June 2013 Weddings

DJ question/advice needed

So FI and I will be booking our photographer next week most likely, as long as the meeting goes well! I am taking my planning one thing at a time so I dont get overwhelmed and I am anal/OCD and like to have lists compiled of questions and do plenty of research. I have researched DJs a bit from recommendations from my local board, but how do you know you are booking a good DJ? There are tons of DJs in my area, I just want to make sure I am getting a good one! Its not like most of them will let you come watch them at someone elses wedding. For those of you that have booked already, what questions should I ask? What is included in your package?

For some reason, my question sheets for my venue and photographer came together very easily, but for a DJ I seem to be a bit lost.
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Re: DJ question/advice needed

  • I'm no help with the DJ thing because we know our DJ personally and have seen him at several weddings.

    But I just wanted to say congrats on finally finding a photog that wasn't booked!

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  • We have very similar planning strategies...I love making lists of topics to discuss for meeting vendors too.

    We booked our dj a few months ago, he is providing:

    -4 hours of music during the reception (we'll be using other music for the ceremony and the cocktail hour); which he will discuss with us in length as the date gets closer
    -all his own equipment including microphone and sound system. 
    -per our request he will not be making any announcements (besides our entrance) nor will he be on the mic trying to get ppl up to dance etc. that was a big thing for us and he was totally on board, he actually said he would rather dj that way. 

    Things to ask:
    -experience
    -equipment - what does he bring?
    -does he back up his music library?
    -are there songs he won't play?
    -will he on board w/ a 'do not play list' from you guys?
    -dj style - talking, no talking. discuss what you want him to do
    -control of the mic - we will have a list of approved ppl who get to use the mic (speeches etc), is he ok being a mic nazi (if that's what you want) and how would he handle somebody trying to grab the mic?
    -what type of space does he need?
    -will he need any additional outlets/equipment?
    -what attire does he normally wear? (you can't really dictate what he wears but most vendors dress appropriately)
    -$ stuff - cost, deposit, dates payments are due, etc. also, see if he'll do a discount for in full or cash payment (we've been able to get a great amount of discounts from vendors by asking this, it's worth a shot, worse they say is no).

    There are prob more things, but that's what I got off the top of my head. Also, for us it was a gut feeling of the overall picture of the dj: was he willing to shape the day/music around what you guys wanted, and was he open to what you had to say? or was he very focused and kind of into just what he likes to play? those are the more broad arching questions to be asking yourself.

    Good luck!
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  • Thanks for the list, Jarrids!! We're trying to book our DJ within the next week or so, and I really had no idea what to ask them.
  • Glad to be helpful :) The nice thing I've found so far w/ all our vendors is that most of them are really talkative and answer those big questions up front w/o having to tease the info out of them. Which is helpful bc you get the info you need if they're talkative, and if they're being tight lipped about their services it now shoots up a red flag for me.
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  • Our venue package comes with a DJ now, but before we switched places it didn't. So I was freaking out about DJs. There are just SO many options around Detroit...

    Be sure to ask to see them in action, either from a recorded video or where they are working (bar, club, party, etc) I've met some DJs that seemed amazing when speaking face-to-face but when they were working they seemed to just destroy the mood wherever they are. Also watch out for corny voices, I don't know about you but I can't stand when people with a mic get all cheesy. 

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  • completely agree klyn! I dont want any cheesy voices at all! Literally when I have watched videos on some of the websites and I hear the cheesy voice, I just cringe involuntarily lol.
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