Prairie HiveIt has been a few months since you have started planning for your big day. The venue is all set, the transportation and accommodation have been booked, and your wedding gown’s design has already been decided. You have also asked your favorite baker to work on your wedding cake.
This time, you are ready to deal with your wedding entertainment. But, as the costs continue to go up, you are thinking of just hiring anyone to play songs during your event. Surely, that wouldn’t do any harm, right?
Well, here’s the thing. It may actually do some serious harm if you aren’t too careful. Trying to cut down on the costs of the DJ you will hire for your wedding may easily turn what was supposed to be a jolly and special day into a dull and boring event. That means an empty dance floor or worse, a ruined atmosphere.
Don’t forget that your chosen wedding entertainment can easily make or break your big day. To help you ensure that your wedding day doesn’t become a snoozefest, below are some pointers to remember on how to hire a DJ for your wedding who is guaranteed to keep the ambience alive and kicking through the night!
Check the DJ’s Professionalism and Dependability
Booking a high-end and professional DJ will give you the assurance that you will enjoy a level of professional that you can never get from casual bookings.
It is recommended to hire a DJ with positive reviews from past clients. Doing so will give you the peace of mind knowing that wedding entertainment is in good hands.
However, client satisfaction is not the only sign of professionalism. The best choices of DJs are those who have their own state of the art equipment and systems. This can be very helpful, especially if these are not available in your booked venue.
Nothing Beats Experience
Experience is no doubt the best and foremost factor that will help you find a DJ for your big day. DJs who have experience with weddings know and understand how receptions go about and are also familiar with the different traditions involved.
A professional experienced DJ also knows what to do when something unexpected happens, like a drunk cousin getting a bit rowdy or food arriving a tad too late. The best wedding DJs can also offer you advice regarding socializing and logistics and even actively offer a lending hand during the event to give you the assurance that things stick to the schedule.
Now, even if experience is essential, you also have to make sure that the experience of your chosen DJ is not that limiting. For example, a wedding DJ with two decades of experience with a musical expertise ending during the early 2000s might not be the best choice for younger couples with different taste and preferences in music. Try to look for several DJs with different styles so you can find one that best matches your own.
Look for References and Referrals
As your big day approaches, you will also start to meet more people working in the wedding industry. These people you will work with may have something to say about the DJs in your area including photographers, tuxedo rentals, and caterers. Don’t be afraid to ask them for their personal recommendations and why.
Aside from professionalism and experience, the personality of the DJ is something you also need to consider. The one you will choose to handle your wedding entertainment must be someone who can build rapport with your guests and easily fit in with them.
Consider the Ability to Read and Fill the Dance Floor
It is probably not that hard to get your guests filling up the dance floor as long as great tracks are playing in the background. However, being able to maintain an amazing atmosphere and crowded dance floor throughout the night is a unique that can only be acquired after long years of experience in the field. Be sure to hire a DJ who can liven up the night and keep your guests in high energy.
Confirm the Song Mixes and Catalogues
When you make the decision to hire a DJ for your wedding, it only makes sense that you will expect more than an unreliable WiFi connection and Spotify playlist. The best wedding DJs who are worth their salt will keep your reception rocking to the fullest. Look for a DJ with a catalogue of thousands of songs and incredible mixes that are guaranteed to evoke a wonderful atmosphere for your event.
Go Through Review Websites
The internet is your go-to friend when planning your wedding. Aside from the review sites focused on wedding-related services, there are also general review platforms such as Google My Business and Yelp.
Take your time reading through the different reviews there so you can have a better idea of the work ethic and services of prospect DJs. If the wedding DJ that you plan to hire dedicated the right amount of attention and time to a certain client, the reviews will surely reflect their positive attributes.
You can try to sort these reviews starting from the lowest first and read through the negative feedback as well. This doesn’t just let you remove some options from your list. It also gives you the chance to know the most common complaints of clients regarding that DJ so you will know what red flags you should watch out for during your search.
Ask about Extras
Finally, hiring a DJ for your wedding also sometimes entitles you to some awesome add-ons. There are DJs who add some live music to their bookings with live instruments, drums, and vocals, to make your party atmosphere even more fun and amazing. Others also use turntables and play instruments to up the ambience of the event and make it unforgettable for you and all your guests.
You see, hiring the best DJ for your wedding doesn’t have to be too difficult. Just follow the pointers above and make your wedding the talk of the town for a long time!
