mixologist.
What makes a vinyl cocktail hour different
Streaming playlists keep things easy, but they cannot match the warmth, character, and human touch of a live vinyl performance. The needle drops, the crackle of analog magic fills the room, and your guests instantly know they are part of something special. Records are pulled from a curated crate that reflects your taste and the mood you want to set for the rest of the evening.
Inclusions at a glance
This package includes a custom LP selection curated specifically for your event, two turntables operated by a skilled DJ, and a deep collection of records spanning soul, funk, jazz, disco, indie, hip-hop classics, and timeless cocktail-hour staples. Setup, breakdown, a compact powered sound system, and a planning consultation are all included.
Custom LP selection suited to your tastes
During the planning consultation, you share the artists, eras, and moods that resonate with you and your partner. Whether you love classic Motown, mellow jazz, smoky soul, indie cool, or vintage funk, your DJ pulls records that thread together a one-of-a-kind soundtrack. The result is a live, evolving mix that responds to the room rather than a frozen Spotify queue.
Two turntables and stacks of wax
The setup features two professional turntables and a mixer, allowing the DJ to seamlessly transition between tracks, beat-match across genres, and read the energy of the cocktail hour as it unfolds. Stacks of wax travel to every event, including rare pressings, deep cuts, and crowd-tested classics that pair beautifully with passed appetizers and a champagne toast.
Perfect for
This package shines at weddings, milestone anniversaries, intimate engagement parties, vow renewals, rehearsal dinners, and design-forward private events where 30 to 200 guests gather for a sophisticated opening act. It is especially popular for ceremonies followed by passed-hors-doeuvres receptions, brunch weddings, and music-loving couples who want a curated lounge feel for cocktail hour.
Coordination, equipment, and logistics
Before your event, you receive a planning call to walk through your timeline, music preferences, must-play artists, and any do-not-play notes. The DJ syncs with your planner or venue coordinator on load-in, power, and exact start and end times. The kit includes a professional turntable rig, a mixer, a curated record collection, and a compact powered sound system suitable for 30 to 200 guests in most indoor and outdoor venues. Plan on roughly 60 to 75 minutes of load-in and 30 to 45 minutes of breakdown. Service spans Northern California from a home base in Oakland, with regular dates across San Francisco, Marin, the East Bay, the Peninsula, and Wine Country.
Frequently asked questions
Can the vinyl cocktail hour run longer than 90 minutes? Yes, additional time can be added in 30-minute increments based on availability and venue logistics, discussed during the consultation.
Do you take requests during the cocktail hour? The set is curated in advance based on your preferences, and the DJ can honor a small number of pre-discussed requests in the moment.
Is this package suitable as the only music for a small wedding? For intimate gatherings, a vinyl cocktail hour can flow into a recorded playlist for dinner, or be paired with a full reception DJ package for dancing later.
What genres work best on vinyl? Soul, funk, jazz, disco, indie, classic R&B, hip-hop, and singer-songwriter records translate beautifully on wax and tend to land especially well with cocktail-hour crowds.
Do you provide microphones for ceremony or toasts? This package focuses on cocktail-hour music; microphones for ceremony, toasts, or full reception coverage are available with the larger DJ-and-MC packages.
Why book a vinyl cocktail hour
A live vinyl set is a craft, not a feature you toggle in a streaming app. Booking a Bay Area specialist with deep crates and hundreds of weddings of experience ensures your guests get a one-of-a-kind opening to your celebration, where every needle drop is intentional and every track lands with the room.
