We’ve seen a lot of wedding couples walk through the door in the Chicago area, and we have dealt with quite a few couples who came to our meeting ready to plan with documents and checklists.  While a good checklist of questions to ask your DJ never hurts, it doesn’t take a book the size of an novel to hire a good wedding DJ and get a wonderful wedding reception—as long as you give your DJ this vital information.

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A good wedding DJ is not a one-man (or woman) show; they are actually part of a team that makes your wedding reception a memorable occasion.  A good DJ works with your photographer, videographer, venue staff, and other key staff to make sure everyone is present for photographs and special moments.  If your wedding DJ doesn’t think this is part of their job, it’s time to go back to the drawing board and find a new, quality DJ.

What you don’t want to hear

It is perfectly okay to come to your planning meeting with your DJ with a ‘Do Not Play’ list—or to compile a list at the meeting.  Think of songs that bring back bad memories, songs you can’t stand, songs that your friends and family can’t stand, and any other songs that you don’t want to hear that night (it’s okay to not want to do the YMCA dance).  Your DJ should be happy to get the list, because it helps them prepare a customized list for your wedding dance (if they don’t put together a special play list for you, warning bells should go off). If you want to make your list extra special, give your DJ a second list with the special meaning behind songs on your ‘Do play’ list.

How to pronounce everyone’s names

Don’t make your DJ guess how to pronounce your name, or your parents, or the names of everyone in your bridal party.  Avoid any guffaws by giving your DJ a full list of special parties with pronunciations—even the names that should be easy to pronounce.

Volume restrictions

If there are restrictions on the volume of music or the length of your wedding dance, let your DJ know it.  Some wedding venues or communities have restrictions (and legal repercussions) on loud music, so it pays to do your homework and let everyone involved in your wedding reception know it.

Special requests

If you have a special request for your DJ, don’t wait until the night before your wedding reception to do it.  Mention any special requests at your initial consultation with your DJ, especially if they are above and beyond the “normal” DJ requests.  Not all DJ’s may be able to fulfill your request, and it’s better to find out earlier in your wedding planning than later so you can find a quality DJ that can make your wedding dance vision reality.