Folks sometimes ask if I have videos from my weddings. Although I have video footage from many of my events, I believe you can get a better feel for a potential DJ from their website, reviews and correspondence. Perhaps I’m a bit old fashioned, but I always prefer to begin with a brief phone call to potential clients and see if we might be a good fit.
Of course, it can be helpful to see what your prospective DJ wears or what their setup looks like–I therefore offer a bio and brochure. But I think it might be difficult to know how a DJ will perform over the course of a 6 hour event from a 1 minute promotional video.
Instead of videos, I have chosen to focus on quality design, helpful content, client planning tools, and quick, friendly service. Naturally, I also invest in high quality gear that sounds awesome. Each wedding I perform at is different–with varying ages, tastes and flow. It would be a challenge and perhaps limiting, to select which weddings to showcase in a promotional video.
For most couples, this is their first time booking a DJ and/or musicians. How do you choose from all of the candidates–literally anyone can purchase equipment and call themselves a DJ. Most DJ companies that produce promo videos recruit their DJs from Craigslist with little or no experience necessary.
Another issue with DJ companies is that they have a fast turnover. So the person you think you are working with during the year leading up to your wedding suddenly quits and you could be left with someone new at the last minute.
My advice is to speak with your prospective DJs. Discuss music and their approach to an event. Do they seem friendly and cool? Do they ask the right questions? How do they handle a mic and transitions? You can quickly get a sense of who they are and whether they seem like a good fit for you and your style. Remember, they are representing you at your once-in-a-lifetime event. I’ve heard many stories about weddings where guests leave after dinner because an inexperienced DJ starts playing loud thumping music or something cheesy in an attempt to get the party started.
Probably the best way to find a DJ, if possible, is from referrals or attending an event where you can experience their professionalism throughout the course of an evening.
