One of the most important decisions you will make for your wedding is deciding on the right vendors for your event. In my opinion, the vendor you decide on to be the Entertainment/DJ for your wedding will ultimately have the deciding factor in whether or not you and your guests have a memorable experience or an unpleasant one on your wedding day.
A professional DJ should not only be providing you and your guests with great music, but they should also be serving as the night’s MC and coordinator. They should help coordinate the wedding event and make sure announcements, like when cocktail hour begins or when to hit the dance floor, are given in a timely fashion. The best wedding DJs are masters at keeping people informed and keeping the night flowing smoothly so that you, as the bride and groom, have nothing to worry about on your big day.
When deciding on the Entertainment/DJ for your wedding, you should do some research on that vendor to make sure they are going to be who they say they are. Here are a few things to consider when choosing your entertainment/DJ:
1. When searching the Internet, where do you find them on your search engine?
Companies that are serious about their business will take the time to promote their business, so they are easily found on the Internet. You can find this more and more common these days as most companies can be found with Google searches and other Internet-based search engines. Legitimate companies will rank on the first page of every different search engine, and have a strong wedding website detailing their DJ services.
They will also have multiple reviews that you can look at and get a good feel for who they are hiring. We like to ask our newlyweds to review us on WeddingWire, as they have the most trusted system in the wedding industry!
2. How fast does that company get back to you after inquiring about their services?
A reputable business should always get back to you within 24-48 hours of being contacted. Many companies out there are small one-person operations. They most likely have a full-time job with DJing being a part-time secondary source of income, making them harder to contact and coordinating your event with them.
If they don’t get back to you within this time frame, it usually means this is what you’ll be dealing with for the remainder of your time leading up to your wedding. We will contact you within 48 hours every time. The only exception to that is on weekends.
3. Will they set up a meeting to go over the details of your event and go over the contract with you?
You should always set up a meeting with the vendor you are considering booking. If you have the opportunity to meet your DJ and get to know them a little better, do it. If you can’t set up a face to face meeting, then you should have detailed conversations over the phone to discuss the needs you have for your wedding.
Nowadays, we are even using Skype for brides and grooms that can’t meet us in person at our office. These meetings are also an excellent time to go over the contract to make sure everything is covered for your event. You can discuss the couple's wedding style, wedding venue, number of people on the guest list, and more.
You should never go with a vendor who asks for money to hold a date without signing or even going over a contract. Not having a contract in place tells me that your event is not important enough to them. A written agreement like this provides reliability and commitment and also provides peace of mind that your event is in good hands.
4. Who is going to be your DJ for the event?
At RMF, we hire only the top DJs and live bands available. You should set up a meeting with the DJ that feels most comfortable to your style and feel of the wedding party. If you think you want to meet them before your wedding, please let us know.
If you can give us your top three choices of DJs, we can usually accommodate one of your preferences to work your event. If you are looking to reserve a specific DJ, ask us about our premium booking package that offers you your preferred choice in DJ. We'll always do our best to work around your wedding budget as well.
5. How professional is the company you’re looking to hire, and how much do they cost?
In my opinion, professionalism, integrity, and pride in ownership are some of the most important attributes a company can possess. The company should be as easy to get a hold of as a wedding planner, be on time for your meetings, and always be willing to help you in your planning process.
If the company you talk to spends more time slandering their competition then talking about what they can do for you than all that tells me as a consumer is they aren’t confident enough to let their reputation speak for itself. No business with high integrity and professionalism should ever slander any other business.
Research every company you’re looking into, and you can find additional reviews and consumers’ experience with that company. I’m sure you’ve heard the adage you get what you pay for, right?
In many cases, this is true when selecting your vendor. Some companies have built such a good reputation that their prices are a little more than others. But wouldn’t you want to spend a bit more for a company with an excellent reputation than some other company that has a poor reputation but will save you a couple hundred dollars?
Conclusion
I hope that this blog provided some insight for you when deciding which Entertainment/DJ company to book. There are a lot of great companies out there that do a fantastic job, but there are a lot that will trick you with fast-talking to get your money but then not follow through with their promises. When you're sending your save the dates, only choose the best entertainment for your guests.
Wedding planning can be a stressful and lengthy process. That's why you need experienced wedding entertainment professionals in your corner to make the process easier. Please feel free to contact us at RMF Entertainment with any other questions you might have at (406) 531-2321
