This is a question we’ve been hearing from a lot of couples in the throws of wedding planning. If you’ve heard the saying “October is the new June,” you understand why: there are now many months of the year popular for weddings.
The answer to the question, “when should I hire a DJ for my wedding?” is 14-18 months. In reality, the sooner you contact and hire a quality wedding DJ the better. The best DJ’s calendars book up early, and you don’t want to end up with a bad DJ (here’s how to tell the difference between quality and wedding DJ horror story).
What questions do I ask a potential DJ?
We’ve already given you tips on how to find a good DJ (i.e. ask friends, check their social media pages, etc.). The next step is to ask the important questions that help you select the best DJ for your big day.
- “Are you available on my wedding day?”
- “What kind of experience do you have as a wedding DJ?”
- “Can you give me references that I can contact?”
- “Do you offer any other perks other than deejaying?” (i.e. lighting, photo booth rental, etc.)
- “Can you do….(Insert special request here)?”
- “How long can you DJ? What is cost of that time?”
- “Do you charge overtime fees if our wedding reception runs late?”
- “How much of a deposit is required and when will the balance be due?”
- “Do you charge a travel fee?”
- “What is your policy in case of an emergency or cancellation?”
- “Can you provide me proof of your insurance?”
- “How many meetings do you typically set up with clients? When are the meetings?”
- “Can we do meetings over the phone or internet instead of in-person meetings?”
- “Do you have back up DJs and equipment available for just in case?”
- “How early do you arrive at the wedding reception?”
- “What kind of electrical needs does your equipment require?” (for an outdoor wedding)
- “What is included in your wedding package?”
- “Do you provide dinner music as part of our package?”
- “When do you need information from me?”
- “When should I give you a list of my favorite songs and songs I do not want played at my reception?”
- “Will your DJ be in formal attire?”
- “Will the DJ act as Master of Ceremonies (MC) at our wedding reception?”
- “How many years of wedding experience does my DJ have?”
- “How do we contact you as we plan our wedding?”
How much does a wedding DJ cost?
This is one of the most difficult questions to answer online because the cost of your wedding DJ depends on so many factors, including what you need and want (i.e. lighting, photo booth rental, etc.) What we can answer here is a solid tip: don’t underestimate the cost of a quality DJ. Yes, you need to save money and stick to your wedding budget. However, hiring the cheapest or that “DJ friend of a friend” that can give you a killer deal has it’s downsides: sub-par equipment, no back-up in case of emergencies, no extras, crappy DJ horror stories…the list could go on and on. When vetting potential DJ’s, be selective and hire a quality DJ (we’ve listed what to look for in a quality wedding DJ here) so you don’t end up regretting your choice on your big day.
