Boss Moves: ‘A Bad Ass Wedding Guide for Couples Who Rule’
“I checked two years ago and again now. There are still no books on the shelves that answer all the questions you see in wedding groups online every day. Besides that, couples just don’t understand what we do or the value of what we provide as wedding DJs.”
By: Stephanie Rivkin
Hi DJX Friends, quick note for you:
I checked two years ago and again now. There are still no books on the shelves that answer all the questions you see in wedding groups online every day. Besides that, couples just don’t understand what we do or the value of what we provide as wedding DJs.
We’ve spent years explaining ourselves in consultations, defending our pricing, and hoping they get it. They think we just play songs and make announcements. Even that gets underestimated. They don’t understand the difference between a DJ and an MC. They assume every DJ is both.
I decided to write this to clearly explain what we do and why it matters for couples. This book will help them understand our role and value before they even call us, saving time, setting the right expectations, and empowering them to make informed choices when hiring a wedding DJ.
It’s called A Bad Ass Wedding Guide for Couples Who Rule, available on Amazon now, HERE.
This book is for confused, overwhelmed, and anxious couples who feel lost and turn to random people on Facebook for guidance. It gives them direct answers, practical advice, and demystifies the entire wedding DJ process, so they make better decisions and enjoy a smoother planning experience.
I’ve been a writer for as long as I can remember and have always wanted to publish a book. I waited for the idea to come, and then began this labor of love over two years ago. It started as a simple wedding planning guide for all engaged couples, inclusive and diverse. But after over two years of refining it, it took a left turn. It became a production manual disguised as a planner, with a mini bootcamp built in to strengthen the relationship on the way to the altar.
It’s based on my personal experience and is backed by my degrees in hospitality and education. I have previous experience as a wedding and meeting planner in hotels and yachts, where anticipating needs and exceeding expectations is the bare minimum.
I’m also a former singer and performer, with experience both on stage and behind the scenes. I’ve produced drag and burlesque shows, which means I understand interaction, timing, energy, cues, songs, choreography, costuming, lighting, and what actually makes people feel something.
So yes… my perspective is going to be very different from most DJs' because, like most DJs, I arrived here accidentally. I didn’t aspire to be a DJ. That’s exactly why I wrote this. My unique background gave me a 360-degree view of events.
Some DJs may disagree with my take on the importance of entertainment, downplaying our roles and ranking us lower than napkins. And that’s okay. Not everyone is open to this kind of disruption.
If you don’t like it, you can disregard everything I say, but that doesn’t change how I see or respond to what’s happening at a wedding. This book explains what some of us have already been doing and finally gives it a name. Production.
When I look at a wedding, I don’t see a party. I see a live production in 3 parts. Ceremony. Cocktail. Reception. Each one requires its own details, its own team, its own equipment, its own vibe.
We’re shifting the perspective from planning a party to producing a personal experience. One key mindset shift is seeing “vendors” not as hourly workers, but as members of a production team who are experienced, weathered, and seasoned.
While writing, I found my target audience and adopted a tone that would actually reach them, one that doesn’t sound like a stiff professional with no personality. The book reads like I’m speaking directly to a friend who’s getting married.
The tone is sassy on purpose because my audience can handle it. If I want to swear, I do. It’s not a book full of curse words, but in 2026, if you take the swears out of a song, the lyrics barely exist. That’s the generation I’m talking to. I know that voice won’t sit well with everyone. That was a conscious choice.
If you’re a DJ reading this book, unless you’re planning a wedding yourself, skip ahead to the entertainment and timeline chapters. These are detailed so our couples understand what we need, and if you’re new to weddings, I hope this helps you navigate this niche smoothly.
For couples who actually use this book the way it’s designed, they’re not flipping through it in a weekend. It walks them through the entire process.
At the end of the day, I’m passionate about this industry. About the work we actually do and the way it deserves to be understood. As an educator speaking about AI, I’ve already been accused of using it to write this book, and I’ve even seen AI-written reviews pop up against it that clearly came from people who never read a single page.
But this book didn’t exist before, and I wrote it to help us. It gives couples the clear understanding and confidence they need to recognize what we do and why it matters, and gives DJs the words they need to communicate their value. If people finally understand what we do after this, then the book did its job.