FAQS

Yes, there are five different types of DJs, and each has a particular style and strength. 

The first type of DJ is the Radio DJ. These are the original disc jockeys who have long been responsible for introducing new songs and artists over the airwaves. Modern Radio DJs still broadcast music and can be heard up and down the radio dial. Radio, as a format, has changed quite a bit over the last two decades, though. Today, many Radio DJs regularly perform on syndicated radio shows which are pre-recorded and represent various pop music genres. This is especially true of satellite radio stations. Radio DJs were once able to select what songs they would play. Today, radio has become largely corporate and Radio DJs have limited freedom to play songs of their own choosing. Instead, they must follow a specific format based on industry standards and algorithms.

The second type of DJ is the Club DJ. As the name suggests, Club DJs perform at clubs and bars. They are often open format DJs who play a mix of modern pop and dance music. Among their many talents are mashups and remixes. They are there to keep people dancing and buying drinks. Nightlife hubs like Las Vegas, New York, and LA usually feature a resident DJ and traveling Club DJs doing their weekend stints. 

The third type of DJ is the Mobile DJ. Mobile DJs are the unsung heroes of the music industry. Whether it is a corporate event, a backyard BBQ, or a wedding at the beach, mobile DJs are called on to provide music and entertainment for various events. They are called Mobile DJs because they haul their DJ equipment for their own gigs. While some mobile DJs may play on existing sound systems and equipment installed at some venues, most provide their own equipment. They are expected to play for longer amounts of time. Five or six hours is a standard timeframe for private events or weddings. They work hard to play to the crowd and are usually holding down emcee duties as well.

The fourth type of DJ is the Scratch DJ or Turntablist. Scratch DJs specialize in song manipulation. Fluid dexterity combined with a knack for improvised compositions set these DJs apart. Turntablism looked to isolate scratching, juggling, and sound manipulation aspects of hip hop DJing into its own genre and artform. Since it began, Turntablism has become less about mixing songs and more about creating new songs out of music samples, using the turntable as its own musical instrument.

The fifth and final type of DJ is the DJ Producer. These DJs stand out in the industry by writing and playing their own tracks including custom remixes and bootlegs. This DJ category has grown in popularity over the last few decades and has featured celebrities from Grandmaster Flash to Jam Master Jay, Skrillex to David Guetta. However, in reality, music production has always been a fixture of DJ culture, and DJs have been making dance edits and remixes as long as DJing has been commercially viable. For today's Producer DJs, technology has supercharged their sonic abilities. As a result, production levels are increasingly competitive, and young producers are challenging the very concepts of song structure.

I have worked as a Club DJ and as a Radio DJ in the past, but today I am exclusively a Mobile DJ, and the majority of my bookings are weddings.

I provide DJ services for all occasions, though my specialty is weddings. I am a romantic, and nothing brings me more joy than making my bride's dreams come true. Weddings are my passion, and they make up over 90% of my bookings. My mission is to know and understand my couple's vision so I can help make their wedding dreams come true. 

Think about it this way - of all the wedding vendors that will work your wedding reception, who is the only one that sets the tone from start to finish? Your wedding DJ! It’s incredibly important that you hire a wedding DJ that can not only fill your dance floor (to be honest, there are a lot of extraordinary wedding DJs that mix music and read the room exceptionally well), but who will also make you feel comfortable, valued, and appreciated and allow you to be yourselves. That is something that often goes overlooked in the wedding DJ hiring process, but it is something that will significantly make a difference in the way your day feels and the way your wedding reception plays out. My couples are never just "another paycheck". I have never understood how or why many DJs treat their couples in this way. I treat my couples like old and dear friends, and as it turns out, a majority of my couples do become good friends by the time of the wedding. I value and appreciate every couple who hires me. Here is the truth of the matter: I am an excellent DJ, but so are many others. What sets me apart is my genuine dedication and care for the couples I work with, and I would like to think it shows in everything that I do. I never rush couples to make a decision they are not ready to make. I never strongarm anyone to make a quick sale. I am not "pushy". I do not push my bigger packages or available add-ons because I never know a couple's budget. Nothing is more heartbreaking than a bride falling in love with an add-on that she learns is outside her budget. From our first conversation until I am booked, I want my couples to take real time to determine if I am the right fit for their vision and expectations. After all, we will collaborate closely to create your perfect wedding day, and it is important that our relationship begins with a solid foundation of trust and mutual respect. You are placing your faith and trust in me to give you your happily ever after. For that reason, I want to give you my everything in return. I am always so thankful and humbled when couples choose me as their DJ. Is it imperative that we get to know one another before your wedding day? No. But getting to know one another makes all the difference in the world.

