5 Questions To Ask Your Wedding DJ for the Best Reception

Your wedding entertainment is every bit as important as the dress, the flowers, and the cake. As your wedding day gets closer and closer, you and your fiancé are becoming more and more excited to finally say "I do." While your friends & family are over the moon to watch you tie the knot, in most cases they are even more excited to celebrate your marriage. Here are 5 questions to ask your wedding DJ to ensure a wedding celebration that will live up to everyones expectations.

How important is a DJ at a wedding?

First and foremost, many of you might be wondering "do I even need a wedding DJ?" If you're planning on opting the live music route, you might want to consider still hiring a wedding DJ to MC your event. More often than not, the live band won't introduce your grand entrance, and won't make the transitions between speeches appear seamless. When it comes time for your reception, your DJ truly runs the show & makes sure that everything is running on time & in the right order. Because of that, a wedding DJ is crucial for your event (even if you're dreaming of a live band). No matter what, just promise us one thing...don't plan on plugging into the aux yourself. 😉

5 questions to ask your wedding DJ to ensure the best wedding reception

1. What does your package include? 

A wedding DJ does a lot to make sure the evening goes smoothly. If they are in charge of music for your ceremony, they will most likely also be in charge of all microphones, speakers, and other additional equipment. Make sure they will provide all that necessary AV equipment (especially for outdoor ceremonies). We'd hate for your guests to miss out on your vows because they couldn't hear! 

Like we said before, your DJ pretty much controls the flow for the remainder of the evening. Ask what kind of playlists they have for cocktail hour, and what exactly they'll all do throughout the evening. Do they have a designated MC, or will your DJ also do all of the announcing? Are you thinking of doing a final dance at the end of the night? Double check that your DJ will be able to accommodate this. Will there be a backup DJ on call just in case? Although DJs do a lot to give you the best reception possible, the way they do this varies depending on the company. 

2. What is your overall DJ style?

The musical taste of your wedding DJ is without a doubt one of the most important elements. If your DJ is super into heavy metal, and prefers to only play that style of music, you better prep for that. If you'd rather not take the risk, ask your DJ what their personal taste is, and what their favorite type of music to play at weddings is. This will help determine weather or not they are a good fit for your wedding reception. 

Another key thing to ask your DJ is if they have a "do not play list." We all have those songs that make us cringe a little every time we hear them...especially at weddings. You'll want to make sure that your DJ notes those songs, and makes sure they aren't played on your special night. If they do have a "do not pay list," then ask what they'll do when someone requests that specific song. This answer will show the professionalism of your wedding DJ. Nobody wants Aunt Karen getting upset because your DJ won't play the chicken dance! 

Your grand entrance into the reception is a big moment, and believe it or not there are many different ways of going about this. Do you want it to feel like a sports event, or more of a casual announcement? Ask your DJ how they typically coordinate the grand entrance, and what their MC style looks like. 

3. What will you do when there is a "lull?"

One of every bride & groom's worst nightmares...an empty dance floor at their wedding reception. Only the best DJs know how to pump up the crowd and get everyone back on the dance floor. Ask your DJ what they would do in that situation, but cut them a little slack on this answer. After all, no group is the same, and their answer is heavily dependent on what your group is like! 

4. How much experience do you have? 

This probably seems fairly obvious, but don't overlook this question. Knowing how much experience your DJ has, specifically with weddings, will tell you so much more about them. The more experience they have, the more adaptable they are to unique situations because odds are, they've dealt with it once before. They will also have more knowledge about the best equipment, and reception flow. Extra bonus, the more experience they have, the more reviews they'll have (which means you get to learn more about them from other couples). Another benefit of a wedding DJ with more experience is that they have probably worked at your venue before. It takes a lot of stress off of you to know that they know exactly where to go, and what they need to bring. 

5. How do you like to end the night? 

Do they like to end the night with a song request? Do they have you decide on the final song ahead of time? Ask your DJ how they prefer to end the night! You'll know if their style blends with how your group would like to end the night, and you'll also get some intel on how they'll help get people out the door. Your reception has to end at some point, and your DJ will be a big help in getting guests out of the venue before your rental time is up. 

By asking these 5 simple questions, you will be setting your reception up for a successful night full of dancing, laughing, and the best memories. All of your friends and family will be raving about your reception for years to come, and asking you to throw another party! 

Still looking for a wedding DJ? Our team of curated Minnesota wedding DJs are the best of the best, and will have everyone on the dance floor the entire night! Contact us to learn more about our different packages, and pricing. We can't wait to celebrate with you!