Wedding DJs

Picking the right wedding dj can be a daunting task! There are so many to choose from. We'll give you a list of do's and donts for picking out the perfect Wedding DJ for your wedding.

Experience: Experience is paramount. Make sure your DJ has a background in entertaining and performing so they will deliver exactly what you want for your wedding day. Make sure their style, or the way they perform is in line with your wishes and expectations. Not everyone wants blow up party saxophones at their formal wedding, make sure they fit into your needs. Generally elegant, professional wedding DJs are more pricey. Make sure you know exactly who you are working with from day one, and who the backup will be in case something happens to them.

Music: Most people have a musical vocabulary of songs that they know and can identify. Generally most people know between 3,000 and 8,000 songs. Generally a good rule of thumb is planning on 20 songs per hour, a 4 hour wedding will have between 60-80 songs. Examples of traditional wedding songs can be helpful, here is wedding music list to help in the selection of your music, links to examples so you can preview them. Always pick something that is meaningful to you in someway.

Philosophy/Personality:You will work with your DJ to co-ordinate and facilitate your day. You should feel comfortable--never pressured--when working with them. Your DJ works hand-in-hand with you and represents you to your guests.

A good DJ ensures a seamless event taking care of without hesitation any of the clients needs or guests needs musical or non-musical. Making sure those giving the toast have glasses, taking care of lighting issues or temperature issues with the venue, and generally making your guests feel welcome and comfortable.

Lights: Lights really enhance an event and can take an average or boring room and turn it into something special. Some DJs can offer you a variety of lighting options, monograms, and special touches that will make your wedding unique and memorable. Wedding uplighting (washes of light around the room) can really add a nice touch to pull together all the colors of your wedding and look great in photos. Monogram lighting is a beautiful way to feature your own custom monogram in the reception venue. Visible throughout the evening this can make a huge impact!

Contract: Be wary of anyone who will perform at an event or accept money without a signed contract, especially with friends. A contract should specify exactly what the DJ will provide, how much they will charge, both parties liabilities, and where and how arbitration will take place should anything happen. It's one of those things you definitely need and will save headaches should anything happen. Don't be afraid to negotiate and modify the contract so it is acceptable to both parties.

Sound/Equipment: Cheap equipment produces a broken/scratchy sound and often has frequent "malfunctions". Nothing about your wedding day should ever malfunction.

Digital music is now the industry standard. If they haven't made the move to digital, they probably haven't updated their equipment either.

Tips
- Meet with your DJ, you should feel comfortable with them.
- They should be able to describe the entire day to you and be able to articulate how they can best fit into your day.
- They should answer all of your questions and provide references or links to sites that have past clients rating their work.
- Check out their website, if it looks good and clean, their materials they provide you look good, then they have taken the time to present themselves well and generally is an indicator they will present themselves well at your event.
- Listen to their voice and their language in your meeting, is it a good fit for your wedding?

Resources
For more information on finding the perfect wedding dj or vendors for your day we recommend the following sites:

Weddingwire.com - This site features real reviews from brides, see how your vendor ranks.

The Knot - This site is a great resource for brides and they have a great magazine. It's pricey for vendors to advertise here, it's a great resource to find professionals.

Wedj.com - A massive listing of DJ's one of the most comprehensive and oldest directories of DJs.

References
Wedding DJs Virginia