TIPS FOR HIRING A DJ – PRICE vs. PROFESSIONALISM
Did you know that most couples spend less than 3% of their wedding budget on entertainment? In a survey of thousands of brides, when asked what they remembered most about their reception, 80% said that it was the entertainment or lack thereof. When asked if they had to do it over again, 80% said that they wished they had done a better job choosing professional entertainment.
Your DJ can have a tremendous impact on the success of your reception. When shopping for a DJ you should consider several factors before signing a contract.
How long has the company/individual been in business? Do they have wedding experience?
Tunes by T has been providing DJ services at more than 2,500 receptions since 1983. We specialize in worry-free wedding celebrations. You will be hard-pressed to find anyone who has entertained at more wedding receptions than we have.
How will my DJ be attired?
You choose how you’d like your DJ/Emcee to dress whether it be tux, semi-formal or business casual. Our standard wedding apparel is a semi-formal unless otherwise specified.
Is the DJs sound system adequate enough to handle my event?
Many DJ services have their employees transport the equipment in their car. Most cars aren’t big enough to transport speakers adequate enough to handle even a medium-sized reception hall. Every Tunes by T system is equipped with State-of-the-Art sound systems including sub woofers to ensure highest quality sound. All of our equipment is transported in our own commercial vans.
Will the DJ set up the equipment before the guests arrive?
Tunes by T will always set up prior to guest arrival as not to interfere with or interrupt your guests.
Will my DJ have a professional looking set up?
Many DJs will simply set their equipment on whatever table happens to be at the hall. Tunes by T has custom-built consoles to house our equipment. We also custom skirt our console to match the room décor or the bridesmaid’s dresses.
What color are your cords?
This may seem like a silly question, but think about it. Would you like to see bright orange extension cords and grey duct tape everywhere? Tunes by T uses only black power cords, mic cords and speaker cords. We also use only black, non-residue, gaffers tape. We go the extra mile to maintain our professionalism.
Will my DJ make sure that the reception’s events (introductions, speeches, special dances, announcements, etc.) are properly handled?
We see it as our job to make sure that your reception flows in a smooth and timely fashion. We will work with all your service providers (coordinator, photographer, caterer, videographer etc.) to make sure each event or special dance is properly announced, performed and recorded.
Do you provide a wireless microphone for speeches, welcomes, toasts, blessings, etc.?
Tunes by T provides a handheld wireless microphone for every event.
Is this a part-time job or “hobby” for my DJ?
This is a full-time profession for Tunes by T. Receptions comprise about 70% of our work.
Will my DJ play the music that WE want to hear?
Many services may not even ask you for your input on the music. Others may ask you for a few titles and then fill in with whatever they want to play. With Tunes by T you can pick every song that is played for your reception. You can also let us know how you’d like us to handle requests from your guests. You can even let us know what specific songs or types of songs you don’t want hear. If you’re not sure what your guests will enjoy, leave it to us. Music is why we’re in business and why we’ve been so successful. We have a knack for knowing what songs will pack a dance floor and keep it filled.
***Special Note: If a large percentage (>30%) of your music preferences stray from our playlist/featured artists (e.g. Salsa, Indian, Tejano), you may want to consider hiring a DJ who is more familiar with that type of music. Although we consider ourselves to be very versed in all genres of popular music, we’d hate to “guess” at which of your selections to play if we’re not familiar with them.
Is your music library current?
Our music library is updated weekly. We typically have about 99% of the requests that we get. If we don’t have it, we will get it. If we can’t locate it we will ask you to bring it. We will be happy to play it for you.
Do you play music from YouTube or other cloud-based apps such as Spotify, Pandora or Amazon Prime?
Almost never. All of our music is purchased. It’s a dangerous proposition relying on the internet for your music play back. We have spent over $150,000.00 amassing a huge music library over the past 40 years. In fact, we own virtually every song that has hit the Billboard Top 40 music charts since 1955.
