With thousands of disc jockeys available, how do you choose the right DJ for your wedding?
Choosing a quality disc jockey is essential part of the wedding planning process, for most brides and grooms this is not an easy decision to make. Your wedding is a once in a lifetime event, one that you should remember for the rest of your life. The last thing any young couple wants is a disastrous affair as a result of choosing an unprofessional or unreliable disc jockey. The tips in this article come from the perspective of disc-jokeys, but the experiences noted are not just from the eyes of a working DJ, but from guests who have attended various weddings as well.
It’s important to remember that a DJ who ruins a wedding reception is usually a repeated offender. A crucial part of the planning process is to obtain wedding DJ references from friends, family, co-workers,and reception halls. These individuals have dealt with DJs first hand in various ways. Having feedback from other brides and grooms, catering staff members, and wedding reception guests allows you to have a full view of a DJ’s performance from all angles.
Put together a list of four or five prospective DJs and schedule interviews. Never hire a DJ without interviewing him or her first. Hiring a DJ should be a time consuming process. Before the interview, check out the disc jockey’s website and review any pictures, movies, or testimonials that the DJ displays. Those who are in the marrying age group usually attend a few weddings each year, so begin to scope out potential disc jockeys at any weddings you attend.
At the interview, the following topics are very important and should be discussed with the disc jockey. Ultimately, the questions should be centred around what you value most about your wedding reception. Generic questions such as, “How much do you charge for X hours of service?”, “Do you offer MC services, and if so, how much do you charge?”, “Do you provide lighting, and if so, how much extra does lighting cost?”, “How much do you charge for party favours such as hats, glow sticks, and blow up toys” are all relevant questions for the disc jockey to start the interview process and get an idea of the disc jockey’s pricing range. Make sure you inform the DJ of a maximum budget if you have one, but be reasonable. If you plan to have a cocktail hour in another reception room and wish to have the disc jockey play light music there, it is important to ask if he is able to bring a second rig of equipment to handle that room. In addition, it is also important to ask about the DJs general equipment and if he is able to handle the room size. Music library is the most important part of the disc jockey’s setup. Be sure to ask the disc jockey if he has the music that you want to hear. Because your guests are likely to have various musical tastes, it is also very important that the had a wide variety of music such as Top 40, Disco, Jazz and Light Rock (for dinner), Party Ballads, Dance/Techno, and other genres that may interest you and your guests. Be sure to ask any other questions that will help you determine if the DJs personality will fit your event. Asking for more references, videos from previous events, or photographs from previous events doesn’t hurt. Get as much information from the DJ as you can.
After collecting all the necessary information, it’s time to review over your interviews and select the DJ that YOU feel is right for YOUR event. Ultimately, it’s your decision to choose the DJ. Although it is often tempting to go with the cheapest DJ, you get what you pay for in the DJ industry. Two hundred dollars could be the difference between a stellar party and a boring gathering. Choose the DJ you’re most comfortable with – the DJ who understands your wants and who has the experience to get the job done. In the end, the DJ you’re most comfortable with is probably the DJ who will make your event unforgettable.
