How to vet potential DJs to make sure your party is a blast
Whether you are hosting a corporate event or planning the wedding of the decade, you’ve got to nail down solid entertainment. Your DJ sets the tone for your entire event and entertainment is what people remember most about every party, for better or for worse.
To help you, we’ve compiled a list of questions to ask your potential DJ to make sure you’re hiring the right person and your party is a blast!
What experience do you have?
How long have they been a DJ? What kind of events have they worked at? What venues have they performed at? Are they an experienced emcee?
Hosting big events, especially weddings, can get expensive and you may start looking for ways to cut costs. While it may seem like a good way to save money, skimping on your DJ or hiring Cousin Joe with his killer Spotify playlist probably isn’t the best idea.
Will you also be emcee? Is it included in your pricing?
While it’s not common that a wedding DJ will break out their emcee services, we are definitely seeing it more and more. Confirm that your potential DJ will also be the emcee and that the price is included in the package you’re interested in. You don’t want to be blindsided with an extra charge, or worse, realize the morning of your wedding day that you don’t have an emcee!
Are you on social media? Do you have a website?
Use their socials and website as an additional way to vet them! Look at their posted videos and other content. Is their style coming through? Do they match the vibe you’re going for? What are other people saying about them?
Very rarely will you have the chance to see a potential DJ perform live, but with the power of the internet, you basically can!
Do you practice different mixing techniques?
The era of DJs sitting back and pressing play is long gone. People’s attention spans are short and they often don’t even want to listen to a whole song (thanks a lot TikTok!). So make sure a potential DJ is experienced in mixing.
Another question to ask is whether or not they take requests–and if they’re able to quickly mix them off the cuff during the party!
What is your backup plan?
You have your beautiful venue and delicious food, then the music starts, and a speaker is busted… it’s every bride’s worst nightmare! Make sure your DJ has a backup plan–and a backup plan for their backup plan.
What is your COVID-19 rescheduling policy?
The last 2+ years have been rough, and luckily it seems we are coming out the other side, but if we’ve learned anything it’s that we can never be too prepared. Ask for your DJ’s COVID-19 rescheduling policy, just in case, and sleep better knowing you’ll have the event of your dreams one way or another!
Hiring the right DJ is crucial, but getting answers to these questions will put you on the right track. Once you have them, decide what is most important to you and your event, and select the DJ that best meets your requirements!
For more information, tips, and tricks on hosting the best party of the year, subscribe to our Youtube channel to hear our latest episodes of Throw a Bash with Shawn & Kenny!