Entertainment for your wedding is one of the most important decisions that can make or break your wedding’s vibe. If you’re like many Milwaukee couples looking for a wedding DJ and don’t know where to start, read on! Our goal is to educate you on what wedding DJs do, why they are important and how to pick the right one.
To gain more insight, we sat down with our friend Torie Gamez, owner of Sound By Design, to learn more about what sets a great DJ apart from the rest. We’d like to thank Sound By Design for sponsoring this article and giving us some great advice!
1. The Night’s Success Will Depend on Your DJ
All of your wedding vendors will have an impact on the success of your wedding, but your DJ is what keeps your party lit. Think about it – even if everything else is perfect, if the entertainment falls short you’ll start to see your friends and family filter out of your wedding before it’s even over.
In addition to playing amazing music, your DJ will set the tone of the night. Everything from wedding party announcements, transitions from dinner to dancing and the vibe for the evening will depend on your DJ.
2. Research & Differentiate Between DJ Companies
Not all DJ companies are created the same, and it’s important to differentiate between DJs and companies. For example, some companies are one person and some have multiple DJs. Some DJs will just play music while others will MC your event and make sure the night flows smoothly. In fact, our friends at Sound By Design have a close-knit group of DJs and bring two DJs to every event helping ensure the night’s success.
Skills and experience play a big part in the decision process too. A good DJ plays good music, but a great DJ adapts to the distinct vibe of your party. They play the right music at the right time to get the dance floor packed – which is exactly what you want!
3. Always Meet With DJs Before Hiring Them
One big recommendation Sound By Design had is to always meet your DJ prior to hiring them. We 100 percent agree with this! When meeting with your DJ they should be able to tell you what makes them the best choice for your wedding and what sets them apart from other DJs.
Another thing that Sound By Design does during the meeting process is get to know you and match you with one of their DJs. This ensures you’ll get a DJ that fits your personality and music style – to keep you and your guests partying all night long.
4. Know What DJs Do (it’s more than just music!)
Entertainment is such an important part of your wedding – if you’ve ever been to a wedding with a bad DJ and empty dance floor, you know exactly what we mean. However, a great DJ does more than just play music – they make sure the biggest party of your life goes off without a hitch.
When discussing this with Sound By Design, they told us that one important thing they do is act as the night’s MC (Master of Ceremonies). In this role, they ensure everything flows seamlessly from helping guests move from the ceremony to the reception, managing timelines for speeches, dances and announcements, all to make sure your wedding reception is awesome.
5. What To Look for When Hiring a Wedding DJ
According to Sound By Design, experience is the number one thing to look for in a wedding DJ, but there’s so much more! Here’s a few of the top things to look for in a wedding DJ:
- Experience – The level of experience your DJ has, especially with weddings, will make a huge difference in the outcome of your night. Experienced DJs will also know how to handle the little issues that pop up with ease.
- Personality – If your DJ doesn’t have a great personality, or if they don’t vibe with you both, then you’re not going to have a good night
- Style – DJ’s style can range from cheesy to slick and modern, it’s up to you what you’ll like the best. Ask your wedding DJ to describe their style.
- Equipment – Think about the equipment your DJ will bring – in particular their sound system & DJ booth setup. Consider the quality of their equipment and the backup plans for any equipment failures. Ask these questions and if you don’t like the answers, move on.
- Additional Services – Do they offer lighting, event design, Master of Ceremonies, photo booth, or other things to make your event pop? Getting these services from the same vendor can save you money as well as time.
6. Remember This Goal: To Throw The Ultimate Party
Most people never plan an event as big, or as important, as their wedding. Doing a little research on potential wedding DJ companies and meeting with them before you hire them is the best way to find a DJ you like and trust.
Special thanks again to Sound By Design for sponsoring this article and providing these tips. They’ve been the DJ at literally thousands of Milwaukee weddings so they know their stuff. Check out Sound By Design’s Spotify Playlists for even more insight to their music expertise and vibe.
