When you’re organising a wedding reception, a corporate event or other type of event, choosing the entertainment is one of the main decisions you need to make. The entertainment sets the tone for the evening and can help to make your party a success.
Party DJs are some of the most popular party entertainers because they tend to be less expensive than live entertainment. They can also be more flexible with a wider song selection than a band, making them more likely to match your musical tastes.
If you’re planning an event in a hotel or bar, your party venue might have its own in-house DJ, but for most other venues, you’ll need to hire a mobile DJ to provide the tunes for your special event. If you’re hiring a DJ for the first time, choosing the perfect DJ can be a daunting task.
Luckily, we’re here to help with our step-by-step guide to how to book a DJ for an event. We’ll make choosing the best DJ straightforward, and you’ll find plenty of every type of DJs for parties in the Party UK Directory.
The first step of the hiring process is deciding how much you can spend on your event DJ. Setting a realistic budget is an essential step as it helps you choose DJs who don’t charge more than you can afford to pay.
Hiring a DJ is usually cheaper than booking a live band, but don’t try to save too much money on your party entertainment. It’s crucial to choose one with the right kind of experience and equipment so everyone has a good time on the big day.
Next, you need to ensure you’re looking at the right type of potential DJ for your party or event. Each specific DJ has their own set of skills that suits certain types of events. A professional wedding DJ wouldn’t work well at a children’s party, and a nightclub DJ might not set the right tone for a corporate event.
So, it’s a good idea to look for party Disc Jockeys with experience that makes them a good fit for your event. And the best way to find them is to look through the party DJ companies in the Party UK directory!
If you’re planning a party on a budget, it can be tempting to try and save money by hiring an amateur DJ or asking a friend or family member to help. But this can be a serious mistake that jeopardises the success of your wedding day or special event.
Being a disc jockey involves more than just having a couple of turntables, some lights and a mic. An amateur DJ will probably have inferior equipment that can’t match the sound quality of a professional rig. They may also find it hard to play the right music and deliver the experience you’re hoping for.
It’s better to hire an experienced professional DJ who will pick the right track to suit the mood at your event, whether you want background music or lively tunes to fill the dance floor.
If you need to reduce your budget, a good way to save money is by hiring a local DJ with lower travel expenses compared to choosing someone from a national network of DJs.
Checking out a potential DJ’s website is a great way to get an idea of their services before you make contact. Most professional DJ services will have a website or at least a page on a local directory site, and you can also look at their social media pages.
This will give you an idea of their price range and whether they will be a good match for your event. For example, if you’re looking for the perfect wedding DJ, some might mention they can also act as master of ceremonies on your big day. If you’re looking for the best DJ for a child’s birthday party or school event, their website will tell you if they have been DBS checked.
Personal recommendation makes hiring a DJ easier, but review sites make a good alternative. Sites like Yelp, Facebook and Google will often feature reviews from past clients and give you a good idea of the DJ’s experience.
Once you’ve got a shortlist of potential DJs, the next step in the DJ booking process is to get in touch and organise phone calls or in-person consultations with a few potential DJs. If the DJ is part of a network of DJs or represented by a DJ company, you’ll need to contact their booking agent.
A consultation helps you check they have the right personality for your event and discuss the type of music you want to play. It’s a chance to ask them questions, and they’ll also have a set of important questions about your event, which is likely to include things like:
The DJ you’re considering should be able to provide a selection of recorded demos and an example of their music selection. It’s also a good idea to check if they accept guest requests on the night or require a list of your own music choices in advance.
The last thing you need is to hire a wedding DJ or event DJ and discover on the big day that they have totally misjudged your musical tastes!
If you’re hosting your event in a club or bar, they may already have DJ equipment in-house. But if you’re hiring a DJ for a private event like a wedding, school event or charity ball, you’ll probably need a mobile Disk Jockey with his own sound system, lighting effects and maybe additional equipment like bubble machines or smoke machines.
Always ask your potential party DJ if their equipment is PAT tested and whether they carry backup equipment. At the end of the day, things often go wrong at parties, and it’s essential to have a backup plan. Also, check the dimensions of your party venue and the location of power points before you speak to the DJ, as they will need to know if there’s adequate space to set up their equipment.
It’s also essential to check insurance at this point. A good DJ should have event insurance and cover for their equipment, but if you’re booking through a DJ network, the agency may organise insurance for their DJs.
Once you’ve chosen the right DJ for your wedding or event, the next step is to secure their services with a written contract and deposit. It’s standard to pay a 50% deposit, and your contract should clearly state the event date and venue, the DJ’s fee and any additional costs. Be sure to check when you need to pay the balance for your party DJ.
Then, before your special day arrives, you’ll need to supply the DJ with any song requests, timings and anything else they need to know like the timing for cutting the cake and your first dance song at a wedding reception.
Whether you’re planning a wedding party, a school disco or a charity fundraiser, hiring a professional DJ is an excellent option for entertainment. Following these simple steps will make hiring a great DJ easy so you can relax and look forward to having a great time at your event!