How to Select The Perfect DJ for Your Wedding Reception

You selected your wedding reception location... You selected colors for bridesmaids dresses, tuxedos styles, your wedding gown and even a great theme for the wedding. STOP!!! Before making any more decisions, you want to make sure that you select the Perfect DJ for Your Reception. Think about it this way, you're going to spend a great deal of time at your reception. Your DJ will be a key factor in the success of your event after you've said "I Do". A Professional Wedding DJ serves as your Master of Ceremonies and Entertainment Coordinator. Today's Wedding DJ's are highly responsible for helping to plan and organize wedding receptions. Here's a helpful list from Philly Star DJ's recommending tips for locating and hiring the Perfect Wedding DJ for your event. (http://www.phillystardjs.com)

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Note Pad & Pens
• Patience

1. 
    
   Fun Times At Your Reception

   Of course, research is key. About 80% of today's brides and grooms spend time finding wedding vendors and other helpful event resources via the internet. There are many ways to research Wedding DJ's servicing your area. Search engines like google.com and yahoo.com have various listings for local businesses found under the "Local Section". And of course, there are tons of wedding websites like theknot.com which feature a multitude of Wedding DJ Companies. We highly recommend visiting the websites of Professional Disc Jockey Organizations, like ADJA (American Disc Jockey Association @ http://www.adja.org) for finding local DJ Companies who are active in your community. ADJA features DJ companies who are not only highly-experienced entertainers but carry Liability Insurance (We'll describe the importance of Liability Insurance in detail later in the article).

2. After you found listings for DJ Companies, this is where the 'real' work begins. Do you know which questions to ask to help ensure that you'll hire the best DJ? If you carefully review the steps suggested below, you'll feel confident that you'll have a successful experience.

3. Getting package info via e-mail is great however, we highly recommend that you invest time in speaking directly with the DJ Company via calling offices and speaking with the staff. It's actually the fastest way to get answers to your questions. You'll learn a lot about the quality of the DJ company's practices. Were they excited to speak with you? Are you speaking with sales professionals who use "gimicky" pressure tactics to get your booking? Does the person who answered your call sound polite? Are they willing to take the time to answer your questions or do you feel rushed during the call? If you do not get through right away, how long does it take get a return phone call? All of these factors will impact your experience when working with a DJ Company.

4. When researching Wedding DJ Companies, you need to know if the company specializes in hosting wedding events or do they focus on hosting other types of parties. All DJ's are not trained to host upscale, formal events. Make certain that you see wedding event photos from the DJ's previous bookings (not stock images) or videos of past wedding performances. Asking for client references is also recommended but not necessary. If the DJ company's website offers lists of client recommendations with event photos or videos, this can help you to see that the DJ you're hiring is fully prepared to host an upscale wedding reception.

5. Is the DJ Company a "one-man operation" or an established outfit of multiple DJ's?
   
   There are "pro's and con's" to hiring both types of Wedding DJ companies...

6. If you hire a DJ company named "Weddings by DJ Steve", it's safe to expect that DJ Steve will host your reception. This offers great comfort in knowing that DJ Steve, as the sole-owner of this DJ business, will work very closely with you to plan all important details. DJ Steve is also going to be the person who's fully responsible for hosting the entire event and coordinating music entertainment throughout your reception.
   
   But in the event of emergencies, will your contract with DJ Steve offer you another talented, Professional Wedding DJ if DJ Steve becomes severely ill or injured sometime right before your wedding day? How can DJ Steve's one-man operation ensure that your most important event will be covered by another professional Wedding DJ since DJ Steve works independently? Will DJ Steve's replacement be fully prepared for your wedding reception with having your event info, special music requests, etc.?

7. Philly Star DJ's is a full-service management company. Our team is prepared to host scheduled bookings in the event of emergencies.
   
