What Makes a Great DJ?

Would it surprise you to learn that many DJs do not like DJing weddings? 

It's true, and I do not understand it at all. While I love working all kinds of events, weddings are my favorites. I am a romantic. I never tire of watching a couple in love join their lives together. And I never tire of watching their loved ones come together in support of that union. Love is cause for celebration, and there is nothing I enjoy more than playing my part in setting the tone for what should be the most important day in the lives of my couples. I like to think this is the reason that couples choose me as their wedding DJ.  My mission is is to know and understand my couple's vision so I can help make their wedding dreams come true. My couples deserve a fairy tale wedding, and I do everything within my power to make that happen. All great DJs do.

What makes a great DJ?

You want your wedding day to be perfect. The weather, the dress, the flowers, the decorations, the cake.  While all of these things are important, it is your vendors that matter most—your venue, your caterer, your photographer, and your DJ. We all bear responsibility for your celebration. And we collaborate with one another to guarantee things go as planned. But in so many ways, it is your DJ  that is most important. This is because the DJ sets the mood, brings people to the dance floor, and carries the reception into the night. That’s why I have compiled a list of what makes a great wedding DJ. Whether or not you select me to fill that role doesn't matter. I want your wedding day to be truly magical; I want your wedding to be all you dream it to be, no matter who you choose as your DJ.

Great DJs Will Meet You In Person.

When choosing your wedding DJ, it is incredibly important to find someone you trust. You need to make sure you and your DJ are on the same page and that you have complete faith in his or her ability to fulfill your expectations. This is something you should decide for yourself. Never allow a DJ to hurry you into making a decision. Reputable DJs will wait until you are ready. They may not be able to hold your date without a deposit, but they will never rush you to pay that deposit before you are sure. Great wedding DJs know the date will fill eventually. There is no reason to hurry a potential client. Choosing your DJ is the most important decision you will make when planning your wedding. No other vendor has complete control over how your guests are feeling throughout the night. You’re spending a lot of time and money to plan your wedding. Make your investment count with a DJ who will deliver the experience you expect and deserve.

Great DJs Will Have Fair Pricing.

Many couples greatly underestimate the cost of a professional DJ.  Great wedding DJS are not cheap. They often cost much more than couples expect, but for good reason. DJs charge what they do so they can maintain, repair, and replace their equipment, add new music to their collections every month, and cover necessary expenses—from advertising to travel to dry cleaning, and everything in between. But great wedding DJs  will do their best to help you stay within your budget. They will be open and honest about pricing and will not have hidden costs. They will not push add-ons that they know you can not afford. And they will not make you worry or stress about the expenses involved.  A full-time industry leader with multiple DJs on payroll will rightly charge more than a DJ who works for him or herself. That said, a great wedding DJ who falls outside your budget should be willing to refer you to another great DJ you can afford. There is no good reason for him or her not to help you find someone within your price point. Just make sure that the DJ at your price point isn’t billing more than they are worth. 

A Word of Caution:  Always be wary of the $300 - $500 Wedding DJ you find on Facebook Marketplace, Thumbtack, or Craigslist. There is a HUGE difference between qualified, experienced wedding DJs and those who are "cheap".  Any DJ who charges less than $900 - $1,000 for a basic wedding reception is cheaper for a reason. Like all things in life, you get what you pay for. When you hire a $300 - $500 wedding DJ, you are ALWAYS taking a risk. 

Great DJs Have Positive Reviews.

A great wedding DJ has a wealth of experience and can provide you with client reviews to back it up. He or she should also give you detailed examples of what they bring to an event. I am not talking about speakers and lighting; rather, he or she should share with you his or her personal strengths and areas of expertise. This is a job interview, after all, and you are hiring. You should be able see photos or videos of his or her interaction with couples and their guests; you should be able to view playlists that he or she has used at previous events. Ask your DJ about previous weddings he or she has done, and continue to ask questions until you fully understand his or her qualifications.

Great DJs Will Listen to You.

Great wedding DJs will listen to your wants and needs. They understand that this is one of the most important days of your life and that you trust them to help make it great. If there’s something you want that your DJ doesn’t quite understand, he or she should ask questions until he or she knows exactly what your wishes are and how to make them come true. Also—and this is of paramount importance—if your DJ is unable to provide what you want, he or she should refer you to another great  wedding DJ who can.

Great DJs Are Ready When You Are

Great wedding DJs with experience know that it can take hours to prepare for a wedding reception. That’s why they arrive well before the event begins to get everything set up and ready to go. They will have their equipment tested and set up to maximize the venue’s acoustics, ensuring you get the best sound and that all your guests will be able to hear what’s going on no matter where they are sitting. A great wedding DJ also has backup equipment on hand just in case something goes wrong. 

Great DJs Are Professional.

A great wedding DJ acts like a professional in all manners and at all times. At your wedding, your DJ should be well-dressed and well-groomed, as well as relaxed and in control of any situation that may arise. When things do not go according to plan, a great wedding DJ knows how to avert wedding disasters and can act accordingly. Furthermore, a great wedding DJ should be able to course-correct without the bride and groom knowing anything was ever amiss. He or she should not be drinking during your ceremony, or engaging in any type of inappropriate behavior with your guests. And he or she should never be advertising or promoting his or her business. Your wedding reception is not about him or her.

