1. Beware of the DJ Company who tries to beat everyone’s price or offers you a dirt cheap price. Why? In the industry he is referred to as a bottom feeder. He can not book weddings based on his performance so therefore he has to offer you the cheapest price in order to lure you in. Usually, you will get sub- standard services. Remember the old cliché; you get what you pay for. Why trust your wedding or event to someone who is a bottom feeder?
2. Watch out for hidden fees. Ask about fees for lighting, wireless microphones, extra music, planning sessions etc. You may be lured in by a low price and then of course you want all those extras. Next thing you know, you are paying a lot more than you initially thought. Even more importantly, a lot of companies charge travel fees or even charge you for the time period where the DJ is setting up. Be sure that everything is clear before you sign anything.
3. Beware of hiring a friend of the family or a DJ who does not give you a contract. Quite often they do not reserve your date or something else comes up and you are left searching for a DJ or Sound System a week before your wedding. Not to mention, you probably won’t get the professionalism and experience your night deserves. As you may trust your friend/family, you do not want to take any chances on your special day.
4. Does your DJ just talk about his equipment? What is this equipment going to do for you in terms of making your reception or event, a dream come true? Most people will not notice the clarity of the speakers so if he tells you that his equipment is better because he has “X speakers”, more than likely you would not notice the difference from another type of professional speakers. The main thing is that most professional DJ equipment is great and it really depends on the DJ to get your event going.
5. Avoid the DJ that talks about himself too much and has poor hygiene. Why? If he talks about himself too much then he will try to be the main focus at your reception. The main focus at a reception should be the Bride and Groom or Guest(s) of Honor. Most unprofessional DJ’s do not even own suits, let alone a Tuxedo. Can you imagine a gorgeous reception that you have invested thousands of dollars and it is ruined by an unprofessional, poorly dressed MC and DJ. If he does not care about his appearance then more than likely, he will not care about the quality of your reception or can come unprepared. Sloppy!
6. Can you imagine a Master of Ceremonies that does not have a good command of the English Language? You have sophisticated guests and your DJ is using slang or continues to be embarrassing or inappropriate on the microphone. Not only will that affect you, but the DJ and entertainment is what sets the mood of the night. Do you want your wedding to be remembered as the one with the embarrassing DJ? You have the right to be picky about whom you choose as your DJ.
7. A DJs who say they use iPods or iTunes to DJ your wedding reception may not be the smartest choice. As nice as an iPod may be, it’s not meant for professional use. Did you know consumer reports, reported that 3 out of every 4 iPods will randomly lock up or freeze! This would be horrible especially during the first dance!
8. What about the Disc Jockey that stands behind the DJ booth and acts bored. He does nothing to get the guests motivated. He could be playing the best music but unless he reflects motivation and action, it will affect your guests. You want to choose a DJ with personality and energy, that will make all the guests enjoy and remember your wedding.
9. Most Bottom Feeders are not licensed nor are they insured. Most banquet facilities require the DJ Company to have liability insurance. You may hire him and then find out weeks before your reception that he does not have liability insurance and then you are not allowed to use him. This leaves you searching for a DJ within days of your reception.
10. Here is the most important item: Does your facility require you to use the house DJ. With a House DJ most often you do not know who you will be doing your wedding or will he play what you like. You may not know what DJ you will get from that company until a few days before your wedding. It would be in your best interest if the banquet hall would let YOU decide who will be in charge of creating your Dream Day! You should be able to make your own choices and choose quality entertainment. Some companies install speakers in a banquet facility so the hall will only refer one sound company. Ask to see those DJs in person and hear the quality of that sound system before you book!
Article quoted from http://www.phenomenonevents.com/10-dirty-secrets-of-a-wedding-dj.html