The DJ you hire for your wedding reception sets the tone for the whole event. They will act as the emcee, make announcements, and be responsible for organizing your guests as well as mixing the music at the right time. It goes without saying that you want a DJ with superb social skills and a great personality. Of course, they’ll need to know a lot about music. They need to entertain tastefully, and not overpower your celebration. But will they be a good fit for you? We’ve put together some tips on how to choose the right DJ for your wedding.
Get a Feel for Their Personality
Experienced DJ companies will have bios of their DJ staff on their websites. They will also have DJs of all styles, so whether you want trendy or traditional, rowdy or conservative, the more you research and communicate your personality preference with the DJ company the better. The best DJ companies will also have options for hiring specific DJs who are very popular and highly sought-after. You may find it money well spent to upgrade to reserve a specific DJ if that personalized service is important to you. Ask if they have a package that allows you to reserve one of these more popular DJs which includes a face-to-face meeting with the DJ in person before your reception.
Read through the bios online and see if a particular DJ matches the style of DJ you want. Take the time to read through references on the company’s website; the reviews are loaded with information that will tell you if that DJ has a great personality and if they are invested in your big day. Check the reviews on wedding websites such as The Knot or WeddingWire, as well as any Google reviews. They are filled with stories that will illustrate if the DJ has the personality you’re looking for.
Know Their Style and Music Preferences
The online bios from a DJ company’s website will also help you select DJs who like the same style of music as you. A great DJ company will have DJs who specialize in any music genre. Ask the DJ what kind of music they personally like. Hiring a DJ who has a similar taste in music to yours will make things easier. If you’re a fan of country music, having a DJ that also likes country will ensure that great songs are played all night. Having a similar interest allows the DJ to suggest songs that you might not know about and provide a deeper playlist to create a richer experience on your big day.
Have the Freedom to Customize Your Reception
Make sure your DJ company has the option to customize your entire reception with current software. The best DJ companies have designed proprietary Online Event Planners that allow you to customize every aspect of your wedding reception. Take the time to log into a company’s sample Online Event Planner and see for yourself if it is interactive and easy to use. There is a big difference in quality in these planning tools and a little research is well worth your time. You should be able to customize all crowd participation, announcements, and music. Ask the company if you can select as little or as much music as you want. View their online music database and see if it’s organized and has tons of music you want. Ask if there is an extra charge for music that isn’t on their Online Event Planner database. Finally, make sure you have the ability to ask the DJ to stick to your custom online event planner as you have put them in writing, and they reflect what you envision for your wedding reception.
How Well Do They Communicate?
Before the big day, you should have the opportunity to speak or meet with your DJ and let them know what you expect from the night. This is an opportunity to verify that they are receptive, listening to your wishes and offering suggestions to make the night run smoothly. Playing your custom song list is only part of the job for a wedding DJ. The other part is emceeing the reception and other service providers, like your photographer and venue staff. They will give verbal cues to the guests about what’s going on and what’s coming next, where to direct their attention for the cake cutting, when it’s time for speeches, and the first dance.
Are They Flexible?
Make sure that the DJ is open to suggestions and will stay flexible throughout the night. As the night goes on, people start dancing, and the older crowd heads home, requests for music will undoubtedly start. The DJ should expect this and remain flexible to the guests while maintaining the “no play” list. Everyone is there to have a good time, so a good DJ is flexible and can think on their feet to keep things festive.
When you need a wedding DJ in Minneapolis and the Twin Cities, give us a call!
Instant Request is the most Award-Winning DJ company in the area.
