What to Know When Hiring a DJ for Your Wedding Day
Have you heard enough of overly played classics like “Macarena,” “YMCA,” and “Love Shack?” If you don’t want your New Jersey DJ to spin “Joy to the World,” and other certain songs at your wedding, then you may want to make sure you schedule a point-by-point consultation with the New Jersey wedding DJ that you are considering hiring.
Discuss the music ahead of time.
Your once in a lifetime wedding is a special day in which you bring family and friends of all ages together. You will want to make sure everyone, young and old alike, has a wonderful, memorable time. Booking a reliable New Jersey DJ is an essential decision for the success of your wedding reception. Come to know that a versatile wedding DJ will be open to your suggestions. However, DJs cannot know what your musical preferences are without your communication. A professional New Jersey DJ will play from your desired song list, be willing to play requests and give you feedback for your wedding reception. Once your New Jersey wedding reception is under way, the last thing you want to do is complain to the DJ! Consulting with your New Jersey DJ ahead of time will save you a lot of frustration when you and your wedding guests are ready to dance the night away. Is your heart set on having the greatest time of your life? Then make your New Jersey wedding an affair to remember! When interviewing a New Jersey DJ for your wedding, ask your prospective New Jersey DJ what type of music he or she typically plays at a wedding reception. Before hiring the DJ, see if the DJ is willing to play musical choices that go with your mood, tastes and style. When a New Jersey DJ is willing to work with you, he or she will accept a Play List and a Don’t Play list. This will guarantee that the music selections that you want to hear will definitely be played and the songs you don’t want played, won’t be. Once a New Jersey DJ understands your preferences, he or she will be able to personalize your New Jersey wedding and give you suggestions that will create a unique musical selection just for your perfect New Jersey wedding.
Since your New Jersey wedding is one of the most important days in your life, one of your questions will be, "Which New Jersey DJ can I trust to entertain my wedding guests? Hiring a truly talented, experienced DJ will make all the difference in creating a great New Jersey wedding atmosphere. Something to consider is whether or not your New Jersey DJ is a trained professional that will absolutely guide your New Jersey wedding event flawlessly from beginning to end. Inquire if your New Jersey DJ is talented in music knowledge, and in their blending and mixing skills. Maybe you can see your New Jersey DJ in action at a party event beforehand. Also decide what style of New Jersey DJ you desire. Decide whether you want a New Jersey DJ whose personality is enthusiastic and really knows how to keep the party going. Decide if you want your New Jersey DJ to talk, joke between the songs and include group participation or if you want your New Jersey DJ to smoothly and quietly run the reception. Another important question to ask is whether your New Jersey DJ uses professional audio equipment. Not only do you want a DJ to play your favorite tunes, you definitely want the music to sound professional and not just off an iPod. Although professional gear does not guarantee a DJ’s talent, it definitely makes a big difference when a New Jersey DJ is using professional-grade sound gear. In addition, ask your New Jersey DJ if he or she provides backup equipment in case of an unexpected emergency.
More Important Things to Consider
Find out who will be the actual DJ who will be spinning the discs at your New Jersey wedding. This is crucial. You would hate to spend an hour interviewing your New Jersey wedding DJ, only to have another DJ show up! Make absolutely certain your contract spells out exactly who will be your DJ on your New Jersey wedding day. If you want the owner DJ and not their employee DJ, make sure it is written in the contract. The contract should also state what time and place the DJ is supposed to be. All verbal promises made by your New Jersey DJ should be documented in writing on your contract. For chances are, your New Jersey DJ won't remember months from now what they verbally promised you today.
Inquire about DJ overtime, and other unexpected or hidden fees. Your contract should clearly specify all costs including any assistant DJ your DJ will have accompanying him or her, as well as special equipment lighting packages, or other fees that a DJ may pass on to you the client. Be wary of a DJ who gives you a low ball quote, but only give you 3 hours of time! If your wedding reception runs longer, you may be surprised to hear your DJ say, "It's another $200 per hour or we walk out right now". You must also plan for overtime in case the New Jersey wedding reception runs longer than your contract specifies. Your contract should clearly spell out how much extra it will cost you to have your New Jersey DJ for an extra hour or two. Do not accept verbal promises stating the DJ will work extra hours for free. Put it in writing in the contract, or the New Jersey DJ may not do it. Don't be blindsided like many brides and grooms are when their New Jersey wedding event runs overtime. You don't want surprises. Your New Jersey wedding DJ contract should cover all bases so you know exactly how much your New Jersey DJ will cost you.
Ask what attire your DJ will be wearing at your New Jersey wedding. This may sound like a no brainer, but you usually want your New Jersey DJ to wear formal attire, like a tuxedo, unless you are having a themed event. You don't want your New Jersey DJ showing up to your affair wearing jeans!
Finally, as mentioned earlier, it is a good idea to have your DJ booking confirmed in a written contract. The traditional initial payment for New Jersey DJ services is 50%. Current rates for the DJ industry vary greatly, with an average of $1,200.00 for a 4 hour booking. A full-service New Jersey DJ company will normally invest many hours in your special event even though it appears that you are only paying for four hours. A New Jersey DJ should arrive at least one hour prior to the start time of your wedding. Your New Jersey DJ should ideally be set up and ready to spin before your wedding guests start walking through the door. Come to realize that the lowest priced New Jersey DJ is not always your best deal, especially when you are planning a wedding. In hindsight, most New Jersey wedding couples would have spent more money on their New Jersey DJ if they had made their dj entertainment a priority. So use these helpful DJ tips for the overall success of your special New Jersey wedding occasion, and make your wedding day that much more special and enjoyable with the confidence that you have selected a great New Jersey DJ!
May you begin a lifetime of love and happiness!
Rev. Diane Cuesta
Owner of BestWeddingNJ.com
