Most people have no experience hiring a DJ. It can be a scary and unsettling experience–after all, the photographer can show you pictures, the caterer lets you sample the food, and you can see and physically touch the venues you visit. So how do you hire a DJ? Sure, we can show you a performance in pictures, in short YouTube clips or give you a presentation on a laptop. But it’s not the same. You know it and we know it. One would suppose the best way to see our work would be to go to a wedding where we were performing. And some DJs will let you do that, though I personally am against the idea–would you want some strange couple(s) wandering into your reception uninvited? Even if you gave the DJ permission, you still don’t know how this particular couple will behave. Will the free bar be a temptation, keeping them there well after they’ve worn out their welcome? There are too many variables to this scenario that I’m not comfortable with. You have hired me to be your DJ, not to try and win over prospective clients at your expense.
So how, then, do you decide on a DJ? Referrals are a great way to start. A good portion of the events we do are from referrals of past clients. I just booked a wedding yesterday that is the 5th referral from just one wedding. But what if you don’t know anyone that’s used a DJ or everyone you know has had bad experiences with theirs? I’ll do my best to help you answer that question. (Disclaimer: I’m obviously biased towards my own company, but by no means am asking you to book me in this article and am doing my best to keep this from being a self-serving piece. I’m just trying to help. Do your research!)
Online reviews are a good way to see what others have said and there are a ton of review sites out there–Wedding Wire, The Knot, Google, the list goes on. But with anything you read on the internet take reviews with a grain of salt. It is incredibly easy for an unscrupulous DJ (or any vendor, really) to leave fake reviews–both positive AND negative. The vast majority of what you read are real reviews, but again don’t take everything you read to be 100% truthful. The wedding industry is incredibly competitive and unfortunately some will go out of their way to inflate reviews or discredit others.
That being said and considering there are a ton of DJs in Columbus, here’s where you should start.
First, find a handful that fit into your budget. Inexpensive doesn’t necessarily mean bad, nor does expensive necessarily mean good. Price isn’t always an indicator of talent or quality, but it can definitely be an indicator of amount of equipment–if you need custom monogram lights, uplighting, photobooths, etc expect to pay more. Otherwise price is more arbitrary than one would think–there is no set price for DJ services and you’ll see that prices vary wildly between us. Some, especially higher-priced DJs are willing to negotiate as well–don’t be afraid to ask. I personally am of the opinion that I love what I do and would rather work with 60 different couples a year and charge a reasonable rate of $475 than charge $1000 and only work with 30. I love doing weddings–every couple, every venue and every weekend is different for me. And I’m not discounting those that charge more than I do–but be cautious that adding the word ‘wedding’ inflates the price for many vendors–sometimes justifiably, sometimes not.
Now that you’ve narrowed down your search a bit, it’s time to contact the DJs companies you like. Keep in mind the most important part of a DJ company is the DJ itself. It it imperative that you meet the DJ that is going to perform at your wedding before you book the company. There are two types of DJ companies out there, the single operators and the multi-ops–meaning they have a staff of DJs. Technically I have two other DJs that work for me so I fall into the latter category. Some multi-ops are so large that they have many offices in many different cities. The problem with many of these companies is that they will have you meet with the owner or local sales rep, he’ll give you a great sales pitch and then you’ll get any DJ they have available for your wedding without you actually ever meeting the DJ prior to your special day. Even if you get lucky and get to meet him close to the wedding, there’s no turning back if you don’t like him. You’ve already signed a contract. Think about this–you’ve met your photographer in person. You’ve met your officiant, your planner, etc etc etc–why would you trust your entertainment in the hands of a person that you’ve never met? I never let a couple book us without meeting their DJ, whether it’s myself, Higgins or Mike. You are hiring a DJ company and part of that hiring process is making sure you and your DJ vibe. I met an owner of a multi-op a few months ago that said that people like us are ruining it for the multis because we allow them to meet the DJ before the contract is signed. I simply shrugged my shoulders, said “seems like common sense to me” and walked away.
Very closely tied to DJ personality is style. The DJ stereotype is of the guy with the cheesy radio voice (think Ted Williams, the homeless guy with the “golden voice”) who plays the macarena, chicken dance and polkas. He brings props like inflatable sombreros, and talks way too much on the mic. There are many DJs that subscribe to this formula, and that’s fine–but make sure that’s what you want. I live by the saying “it’s your wedding, not the Buckeye Entertainment show.” Most couples that I meet are looking for a low key DJ that is willing to act as an MC but only make announcements when necessary (like intros, first dances, etc) and keeps the cheesy stuff at home. I personally am very proud of the fact that I’ve never played the chicken dance at a wedding. Make sure that the DJ you choose is of the same mindset as you are. I, as a DJ, prefer to let the music I play keep the party going.
Speaking of music, there are a few important things to ask. First, do they have or are they willing to get all of the music you want prior to your event? I’ll be the first to admit that despite having almost a quarter-million songs I still get stumped from time to time. That’s why I ask for my reception form to be filled out a few weeks in advance. It gives me time to find the music you want (and I view it as a challenge!) Most DJs however don’t have nearly as much music as I do, and that’s perfectly fine. You honestly don’t need anywhere near that much. But you do need to make sure that they have what you want for your event. I know of a DJ in Columbus that only has a handful of country songs and isn’t willing to get any more. He’s not a country fan and refuses to play country. As professionals, we shouldn’t allow our personal tastes to interject. But it obviously happens. Ask.
