04/20/2021
Advice from the pros: let's talk about DJs!
Disclaimer: If we mention it or take the time to give you advice about it, that means it's something we have definitely seen happen more than once in real life at a real wedding. We don't waste time with fluff or things that don't really, REALLY matter for your wedding, so just know that if we talk about it, it's critical!
If you are looking for a place to cut costs, don't let it be your DJ. Cut your flowers before you cut your DJ budget. Seriously...Your DJ will 100% make or break your wedding ceremony and reception. Here's why: They have the microphone and the sound system! That means they are the only one who can successfully break through the noise of the crowd to make something happen (or not). Even if you have the best coordinator on the planet, the wrong DJ can override that person just because they have the ability to be the loudest person in the room. That's actually a little terrifying if you think about the wrong person having that power.
Things we have seen the WRONG choice of DJ do at a wedding:
1. Get drunk. Yes, really. If anyone should be sober at your wedding, it's the one who's running the microphone and music. It should go without saying, but if you've paid someone to control an event, they should be coherent at a very minimum.
2. Decide to throw their own party, not the party that the bride and groom wanted. It's critical that your DJ cares about what you want your party to be like, and not take it as an opportunity to be the star of a show you maybe didn't want.
3. Completely disregard all other vendors. Example: A DJ that is on their own schedule might just decide on a whim that it's time to do the cake cutting, so they announce it and play the song....and because it was announced and everyone thought that was what was supposed to happen, it happened. However, they didn't check to make sure the photographer was ready and they happened to be in the restroom, so now you have no photos of that moment. There's nothing you can do to get that back....but the DJ had the power of the mic.
4. Last but not least, just plain lack of professionalism. Foul language, rudeness, sloppy appearance, running late, broken or out of date equipment, not being able to switch gears quickly, lack of experience...all of these are things that could contribute to your DJ just straight up not being a good time. We know that everyone starts out somewhere and it's OK to hire someone who's less experienced, as long as you've made sure that your best interest is at heart and they are going to take your wedding seriously.
One other thing we have run into recently is something called "Event Firms," DJ Groups, or large DJ companies. While these often have hundreds, even thousands of reviews, the problem is you often don't know which individual DJ will be assigned to your wedding until the month of, or possibly even the week of, the event. In our experience these are hit or miss.
If you need a recommendation for a DJ, we keep our list EXTREMELY short and sweet...meaning we have had exactly 0 bad experiences with anyone on it. Shoot us a DM (even if you're not one of our clients) and we are happy to give you a reference you'll be thrilled with. 🥰
Image: Outland Weddings
