A wedding is not just about marriage, it’s about love, family, and most importantly, celebration. There’s a reason there’s a big party right after the ceremony. If no one is dancing and singing at your wedding reception, your guests may need encouragement and more interactive entertainment to break the ice. If you want to get your guests grooving, and their bodies moving, you need the right MC who can create the party vibe with their energy and music skills. Before you hire your cousin’s nephew to DJ or your coworker’s tribute band for your wedding, you should think about what type of entertainment you want to bring to your party. Before hiring a band or a DJ for your wedding, make sure you do your due diligence, research what you will need, and ask plenty of questions. When consulting with any potential musicians or entertainment professionals, you can ask these questions to make sure they are the right fit for you.
Questions About Musical Style
1. How would you describe your style?
You want to find out what a musician's musical style is to make sure it matches your goals for your wedding. Do you like Pop or Country tunes? Will you want music to match an elegant cocktail party vibe, or do you want your guests to "rock out”?
The talented Be Entertained team includes 6 female DJs, all with their own unique styles of emceeing, music, and energy. Unlike bands, highly experienced DJ's can effortlessly transition between different music styles and genres. Tell us your vision for your event, and we can get the right music professional booked for you!
2. Do you have music samples or upcoming events so we can see how you perform?
Sometimes it’s easier to see or hear a set rather than talk about it. Some DJs have public gigs where you can watch them perform live. Others have recordings of previous events that may be similar to the style you’re looking for. Seeing how they perform may not be 100% necessary for you to make your decision, but it can be helpful to know what you can expect.
At Be Entertained Events, our ladies have a wide array of experience, from public radio to large corporate events, and everything in between. You can follow us on social media to catch all of our talented artists in their creative zones.
3. How many DJs and what equipment is included/available?
If you're looking to hire a DJ, you may want to know if they will be working with a partner or second. If you’re looking to hire a band, you want to know who to expect, and the instruments they will be playing. In both instances, you will want to know how much space they need for their sets.
When you hire a Be Entertained DJ, larger packages may include an assistant and our DJ's work with different equipment offerings to help fit a clients budget. This often depends on the type of package you want to have.
Questions About What Is Included with Your Wedding DJ /Band?
1. How many hours are included in my package?
Both bands and DJs often have a minimum amount of time they'll play. This is usually the base cost. You can always ask for more time, but be sure to have this finalized in your contract. Musicians also need time for breaks. Be sure to ask how many breaks they'll need for your event and how long they'll be. During these breaks, your vendor may have filler music playing lightly in the background. Hiring a DJ ensures music is played constant throughout the entire duration of the event without breaks needed. Make sure to pre-approve this music as well as their setlist. When planning the itinerary for your wedding reception, be sure to build in these breaks.
2. Will you act as the master of ceremonies?
A crucial skill of a great wedding DJ is music knowledge, but also extensive training as an MC (Master of Ceremonies). A DJ who has been trained as an MC helps alleviate any awkward moments, unplanned silence between speakers, and keep the evening comfortable while also informing guests who to expect, and what to turn their attention to. Be Entertained Events owner TJ has been certified through the Marbecca Method Master of Ceremonies training and trained her whole team to have extensive MC skills and knowledge.
Sometimes the bandleader can act as an announcer/ host as well as provide music entertainment. However, this isn’t always guaranteed, so you should confirm with the musician if this is something you’d like them to do. Sometimes this job is given to someone closer to the action, such as the maid of honor, and/or the best man. If this is something you’re looking for, be sure to clarify with the talent before hiring them.
Be Entertained DJs have charisma, personality, and a little bit of sass. If you’re looking for a musical talent that can also lead the transitions of your reception, we can get you the right wedding DJ.
3. What's your policy for cancellations/ sick days? What's your backup plan if there's an equipment malfunction?
It’s not often but it can happen that a client has to cancel/ reschedule on a vendor, or even a vendor can’t make it to an event. Date changes, illness, and other emergencies can happen. Before hiring someone you want to know what to expect if you change your date or change your mind on your music, as well as what happens if your musician calls in sick. If you’re working with a true professional, they will always have backup equipment and contingency plans for any emergency situations and malfunctions.