Will my DJ be advertising their company at my reception?
You will not see any advertising or signs on our equipment. Nor will you hear us promoting our company over the microphone. It’s not about us, it’s about you.
Will my DJ be cheesy, vulgar or tacky? Will they try to “steal the show” by talking on the microphone excessively or wearing goofy costumes?
We speak on the microphone only when necessary to make sure events flow in a smooth fashion. We don’t like to talk over the lyrics of a song. We will never use profanity on the microphone nor will we ever encourage inappropriate behavior by your guests. We consider ourselves fun and outgoing in a tasteful manner.
Do I have to worry about explicit lyric content being played?
All of our music is “radio” friendly. If you’d like to set tighter restrictions on the
music we can certainly accommodate your wishes. This is another good reason for a DJ to not play music from the clouds or YouTube. You never know exactly what you will get.
Will the music be so loud that my guests will have a hard time conversing with one another?
We do our best to keep the music at comfortable listening levels. This is especially important during the social/dinner portion of your reception. Typically the music will be louder once the dancing begins. Enhanced music levels encourage a fun, party atmosphere. We try to concentrate the music on the dance floor once the dancing
has begun. If at any time you think the music is too loud, let us know and we’ll adjust accordingly.
Do you bring lighting?
Lighting is provided at no additional charge and is optional. We recommend professional LED lighting to add excitement to the atmosphere and energize the dance floor. We don’t recommend smoke or messy bubbles or sirens or strobe lighting.
Will my DJ smoke or drink on the job?
Tunes by T employees maintain their professionalism by refraining from cigarettes, drugs and alcohol at all times.
Does the DJ take breaks?
We never take breaks unless you want us to. The music is delivered non-stop. One of the benefits of hiring a DJ is that we can change the music up instantly if it isn’t working.
Does the DJ ever bring a friend or “date” with them to keep them company?
Tunes by T only sends trained staff members to your event. Friends or dates will only distract the DJs attention away from where it needs to be.
Can I trust that my DJ will refrain from “flirting with” or “hitting on” any of my guests?
That type of behavior is totally unprofessional. You will not see that with Tunes by T.
Most DJ’s I see usually just sit down and play the music. Is this normal?
Any DJ who takes their job seriously should be standing and attentive to the flow of the reception and the dance floor activities throughout the event.
Do we have to feed our DJ?
No. Feeding the DJ is optional.
Does the DJ bring back up equipment should the need arise?
We bring a minimum of three self-powered speakers. If one should fail there would only be a minimal loss of sound. Currently our music library is filled digitally as mp3s and played through a laptop. Should that system fail, we bring a backup laptop. In addition to a wireless microphone we always carry a wired microphone as well.
How do we know who our DJ will be?
If you’ve seen one of our DJ’s in action and would like to request that person, by all means please let us know. We send out DJs based on your preferences. We will discuss with you the type of personality that you’re looking for and go over your musical tastes and preferences. We will then match up a DJ who we feel will best suit your needs.
Can we meet with our DJ ahead of time?
Certainly. In fact, we encourage you to meet with us even before you select a DJ service to see if you think we’d be a good fit for you.
Have I forgotten to ask anything?
I know it’s hard choosing the right entertainment without knowing anyone in the business. Everyone can look good on paper. I strongly encourage you to ask around. Ask your friends and colleagues. Talk to other service professionals that you are working with. Many venues will have a list of preferred vendors. Banquet managers and photographers have probably seen and heard more DJ’s than anyone. Check the company’s references. If you choose a DJ service based on price alone, you are setting yourself up for disaster. We are not selling “things”, we are selling once-in-a-lifetime experiences and memories. Don’t take any chances.
We are proud to offer you a 100% money-back guarantee. If you are not completely satisfied with our service we will gladly refund your money.
Thank you for taking the time to read this information. I hope it helps you in deciding reception entertainment that is right for you. If you have any more questions please feel free to email or call. Good luck with your planning!