Also ask about guest requests. Assuming you are cool with guest requests your DJ should be as well, provided they stay within the parameters of your Do-Not-Play list (also something you should ask about.) I was at my wife’s cousin’s wedding in Minnesota in 2009 and the DJ refused to listen to guest requests. He even bragged to me how he threw away all the slips the bride had given him (she had guests return favorite songs with her RSVPs) saying that the guests had no idea what works and what doesn’t. It made me sick. (And he was a terrible DJ, by the way. Played the chicken dance TWICE.) I’ll be the first to admit that occasionally guests will requests songs that aren’t necessarily appropriate for a wedding. That’s why we use professional discretion. But as I was talking to this DJ a guest approached and asked for “Low” by Flo Rida. He said he wouldn’t play it and after the guest walked away admitted to me that he didn’t actually have the song but even if he did he wouldn’t play it. At most weddings I do that’s a floor filler, and I was taken aback by his unwillingness to play (and even own!) such a popular song.
Speaking of obnoxious DJs, clarify their advertising policy at your event. Some will display giant banners advertising their service ruining the beautiful ambiance you worked so hard to create. Others will setup banners in hallways or foyers. I personally put a business card holder with a few cards next to my computer. Simple and tasteful. If a DJ does a good job referrals will automatically come–they don’t need to put up a billboard at your event.
When talking about the DJ’s setup, make sure you are comfortable with the footprint they are going to take up at your event. Depending on equipment a DJ can use a very small space or a very large space. The most common complaint I hear is about lighting trusses. Basically these are the very large black lighting trusses that span the DJ’s 6-8 foot table and take up a ton of space. They are also very conspicuous. While they are very functional and when used correctly can hold a ton of lights they aren’t always necessary. I personally only use one lighting tripod that sits either behind me or behind a speaker and takes up very little space and is very inconspicuous. The downfall is that if you are looking for a blow-your-mind light show this type of setup won’t deliver. It will most certainly fill a dance floor but can only hold so many lights. I think it is a nice balance between classy and club, but again it’s all about what you want for your event.
When talking about the footprint, ask if the DJ is familiar with your venue. Just because a DJ hasn’t been there doesn’t mean you shouldn’t book him but it DOES mean he should be willing to check out the facilities before the event (preferably with you.) This is a lesson I’ve learned personally. There were a few events that I did early in my career that I went into the venue sight unseen the day of the event and found out I didn’t have the right equipment, whether it wasn’t enough cables or enough speakers to fill the space. Luckily I lived close by to both and was able to send my assistant to get what I needed before the start time. If a DJ isn’t intimately familiar with your choice of venue he should be willing to meet you there to talk about table placement, sound coverage and logistics (like load-in and out). With the literally hundreds of venues in Central Ohio there is a chance that a DJ hasn’t been to your venue–again, that’s not a negative against him but unwillingness to visit the venue is.
Most venues also require that your DJ carries insurance, though only a few right now require the DJ to prove it. The DJ should be able to provide you with proof of insurance. The average policy is $1,000,000 per occurrence. Though I’ve never had to use mine, there’s been a few events where my heart skipped a beat as little kids running around came dangerously close to my speakers when I had my back turned taking a request from a guest. God forbid a 65 pound speaker 6 feet in the air were to topple on someone after they bumped into a tripod. A good DJ will take precautions and locate equipment (especially tripod legs) out of the way of traffic but accidents do happen. Make sure they are insured.
Finally make sure that your DJ is comfortable acting as a day-of coordinator. You may have a planner or your venue may offer day-of service, but ultimately the flow of events is in the hands of the DJ. We are the ones with the microphone and music. The DJ should have a timeline worked out with you or your planner well in advance of your event. The way I like to do it is to have a general timeline (like cocktail hour is from 6-7 and dinner 7-8) with a specific order of events. Some couples (or venues) will have a timeline down to the minute for each event e.g. cake cutting at 9:08 PM. I’ve never, in the hundreds of weddings I’ve done, seen one go exactly on time. Rather, I like to know that the cake cutting will be after dinner, followed by first dances etc. So if dinner is until 8 the cake cutting will be somewhere around then depending on factors like if guests are finished eating, if the bride and groom would like to mingle for a bit, etc. However, there is fine line between sticking to a schedule to the minute and a laissez faire approach. If dinner finishes at 8 and the bride and groom only have two more tables of guests to speak to (out of 20) the DJ should let them finish. But if they’ve only spoken to two out of twenty tables by 8 then the DJ should take a different approach. Make sure your DJ clarifies how he handles timelines and order of events. Every DJ is different and no specific approach is perfect but make sure you are both on the same page.
I could type all afternoon, but it sounds like my baby is waking from her nap. 
Again, without being too redundant–ask questions, ask questions, ask questions!
Remember, the guests will forget what the cake looked like, they’ll forget what they had for dinner, but they’ll never forget how much fun they had at your wedding. Put your event in the hands of people you trust.
). These are an unbiased, unfiltered look at venues around central Ohio. If you have any feedback, please feel free to leave it on the comments section.
