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The questions to ask a wedding DJ before you book and in the final planning meeting, what a good answer sounds like, and the contract details worth checking.
Before you book, ask whether they're free on your date, who exactly will be playing, how they handle your music preferences and requests, what equipment and backup they bring, whether they also act as MC, and what is and isn't included in the price. After booking, go through the timeline, the moment songs, the do-not-play list and the venue's rules in a final meeting a few weeks before the wedding.
Are you available on our date, and for how many hours? Will you be the DJ on the day, or someone from your company? Can we meet them? How many weddings have you played? Have you played our venue before? Can we see a video of you at a wedding, not just a highlight reel?
On lists: "Give me your must-plays and do-not-plays, and I'll build the rest around the crowd." A DJ who wants a 100-song script can't respond to the room; one who ignores your lists isn't listening. On backup: a specific plan (spare equipment in the van, a named colleague who can step in), not "that never happens". On the contract: everything you discussed is written down, including hours, setup time, overtime rate and who will be playing.
Hold it a few weeks before the wedding, in person or on a call, with the timeline in front of you.
Fewer than you think. Your moment songs plus a dozen must-plays is plenty. The wedding song calculator shows how many songs the whole day takes, and how few of them you need to choose yourselves.
As soon as your date and venue are confirmed, especially for a Saturday in peak season, when experienced DJs are booked first.
The date, venue, hours, setup time, who will be playing, what's included, the overtime rate, deposit and payment dates, backup plan, insurance and the cancellation policy.
Often, yes, if they're comfortable on the microphone. Ask to hear them MC, and agree exactly what they will announce.
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