So how do you find a service you can feel confident with?
Ask other people for their opinions. Find out who other people have used in the past and ask if it was a good or bad experience. It is helpful to know both, that way you get a better picture of a company. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising and hearing other people's experiences with a company gives you a great opportunity to ask questions.
Don’t let price be your deciding factor
You may find the disc jockeys that are lower in price, are lower in value too. The wedding industry works like every other industry; you get what you pay for. Research shows that entertainment costs make up about 5% to 10% of your total wedding budget; however, you must remember to shop value, not price.
A full-service disc jockey company will normally invest 25 to 30 hours on your wedding; it may appear that you are only paying for "4 to 6 hours". Pre event planning, music/ equipment preparation, set-up and tear-down and travel both to and from the event are just some of the additional things that contribute to the success of your event.
If you let the cost make your decision for you, you get what you paid for. Instead focus on the services that are important to you and your event. In the end when your guests compliment you on what a great time they had, it was money well spent!
What type of equipment does the company use?
You need to ensure the company uses professional grade equipment - Otherwise you may find you run into problems when your event is taking place. Do their speakers have enough power for the size of hall you have rented? Venues have various seating capacities and most Disc Jockey's speakers will be able to handle an 'average size' hall but as the size of the hall increases you may need to use additional equipment. Another important question to ask- Do their players have anti skip technology? When someone walks across the stage to make a request will the CD skip? Some Disc Jockeys use a computer program and store their music on hard drive or do a combination of both so you need to find out what system your Disc Jockey is using to ask the appropriate questions. Does the company have back up equipment should there be an equipment malfunction? When planning any event you want to ensure you have everything looked after and if anything goes wrong you have a 'plan B'. Most Disc Jockey companies have the same mind set. You need to find out if the company you are considering to use is one of those companies that have your events best interests at heart.
The music - Is the company AVLA licensed?
This should be one of your first questions ask to see their license. Do they carry a full library? Anyone who says they have everything is not telling the truth! There is too much music out there to have everything and to carry to every event is impossible. What they mean is they have the majority of what people like and would want to hear. Find out how often and what their source of updated music is.
The Company.
You should also take the company as a whole into consideration. The event is most important by far but the business aspect has an effect on the day also. It is important to know your needs are being met. Some professional companies have goals, guidelines and standards much like any other business. You have to decide what type of company you would like to represent you at your function.