Tonight’s Top 10 list please…

When booking a DJ there are something’s you simply must know. These are not written in an order of importance; however, a professional DJ will answer these questions as part of their sales pitch to you. If not, be sure you ask, because if you don’t you might be surprised.

#1 Do you have a contract that covers the date and times of the reception as well as including any special instructions and song requests?

Why is this important? Often a contract is simply the billing side of the business, it is the commitment to show up at X location at Y time for Z hours. This is common and basic and not good enough. After all, it is your wedding. Special instructions are meant to be specific, such as DO NOT PLAY Song ABC, why is not important, but it usually has to do with either a sad reminder of a recently departed, first song of a previous marriage or simply a song you hate. It could also include things like not wanting to do the garter toss, or not to play dance games. It is your event and you can have it any way you want and special instructions on a contract ensure that if broken and your event goes sour, you have recourse.

#2 Will you be our DJ or can I meet with several of your DJs?

Perhaps one of the most over looked aspects of your entertainment is the personality presenting it. Most DJ companies have a sales person; it’s their job to sell you on their business. But you can’t always have the person DJ who hires you if the business is a Multi-DJ Operation. DJs have Ego’s, you have an ego, and sometimes they clash, even if your DJ can play the right music, if they don’t have a personality that works with yours then you could have a lot of static.

You want to make sure your contract identifies your choice of DJ. Maybe you seen a Dj perform at another event and thought they did an excellent job and would like to request them, be sure you meet with them first just to confirm your expectations. Most DJ companies wont tell you who your DJ will be, this is because they wont know which DJs will be willing to work until a week or so before your event. Remember most DJs are hobbyists. They often have full time jobs and DJ for extra cash on the weekend.

#3 Can our guests make requests and will you follow a do not play list and use good judgment when playing requests?

Most DJs take requests, some even play them. Your do not play list is important, but it doesn’t just have to be a list of songs, your do not play list might include things like Vulgar language, types of music like heavy metal. There are plenty of great songs that people might really like to listen to, but they won’t get people dancing and your DJ needs to have good judgment when following your music requests. Songs about divorce or affairs are generally not in good taste and really should be avoided as much as possible. Some exceptions are “I will survive” Gloria Gaynor which is very popular.

#4 How does your Dj and company deal with conflicts?

It is a mater of fact that people drink and get rowdy at parties. Never think yours is an exception. How your DJ might handle a potential conflict can make or break your event. Sometimes it is as simple as a guest not appreciating the amount of rock or country being played and a simple “Feel free to make a request and I would be more than happy to help you out and see if we can get the rockers/cowboys on the floor.” Compromise is always the best resolution when possible. A DJ can’t simply hide behind a contract, and you don’t want a DJ or guests bothering you though out the night asking if this or that is alright.

In rare cases there is a personality conflict where a guest might just rub off on the DJ the wrong way or a couple of guests will have a disagreement while at the DJs station. Your DJ needs to be aware of these situations and find a way to resolve it quickly with out making a scene. Remember your DJ should be a people person to start with so finding a solution should not be difficult.

#5 How early do you set up and can our MC and guests use your equipment for speeches etc.?

Most DJs will set up an hour or so before they start. If you have a 5 o’clock cocktail hour this is not too much of a problem because your DJ will be set up before your guests arrive. However, if your MC wants to rehearse to get a feel for how the room will sound when they speak over the microphone it may be an issue.

Some DJs may want to charge you extra for using their equipment, which is a rare occurrence, though a wireless mic is often charged as extra.

#6 How much is the Deposit and when is the balance due?

The deposit is what holds your date, you might have a complete contract, but with out a deposit (which should be noted on the contract as requirement) you have no guarantee that your DJ will hold your date for you. Your deposit should be deducted from your balance and your balance should be clearly shown on your contract along with it’s due date. Some DJs accept payment the night of, and others will look for full payment if my check 10 banking days before the date to ensure your check clears which is acceptable.

#7 How experienced is my DJ?

DJ Experience is a bit misleading. When you think about it, a DJs busiest day is Saturday, and wedding season is only about 20 weeks long. When a DJ first starts they don’t work every weekend and as a trainee they are not doing most of the work for the first wedding season they are being trained at. The Christmas season is only about 12 weeks long which gives about 32 weeks out of 52 that are available to work. It is rare to have more than a handful of weddings on a Friday or a Sunday, but it is common to have a Christmas Party on a Friday.

So for the sake of argument let’s give an average of 40 possible shows a year for an average DJ who books the standard dates. The first year (which is generally training) really doesn’t count because the DJ is more of a grunt worker/assistant and is not likely to get too much solo time at an event. They may not even work a full 40 shows. So when a DJ says 3 years experience, that is only a an average of about 120 days. Most full time jobs have a 90 day probationary period for training (and that is consecutive days and not once a week or less though out a year) 5 years is an acceptable minimum for satisfactory experience given the person is average and how much effort they put into their once or twice a week hobby.

This is also where meeting your DJ can help alleviate concerns over experience, simply by asking them to talk about how they have performed in the past by describing an average night should give you a good sense of their abilities and enthusiasm.

#8 Does your DJ have public speaking experience?

A DJ might know their music, but if they can’t talk on a mic effectively or clearly, then they can’t make the announcements that you might need done. Poor speaking skills can confuse guests and cause other problems. A seasoned DJ will naturally develop these skills as anyone would over time. By the same token, if your DJ has past radio, Master of Ceremonies, or attends workshops like Toast masters then you can be assured your DJ be an effective communicator.

You don’t want someone fumbling words or is not clear when inviting people to join in the bouquet/garter toss. You don’t want people to miss the time and location for the gift opening reminders or even that it is last call. If your DJ has effective speaking skills they can make better use of their music skills by highlighting songs and encouraging people to dance.

You will have a pretty good idea of your DJ’s speaking ability when you meet with them.

#9 Does your DJ bring back up?

No matter how often you test or how well you maintain your equipment, things still break. Your DJ should have readily available back up equipment. It doesn’t have to be the exact same stuff, just as long as it works. Ask to see the equipment; this is a good way to find out if it is just a home stereo system or professional sound equipment.

The DJ does not need a complete second sound system, but should have a secondary means of playing CDs or volume control like a mixer. Speakers generally are used in pairs and often one speaker can do the job if one fails. Two speakers sound better, and generally they have warning signs they might be giving out. CD players however can die suddenly or start to skip on every CD with out cause, a Mixer can have a channel go out, but often new mixers are built with redundant channels.

#10 Will you use my ideas and suggestions, can I customize portions of your service?

Many DJ companies give you the illusion of being in control. Often what happens is you are given a very limited range of choices in which the DJ is going to do what they have been trained to do, which is to just play music. Many of your ideas and suggestions may be seen as add-ons. Make sure that the DJ is on the same page as you are. If the DJ is knowledgeable or willing to include your ideas willingly they will ask leading questions and suggest additional ideas that promote your ideas. Remember it is your wedding and you want it to be special and unique. An average DJ is going to do an average show, which means nothing really different from the people involved changes. Again to see just how enthusiastic your DJ is about your ideas as well as to gauge how competent they may be in performing your ideas meeting with your DJ is always a good idea.

If you noticed the theme is meeting with your DJ. This is key to preventing the majority of potential problems and mishaps. The #1 reason is your confidence. If you do not feel confident that your DJ can produce results then that is one extra worry you have while you prepare for your big day.

The sales person might answer many of these questions, but unless you have the confidence in your DJ, the sales person simply cannot be taken at face value. In the end it is up to you and your gut feelings. It is YOUR event.

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