Honestly, it depends on the date of your event.  If you are planning your event for a Saturday during wedding season (April through October), it is best to contract a year in advance. Saturdays are my busiest nights during wedding season, so waiting too long to hire me (or any DJ service) for a Saturday night might leave you without music on your big day. If your event is off-season, you will have much better luck finding a DJ with availability on short notice.

I am located in Canton, Ohio, though I travel throughout northeast Ohio and beyond. I have traveled to DJ as far north as Ann Arbor, as far east as Pittsburgh, as far west as Dayton, and as far south as Louisville, KY. There are additional charges to cover travel expenses if your venue is more than an hour's drive.  My travel fees are as follows:

0 - 59 minutes from Canton, OH:    No fee

60 - 119 minutes from Canton, OH: $50

120 - 179 minutes from Canton, OH: $100

180+ minutes from Canton, OH: $100 plus overnight accommodation

Even with these added travel fees, I am often told that I am cheaper than area DJs local to the cities, towns, and villages I am traveling to. It is important to note, however, that Photo Booth rental and Hype Girl add-ons may not be possible if the wedding is more than an hour away from Canton. These add-ons depend on the availability of my team and their ability to travel. If these add-ons are available and added to your package, the above travel fees are paid to all service providers.

My pricing is very straightforward. Whether you are scheduling a wedding or a party, I charge a flat-rate fee for the package you choose. My Basic Wedding Package will ALWAYS be under $1K because I believe that all brides deserve their perfect wedding days no matter their budgets. The Basic Package includes up to six hours of music, which is the average length of time for most weddings that I DJ.  If you are booking a party, my Basic Party Package includes up to four hours of music which, again, is the average length of time for most parties that I DJ.  Extra hours can be added to both the Basic Wedding Package and Basic Party Package for $75 / hour.  I do have Standard, Premium, and Diamond Wedding Packages and Standard and Premium Party Packages, though, which include additional hours. When you purchase one of my packages, I am your DJ for the night, which means you won't need to watch the clock.

To secure your date on my calendar, I ask for a retainer fee of 50% of the total due, which includes the package you choose and any add-ons after promotions or discounts are applied. This deposit is due at the time you sign your contract agreement. $375 of your deposit is nonrefundable after 90 days, though it is transferable to a future available date. In this case, it is required that both parties enter into a new contract agreement. Your final payment is due 60 days before your event.  Online payment is preferred and can be made through the Check Cherry online portal. Credit Card payments can be made through Stripe on the portal, though a 3% processing fee will be added to your total due. Per contract, all fees are the responsibility of the client. I also accept  CashApp, Venmo, and Zelle which can be paid using your apps outside the portal. This can save you money. When payments are made using these platforms, I manually enter your payments and send newly revised invoices to reflect the payments made. I do also accept cash, checks, and money orders, however, if clients wish to pay in these ways. One final note: couples who are able and willing to pay their balance in full at the time of booking receive 10% off the total purchase price of their packages.

Follow this link to book online: 

https://mostov-dj-services-llc.checkcherry.com/reservation.  

Ceremony coverage is now included in all of my packages. The total number of hours listed for music performance includes your ceremony. The ceremony and reception must be at the same location, though. If I have to travel by car between the two, an additional charge will apply. Also, if the ceremony is outdoors, inclement weather will prevent me from providing ceremony coverage for the safety of the equipment, your guests, and the venue unless I am under secure cover.

