10 Questions to ask your DJ

Are you at the stage of your wedding planning where it is now time to find the perfect DJ? There are many DJ’s out there so it can be difficult to find the one that is right for you and to meet your standards and expectations for your evening reception.

You need to make sure you leave yourself enough time to find the perfect DJ for your wedding, someone who you will trust to create your dream evening reception into a reality. To help you with your search I have put together 10 questions below that are important to ask your potential Wedding DJ before booking.

1. Do you let guests make requests?

Many couples opt for letting guests make requests on the evening or even before on their invitation RSVPs. This may be something you have already thought about and want to allow so that your guests can get as involved as possible with the partying as they know there will be a song coming up they have chosen. Make sure that your DJ will allow this before committing to them with a contract and deposit, not all DJ’s do allow this.

2. Does the time included in the price include your set up time?

You want to know exactly what time your DJ will be there to start playing the music and when they will finish. For instance, if your quote says 7 pm to Midnight you want to make sure that means 7 pm is when the music starts and midnight is when it finishes, not when they arrive to set up and leave after packing away. You need to check this so you can plan your timings and your budget, if your evening starts at 7 pm, you want the music to start from then. You need to know this before committing so you can factor any potential early setup costs or late finish costs into your budget.

3. Can you start earlier or extend the time??

You may want to make your evening reception last as long as possible, you might as well whilst you have all of your family and friends together in one place. Speak to the company about their options and prices for starting earlier and staying later, or even just a later finish to 1 am instead of midnight. It depends on how you are as a couple and what your guests are like, if you are party people and you know everyone loves to dance all night definitely look into this and factor any extra costs into your budget.

4. Have you worked at our venue before?

This doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker, it can just be a bonus. If they have they will be able to advise you where they have set up before and what they would recommend, the more advice you can get the better. If they have, you will also be able to ask your venue if they remember them and what they thought of them.

5. How will the DJ dress on the evening?

You’re going to have high standards for your wedding, as well as the performance of your DJ, you want to make sure that the DJ’s appearance is also fitting with this. You want to know that the DJ will make an effort to look smart and professional to align with you and your dressed-up guests.

6. Can we have an input to what music will be played?

You want to make sure that the music played will be in line with you and your guests taste, speak to the DJ about how you can have input on this. Can you make your own playlist? Will you get a chance to have a meeting with them to go through what you would like and not like? Make sure you are on the same page with your DJ about this before booking. You don’t want to book someone to find out further down the line that they won’t let you make a playlist and not let you have any input into what they play.

7. Do you have package options to do daytime music as well?

If you haven’t already made plans for your music during your wedding breakfast, speak to the company to see if they have any options for this. It is beneficial to have the same person do all day as they will already know your music taste and will already be attending the wedding. There will be fewer logistics for you to work out if you have one company for this instead of two, they may also be able to do a package price for you that may work out better priced than if you hire both separately. Here at Jackstar Weddings we also have a popular Host and DJ package available that includes the daytime, just let me know if you would like any more information on this.

8. Will the DJ make announcements?

Take the time to speak with your DJ to create a playlist of songs you know you and your guests will love, also tell your DJ of any songs you do not like! You don’t need to give your DJ a full playlist, just a small sample to give them an idea of your taste and they will fill in the gaps. Spending the time to go through this with your DJ will really pay off during the evening reception, it will make the vibe personal to you, your family and friends. Additionally, consider adding songs to your playlist for the DJ to dedicate to guests who have helped with the wedding or even for someone who is unable to attend the day.

9. When are all payments due?

You need to make sure you are aware of all payments and when they are due so you can plan when all of your payments need to leave your bank. You need to be able to see if your venue and supplier payments will be due at the same time so you can make sure you can afford this and make sure the money is all available at that time. If it is looking like all payments will be due at the same time I would recommend asking suppliers if you can make monthly payments up to the wedding to spread your costs.

10. Can you have information about their reviews and any awards they have? 

It is really important to check reviews as these are honest opinions from previous couples, it will give you a good idea of how the company works and if couples would recommend them after their experience. If they have won awards you should find out more about this to see what the award means and what it was for, if a company has received an award it shows that they have been noticed for their great service by professionals which is always a good thing.

Deciding on your DJ for one of the most important days of your life won’t necessarily be a quick decision, if you have a suiting budget then it won’t be a case of emailing for a few quotes and simply comparing on price. You want to take the time to speak to the company, see what they are about and ask these questions. It is better to take a bit more time and find the right person to work with you to create an evening reception that you and your guests will remember, as well as them making the whole process stress free for you.