Before you hire a DJ for your wedding you will want to ensure that they are able and willing to provide you with the services you’ll need from them on your wedding day. Part of the process of choosing a DJ should be asking certain questions that will give you a better idea of what they can do for you.
Technically anyone these days can load up their laptop computer with MP3s and say they are a DJ, but you will want yours to prove he or she is a professional before you hire them for your wedding. That being said, the first question to ask them is if they belong to the American Disc Jockey Association or a similar group. If they do belong to a group for professional DJs, they should have no problem giving you references from clients they have worked with in the past.
The second question to ask them before you hire them is what type of equipment they have. A professional DJ will have equipment that includes wired and wireless microphones, speakers and other appropriate equipment. Most professionals will have DJ equipment made by companies such as Bose, JBL, QSC, Electrovoice, and several others.
Check out their website. If their website is poorly made, it may be an indicator that they do not take themselves or their DJ business very seriously. A website should have pictures of them and their setup, not just stock images of wedding couples and flowers. Having videos on their website is a bonus, as it shows they are actually out DJing real events.
Check out the DJ’s reviews online. A simple Google search on a few DJs you have narrowed down your search to will show revealing information about your potential DJ. Make sure to read the reviews of the actual DJ you will be getting, especially if it is from a DJ company that has a lot of DJs under their umbrella as employees. Read the good and the bad reviews. Keep in mind that some people are impossible to please and address any bad review you have found with the potential DJ to get their side of the story. If a DJ has a lot of bad reviews, just pass on them and look for someone else that has great reviews. There are plenty!
Chances are you already have a pretty good idea of the kind of music you want your DJ to play at your wedding reception. To make sure you and your DJ are on the same page be sure to ask him or her if they can and will play the songs that you want them to play. While it’s not likely you have every single song already picked out for your wedding, it is inevitable that you and your fiancé will have certain songs that mean something to you that you will want included in your wedding day. Ensure in advance that the DJ has those songs in their collection or can acquire them in time before you hire him or her. Many professional DJs provide you with a private login that you can choose special songs and create a playlist if you like.
Make sure your DJ has insurance. If something were to happen at the event where a guest were to trip on a wire or get hurt from a DJ’s equipment, you will want to make sure the DJ is insured. Many venues require DJs to be insured and to have the venue added on the DJ’s policy as additional insured.
Not only can things go wrong with the DJ themselves, things can go wrong with their equipment as well. This means it is also important to ask your DJ if they have back up equipment in the event theirs stops working on your wedding day.
Lastly, even the most well laid out plans can be derailed by an emergency. One of the final questions to ask your DJ before hiring them is what they will do in the event an emergency prevents them from showing up on your wedding day. A professional DJ will always have a backup plan in place if something goes wrong. You will want to know beforehand that if your DJ cannot make it at the last minute they will be able to send someone equally qualified to replace them.
Asking these questions before hiring your DJ will help your wedding day go smoothly and allow you to enjoy the day.