Thinking of an iPod wedding? Think again.

For the same reasons you wouldn’t let your friend bake your wedding cake using Betty Crocker cake mix or your cousin snap photos with her cell phone camera, you shouldn’t turn to your gym buddy Mr. iPod to DJ your wedding reception. Known as simply “iPod weddings,” this cost-cutting trend has emerged as a way to save a few bucks on the big day. It’s as tacky as relying on cheap disposable cameras on the tables to capture the day. People sometimes think: I want my music, so why not just play my iPod? But, as this video shows, it can be a disaster. “Is this mic working? Anybody seen the father of the bride?” We got observer discomfort watching that video. Sure, we know wedding disc jockeys can be pricey, but sometimes it’s well worth the money. (You can scale back your costs elsewhere: party favors? who needs em?) You need music at your wedding to help set the tone. You need a (sober) master of ceremonies to carry the event. If a pricier band is out of your budget, a disc jockey ought to be your second choice. (By the way, we found a pretty interesting read at discjockey.org on how iPod weddings may not really save you all that much money.) In the case of a destination wedding, your wedding venue probably has a list of disc jockeys in its rolodex. If not, San Diego is home to hundreds of DJs, most coming with good references. Ask your other vendors if they can recommend someone… and save that iPod music for the plane ride.