How to Avoid Hiring a Bad DJ for Your Wedding.
Its every Bride's worst fear. Hiring a bad DJ for their wedding and completely ruining the wedding reception.
Finding a suitable and professional DJ can be difficult, as when it comes to weddings, most suppliers have examples of their work or photos and videos you can watch of their past events. With DJ's, rarely do they have videos or examples of them in action, as its often fairly difficult to showcase their whole night's talent into a 1 minute promo video.
Choosing the right DJ is key to your reception going well.
The above image is something we have seen far too often, as many underestimate the influence a DJ can have on a Wedding Reception. The rule is simple, if you want people up and dancing at the end of the night, you have to hire a DJ who can do the following:
- Play requests - watch out for the DJ's who don't take requests because "they know best", there is no golden method for weddings. Everyone has different tastes in music, so make sure your DJ can cater to all styles and has an extensive music library. This is why your Majestic Wedding DJ will discuss music preference as part of the initial meeting.
- Have a good knowledge of various music styles - as an addition to the above point, your DJ should be able to carry on and match the requests with his/her own choices. After all, this is why you pay them.
- Dress appropriately - nothing worse than having your DJ rock up in a t-shirt and jeans. Scary part is, it actually happens. First impressions count, so take note of how your DJ is dressed upon your first encounter.
- ACTUALLY MIX MUSIC - for fellow DJ's, this is the essential skill which makes you a good DJ. If your DJ doesn't actually mix the tracks and leaves that awkward 5 second silence between each song, he/she has ripped you off. You have just paid for a human jukebox, not a DJ. Real DJ's mix songs together, so the rhythm isn't lost on the dance floor. Which is why we can guarantee, all Majestic Wedding DJ's can mix.
- Be quiet - yes, sometimes Wedding DJ's will bring their own microphone to announce certain events. Sometimes they announce everything, such as "Everybody on the dancefloor!" or "Awww yeah!!". People want to hear music, not a DJ talking. This is a wedding, not radio.
The above is a video I just had to share. It's from a DJ company based in the US, which contrasts the two extremes of hiring a bad DJ for your wedding.
If you are unsure of what questions to ask your DJ when you meet with them, check out Majestic Wedding DJ's blog article: "Top questions to ask a DJ when planning your wedding".
Some DJ's aren't worth throwing a bone. Do your research and ask the right questions.