Just some things that I suggest you make sure your other DJ has or will do. These are fundamental and I promise you will alleviate many of the potential pitfalls you might face.
Make sure they have a contract. On my site is my contract which CLEARLY states everyone’s responsibilities. The last things you want are surprises or a DJ that takes your money and does not show or is nearly impossible to get in touch with. I had 13 calls last summer from brides that did not have a contract with their entertainment and were left stranded with out entertainment. One of those companies was one I thought was very reputable.
Make sure you meet your entertainer BEFORE you sign a contract. DJ’s come in many forms. You should feel comfortable with your choice and feel confident that they ‘get you’. Most DJ’s are hobbyists which mean they have a regular 9-5 and DJing is something they do on the weekend. Many companies who have multiple DJs often do no know who is going to be your DJ until the day of your event, which means anything you might have talked about with the sales person may not be listed on your contract or notes and the DJ might not know specific details that you out line. It is also a good way to find out about their experience and ask them specific questions about how they handle certain types of events, like conflicts and make sure they are comfortable and knowledgeable about what they will be doing (if they offer up suggestions and ideas is a great show of their knowledge and experience.)
Remember, you are the boss, the DJ works for you and you have the right to pre-view their contract and interview the DJ before you sign. Also make sure the DJ you choose is clearly stated on the contract. You will also want to have contact information for the DJ so you can contact them prior to your event to confirm the details. Most DJ companies will not keep in touch until about a month to a week prior to your event to confirm details, the last few weeks will be your most distracting and having details confirmed should be an ongoing process.
Some questions to ask:
Do they charge you to interview their DJs? If they want your business, they wont, most will try and give you an excuse, like they work though out the week and it is taking time out of their personal life, it’s like having a carpenter remodel your house at 2 am, they are in business to work for you, a sign of quality is the reasonable ability to do what is needed to get the job done correctly..
Do they charge for making changes? Say your venue changes but it is still with in their service area. Will they charge you extra? The only reasonable increases in cost should be in mileage, your venue is moved out of town, you need a larger sound system to accommodate more guests or you add add-on like cocktail music or an extra hour of dance music.
Do they allow drinking? A drunken DJ is often nothing but problems. Their contract should state clearly no alcohol for the DJ. Now if you bring up a drink as a thank you that is ok. But you don’t want the DJ spending more time at the bar than your guests. (yes this happens, I did some training with another DJ who spent more time in the back with a brides maid than demonstrating his skills to me. At my mothers second wedding the DJ’s Girl friend was a regular fixture at the bar I was only 15 then.)
Do they have backup equipment and do they charge extra for it? Stuff happens. I have had CD players start to skip on every CD with out notice half way though a night. Many DJ’s bring laptops and we all know windows can crash or lock up. Some companies may want to charge you for the extra sound system. Speakers are really the only piece of equipment that doesn’t need a back up. You get two and if one fails, a professional sound system is more than capable in making up that short fall in one speaker.
These are some of the details I cover in a meeting and hopefully your choice in entertainment has also addressed these questions before you need to ask.
