HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT DJ
Picking professional vendors for your special day can be a very taxing time for brides and grooms. There are so many to choose from like your venue, catering , photographer and yes your entertainment. Choosing the right DJ to fit your needs is very important and can be very stressful for couples. This can be such a big concern because people tend to believe the DJ makes the party and they are partially correct! A good DJ will facilitate your event a bad one can destroy the event. In todays professional wedding DJ world you hear tons of horror stories about professionals that have been hired to perform or work at an event and had no clue what they were doing when they arrived and during the course of the event. When one is a wedding or event DJ they accept the numerous responsibilities that come along with that job title. They agree to arrive early and set up and sound check and ensure they are not interfering with the bride and groom or the guest when doing so. They agree to work as a middle person in coordinating with other hired professionals. They may have to be the main or assistant ceremony coordinator, event coordinator and much, much more. The DJ needs to have a wedding adequate and the experience to function at multiple tasks if or when called upon to do so. This job is not just about pushing play and sitting down.
As a couple looking for a professional DJ some of the things or qualities you should look for are the following:
1) Does the DJ allow you to meet them of if it is a company the performer, who will be at your event in person before signing contracts and sending in deposits?
2) Does the DJ, who will be at your event, have experience and if so how much?
3) Does the DJ, who will be at your event, have reviews and reviews of their work that are verified not just posted on a company website?
4) What comes with the services: online planning, dance lighting, cocktail music, ceremony music if needed, use of microphone system for speeches and toast and are these things included in the price or will additional charges come later?
5) What back up plans are in place should there be an equipment issue or illness to the DJ you hired?
6) The DJ should have a video and/or photos of their work.
7) Does the DJ have insurance, lots of venues will require this to be produced so check in advance.
These are just a few questions couples looking to secure the perfect fit should be seeking to have answered by the professional vendors they meet with during the planning process. Couples need to be careful of the it sounds to good to be true packages. A lot of times they really are to good to be true! They include all these things in a wedding package for a price that is well below the rest! There may be a good reason....they lack the important experience, knowledge and ability to get the job done!
A lot of people out there get caught up in price right from the door. I agree couples should shop for the perfect fit and be price conscience. If someone is priced out of your budget you have to make choices, do I adjust in another area or find a different DJ. The answer to this lies within you and how much you value the DJ for your special day. A good wedding DJ is going to cost you anywhere between 700 and 1200 dollars (in my area). Remember you are paying for a valued professional, not some guy who has a MacBook Pro and a hard drive of music with zero wedding experience. On the other end realize that some professional DJ's over value their work for the particular market they are working out of. I am located in Southern New Jersey and price my weddings based on that location. If I were in North New Jersey, I would price higher based on the geographic location and economy. My point is if you are based in one area the prices should be consistent with that area.
If you are a bride and/or groom planning a wedding I hope you found this blog helpful. I have a ton of experience when it comes to weddings and big events. I know vendors trust me because of how I conduct myself at these events, the flow of the event, the performance and the feedback. When you look for your perfect vendor or DJ keep these things in mind so your special day turns out to be magical.
