Wedding DJ New Jersey — with Live Violin Over the Tracks

Reception packages from $2,200, statewide across New Jersey. Julie Schatz is a NJ wedding DJ (NYC-based) with a differentiator most couples don't know exists: live violin layered over the DJ set. A house drop with acoustic violin cutting through the mix. A hip-hop instrumental with real strings on top. A first-dance track with the vocal melody played live by memory instead of just recording playback. This is the hybrid DJ + live violinist experience — one artist, one load-in, unique to a small handful of musicians serving the tri-state. Julie's Soul Shades remix work has been featured by Ninja Tune (10M+ combined views across TikTok and Instagram), so the DJ side isn't a hobby — it's her actual production practice, running through her own custom sets. Serving Northern NJ (Bergen, Morris, Somerset), Central NJ, the Jersey Shore, and Cape May.

What makes this a hybrid DJ set, not just a wedding DJ

Standard wedding DJs press play. This is the same DJ set energy — full crowd control, floor-filler transitions, requested tracks — but with a live violinist (Julie) playing improvised melodies, riffs, and vocal-line lead parts over the tracks in real time. It's a moment you can point cameras at. Guests take out phones. The reception has a live performance built into it without giving up the reliable dance-floor energy of a real DJ set. Every set is custom-arranged based on the couple's playlist preferences: house, hip-hop, R&B, pop, afro house, and jazz all work. This is the same live-violin-over-tracks approach Julie developed as half of Soul Shades (the duo behind the viral Nimino × Sting mashup) — refined for weddings and private events.

New Jersey-specific logistics

NJ weddings span four logistical worlds: urban North Jersey (Hoboken, Jersey City, Newark — usually rooftops or boutique hotels), the estate belt (Morristown, Princeton, Far Hills — historic country clubs), the Jersey Shore (Asbury Park, Spring Lake, Long Branch — beachfront venues with weather contingencies), and South Jersey wineries. The DJ + violin rig is loaded in a single vehicle run: DJ controller, monitor, portable amp with subwoofer, electric violin, wireless mic, and full PA when the venue doesn't provide one. Setup is 45–60 minutes for the hybrid rig. Ideal reception format is a 3-hour Essential set; 4-hour and 5-hour options available for longer receptions and afterparties. Julie also plays solo violin for ceremonies and jazz piano for cocktail hour, so one artist can cover the entire event day at NJ venues.

Common questions about NJ wedding DJ bookings

How much does a NJ wedding DJ cost?

Julie's hybrid DJ + live violin reception experience starts at $2,200 for a 3-hour Essential set (best for smaller receptions or reception-only bookings). Longer receptions and afterparties are at zone-based per-hour add-on rates. Full-day coverage (solo violin ceremony + jazz piano cocktail hour + hybrid DJ + violin reception) is available as a single-artist package for NJ couples who want the entire music day handled by one performer. Hoboken and Jersey City are part of the NYC zone with travel included. Northern NJ (Bergen, Morris, Somerset, Union), Central NJ, and the Jersey Shore through Asbury Park are at standard zone pricing. South Jersey and Cape May are custom-quoted. See full pricing →

What genres can the DJ set cover?

House, hip-hop, R&B, afro house, pop, jazz, indie, and dance-floor classics. Julie is a producer as well as a performer — her Soul Shades project (with DJ DX) has been featured by Ninja Tune with over 10 million cross-platform views. The DJ side of her practice isn't rented equipment and stock playlists — it's a real production catalog. Couples send a playlist reference or a Spotify shortlist during the booking process, and the set is arranged around that specific taste, with the live violin layered in on moments that fit.

What's the difference between "DJ with live violin" and just a regular DJ?

A regular DJ mixes tracks. The live-violin-over-tracks hybrid adds a real performance layer on top: melody lines played live by memory over the vocal, improvised riffs on drops, and vocal-style lead parts on ballads and first dances. Guests see a musician performing in real time, not just a DJ pressing play. It's the kind of moment couples want photos and video of — different from a standard reception because it's actually a performance, not just a playlist. Julie has been running this hybrid format since forming Soul Shades with producer DJ DX.

Can one artist DJ the reception and play violin for the ceremony?

Yes — the most efficient booking pattern for NYC weddings. Solo violin for the ceremony (prelude, processional, recessional). Switch to jazz piano for cocktail hour at the same venue. Then load in the DJ rig and run the hybrid DJ + live violin set for the reception. One artist, one point of contact for the coordinator, one invoice instead of three separate ensembles. Full-day single-artist pricing is quoted directly at the time of inquiry.

Do you bring your own PA and DJ equipment?

Yes. Every NYC hybrid DJ booking includes the full rig: professional DJ controller and monitor, portable full-range PA with subwoofer for reception dance floors, wireless mics for toasts and speeches, electric violin with in-ear monitoring, and a wired XLR backline for venues that need to feed into a house system. The whole setup fits in a single Uber XL load-in run, which matters for Manhattan venues with shared service entrances and elevator-only access. Setup is 45–60 minutes from arrival to first track ready.

Can you learn our first dance song and play violin over the DJ track?

Yes — this is one of the most-booked custom moments. Julie learns the couple's first-dance song and performs the vocal-line melody live on violin over the DJ playback (either the original recording or a custom instrumental version prepared in advance). The result is a first dance that's part live performance and part original recording — the emotional weight of a real performance without giving up the version of the song the couple actually chose. Custom first-dance arrangements are +$200 per song and are set up during the booking process.

Is this the same as the DJ DX × Julie duo booking?

Related but not identical. DJ DX × Julie is the duo booking where DJ DX runs the DJ set while Julie performs live violin (and sometimes keyboard) on top — a two-person unit. The hybrid DJ + live violin booking on this page is Julie handling both the DJ role and the live violin role herself as a single artist. Duo bookings are music-forward with more dynamic range; solo hybrid bookings are lighter on rider and cost.