Meet the DJ Bringing the Party to Spanish Weddings
For many couples, the wedding day is all about bringing their favourite people together—and once the formalities are over, the music and dancing are often when the real party begins.
A great wedding DJ can play a huge part in creating that atmosphere. It’s not simply about having a great playlist; it’s about reading the room, understanding the couple, knowing when to change the pace and finding those songs that get everyone, from friends to grandparents, onto the dance floor.
With 29 years behind the decks, our featured DJ, DJ Piers, has certainly had plenty of experience doing exactly that. His journey began at just 16, with a fascination for hip hop, drum and bass and dance music, and has taken him from the vinyl days and UK pubs and clubs to weddings on the Spanish coast.
We caught up with him to find out how he got started, how he found his way into the Spanish wedding industry, what makes a great wedding DJ and, of course, which songs can be relied upon to get the party started.
How did you get into DJing, and what made you decide to make it your profession?
I got into DJing when I was 16 years old. I had a fascination with hip hop and drum and bass and dance music in general. And I had no idea how it was made or what you could do with it. Some of my friends were playing about with records on decks (back in the vinyl days) and one of them mixed one record into the other at the same BPM. That blew my mind at that age, and it opened up a world of possibilities with DJing. It was quite a few years after that when I started working in pubs and clubs around the UK. I never really thought it would turn into a profession but here I am!
How long have you been DJing, and how did you find your way into the Spanish wedding industry?
I have been DJing for 29 years. I can’t actually believe it, looking at it written down there, but it’s true. Like I said, I started when I was 16, and I’ve just been in love with it ever since. I found my way into the Spanish wedding industry, frankly, by accident. I met a wonderful girl called Nikki, who works for La Sala programming the music there but was also working alongside me at a financial advising firm. She mentioned that she was in need of a DJ and that there was a lack of them on the coast, and I jumped at the chance to have the opportunity. She introduced me to one or two wedding planners after having me DJ at La Sala a few times, it all came from there and has snowballed ever since.
What do you think makes a great wedding DJ?
There are a few things that make a great DJ. I think it’s really important firstly to have communication, and where possible have a chat with the bride and groom before to get an understanding as to what they’re looking for, what sort of songs they would like to hear, what they don’t want to hear as well, and what sort of vibe they’re looking for for the evening. For weddings, it’s less about crazy technical ability, frankly, when it comes to DJing, and it’s more about knowing when to play the right song at the right time. It sounds easy but in practice it takes quite a while to get the experience to be able to do this and know what works and what doesn’t on the dance floor is also a skill that takes a little while to master. You have to be open to a wide variety of music, and you really cannot let your own musical tastes have any impact on what you’re going to play. At the end of the day, it’s all about what the clients are looking for.
Is there a particular type of wedding or celebration that you especially love being part of?
At the end of the day, I simply love a wedding where everyone is up for a good time and having a party and getting down on the dance floor. Very rarely you have a scenario where you could be playing the biggest bangers known to man, ranging across all genres, and still not getting a reaction, and that can be tough because there are certain scenarios where there’s nothing you can do. People are just not up for partying. But when you get it right and you’ve got a great crowd who are there to let their hair down, enjoy themselves, not take themselves too seriously, and just go crazy on the dance floor, that is a magical moment, no matter what style of music or what influence or nationality you’re dealing with. If you’ve got everyone on your side and you’ve got that magical vibe, there’s nothing like it. That is the type of wedding that everyone remembers.
What’s the most unusual or unique music request you’ve ever received from a couple?
I suppose the most unusual requests that I’ve had have been songs that I just haven’t been familiar with, and this is generally when they are from other countries and I’ve done many weddings where the couple or at least one half are from countries such as Norway, India, France, Bulgaria, Russia, Sweden, Hungary and the list goes on. The thing is of course they’re not unusual to the person who’s requested them or the guests at the wedding. But sometimes that can be tough to know: is this a song that you should play at the end of a wedding? Is this a song that is more for the start? Is this an absolute banger that should be played when the energy’s really high? Sometimes that takes a little while to sit and listen to the songs and try to gauge myself as to what sort of part of the wedding that should fit into. But this is also something that I like to discuss with the couple beforehand, so that I am not playing specific songs at the wrong time if I’m not familiar with them.