Every wedding and party package includes full master of ceremony responsibilities. I emcee the entire event, make all necessary and requested announcements, and guarantee things happen how you want them and when you want them according to your itinerary. Furthermore, I always keep the focus on the clients. As the emcee, I engage the crowd by being upbeat and enthusiastic with my announcements, but your guests are NOT there to see me. Most everyone can recall a horrible DJ that talked too much and wasn’t funny or warm and welcoming with their guests. You do not hire me to be a comedian. I don't have a comedy schtick or a routine. I am NOT there to insert my own identity, but to make the event all about you and your guests’ celebration. I never allow myself to become the center of attention. If you are looking for a DJ who interacts with your guests by doing the chicken dance on top of a speaker, you are out of luck. I am not that DJ, though I can refer you to DJs who are. I will, however, provide a smooth-flowing event with proper mic etiquette to formally guide the crowd through the night. My job is to keep your guests informed about what is going on and what is up next, but I will not be talking into the microphone all night. You hire me to entertain your guests through a great mix of music, and that is what I promise to do. My job is to keep your dance floor full all night and to make sure your wedding day is everything you dream it to be. 

Absolutely! I always meet with my clients. Nothing is more important than finding the right vendors for your wedding, and only by meeting in person can you be sure that I am the right fit for what you are looking for in a DJ. I encourage you to meet with me for both a pre-planning meeting and a final meeting. Both of these meetings are very important in the personalization of your event. These meetings allow us to be more comfortable with one another so we can work together to create the event you want.

All of the weddings I work are private affairs. Out of respect for my clients, I do not allow uninvited guests to come watch me when I DJ. It should also be noted that no two weddings are the same, so the preferences of the couple may be completely different from your preferences. 

Absolutely! It's YOUR event. My clients have complete playlist control—if they want it. Everything is customizable to give you the event you want. I encourage all clients to take advantage of my online planner, including the Must Play, Play if Possible, and Do Not Play options. Most couples give me 15 - 25 "Must Play" songs, and I fill in the rest, choosing songs similar to those requested. Other couples just tell me to "do my thing." And still others micromanage the music for the entire evening, telling me every song to play in the order they want them played. It is important to remember, though, that you hire a DJ to keep the party going. It is often just as important to allow me to read the room. This allows me to play the music that people are enjoying dancing to so the dance floor remains full the entire night. I also love taking song requests from guests the day of the event, but I can not always guarantee that I will have all songs requested at that time. If wifi service is available, I can access all requests in the moment, but if there is no internet, I have only the songs loaded on the drive I have brought with me. To guarantee song requests, I ask my clients to provide their complete list of song selections two weeks before the event. If it is on the list, it is guaranteed—no matter how obscure the songs may be. And if my clients tell me no requests are allowed? Then no requests will be taken. I ALWAYS defer to the client's wishes. 

Yes, I have lots of ideas to make your reception a huge success! You simply tell me what type of mood you'd like to create and I can offer suggestions to help make it happen.  I help with music recommendations, of course. Need help selecting your first dance? Or your cake cutting? Your bouquet toss? Whether you are having difficulty choosing the right song for your father-daughter dance, mother-son dance, or garter removal, I am always here to help make those special moments most meaningful. But reception planning and coordination are about much more than song recommendations.  I also coordinate with your other vendors so that the entire evening goes according to plan.  Funny as it sounds, the most important work your DJ does is not music-related.  Any teenager with an iPhone can play your music for you. It won't sound very good, but it can be done. You hire a DJ for what happens behind the scenes. My goal is for you to enjoy the day with your guests. All you have to worry about is having a great time. I take care of the rest. 

That is up to you. You tell me what you would like me to wear. If you tell me to dress comfortably, I will wear khakis and a polo. If you want me in a dress shirt and tie, you've got it. If you want me in a tuxedo, I will dress the part.  My attire for your wedding  is entirely up to you.

When you hire me to DJ, I arrive a minimum of 90 minutes before guest arrival and often earlier depending on the number of add-ons purchased or the load-in situation at the venue. This gives me plenty of time to deal with traffic or any unforeseen issues. When your event begins, I am ready to go. Guaranteed. 

