— Wedding Choices
Couples who are getting married are worried. Wedding DJs can sometimes get frustrated with how they can be treated throughout the process.
There is a discrepancy here. But, exactly, what is the issue?
It varies depending on who you ask. DJs are frequently perplexed as to why brides and grooms treat the DJ as if they are the greatest in the world or a tangible item that can be replaced in a heartbeat.
Finding a good wedding DJ is easy, finding a great wedding DJ is not as easy.
While, the average bride can spend hours arguing over the dress, yet think they can find a DJ just by the playlist. That is not the case and can sometimes hurt a wedding experience not just for the bride and groom but family and friends as well.
The caterers are chosen by you. You obsess over flowers and the florist makes you sweat. You spend hours looking for the perfect site and church, not to mention time planning favors. You should do the same for the entertainment, the person hired to make the guests have a blast bringing entertainment to everyone.
But then you hire a DJ because he’s $100 less expensive than the next one. Or he’s a brother’s friend, or he works at the neighborhood bar on Tuesdays for karaoke nights. You may never see him work, inspect his equipment, or meet with him in person to ensure he’s qualified.
Every other key expense in most couples’ budgets is handled differently. You don’t pick one venue over another just because it’s $100 cheaper. Even if such cake (slathered with tubs of “ButterCream” icing) would be far less than one from the designer bakery downtown, few brides with a budget to work with buy their cakes from the discount grocery store or have Aunt Maria make it.
Instead, they look into it. They take photographs. They put amaretto fillings and hors d’oeuvres to the test. Finally, they choose the vendor who appears to be best equipped to provide the finest experience for their visitors.
— What Makes DJs Services So Different?
Part of the answer is an image problem. Most wedding DJs are thought to arrive fifteen minutes early, with a pair of speakers and cheesy circa-1970s LED screens, and play ‘We are Family’ all night.
We’re all confident in our ability to recognize a fantastic meal or a delectable dessert. However, few of us are at ease rating wedding DJs in the same way. We know that a good one can “start the party,” but we’re not sure how to identify the difference between a good, a great one and a terrible one.
Some people despise DJs so much that they choose to do away with them entirely, instead using their cousin’s new sound system to provide music for the dancing portion of the night.
This isn’t easy: you’ll need to rent pricey MC equipment, hire someone to look after the equipment or it’ll walk-away, potentially purchase insurance, and figure out how to get past or ignore technological issues like your cousin’s inexperience and time consuming delays between songs. Nonetheless, some people prefer this to the “saving a few bucks listening to the chicken dance every tenth song” or “drunk cousin introducing everyone” situation on their wedding day.
An iPod might be preferable than a lousy situation described above but a DJ however, the DJ is an important component of your five-hour reception, and some of them are excellent.
– When she was good, she was fantastic.
It may be difficult for the ordinary bride and groom to distinguish between a new DJ with low-end equipment and an experienced wedding DJ who understands how to turn timid and retiring Clark Kents into dance floor superheroes.
It’s possible that the first is nothing more than a glorified CD changer. He may or may not be aware of the many musical requirements that accompany traditional reception traditions such as cake cutting and the father/daughter dance. He might bring his entry-level Peavy subwoofers and set up his sound system in a way that ignores the quirks of your wedding venue.
Hundreds of weddings may have been emceed by the second. Along the way, he’s built something called voice and personality, which isn’t an impersonation of a radio host’s, but rather his own. He doesn’t practice for your wedding; he shows up with his abilities and a top-of-the-line sound system, which he’ll set up differently depending on considerations like whether your location is divided into multiple chambers (the cocktail lounge and the banquet area, for example).
Wedding DJs in the Monterey area and surrounding area more than know all the venues little quicks they worked and make sure they know the outdoor venues as well since it can get pretty windy in the evening hours.
If he’s a gearhead, he might even have specialty lighting capabilities you didn’t know about, like the capacity to have monogram lighting on the dance floor – or event sparklers for those special moments during certain dances. Some DJs go so far as to provide big photo booths to help capture additional memories during the reception.
The most vital abilities a professional wedding DJ will bring to your wedding are a polished demeanor, a formal-friendly image, and a complete understanding of what gets crowds up and dancing.
So, you’ve figured it out. You recognize that not all DJs are created equal, and that a good one may add as much value to your wedding as a high-end florist or baker. So, how do you track him down?
– Hire Wedding DJs who are dedicated to their work.
You’ll definitely want to interview DJs especially if they are just starting out because they’re still learning the ropes and will be practicing on your wedding. Instead, seek for wedding DJs that have had some years of experience in events and have that professional demeanor while you interview them.
Ask if they have public liability insurance in case Grandma slips over a speaker wire. This also demonstrates that they are professionals who do not cut corners and care about their practice.
Examine their sound systems and meet with them in person. Even if you don’t know your Geminis from your Peaveys or Mackies from your QSCs, or JBL’s a quick scan should reveal whether the DJ or firm invests in quality equipment. Most will be happy to show you around their top-of-the-line systems if you give them even a small reason.
Take a peek at their website, promotional photographs and videos while you are researching them. Check their online reviews, do they have tuxedos in case you may require one? Do they appear to be well-kept, are they getting sloppy drunk, or trying to hit on the single women or even the bride (yes that does happen)? Is their sound stage adorned with obnoxious self-promotional signs, or do they keep things under wraps being very professional?
— Activate X-Ray Vision
Everyone has the ability to choose a fantastic wedding DJ. All you have to do now is meet with them in person and take in everything they have to offer. Talk to them, their personality should shine through. Ask them what unique attributes they can offer to their wedding while you’re there. Inquire about their willingness to collaborate with you to make your special day even more memorable.
The DJ should be excited to meet you and should show an interest in the details of your venue by asking you questions. Any wedding DJ who is bothered or hesitant by any of this isn’t the one. If your DJ appears bored or gives you the impression that you’ll be simply another date on their calendar, they’re not the right fit.
— A Final Thought for the Couple
It’s true for the cake, it’s true for the steak tartare, and it’s true for your DJ – quality, not cheap, is the deciding factor. Do you want to remember what a terrific time everyone had when you look back on your wedding reception in years to come? At the very least, we saved some money on the DJ, you may say.
Wedding DJs that are good perceive themselves as part of a bigger picture. They plan to collaborate closely with your planner, photographer, and videographer, and to tailor their setup to your specific needs. So choose a skilled DJ who can assist you in customizing the night’s entertainment to your specific wedding.
And see what they have to offer to make your wedding reception special, Monterey wedding DJs are plenty but choosing one that knows the venue and asks you the right questions can be a great hire rather than saving a few hundred dollars.