One of the benefits of working with Be Entertained is we are a solid team. We have strong communication with our clients and each other. If your scheduled DJ is sick or has an emergency, we always have a talented backup DJ to send your way without missing a beat. All of our DJs also have backup equipment for technical issues.
We recognize that sometimes cancellation/rescheduling is inevitable. If this happens to you, just contact us and we’ll inform you of the next steps.
Questions About Wedding DJ Sound and Set-Up
1. Are you familiar with our reception space? Will you be prepared for the acoustic, power and amplification requirements?
Every venue space is different, but you still want quality sound and acoustics. When interviewing a professional event DJ or band, you can help them be more prepared by informing them about the specifics of your chosen venue. A large ballroom is going to need different equipment and power than an intimate bar or backyard reception.
Be Entertained Events have been providing musical entertainment to the Dallas/Fort Worth area for years! We are likely very familiar with your venue, but on the off-chance we’re not we will be sure to do our due diligence to ensure we’re completely prepared for your event.
2. Do I need to pay extra for additional equipment/instruments?
Some musical entertainment professionals offer additional services to amplify the mood of your event. Special effects, lighting, additional speakers, photobooth, live recordings, and fog machines may or may not be included with your contract. Be sure to clarify exactly what you need, and what the final cost will be.
Be Entertained offers more than just fantastic female DJs. We can provide stellar lighting and quality A/V. We also offer packages with photo booths to add to the festivities and fun of your event. Best of all, we do the complete music and itinerary planning, coordination, set up and break down. We handle the hard parts so you can enjoy the day.
Questions About Music Choice
1. Do you use pre-determined setlists? How do you handle requests? Do you know how to read a crowd?
The music is the highlight of your wedding reception. Make sure you understand how your music professional operates. Setlists can help them be a little more prepared, but a proper professional should be able to read a room and shift the vibes accordingly. If you have songs you absolutely want to hear or omit, be sure to let your musician know beforehand.
People like listening to music, but they LOVE hearing their favorite song, trending songs and even some oldies but goodies. It’s nice when friends and family get the opportunity to request songs, but make sure this is something your DJ can offer, and understand their protocol.
2. Can you design an itinerary or playlist for the night?
You don’t want to hear the same type of song over and over. Your musical entertainment should have a diverse and in-depth playlist to match the changing itinerary and mood of your event. Music and transitions can help make your event "flow", and this is a skill that not all professionals possess.
At Be Entertained, our DJs customize each event's playlist based on the client's preferred genres, requests, and demographics or age groups we see live at the event.
3. Can you play the songs that are important to us (such as a traditional Jewish hora tune or a favorite pop hit)?
If you have a special track that you want to play during your first dance, or you have a song dedicated to a special someone, your music professional should be able to play this. A DJ can typically download any tune you like, but a band may need to learn and practice playing it beforehand.
Questions About Creating the Right Mood
1. How do you ensure a comfortable sound level for all the guests?
You may have guests at your event with sound-sensitivities. Unfortunately, it’s may not be so easy to achieve the perfect volume for all of your guests. However, your music professional should be able to make volume adjustments as necessary, and you can also prepare your guest seating arrangement to combat these issues. Maybe sit Grandma farther away from the stage and speakers.
2. How do you motivate a shy crowd to dance?
Part of the skill of being a musician is encouraging a crowd to let loose and dance. Some audiences need less persuading than others. If your family is pretty shy, or you think they won’t be so easily swayed, ask how your music professional deals with this type of situation. Every once in a while there may be a tough crowd, but a seasoned musical artist can often get nearly everyone out of their seat and onto the dancefloor.
Book Be Entertained Events for Your Wedding Day!
When you want high-quality musical entertainment and sound, with charm, high-energy, and fully comprehensive coordination Be Entertained Events is your one-stop-shop. Our wedding DJs know that a seamless event requires professionalism, reliability, organization, attention to detail, quality sound and entertainment. We take on all of the logistics and planning so you can get the most enjoyment and ease from your very special day. Schedule a consultation today to learn more about how we can make your wedding day magical and memorable.
Comments