25 Questions to Ask Your Wedding DJ Before You Hire Them
You’ve said “Yes”, you’ll marry the love of your life. Congratulations! Once you have your wedding location and date set, it won’t be long before you start to think about your wedding DJ. The right DJ will bring your dance floor to life and can help your entire reception flow smoothly. But how do you make sure you land the right person or team? We’re here to help with a list of questions to ask your wedding DJ before you hire them.
A great wedding DJ will set the tone for your reception and keep things running on time. So, how do you find the perfect DJ for your big day? The short answer is—research. To help you get started, here are 25 questions to ask your wedding DJ before you sign on the dotted line.
1. How long have you worked as a wedding DJ?
Among the questions to ask your wedding DJ, this might be the most important. An experienced DJ will come prepared for your big day; they will have contacts within the industry and experience working with a wide range of venues.
2. What are your pricing packages?
A reputable wedding DJ will offer different price points for different service levels. Ask about their pricing packages, so you can figure out the cost of services you’ll need.
3. Can we see a sample contract?
When you’re considering questions to ask your wedding DJ, remember to include the ones that get down to the nitty-gritty of contracts. Seeing a sample contract will help you understand what to expect and where you could run into extra costs.
4. Have you worked at our wedding venue?
While previous experience at a wedding venue isn’t critical, as you consider questions to ask your wedding DJ, this one can be useful. If a DJ knows the ins and outs of a specific venue, they can help guide some of your decisions around spacing, electrical supplies, and more. They might also have a relationship with the venue staff, which can help things flow smoothly.
5. Do you have a signature style of music?
By asking a potential DJ if they have a go-to genre or a signature style, you can get a feel for the kind of vibe they use to get people dancing. These conversations will help you to understand a DJ’s personality and whether you think they might be a good fit.
6. Can we have a Do-Not-Play list?
Let’s face it — everyone has a handful of songs they can’t stand. Ask your potential DJ if they are willing to keep and follow a no-go list. Of all the questions to ask your wedding DJ, this one might be the most overlooked. On the day of your wedding, you’ll be glad you had the conversation.
7. Do you work alone or with a team?
This is one of the most important questions to ask your wedding DJ, given that working alone can be risky. If your wedding DJ is a solo performer, what happens if he or she is sick or has an emergency on the night of your wedding? In a post-Covid world, this is an important question to ask.
8. Do you have backup equipment?
Be sure to ask a potential DJ if they have backup systems for their equipment. Knowing your vendors are prepared with technical backups will give you peace of mind as your wedding draws near.
9. How do you get a reluctant crowd engaged?
You want your guests up and dancing at your wedding. But what if they’re feeling shy or reluctant? Ask how your DJ would get people up and dancing.
10. Do you have additional services we can use?
Often, an established DJ will have additional services available, should they be of interest to you. Using your DJ for things like photo booth services, videography, and/or enhancements such as uplighting or specialized dance floors can elevate your reception without the complication of multiple vendors.
Those are the top 10 questions to ask out of 25 questions to ask a wedding DJ before you hire them.
11. Do you test your equipment at the venue?
As you consider questions for your wedding DJ, don’t forget to ask if they will run a sound check at your venue, on the day of your wedding. Ask if they’ll coordinate this with the venue themselves — one less thing on your to-do list!
12. Can you act as emcee for our wedding?
Not every DJ is willing to act as an emcee. They may not enjoy the role or feel they don’t have the right skills. If you might want your DJ to act as emcee, ask if it is an option, and about pricing.
13. How do you handle insurance?
It’s always important to talk about insurance ahead of time. Ask your potential DJ how they handle liability insurance, for your peace of mind.
14. How do you create your set lists?
Let’s face it — the music played at your wedding matters. Ask how a potential DJ will create a set list for your big day. Ask how you can provide input and if your guests will be invited to suggest songs at the wedding itself.
15. How much talking do you do between songs?
We’ve all been to wedding receptions where the DJ gets carried away with the mic. Among the questions to ask a wedding DJ is how much talking they do, while the dance floor is in use.
16. Can I see videos of your work?
Of course, nothing tells the story quite like a video. Ask if you can see live footage of a potential DJ at work. If he/she is unable to provide this simple request, it might be a red flag.
17. Can I speak to your former clients?
One of the best ways to know what you can expect from a potential DJ is to speak to their references. As you consider questions to ask your wedding DJ, don’t shy away from this one — ask to speak to three or more former clients.
18. What are you working to get better at?
If this sounds like an interview question, that’s the point! You want to know that a potential DJ is working to improve, not too comfortable in their job that they might take things for granted.
19. What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made at a wedding?
Mistakes happen. Asking this question does not mean you’ll be disappointed by the answer, but it’s a good idea to hear how they recover from mistakes.
20. What happens during your breaks at our wedding?
Naturally, your DJ will need to take breaks during your wedding reception. Ask what they will do to keep the dance floor moving. Will they ask an assistant to step in? Will they play a soundtrack until they return? How long do their breaks normally last?
21. What is your cancellation policy?
This is important to know. When you’re deciding which questions to ask your wedding DJ, make sure you know the details of their cancellation policy, should you need to use it.
22. What do you need from us to set you up for success?
If you have the sense that you’d like to work with a given DJ, be sure to ask what you can do on your end, to help them do their best work. Chances are, the list will be short, but it’s important to be on the same page.
23. What if it rains?
If you’re planning an outdoor wedding, you’ll need rain plans for almost all your vendors. Ask your potential DJ how they operate, in the event of rain.
24. Will you do a venue walk-through with us?
As you get closer to your big day, you may want to do a final venue walk-through, to make sure you’ve thought of everything. As you’re deciding which questions to ask your wedding DJ, think about asking if they would be willing to do a walk-through with you, especially if they’ve never worked at the venue before.
25. Can we make special requests in our contract?
If you know you’ll have special or unusual requests around your wedding, and you’re finalizing your list of questions to ask your wedding DJ, ask if you can add clauses or make changes to your working contract.
There you go, there are 25 questions to ask your wedding DJ before hiring them.
Your Trusted Partner for Wedding Services in Detroit
At Pro DJ Services, we look forward to answering all your questions. We’ll help to create an unforgettable wedding night for you and your guests. As professional wedding DJs, we bring fun and energy to your event, with years of experience and unmatched professionalism. We deliver high-energy expertise and know how to get your crowd moving.
Serving Detroit and southwest Michigan, we are proud of the awards and recognition we have received. Whether you are looking for wedding DJ services, photo booth services, videography, photography, or something else, we’re ready to elevate your special day. And if you have more than 25 questions to ask your wedding DJ, you can ask us as many as you want. We are here to help you, contact us to learn more.