DJs....

sloanacz

My moms friend is a DJ ( or so I thought ) and shes been pushing me to have them do it because I'll save money and there her friends and blah blah...So I met them just casually and was like sure okay. Now as I think of it my stomach gets in knots when I think of them doing it. I wanted a contract my moms like ehhh I don't know... So I know its MY wedding and not hers but I dont know I dont want to make her mad. I've found a DJ my FIs sister used and would MUCH rather him. I guess I'm scared and don't know how to tell my mom I don't want them doing it. I'm pretty sure her friends just have nice speakers and a macbook and now call them selves DJs...so that really freaks me out and the fact they dont ever do contracts? thoughts...tia

kls114

Oh gosh that would stress me out! I am a huge music/DJ person & I would have to be 1,000% comfortable with them!

Since you didn't sign any contracts can't you tell your Mom & them that you want to use someone else that you pick out? Just explain to her how you feel & I am sure she would understand.

GL!

christikao

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_connecticut_djs-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:65Discussion:18a82603-5054-4135-b52f-c13ba9d5abd4Post:5466faa0-743a-41c2-989f-b576284cbb6c">Re: DJs....</a>:
[QUOTE]Oh gosh that would stress me out! I am a huge music/DJ person & I would have to be 1,000% comfortable with them! Since you didn't sign any contracts can't you tell your Mom & them that you want to use someone else that you pick out? Just explain to her how you feel & I am sure she would understand. GL!
Posted by kls114[/QUOTE]

<div>I second Kim. I would be very uncomfortable working with people that I'm not sure about. It's kind of shady that they don't ever do contracts. It is a must to have a contract especially for such an important day. Maybe you can tell your mom that you already put down a small deposit with the DJ you like so you can't change?? If not then tell her that since the original DJ came highly recommend you would be less stressed hiring him. </div>

sloanacz

Yeah good problem free dancing at a wedding is a MUST for my side of the family. haha. I know I want the real DJ but everytime I mention it to my mom she gets pissy and I'm trying to not be a bridezilla but I just want to scream at her to get it through her head. She just makes excuses why they don't do contracts and I said well I'm not going on Judge Judy. I think after the bridal show this weekend I'll just say me and the FI feel more comfortable with a professional not a person who this is there hobby

akulaji

Okay... here's my advice.  I would DEFINITELY go with the professional.  IMy situation was somewhat different, but it became a disaster because I agreed to let a friend DJ our wedding.  My friend, who is a professional audio engineer and DJ (and was my engineer for years when I was a professional musician) offered to DJ our wedding as a gift.  I thought it was a great idea on one hand because she knows my taste in music and I'm very picky.  On the other hand, she would be coming from CA and I had to rent her equipment, etc.  She's also a bit nomadic moving around a lot, so I had a long conversation with her about whether I could absolutely count on her being there no matter where she is living at the time.  She ' yes yes'd' me, so I said ok.  I put down the deposit and everything and right before New Years she told me she wasn't sure anymore if she'd actually be able to make it to the wedding, so I should probably find someone else.  So, 4 months before my wedding I was left in the lurch and having to scramble for a DJ... PLUS, I had already put down the money for the equipment.  Luckily, I had reserved the equipment with Dance to the Music and the owner Jimmy was still available to DJ our wedding.  He let us transfer our deposit and change the contract to a full DJ service.  We got very lucky.

So, with that being said, I 100% say go with the professional.  Especially if you have no contract and these people aren't experienced professionals, anything can happen.  Not that it necessarily will, but this is a day that you should not have to worry about anything.  You want someone that knows their job and can take charge.  You don't want to babysit the novices.

On the other hand, if you do choose to use these people for some reason, you have to INSIST that they have a contract.  Even if you draft it, you should have some recourse if they flake or don't perform to the level that is expected.  If they refuse, well, then you have every right to go somewhere else and feel no guilt.  Why would they refuse unless they have some shady reason to?  Do they not thin they can be dependable and really perform what's in a contract?  It is expectable and common sense (and practice) to have a contract for such an important event.  Don't count on them refusing though as a way out of using them.  You might get caught using them if you try to use it as a bluff.

jennylove810

Sloan, I think your gut instincts are 100% right.  Carefully read what akulaji wrote above, it's very good advice!

beach11

I completely agree with akulaji.  Our BM was going to get one of his friends to DJ (someone that works in clubs but has never done a wedding), but it creeped me out that someone that wasn't a professional would be "running" our reception.  We are now signing a professional DJ that has actually done weddings and I am much less stressed!
Explain to your mom that although you appreciate her trying to save you some money you would feel much more comfortable with a professional that knows how to make the reception flow. 
HTH