This is one of the most popular of my wedding DJ questions. Be sure to ask all of your wedding vendors this question! The time it takes to set up and break down equipment is never included in the six hours of my Basic Wedding Package. You are paying for six hours of music. I do not charge extra for set up; your time starts when the music starts, not when I arrive to set up. You are not charged for tear-down time, either.  

There is one exception, however. If you need me to set up earlier than two hours, or break-down later than one hour after the event ends, there is an additional charge. For example: if your wedding ceremony begins at 5:00 pm, I would normally arrive between  3:30 pm - 4:00 pm to set up, but if you need the DJ or photo booth to set up by 12:00 noon, there would be a charge for idle hours.  

Your wedding or event deserves my undivided attention and complete focus, so I only book ONE event for each calendar date. I am not like the larger DJ companies that have 5 other DJs and multiple events to manage per night. You have me for the entire evening. I am always available to stay later than originally scheduled, though extra hours do cost more if requested the day of the event. And yes, I do have backup in the event I am unable to DJ. My wife Gail and both Hype Girls are able to DJ in my place as needed. And, if none of them are available, I also have a good friend and experienced DJ I can call on. His name is David Huthmacher. That said, I have never missed an event in twenty-seven years of DJing, and I do not intend to miss yours, but help is available if needed.  Let's face it, it's hard to find a responsible DJ, let alone a team of them. Just saying "Responsible DJ" can be an oxymoron in our industry. I have clients who call me all of the time when their hired DJ backs out at the last minute—or worse, ghosts them entirely. I am 100% dedicated to the event I am working, and I like to think that it reflects in the satisfaction of my clients. You get  my full, undivided attention. You don't have to share me with any other couples on your special day! 

I have different equipment that I use depending on the size of the room and the number of guests in attendance. I always match the best equipment to meet the conditions of the event.  I use the latest in professional sound equipment. No home stereo gear or consumer grade equipment is ever used at your reception. Bose, JBL, Yamaha, Shure, and Chauvet are just a few of the brands I use. The sound will be appropriate for any room size, but in my experience the loudness of the music is less important than the DJ's integrity, professionalism, and musical knowledge. Room size, acoustics, and the number of people in the room all play a part in how music sounds,  not just the DJ's equipment. Please be wary of DJs who use wattage and specs as the most important factor, because that sometimes means they are lacking in other areas. 

Dance floor lighting is included in all packages that I offer. The difference between dance floor lighting and premium lighting is significant. Dance floor lighting does what it says—it lights up the dance floor; premium lighting, on the other hand, lights up the entire room. Uplighting is different from both of these. Uplighting is the only add-on that I truly recommend. Uplighting creates columns of color on the walls of your venue. This creates a magical background that truly transforms any venue into a romantic landscape. It is my most popular add-on. 70% of brides add uplighting to their wedding package to paint their reception with an elegant and ambient glow.  If you are interested in uplighting or premium lighting, both can be added to the Basic Wedding Package at an additional cost. If you know you want both uplighting and premium lighting, the Standard Wedding Package provides these extras as well as an audio guestbook at a savings of $150 compared to individual pricing of the three add-ons. See my WEDDING PACKAGES and ADD-ONS pages for more information.

Yes, I carry a full liability insurance policy with a coverage value of $2,000,000.  I am happy to provide you or your venue with a copy of my insurance policy upon request.

Yes, Mostov DJ Services is a registered Limited Liability Company with the State of Ohio. I am happy to provide a copy of my State Certification upon request.

It depends on the needs of your event. If a Photo Booth package is added, there will be an attendant operating the booth, and if a Hype Girl is added, Bree will be in attendance as well. I also reserve the right per contract agreement to bring an assistant to help with set up, operation, and break down of equipment, and I often do. This is especially true if add-ons are purchased. There is no additional charge for my assistant.

