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Tips for Selecting A Wedding DJ

Image Credit: annasweddings.com 

Wedding DJs should be expected to do more than just play music. They keep the party atmosphere going, make important announcements throughout your reception, and are a key element in setting the mood of your celebration. They should be someone you feel listens to you and understands your vision for the day, someone who is professional and reliable (not amateur DJ-for-the-weekend), and have a personable demeanor and experience with quality equipment. Some DJs even offer additional services such as lighting and video or projection screens as part of or in addition to their wedding packages. Ask to find out what is included in the price you pay.

To find a DJ, ask for referrals from friends, family, your wedding coordinator/planner, or the venue where your wedding will be held. You could also inquire of other vendors you’ve selected and trust; they work with other wedding professionals regularly and should be able to give you some suggestions. Once you’ve accumulated a list of referrals you can begin to narrow them down by doing a little research. A professional website that includes video samples of them at work and client testimonials, pictures of their equipment, and a list of their available DJs will help you deice who to call to inquire of their services. We found a great website of questions to ask a wedding DJ with a free downloadable ebook for more in depth information on how to find the wedding DJ that is right for you: http://mydeejay.com/wedding-advice/questions-to-ask-a-dj-wedding.

A brief summary of things to look for:
1) A written contract is a must and should describe the DJ’s obligation to you and what service(s) he will provide.
2) Make sure the DJ you speak with, interview, and select will be the DJ at your wedding. Some DJs hire additional DJs to work for them, or they may be representing an agency.
3) Find out how long they’ve been a DJ and how many events they’ve worked, and/or will work the day of your wedding. You want a DJ who is experienced, committed and skilled in his profession. You also want your DJ to have the energy to make your celebration awesome from beginning to end.
4) Ask if the DJ has worked at your wedding venue before and when they will arrive to set up their equipment. Also ask about how much they charge for overtime. It is important for a DJ to be prepared for the acoustics of a room, the electrical outlets, and also where to set up his equipment. If a DJ has not worked your site make sure he has a contact for the site who is knowledgeable of these things, or that he visits the site. Most DJs will need an hour to an hour and a half to set up their equipment,  so to be clear make sure this set up time is included in the price and find out beforehand what the charge is for overtime, most weddings do not run perfectly on schedule.
5) Finally, you want to make sure the DJ will work with your input. You should be able to provide a must play or definitely do not play list. You want to make sure they are capable and willing to make announcements and transition between songs seamlessly to keep the dance floor occupied and the party going. You should be able to work with your DJ to select songs for the cake cutting and father daughter dance, first dance, etc. You also want to make sure your DJ has professional grade equipment and wireless microphone with any backups necessary to do his job. Check out the website we mentioned, mydeejay.com, for more tips like these: “the top brands for DJ equipment are Pioneer, Denon, PCDJ, Traktor, Serato, Electro-Voice (EV), JBL, Bose, Mackie, RANE, QSC, and Shure.”

VW geting the party started!

Sites and articles referenced:    
 “Questions to Ask a DJ.” mydeejay. MyDeejay, Inc. 2002. Web. 19 May 2015. < http://mydeejay.com/wedding-advice/questions-to-ask-a-dj-wedding >

Sainato, Stefania. “10 Questions to Ask Before Booking Your DJ.” Bridal Guide. Web. 19 May 2015. < http://www.bridalguide.com/blogs/the-budget-guru/wedding-dj >

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