Day #12: Questions to Ask a Potential DJ

from Erik Michaels and June Hoffman of Megasound

Here are just a few questions to ask when interviewing disc jockeys for your wedding reception in Fort Wayne or other areas.


-How many years of wedding experience do you have as a DJ (disc jockey)?
-How are you different from other disc jockeys?
-What type of attire do you perform in?
-What types of planning assistance do you give before the wedding?

Check out Megasound's “Key Questions” page for additional information and questions for prospective DJ’s!

What Kind of Attire do YOU Think is Appropriate for Your Wedding?

by Erik Michaels of Megasound

Today I am going to discuss a bit about DJ/MC attire at weddings. I realize that some DJs don't want to wear formalwear because they are afraid of being mistaken for a wedding party member. This is a lousy excuse not to wear a tuxedo or formal dress. Any performer "worth his/her salt", so to speak, should look the part. If the wedding party can wear tuxedoes and formal dresses, then why wouldn't a professional DJ/MC want to look his or her best also? Of course, obviously there are some DJs who either AREN'T professional or don't want to be confused with being professional. This is unfortunate for those of us who actually care about what we do and want to do our best at every wedding.

Since a wedding DJ/MC will be representing the bride and groom, he or she should want to put their best foot forward as to his or her appearance. Perhaps I am a bit old-fashioned...but I have seen other DJs perform weddings in shorts or jeans and a T-shirt. Setting up equipment in that type of clothing is fine, but actually WORKING in that apparel just didn't seem right. I suppose I liken it to seeing my doctor at the beach in a swimming suit. That apparel is fine for the beach, but I don't think I would want to see him WORKING in it.
Here at Megasound, we allow our clients to have the final say in our performance attire. However, unless otherwise specified, our DJ/MCs perform in formal apparel and our assistants are required to wear standard business outfits. Our clients hire us to perform their wedding, not play volleyball in the backyard.

Will Megasound be Around for MY Wedding?

from Erik Michaels of Megasound

Megasound has been in business continuously since 1985. Many DJ (disc jockey) companies come and go, but you will not have to worry whether we will still be in business the day of your wedding. We are committed to excellence and our clients.

It is true that many so-called DJ companies are not operating legally within the community which they serve. Most of these "moonlighters" do not carry insurance and offer very low prices. Once again, one usually gets what one pays for. A DJ who doesn't insure himself puts YOUR wedding at risk. If his equipment gets stolen, he is likely to contact his clients and cancel on them.

Megasound is also locally owned and operated right here in Fort Wayne, Indiana. We are not part of some franchise or any other company, so there is no risk of our company pulling up stakes and moving operations to some other location.

Why Should Your Wedding Entertainer Have Many Years of Experience?

by Erik Michaels of Megasound

This may seem like a silly question; but simply put, more experience generally equals better performance. One cannot expect top-notch performance from an individual who doesn't "know the ropes", so to speak. Weddings are a one-shot deal for couples.

Many MC/DJs (master of ceremonies/disc jockeys) call themselves "professional" but conduct themselves in a manner far from professional due to a lack of experience. Many so-called professionals perform only a minimal number of weddings per year and are simply hobbyists. A true professional will generally perform at weddings regularly every weekend and an amateur may only perform at weddings 8 or 10 times per year.

An entertainer who has over 20 years' experience has been through hundreds of weddings. They have experienced different styles and types of weddings, different music, different traditions, and more than likely has had their fair share of problems of all types. Basically put, the more wedding experience an entertainer has, the more likely they will be able to handle any problem as well as offer you better service than someone with less experience.

A more experienced entertainer will generally be more interested in accomplishing YOUR goals rather than his or her own goals. For instance, almost any DJ/MC is interested in your guests having a good time dancing. However, if you and your guests really aren't the dancing type, an experienced professional will find other means to keep you and your guests busy having fun at your wedding. This is very important, since your guests will remember whether or not they had fun at your wedding.

Experience is a key factor in whether your wedding is successful, fun, and problem-free for you. One often gets what they pay for, so please keep in mind that more experienced entertainers are probably going to charge more for their knowledge than those individuals with less wedding experience. Considering how much of an effect an entertainer will have on the overall atmosphere at your wedding, it definitely pays to spend a little bit more than you originally thought you would and be happy with the results than to try to save a couple hundred bucks and be greatly disappointed after your reception.

Why should your entertainer use professional grade equipment?

By Erik Michaels of Megasound

Once the music starts, you don’t want it to stop. At your wedding, dead silence means no music, no announcements, and certainly, no dancing. If you envision your wedding with a packed dance floor and plenty of dancing, then you should be sure to ask any prospective entertainer about the types of equipment that they plan to use at your wedding.

You don’t have to be an audiophile to know that home stereo equipment is designed to sit on a shelf and play music for your listening pleasure. In the same manner, a car stereo is designed to play music in your car while you are driving around. Professional grade equipment is designed to withstand weekly transportation, dust, humidity, and temperature extremes as well as set up and tear down. Experienced, dedicated, professional DJ/MCs and bands will use sound equipment designed for the job, not consumer grade equipment designed to sit on a shelf.

When looking at pictures or video of your entertainers equipment, simply ask questions. This is important if the equipment looks old or questionable. Ask to see photos of the actual equipment that will be used at your wedding. If you see too many warning signs, then reconsider hiring that entertainer.

Be sure to ask about on-site back up equipment. A back up amplifier or CD player does you no good if it is in someone’s garage or in another town. True professionals have backups for all types of potential hazards. They know how important your wedding is and how things will look to your guests if the sound simply stops. Nowadays, with many professionals turning to computerized music files, ipods, flash drives, etc., it pays to make sure that they have a backup for their devices. If all their music is on a hard drive and they have no backup, what happens if their hard drive goes down?