Yes, I do require a vendor meal for me, my assistant, and if applicable, the photo booth attendant and/or Hype Girl at any wedding or event that falls between the hours of 5:00 pm and 9:00 pm. I ask this because we may arrive as early as two hours before the start time of any event to set up equipment, and we stay as long as one hour after the event to break-down equipment. In total, this is an 8 hour (or longer) day for us. We also need a place setting at a table. There is no room for us to eat at the DJ booth or the photo booth station. Also of note, if a photo booth is included in your package, it will be idle during the dinner hour to allow the attendant to eat his or her meal. 

I bring all the equipment I need for every event I DJ. This includes back up equipment in the event of equipment failure.  All I need from you is a 10 x 10 area to set up near a standard power outlet. The photo booth, if purchased, also has the same requirements. I do ask that two chairs be reserved for use at the DJ booth and one chair be reserved for use at the photo booth. Also, if the ceremony or reception is outdoors, I require covering to guarantee the system does not overheat on hot days and to protect against inclement weather. Because safety is of paramount concern, all equipment and cords must remain dry in the event of rain, or I will have to shut down the DJ system and, if applicable, the photo booth. This is to protect the equipment, of course, but also to guarantee the safety of me, my assistant, my photo booth attendant, you, your guests, and the venue.

Almost never. I have worked in nearly every possible situation in the hundreds of events I have DJed through the years. I can make virtually any room or area work. The one exception would be the photo booth. There are height requirements for the canopy photo booth, but this is only a concern should the photo booth be placed under a low overhang.  If you suspect this may be an issue, it is recommended that you request either a curtain booth or an open booth for your event.

I base my rates on the time I begin and end any event. If I begin the ceremony and then stop playing since there are live musicians, I can not technically be on “break,” since I am there at the event and can not leave.  Even though I may not be playing music, I will often still make necessary announcements, call tables, facilitate toasts, speeches, and so forth. So in this situation, the six hours of the Basic Wedding Package will include time that I am not playing music. The six hours begins when music begins, there is no "break" in the six hours time once I begin playing music.  If you still want me to play six hours of music, an additional charge for idle hours will be added.

Yes, I offer several discounts and promotions. For couples who can afford it, I offer a 10% discount for the purchase of any wedding or party package when paid in full at contract signing. I also give discounts for referrals, repeat customers, and non-Saturday weddings and events. My Standard, Premium, and Diamond Packages are discounted to save you money when you bundle my most popular add-ons. For a full list of discount codes, visit my Special Offers page here.

While I never expect my clients to tip me, I am always so INCREDIBLY grateful when they do. I spend weeks preparing for every wedding I DJ, and I work very hard the day of your reception to ensure that your wedding is a success. If you feel that I give you great service and a perfect wedding day, then a tip would be appropriate and greatly appreciated! 

A truly great DJ, just for a moment, can make an entire room fall in love.  Because DJing is not about choosing a few tunes. It is about generating shared moods; it's about understanding the feelings of a group of people and directing them to a better place.  In the hands of a DJ with real music knowledge, songs create rituals of spiritual communion that can be among the most powerful events in people's lives.  So often, when somebody requests a song, they ask me if I can play it "next."  The answer is almost always no. A new request can almost never follow the song that is currently playing because a DJ can not play just one song. It is about playing a set. It is about the flow of the songs, each one into the next. How you connect songs in those two or three hours, and where you place them in sequence is an artform. This is why you hire a DJ. The right mix can create a community among strangers, elevate them, and motivate them to let go their inhibitions and find freedom on the dance floor. It is at once physical, emotional, spiritual, sometines tantric (an open bar at your reception helps). DJing is my side job. I am a teacher by profession, and DJing is wildly different from teaching. Teaching allows me to open minds, but DJing allows me to manipulate moods. I promise I will play your request, but only when it allows me to properly sequence for an organic flow into and out of other songs.  Music is my passion, and once an energy is created, it is imperative that you do not kill the momentum. Most guests will remember just two things about your wedding: the food and the music.  There is no greater thrill than helping to make your wedding reception one that will be long remembered. I owe it to my brides to give them an experience like no other. And to see a bride smile on her wedding day? There is nothing better.