   However, unlike some DJ Booking companies, Philly Star DJ's does not hire unskilled, inexperienced or DJ's who are not genuinely/naturally talented. Oftentimes, some DJ companies will hire inexperienced DJ's who have limited wedding hosting experience just to quickly cover new bookings. Unfortunately, in our industry, this happens a lot. Unaware bridal clients are impressed with flashy, colorful websites, well-edited video presentations, etc. without knowing that the DJ Company does not practice a high-standard for hiring new Wedding DJ's.
   
   Be sure to ask any DJ Company if you can meet the DJ in-person or see the DJ perform at public venue. Philly Star DJ's invites all potential clients to see our DJ's in action at one of the many locations where we provide weekly DJ entertainment.
   
   And if you can't meet with the DJ in person, be sure to ask if you can speak with the DJ via telephone, see photos of the DJ and request references from the DJ. In some cases, we even recommend contacting the event facility where the wedding took place *just to make certain that the references you are contacting are from legitimate couples, not friends of the DJ, etc.

8. Does the DJ Company have Liability Insurance? In the Philadelphia, PA region, about 50% of wedding event locations won't allow a DJ to work at their venue unless they carry a minimum of $1,000,000 in Liability Insurance.
   
   If by chance, your DJ's (heavy) speaker equipment, is tipped over by "Uncle Freddie" (who's been drinking and dancing aggressively near the DJ) and lands on Uncle Freddie, who's fault is this? Obviously, it's not about blaming anyone for causing what is probably a legitimate accident. But someone is going to pay for poor Uncle Freddie's new medical expenses - and in most cases, the law states that it's not going to be Uncle Freddie (or his health insurance company). It's the responsibility of all Professional Wedding DJ's to obtain Liability Insurance for reasons like this.

9. Using your best judgment when it comes to setting your budget for DJ Entertainment is very critical. Research prices for DJ packages. Compare what's being offered by each company. Services and packages will vary. After totaling event expenses, many couples sacrifice having a talented, experienced Professional Wedding DJ for a lower-priced Wedding DJ. ADJA (American Disc Jockey Association) shares this info online at http://www.adja.org; "As a matter of fact, surveys conclude that nearly 100% of brides would have spent more money on their entertainment and made it their #1 priority in hindsight".
   
   A good DJ is worth more than his weight in gold. Yes, you can place a value on having a fun, high-spirited reception. Talented, highly-skilled wedding professional understand how much planning and other efforts are involved to make your wedding reception fantastic.

10. On the other hand, we're not an advocating the philosophy that the most expensive DJ Package or DJ Company is the best option for all wedding clients either.
    
    Just remember; A polished Professional Wedding DJ has spent years of investing in high-end audio equipment, has developed an extensive music library and has earned valuable wedding entertainment and event hosting experience.
    
    The old saying is still true: "DJ's make or break parties". Having an un-skilled, inexperienced DJ can be quite embarrassing! If you decide to set a low budget for DJ Entertainment while spending thousands of dollars on your venue, food and flowers, you'll be unhappy noticing how your guests aren't really interested in dancing and partying on your special day.
    
    If you are in the Philadelphia, PA area, feel free to contact Philly Star DJ's at 1.888.525.3535 for a free consultation or visit http://www.phillystardjs.com to view Wedding DJ Packages.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask for referrals from your event location.
• Consult with a Wedding Planner or Coordinator for help with selecting recommended DJ Professionals in your area.
• Never hire a DJ Company who does not offer an intelligently worded booking contract.
• Make sure that DJ Company's contract lists your Wedding Date, Time and Address for the Event Location as well clearly listing terms of payment and event cancellations.
• If something makes you feel uncomfortable about the DJ Company's practices, DO NOT IGNORE your feelings.
• Take your time. Any DJ Company that demands a commitment right away to lock in your date without offering you important info you've requested is probably not going to make sure that your needs are met while planning other aspects of your wedding reception.

[askapeach]

on 10/4/2009 Great article with extensive advice! My son did a lot of research before selecting their wedding DJ and it paid off. This should help a lot of others. 5 stars

[paulo55]

on 10/3/2009 Great article! Nice tips, too. 5*