When you plan your wedding, one of the most important decisions you will make is who will be DJing your reception. Your wedding DJ will be responsible for setting the mood and keeping the party going all night long, so you want to ensure their vibe and music is the right fit for you, your family, and your wedding guests. It’s essential to choose someone with a lot of experience, knows how to read a crowd, and can keep things on schedule. This blog post will provide you with a guide to hiring the right wedding DJ for your special day. We’ll give you tips on how far out to book your DJ, what questions to ask when interviewing your potential DJ, key features/services you want to make sure your DJ offers, and an explanation of DJ service pricing.
When you’re ready to start looking for a wedding DJ, you first need to decide when you want to book them in your wedding planning process. We recommend booking your DJ a minimum of six months in advance, especially if you have a specific date or time frame in mind or have your heart set on a particular DJ. Like any wedding vendor, wedding DJs can book out many months or even years in advance, depending on the time of year your wedding will be held. Starting your DJ search at least six months before your wedding will give you plenty of time to interview potential DJs and ensure you make the best decision for your wedding day. Look at Forever & Co’s list of wedding DJs and ask your friends for their favorite DJs to create a list of the ones you would like to consider. If you’re working with a wedding planner, don’t forget to ask them for referrals to their favorite DJs. Make sure you check out all the DJ company reviews and social media platforms to get a general idea of the mood and celebration style they cater to.
Once you have a shortlist of DJs you’re interested in, set up consultations with each DJ/DJ company. This is your chance to get to know them better and see if their personality is a good fit for your wedding. Be sure to ask about their experience, what kind of music they specialize in, and how they would describe their style. You should also ask if they have any sample mixes or demos you can listen to. Finally, ask about their rates and the services included in their package. This is an excellent time to ask about any add-ons or extras you may be interested in, such as uplighting or photo booths. Be sure to get all prices in writing before making your final decision.
Not all DJs are created equal, so their prices vary. Some DJs spend weeks, if not months, selecting the music for your wedding based on what you share with them about your music styles; some show up and just read the crowd and play tunes, while others expect you to hand them a list of every song you want to hear, and they stick to that guide. Ask your DJ how the songs they play will be selected, discuss family-friendly lyric options, and if they permit/welcome requests. If your wedding guest list contains a lot of people from other countries, don’t forget to ask your DJ about international and multi-lingual song options too.
And that’s it! You’re ready to book your wedding DJ and start planning the reception of your dreams. We can introduce you to a wide array of wedding DJ companies at our wedding shows and vendor database that can fit any budget and music style. You can start and end your wedding DJ search with Forever and Company’s endorsed wedding DJs.