Great DJs Are Flexible.

Like any major event, the day of your wedding reception will have many moving parts. Last minute song choices should never be an issue, though DJs may need an internet connection to make it happen. A great wedding DJ will be flexible and willing to adjust to the needs of your day. Make sure to talk to your DJ about what options he or she offers if the day doesn’t go as planned. Is he or she willing to work around the new schedule or potentially relocate to a new venue for weather or other reasons?  A great wedding DJ will have a plan in place for the mix-ups that can happen on any wedding day. 

Great DJs Are Great Emcees.

Your wedding requires more than wedding music from your DJ; you also need him or her to be a fantastic master of ceremonies. A great emcee will engage your wedding guests with formal announcements and ensure that he or she pronounces everyone's name correctly. A great emcee takes full responsibility for the itinerary and flow of events at your reception. He or she will make sure that things happen how you want them to, when you want them to. Furthermore, he or she will keep guests informed at all times of what is happening and what happens next. As Master of Ceremonies, a DJ only gets one chance.  If a photographer takes a lousy photo, he or she still has access to countless other excellent examples of their craft. A florist may have one or two wilting flowers in an otherwise beautiful arrangement. Even if one catering order is subpar, the vast majority of meals will be delicious. But if the emcee is having technical difficulties, particularly during those crucial moments, then the whole show could be ruined. A great emcee needs to be ready to act on a dime. A spare microphone must always be ready in case the first one fails. If a song doesn't play, he or she simply must find the song again within just a click of the mouse. A great emcee will put in a lot of time and effort to make sure everything runs smoothly at your reception. 

Great DJs Always Put the Bride First.

Great wedding DJs are never a distraction, they never steal the spotlight, and they never make themselves the center of attention.  Great wedding DJs know it is HER day, and it is a day she has dreamed about her entire life. For this reason, a great wedding DJ keeps the focus on the bride at all times. They always defer to the bride in decision-making. They always ask for the bride's approval before they make any changes. And when the bride makes a song request, a great wedding DJ always prioritizes her request above all others. A great wedding DJ makes the bride feel like she is the most important woman in the room. Because she is. 

So, Why Hire Me as Your DJ?

I am one of many  great wedding DJs. So, why hire me when you can go with one of the larger, better known  DJ companies?  Because I have one BIG  advantage over them... 

I am ONE person, and I can only be in ONE place at a time.  

ONE Wedding DJ for ONE day: YOUR Day. 

Think for  a moment. How does a prospective bride know what type of DJ she is getting when she hires a company with multiple DJs? This is a question that should give you pause. This is NOT a stab at companies who operate like that. For fifteen years I worked for one of these companies, and I have nothing but the highest regard for the owner. He is a very good friend of mine. But he is often spread too thin. 

I have no desire to have a huge company with lots of DJs who possess many different personalities because these larger companies do not match DJs to couples by personality. The larger companies match one of their DJs to each wedding reception based only on the DJ's availability.  But when couples approach me, they see me for who I am. They know what they are getting, and if our personalities "click"—and they almost always do—it helps to put their minds at ease. They know I am the right choice for their weddings because they know exactly what I am going to offer them. It usually takes just one brief conversation. Then, they breathe a sigh of relief. When a couple is in the thick of planning a wedding, they are usually very overwhelmed. And when a couple knows their DJ is assigned by lottery, it does not lessen their stress. For many couples, this increases their anxiety. 

What's interesting is that the large companies started out just like me. But in just a short time, their websites began to feature other DJs.  When you begin to feature other wedding DJs, you are putting your reputation that you have worked so hard to build on the line. I've invested a lot of time and money into building my brand and image, and I am just not interested in putting all of that hard work into the hands of others.  Doing my best to give every couple the wedding of their dreams—that is the secret to my success. I never have to worry about a wedding DJ who has a bad night and ruins a couples' wedding reception and my reputation in the same night. I will never put my reputation in the hands of someone else. As a result, I'll always do a limited number of weddings per season. I'm not trying to be greedy. My goal has always been to be the most professional wedding DJ in my market with the most affordable pricing.  I DJ because I love to do it. The money is wonderful, but the human connection makes me far richer.

I have been DJing for almost three decades. Not only have I been a mobile DJ for all of that time, I have also been a radio DJ and a club DJ.  But being a mobile DJ is far more rewarding. It allows me to visit so many extraordinary places I would otherwise never see and meet so many amazing people I would otherwise never know. Many of the couples I have DJed for have become good friends, and even more of them have become repeat clients. I am honest and dependable, and I know how to read a room and fill a dance floor.  The music and entertainment I provide is personalized. No two weddings are the same, and I do not use a cookie-cutter approach. But I do every wedding my way—which just happens to be your way. This is the only way I know how to do it.  

It would be a privilege to DJ your wedding, and I would love to party with you. If you will allow me that honor, you will have that fairy tale wedding.  It will be magical,  I promise.