What To Think About When Booking A DJ
Finding and booking the right DJ is essential to having a great wedding reception…hire the wrong one and it can ruin your whole day! A bad DJ can actually turn your reception into a nightmare, so this really is a very important decision and should be made very carefully.
People usually opt to booking a DJ because it’s simpler than dealing with a live band and usually less expensive. You will usually find quite a few DJs in your area to choose from, and they will range in experience from casual guys that moonlight and do it on the side to professional wedding and corporate DJ companies and DJ’s that can come equipped with their own light show if that’s what you want
Prices for DJs
Prices can usually range from $300 to $3,000 when booking a DJ, the average being around $1,200 for a professional and depending on who and what you include. There’s various things to think about that help make up your cost e.g. lighting and what type of lighting you’re after, duration DJ booked for, Reception music only or cocktail music during photos/dinner or sound for the whole day including the Ceremony…plus there’s travel costs or possibly accommodation…make sure you ask these questions or submit the information when asking or filling out a quote form.
Professional DJs and Experience Counts
The bottom line in deciding on your DJ, and the single most determining factor, should be experience, experience, experience. You should always opt for the DJ with the most experience – specifically wedding reception experience – that you can find.
There is a flow to wedding receptions and a professional, experienced wedding DJ that has done many receptions is familiar with how receptions proceed, the traditions, and how to emcee and keep your reception moving along and keep your guests happy and dancing. There is also nobody that can save your reception faster when something goes wrong, food gets delayed, or other things happen, than a really experienced wedding reception DJ. Most of the time your guests will never know of a problem as the DJ has kept them entertained while the problem was fixed.
One of the best ways to find a top-notch wedding DJ is to ask the venue where you are having your reception if they have one that has done numerous weddings there that they can recommend. A DJ that knows the venue and the support staff and has worked it many times before is a real advantage, obviously has the experience and can really help things run super smoothly.
If you are using a DJ company, a good idea is to always insist on hiring the owner of the company. The owner will probably cost more to hire but they will almost always have more experience and it is usually well worth the extra money. You can specify this in your contract with no substitutions allowed so they can’t switch at the last minute.
Another good way to find a good DJ is word of mouth or personal experience. Ask co-workers and friends or maybe see if the DJ that did that awesome job at the last wedding or fucntion you went to is available.
Source: www.weddingscenter.com
