WEDDING DJ HOUSTON
13 Questions You Should Ask When Hiring A DJ for your Wedding
DJs, with their music selection and announcements, truly set the tone for wedding receptions, so make sure you set aside time to interview your prospective DJs (in person when possible). Listen (and watch) how your prospective DJ in Houston or DJ in The Woodlands responds to the questions below. Then ask yourself if this person is a good fit? Does he or she understand what you’re going for? Will he or she go above and beyond or do just enough to get the job done? Go with your intuition. It’s better to do lots of interviews to find someone you know will represent your wishes rather than to hire someone you will not completely comfortable with. Believe me, your guests won’t remember everything from your wedding, but they’ll remember the music (especially if it’s bad!).
- How did you become a DJ in Houston?
If your DJ has a passion for sharing music and loves creating fun dance moments, it’s likely that preparing for and creating those moments will be a top priority for her. If it’s not obvious that they put their clients first, you might not be getting the type of expertise that you want. Anyone can buy equipment and say they’re a DJ, but not all of them can provide an expert song selection, entertainment skills and the perfect music flow for your event. Be sure they care about choosing music that fits you and your wedding before you sign the contract.
- How many weddings have you DJed?
Would you really want your DJ to experiment on your wedding day. If they’ve only DJed a handful of weddings, well…it just might not end the way you envisioned it. Now if the DJ has done many weddings, that’s great! You want someone who is experienced and knows what they’re doing, so that the entertainment portion of your wedding will be exactly what you want. Knowing this along with answers to the other questions can help you justify the price you’re willing to pay.
- Will you have any assistance at the wedding?
Having an assistant or second DJ at your wedding is usually well worth the extra cost. They can help with many aspects of the entertainment portion of the event, like making sure dad is ready for the Father/Daughter dance and not in the restroom before the announcement is made. They can help with the set up and breakdown of the heavy professional equipment and make it much quicker, guests requests are better accommodated, and vendor cooperation is much better.
- What if you’re sick or unable to make it to my event?
Accidents and illnesses can happen. Better to be safe than sorry. Ask the Dj what their backup plan is. You might find with lower cost DJs, they don’t have a backup plan at all. A professional Wedding Dj will have backup DJs and a system in place for communicating all your music preferences and planning information.
- May I see photos of your setup?
Your dj should be able to provide you with a few different pictures of his sets up. Unfortunately, not every DJ setup was created equally. Some have light-up panels (or facades) that they use to cover up their equipment. Others have compact podium-looking equipment. Not everyone is a fan of these setups and you might not be either. Regardless, it’s a good idea to see photos of his/her DJ setup so you’re not surprised with flashing disco lights or a multi-colored DJ booth at your reception.
6. What is your wedding attire?
This one really bothers me that it has to be asked, but unfortunately it does. I’ve heard too many horrible stories about the DJ who showed up in an old t-shirt and shorts. (Mostly because they weren’t really a Wedding DJ). Sometimes you might have a themed wedding and you want your DJ to dress accordingly. Just make sure their attire meets your approval before your actual wedding day.
7. Do you do ceremonies?
You might have this covered by classical musicians, but if you’re holding your ceremony outdoors or at the your reception venue, you might still want a little help from your DJ. Most importantly, a great wireless microphone or two, extra speakers and other equipment can usually be added for much less than the cost of renting. Plus, they will run the music and sound for you. Many couples are breaking away from the traditional ceremony music and using other instrumentals and love songs that reflect themselves. When you meet with your DJ, he or she can help select the music that fits your style.
8. Are you insured?
Why is this important to you? First of all, it shows that he is a professional and also helps to assure he’s not going to go out of business anytime soon. Second of all, some venues require the vendors carry insurance and provide a copy of their certificate before being on their property. Not all venues require it, but it’s nice to know if your DJ company is investing in the health and longevity of their business and ultimately, their service to you.
9. Can you walk me through your service contract?
You’ll want to look it over together before signing a and ask about anything you don’t understand. Go over extra fees like overtime or setup charges to make sure you know exactly what to expect.
10. How will you handle guest song requests?
Make sure they are willing to match guest requests up to your “Do Not Play” list and general music preferences. Also, professional DJs have thousands of songs in their digital libraries. If you’d like for your guests to get in on the action before your big dance party, ask them to request songs in advance through your wedding website or your DJ’s website. Many DJs allow guests to make requests online in advance through a specific link they provide to their couples
11. What’s your mic style?
Can you give me an example of how you would introduce us at the reception? This is a simple way to get a feel for his/her mic style. The DJ should ask you questions about you and your wedding to get a feel for the formality and tone of your wedding, because his/her tone should of course fit your event. Most people generally like DJs to sound like their best selves talking to a room full of their own friends and family. If he demonstrates saying, “Let’s get rrrready to rummmmble!” or something more suitable for a sporting event, you might want to consider other options.
12. How do you encourage guests to dance?
Some DJs will teach instructional dances (think Cupid Shuffle), while others would never do such a thing. Get a good feel for whether he/she prefers using the mic, good music selections, or both for getting the crowd up on the dance floor before making your decision.
13. What’s your song selection process? Do you use a set “wedding music” list?
Your DJ should be willing to put together custom song lists created especially for you based on your preferences and the vibe of your wedding. These lists might be labeled “cocktail hour”, “dinner”, and “dancing” and include more songs than you’d have time to play. This is great if you’d like to approve a pool of songs ahead of time and leave the actual day-of picks to the pro that you hired. It’s like cake tastings, but for your music.. music tastings.