Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Wednesday Wedding Tips - 10 Important Questions to ask your DJ

This weeks wedding tips come from Brides a la mode member In-Tune DJ Service
As technology and ways of communicating evolve, "personalization" is removed and decisions are made by not asking questions or even speaking with businesses that you are entrusting with your special day. We encourage all brides (and grooms) to ask the following questions over the phone or in person when researching the best DJ for their wedding (they may find they have a nice website, but no personality or worse yet, no experience.) The below questions will help give you an "apples to apples" comparison and separate the companies from each other.

10 Important Questions To Ask Your Potential DJ

We understand how crucial it is to choose the right D.J. for your special day. Information is the key to that decision, but what kind of questions should you ask?  Questions, such as "Do you take breaks and how many?" while valid, will not distinguish one entertainer from another.  Take the time to ask some extra questions. Be sure about your choices before you make them. Your decision can make or break your entire wedding reception. We've taken the time and assembled the 10 best questions you should ask before hiring your entertainment.

1. Are they available?
Begin your phone call by indicating the date, time, and location of your special event. If they're not available, no sense talking much further!

2. Does the DJ know the proper etiquette for your type of party?
With sufficient experience, a professional DJ will be able to act as your Master of Ceremonies and guide you smoothly through your celebration from start to finish, allowing you to relax and enjoy the party.

With experience comes confidence and knowledge. Many things can happen during an event...some are expected, others are not. The experienced professional has the ability to handle eventualllities that may arise before they become problems and ensures that the evening runs flawlessly.

3. Are you insured?
Responsible business owners will carry liability insurance in order to protect their business as well as their consumers. Also, many venues require proof of liability. Ask for proof of liability insurance. In Tune D.J. Service, Inc. will provide you with their certificate upon request.

4. Will you play requests and discuss music selection ahead of time?
A versatile DJ should listen to your suggestions, provide feedback and play from your desired song list. While requests are always welcomed, we rely on our discretion, experience and your input as to what songs or genres you may not want played. However, we cannot know your preferences without sitting with you in consultation and so this is strongly encouraged.

5. Do you use Professional Equipment?
You are paying money for professional service and your DJ should have state-of-the-art equipment and the knowledge to operate it. Make sure it's professional grade equipment, not home stereo or consumer grade. As professionals, they should have made the investment in quality equipment. Ask them what speakers, and amplifiers they use. Some of the better names in professional audio are: Electro-Voice, Mackie, JVC, QSC, Cerwin Vega, Rane, Behringer, Pioneer, Shure, Samson, Denon, and Crown.

6. Do you provide backup equipment at my event?
Even professional equipment can fail on occasion, so it is important to know whether your DJ has extra components, or hopefully another entire sound system available to them. Any number of circumstances may arise between the time you book your DJ and the date of your event.

Usually, only the top-notch pros invest the extra money to ensure that everything works on your event date. Booking a reliable DJ is a very important decision for the success of your event.

7. How much time do you allow for set-up?
Punctuality is a necessity. Most DJ's arrive at least two hours prior to the start time you've given them. Your D.J. should ideally be set-up and in-place before your first guest walks through the door.

8. Do you provide a written agreement?
Make certain the DJ has a written agreement and that everything you expect of them is in it. If they refuse or only provide verbal assurances, then get up and leave. No one remembers everything agreed upon months later when the actual event takes place. An agreement protects you. Have them list what their overtime charge is in case you decide to run late. You don't want any surprises there. Make sure all correct dates, times, address, phone numbers, and deposits are listed.

The standard deposit for entertainment services is 50%.

9. Will you be suitably dressed for our occasion?
Specify they type of apparel that your Disc Jockey is expected to wear for your occasion. Formal attire or coat and tie are the most popular forms of attire.

10. How much do they charge?
DJ rates vary based on talent, experience, emcee ability, service, coordination, equipment needed, music knowledge, mixing ability and personality. The cheapest price is not always the best deal, especially if you are planning a wedding. As a matter of fact, in hindsight, surveys conclude that nearly 90% of brides would have gladly spent more money on their disc jockey and made it their number one priority.

A full-service disc jockey company will normally invest 18 to 40 hours for your special event if it may appear that you are only paying for "five hours". Consultations, music, purchasing and editing, preparation, set-up and teardown, education on other business related endeavors add up to the overall success of your special occasion

Did You Know? 
 *72% of all brides say they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment.
*Almost 100% say they would have spent more of their budget on the entertainment.
*During wedding planning, Brides say their highest priority is their attire, followed by the reception site and caterer – reception entertainment is among the least of their priorities.
*Within one week after their reception, 78% of Brides say they would have made the entertainment their highest priority.
*When asked, 81% of guests say the thing they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment.
These statistics were published in St. Louis Bride and Groom Magazine. Sources include: Simmons, USA Today, National Bridal Service, The Knot, Brides Magazine

Jim Renner
In-Tune D.J. Service, Inc.
574-258-9484 (home/office)*up-to 10p (EDT,) 7 days a week
http://www.intunedj.com/

1 comment:

  1. Here's another:
    What formal training or education do you have in the entertainment business?

    ReplyDelete