Is Your DJ Worthy of a Tip?

The cost to retain the services of a DJ can vary greatly and one might ask, should I tip my DJ after having already invested a significant amount of money for this service?  A DJ is a service provider and as is the case for many service providers, it is your discretion as to whether or not the provider earned a tip.  A professional DJ will never expect a tip and will be honored he was chosen as your entertainer.  I have outlined a few guidelines below to assist with the decision “to tip or not to tip”.

-Were your expectations exceeded?

-How well did your guests respond to the music selections and did everyone appear to have a great time?

-Did your DJ professionally manage your event, display good emcee skills and plan accordingly with you from start to finish?

-How well did your DJ interact with the other vendors you retained and did he employ a “team approach” to ensure your needs were met?

-Did your DJ treat everyone with courtesy and do his best to accommodate the needs of all in attendance?

-Did your DJ arrive on time and dress tactfully for your affair?

If the above were addressed to your satisfaction, it would not be out of line to tip your DJ.  Average tips for DJs in the wedding industry range from $50.00 to $150.00, as a guideline.  If you decide to tip, offer it at the conclusion of your event and place it in a thank you card or in an envelope.  It is suggested that the Best Man, Bride’s father or the Bride herself deliver the tip.  Prepare the tip ahead of time and adjust the amount accordingly prior to delivering it.  Extend a personal “thank you” to all of your vendors whom you feel worked hard and enthusiastically to make your celebration a success.       

Your DJ And The Music

At your event, who controls the volume for which the music is to be played?  If you answered “the DJ”, try again.  There are DJs who insist they know what is best in terms of how loud music should be played and will take offense if asked to “turn it down”.  Remember, you hold all the cards, as it is you, who paid your DJ to entertain on your behalf.  He should be more than happy to accommodate your needs.  An experienced DJ, on the other hand, knows what level to set the volume for different facets of your event.  For example, during dinner, the volume of the music should be such that guests can easily converse at their tables without having to shout across the table to one another.

When it comes to guests approaching a DJ for requests, some DJs harbor the mindset that this takes control away from them, because, after all, they’re the DJ and they know what everyone wants to listen to and guests should respond with elation to every song they play.  In reality, an experienced DJ will read the crowd and experiment with different genres while keenly observing what guests respond to.  The genre, era of music and BPM (Beats Per Minute) will ebb and flow as the event dictates.

The DJ you retain should be more than happy to honor requests and should be able to fit those requested songs in at opportune times.  Should your DJ not have a requested song, don’t take offense, as it is just not possible for any one DJ to have every song ever recorded.  Planning with your DJ ahead of your event will help ensure he has all the important songs you want and he will secure these ahead of schedule.  Thank you for reading and remember, “Music Makes Life Better”. 

Aim high when hiring a DJ

There is no shortage of DJs with sub-par gear and a cache of outdated CD’s whom you can hire for a bargain basement fee.  On the contrary, forget asking this DJ for a request, because, most likely, he has never heard of the song and most assuredly, does not have it in his limited arsenal of tunes. The audience would gladly pass around a collection plate to show him the door and toss a quarter in the juke-box instead.  This said, if you want some music played from a home stereo system, why hire a bargain DJ? 

  

When hosting a wedding or reception or any party for that matter, your DJ will be the most important part of the evening and according to statistics, you will spend less for your DJ than for any other facet of your event.  You owe it to yourself and your guests to retain the services of a professional who will deliver a “killer party” you will remember for some time.    

Ensuring a Positive DJ Experience

Your big day has arrived, your dream wedding for which you have been planning for months and perhaps, have envisioned for years.  All is perfect.  Your wedding dress, cake, flowers, etc… and, you have uncovered a great bargain in your DJ.

The horror stories abound concerning those who have experienced or been witness to a DJ who would be better suited doing something else.  It is also not uncommon for one to pay less for their DJ then for any other part of their wedding or reception.  Fact: a DJ will make or break the entertainment component of the wedding reception; period.

If the entertainment component for your wedding reception is important to you and you truly want your guests to have a great time, please do not look for the cheapest DJ you can find.  Professional DJs take great pride in their craft and have invested much in their equipment and music.  They also affiliate themselves with industry related resources and trends and care deeply about the experience they provide their clients.  Retain your DJ very carefully……

1. Visit their website and learn all you can about their business. Mine is http://www.millenniummobiledj.com

2. A professional DJ will provide you with a contract for which both of you will sign. A contract eliminates the confusion concerning the services that are to be provided and fees that will be rendered.




3. Discuss with your DJ the type of music they are most comfortable playing, if they are comfortable taking requests and how flexible they are concerning planning music preferences with the bride and groom. A professional DJ will employ his knowledge and expertise to WOW the guests on the dance floor, and, will also plan accordingly with their clients to ensure their music preferences are addressed.

4. Meet with your prospective DJ as this will allow you to establish mutual comfort levels to ensure you are making a good choice moving forward.  A consultation will also afford you the opportunity to ask in depth questions and discover all you can about the DJs ability to meet, preferably, exceed your expectations.  A professional DJ knows how to coordinate the important formalities that play out during a wedding reception and will guide you accordingly.  Most importantly, choose your DJ wisely and be comfortable with your decision.