Do you have a funny, memorable or particularly special wedding moment that has stayed with you?
I had a hilarious moment where, I hope at least, it was scripted or organised beforehand, but they had requested a particular song and when I played this, everyone at the wedding party in the crowd all just laid face down on the floor and were basically just planking for quite a while. I genuinely had absolutely no idea what was going on, but they were all still giggling and laughing so I kind of assumed something was up, but it made for quite a sight. I wasn’t quite sure what I’d done or what had happened initially, but it was pretty funny to watch.
What’s the one song or type of music that you can almost guarantee will get the dance floor full?
There isn’t one particular style or genre that works at every wedding—it depends on the guests and the atmosphere they want. However, certain universally recognised songs almost always fill the dance floor.
Modern singalong favourites such as Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” and Chapelle Roan’s Pink Pony Club” can create brilliant moments, while classics including ABBA’s *Dancing Queen * and Earth, Wind & Fire’s September consistently get a party going. For a more dance-pop audience, tracks such as “Freed from Desire”, The Black Eyed Peas’ I Gotta Feeling, Pitbull’s Fireball and Cher’s Believe also work well.
The key is choosing familiar, widely loved songs that appeal across generations. Guests may have heard them countless times, but that familiarity is exactly what encourages everyone to sing along, dance and enjoy themselves. Understanding which songs work may not be rocket science, but it takes experience to read the room and choose the right track at the right moment.
What do you think couples should look for when choosing their wedding DJ?
It’s important for couples to choose a DJ who is reliable, flexible and willing to discuss their musical preferences. A good DJ should listen carefully, understand the atmosphere the couple wants to create and tailor the music accordingly.
A DJ who is rigid, dismisses the couple’s input or insists they know what works without seeking any guidance may be a red flag. Their experience should enable them to offer helpful advice and contribute to an open discussion, but ultimately, it is the couple’s wedding.
Every wedding is different, so the music should feel personal rather than relying on the same standard playlist used at every event. The best DJs combine their professional judgement with the couple’s vision to create a celebration that is genuinely unique to them.
Finally, what do you love most about being part of someone’s wedding day?
So I have loved, and I think always will, love playing music to people and seeing the smiles on the couples faces and the joy that it can bring to people. That is by far the most exciting element of being a wedding DJ. After seeing a couple go through the sometimes rigorous schedule that you have at weddings, the pressure and the nerves that all come with planning, the speeches and these different elements that can feel quite stressful, having that relief when they finally can have a drink, have a dance and just let their hair down and truly enjoy themselves with all of the people that they love the most in the world having experiences that they will remember forever is a wonderful feeling. Being the person that helps to create those memories for them is a sensation that is indescribable and makes the job so incredibly rewarding.
The perfect soundtrack to a Spanish celebration
After 29 years behind the decks, it is clear that the role of a wedding DJ is about far more than simply playing music. It is about listening to the couple, understanding their guests and creating those moments when everyone forgets about the schedule, the planning and the stresses of the day and simply enjoys being together.
From international music requests and unexpected moments on the dance floor to the timeless classics that have generations singing along, every wedding brings its own story—and that is perhaps what makes the job so special.
For couples planning their wedding in Spain, finding a DJ who can combine experience with flexibility, take the time to understand their vision and, most importantly, read the dance floor could be the difference between a good party and the party everyone remembers.
Want to find out more about DJ Piers and how he could help create the perfect soundtrack for your Spanish wedding? Get in touch with the team at Sunshine Weddings Spain today—we’d love to hear from you and help make your wedding celebration one to remember.
