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Find the Right D.J. for Your Wedding Reception

Cheryl Q is an acclaimed wedding entertainment specialist. She is a published author, a mentor in the national American Disc Jockey Association, on the ADJA Board of Directors (South Florida chapter), and is the only woman in the US who is CPSDJ Certified. Now she shares her advice on finding the perfect wedding DJ, exclusively for OurWeddingDay.com:

Wedding reception entertainment can come in many forms, but none are as all-encompassing as a DJ. Still, through all the checklists and budget cuts, hiring your DJs is often not treated as a priority. Well I’m here to remind you why it is!

Your wedding DJ does a lot more than ‘just play music;’ they’re an integral part of your celebration and can set the right tone for the whole affair. They introduce the wedding party, make announcements, lead events and games (like the bouquet toss and the cake cutting), get people dancing, adjust the music and lighting for the ever-changing mood of the guests, and handle any number of small details.

Setting standards.
Calling individual DJs and companies for info can get confusing because there are no industry standards for pricing or even for who can call themselves a DJ.

A good professional DJ will spend at least 30 hours preparing for your wedding reception: They’ll make sure they have your requested music, coordinate with your other vendors and stay in contact with you. Your reception entertainment should be personalized to your wants and needs, not a canned performance everyone gets.

Some reception sites have a ‘house DJ’ on the payroll, but they’re not necessarily the best DJ for you. Make your own DJ selection part of your site contract before you sign. You shouldn’t be charged extra for wanting your day to be perfect.

Some bigger companies (called multi-ops) try to bait and switch: They’ll send you a different DJ than the one you interviewed, so you won’t know their talents, experience or personality! Read the fine print, and look out for what they “reserve the right” to do. Have it in your contract that the person you select is the person who will show up to your wedding.

Music business.
Your DJ should have liability insurance and their business registered by the state, provide a contract outlining their performance terms, and get their music from a legitimate source (and free downloading isn’t one of them). Belonging to professional organizations such as the American Disc Jockey Association (ADJA) or the National Association of Mobile Entertainers (NAME) is a plus because they hold their members to a higher standard. Additional certifications show they take their profession seriously enough to work at it. Ask how your DJ is keeping current with industry changes, rules and regulations, trends and equipment.

Lighting up the room.
Lighting arrangements will vary, depending on a DJ’s specialty, available equipment and your budget. Lately DMX lighting is getting a lot of press. DMX lighting beats and flashes to the music and requires specific programming that is almost always done ahead of time (very few DJs can program the lighting at the event, or “on the fly”). If you’re interested in DMX lighting, ask your DJ to demonstrate it for you (simply having the equipment is not enough – they must be skilled at working with it). Don’t pay extra for DMX lighting unless it’s professional grade equipment specifically built for and used in the DJ industry, and is programmed specifically for your event.

Dollars and sense.
The current national average for a 4 hour wedding reception is $1200 (ranging from $600 to well over $3,500). A good DJ should be able to emcee as well (some charge extra for this, so clarify ahead of time and include it in your contract). If your wedding is large or longer than 5 hours an assistant may be needed for your DJ to keep energy levels up, and to add an extra touch of class to the proceedings.

Wireless microphones are fairly standard these days and you shouldn’t have to pay extra for them. Possible extra fees include a second sound system for your ceremony or cocktail area and upgraded or additional lighting.

A 4-hour reception is really 7-8 hours or more in DJ time when you consider set-up and breakdown of equipment, so while feeding your DJ and their assistant isn’t mandatory, it is always greatly appreciated. A good professional DJ never drinks alcohol while working. A tipsy DJ is “entertainment” you don’t need! Consider adding a ‘no drinking’ clause to your DJ contract.

For such an important role, too many brides make the mistake of waiting until the last minute to hire their DJ. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve been called just a few weeks (and sometimes even 1 week!) before a wedding. Don’t make that mistake. Hire someone who fits your personality, will show up personally and is a professional with a legitimate business.

-Cheryl Q

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