Just after choosing your special date is the time to start looking for your Disc Jockey and for most brides this can be an adventure in itself. Contacting different DJs, getting prices, consultations, and the list goes on and on. In this article we share 10 Big Mistakes that are made by Brides and Grooms when choosing a DJ for their big day. Hopefully after this, you can find the DJ that is most suited to handle your wedding reception. Here’s a little quote that we always tell the brides we work with, “Your wedding day is like Broadway, you only get one take, and you only get one chance to get it right”.
1. Hiring the cheapest DJ you can find. The phrase, “You get what you pay for ”holds a lot of water in the case of hiring a Disc Jockey…especially for a wedding. There are Disc Jockeys that can cost as little as $250, or as much as $3,500 for a four hour wedding reception. Is the DJ that is only charging $250 no good at all? Who knows they might do a decent job, but there is one thing that is certain, either the DJ doesn’t have the experience, or just has bad business skills altogether to charge only $250. Any DJ that has done a ton of weddings (100 or more) knows that they put too much into a wedding to only charge peanuts. (Professional DJ’s spend more time planning before the celebration than the time actually entertaining.) On the other side, remember that just because a DJ is the most expensive in town doesn’t mean they’re the best for you. The entertainment for your reception is what you, your family and friends will remember; it’s worth more than the cost of invitations. Your DJ is an investment that you & your guests should enjoy the entire “time frame” of your reception, not half of it. If half of your guests leave after dinner because of loud music playing during the main course, the venue isn’t going to give you a refund.
2. Thinking that all Disc Jockeys are the same. This couldn’t be further from the truth; every DJ has their own style, different skill level, different rates, and may vary a lot in their musical library. A Disc Jockey that has all types of music is more “versatile” then one who only has rock, or country. Remember your favourite DJ that spins urban or alternative music all night may be perfect for the club, but more than likely your grandmother doesn’t want hear the top of the pop or urban charts all night.
3. Not reserving a DJ soon enough. Don’t go through all the work of finding the DJ you want and then procrastinate on booking that DJ. Most wedding DJ’s that have good reputations will get reserved early. If you’ve found a DJ who you like and are comfortable with, don’t wait to hire them. BOOK NOW!
4. Not taking “First Impressions” into consideration. More than likely your first contact with a DJ will be either on the telephone or by e-mail. If the first contact is by telephone, listen to how the DJ talks on the telephone; can you understand him or her, or the MC, which will do the announcements during your wedding? When you meet the DJ (and sometimes MC also) are they dressed professionally? If a DJ looks professionally during your consultation, more than likely they will be professional on your big day.
5. Not communicating with your DJ. Besides hiring the wrong DJ altogether, this is probably the biggest mistake some brides do when dealing with Djs, not COMMUNICATING. There is nothing worse for a DJ (and for you also) than a “rush job”, especially a wedding. A seasoned professional can get through the event without “noticeable incidents” but we believe we speak for all wedding DJ’s when I say it is “nerve-racking” even if we don’t show it. Keep your DJ informed of your plans, your special songs, any changes, your timeline, or anything else they may need to know, don’t wait until the week, or even a month before the big day to start communicating.
6. Not having a written contract.
Simply put…no contract, you very well may have NO DJ!
7. Not making sure the DJ has liability insurance. Insurance protects YOU and the disc jockey. More and more venues across the Ottawa Valley and Canada are requiring that DJs have liability insurance, and most are asking to see “papers”. A true professional is going to have insurance for their business, and you should ask to see proof of insurance before hiring your entertainer. Insurance for disc jockeys is generally not expensive, and there are a few major DJ organizations that offer a nice discount on insurance for disc jockeys joining their membership. There’s really no excuse for your DJ not to have it.
8. Not making sure the DJ you want is the one “guaranteed” to be your DJ. This is probably the biggest complaint from brides about DJ companies. You talked to a DJ company that has more than one DJ, you requested a specific entertainer, and another person shows up. Make sure you get in writing that the DJ you want is the one that will show up.
9. Not going over back-up plans with your DJ. In life “things happen” which you or nobody else has control over, even on your wedding day! Find out from your DJ about their plans for back-up transportation, equipment, and personnel.
10. Taking complete control of the music. You want to hear what you want to hear…that’s fine, but remember you’re not alone on your special day. You, your family (and your new family); your friends all have different tastes. Some brides and grooms want to choose every song that gets played for the entire night, and we can honestly say that we have only seen two song lists created by brides that have actually worked for the majority of the night. You hired a professional so let the DJ do their job. (Which primarily means making sure that right songs get played at the right time.) Also remember giving your DJ 300 songs to play for the night isn’t going to work either…unless your reception is over 10 hours long. Last but not least make sure you clarify which artist you want to hear for certain songs. Take the song “Butterfly Kisses” for example that was done by Bob Carlisle, Raybon Brothers and Tim McGraw (and other artists). If you want the Bob Carlisle version for your first dance make sure you tell the DJ that. Be clear!
For a FREE Wedding Consultation or to reserve for your special day contact us today!