I am never one to shy away from giving my opinion – and as a staunch fan of hiring a live band for my wedding, I didn’t even consider DJs. However, I know that some people do, and others have some pre-concieved notions about DJs for a wedding.
So for this afternoon, I have some fabulous advice & insight from a professional, for those of you that might be considering the DJ route. Or – maybe even for those that wrote off DJs like me … but should maybe give them a second chance!
Please welcome Adrienne from MyDeejay.com (with additional credit to Evan Reitmeyer of MyDeejay, who is the president, resident mix-master and bride favorite) with some candid, truthful, and honest advice about hiring a DJ for your wedding!
Before we even talk about finding a wedding DJ, let’s take a moment to clear out all the bad juju in your brain lingering from bad DJ experiences in your past. You know what I’m talking about; the guy in a Hawaiian shirt and oversized sunglasses who ruined your friend of a friend’s wedding with Disco Duck, the used car salesman who DJs on the weekend and spammed your cousin’s wedding with his own advertisements and, of course the lounge singer creep in the glitter bow-tie who hit on the mother of the bride all night between his sleazy announcements. Take a deep breath and cleanse your mind of these stereotypes. Exhale. Now are we ready to talk about wedding DJs?
Finding a wedding DJ is no simple task. It isn’t like finding a locksmith where you can pretty much run your index finger along any page in the phonebook and find a guy (or gal) who can at least pop your door open for you. Here in the Washington area, we’re blessed with tons of talented (and some not so talented) DJs more than happy to do your wedding but how are you supposed to pick one?
The first thing you should do before you even start looking (after exorcising the bad DJ demons out of your mind) is to look at what you, as a couple, want in a DJ. Think about your own personal style and what kind of personality your potential DJ will have to be able to express that through music to your guests. Do you want a boisterous extrovert who will rally your guests to the dance floor or do you prefer a more laid-back professional who will let the music do the talking? Do you even care? No one’s saying you have to have a preference either way, but if you do, now is the time to figure that out.
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So now that you have figured out what you need from your DJ, it’s time to start searching. A good place to start would be WeddingWire or a similar wedding directory that allows clients to post real, uncensored reviews about vendors. You can also try checking out a general review website like Yelp but don’t expect to find tons of vendor reviews there.
So. Now you know what you want and have a few leads on DJ companies you think will work for you. What’s next? A face-to-face meeting with your potential DJ is a must, unless of course you are planning a destination wedding or coming from out of town, in which case a phone interview will be a good substitute. Either way, you are definitely going to want to make some time to talk with any DJs you are interested in and feel out whether they are going to be a good fit for you. You can tell a lot from this initial conversation; the DJ’s style, personality, and level of interest in you and your needs. This is the one time in your life you are allowed to make it all about you, so do exactly that. If you’re not sure what to ask your potential DJ, this list of questions to ask a wedding DJ might help!
Our final suggestion to you is to speak up. If you can’t stand the Black Eyed Peas, say so. If 70s music turns your stomach, say so. If you are open to letting the DJ read the dance floor but just want to make sure a few of your favorite songs are included in the mix, say so! A closed mouth doesn’t get fed and not even the best DJ in the world will know what songs are on your Do Not Play list if you don’t tell them.
These suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we wrote an eBook called “Don’t Hire That DJ!” (which you can download – free! – here) jam-packed with lots more tips on finding the perfect DJ for you. Read it, know it and conquer the momentous task at hand: finding the right DJ for you, as a couple, so you can sit back, relax and bask in the glow of your special day with one heck of a soundtrack spinning in the background. Good luck!
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