By Airwaves Music DJs

Providing the best DJs in Kelowna, Vancouver, Kamloops, Victoria and Calgary

After running a DJ company for the last 5 years, I have spoken with over 100 DJ applicants in Kelowna and Vancouver over the years and now we are expanding outwards to new cities, meeting even more DJs. I wrote this article to help save you time, money and headaches. The first step is to think hard about what you want in a DJ. I’ve found that 90% of couples getting married are only hiring a DJ because they know they need to, but they don’t really have any expectations as to what that DJ should actually be like. This is the fun part, you get to visualize your perfect DJ. Here are some questions to ask yourself:

-Will the DJ MC?

-Should the DJ use the microphone a lot, or a little bit?

-Do you want a younger DJ or an older one?

-Do you need a DJ who is familiar with a certain musical style or a certain type of ethnic music?

-Do you like songs like the Chicken Dance and the Macarena or are you hoping for a more modern DJ?

-Will you need the DJ at the ceremony or the reception or both?

-How long will you need the DJ to play for? What time will they get there and what time will they leave?

-Do you need lights for the dance floor?

Those are the best opening questions and any good company is going to ask you those right away. Those are the questions that directly affect the price of the DJ. Additional time and additional equipment is going to cost more. DJs with more experience are going to cost a little bit more. If you are on a budget, you can save by having the DJ for the reception only and limiting their playing time to 4-6 hours.

The next thing you MUST do is speak with your DJ, either in person if possible or on the telephone at the very least. This is your chance to see if their personality matches well with yours. Try to ask yourself, would my friends and family connect with this DJ and feel relaxed and comfortable around them? Do I think they have what it takes to throw a great party?

Things you want to look out for here include:

-A lack of confidence

-An out of control ego

-Lack of professionalism (were they on time, were they dressed appropriately, etc)

-Experience with your style of music

-Experience at weddings

-Ensure they are taking notes of some kind

-Your instincts will go a long way here too. Just trust your gut feeling. It always works for us at Airwaves.

Finally, ask the DJ situational questions. We will cover situational interview questions to ask DJs in our next blog post.

So to sum up, know what you want, ensure you meet them and beware of DJs showing some of the traits we listed above.

Or, we can use our proven audition and interview system to find an affordable DJ for you that matches your personality and taste. We offer our services in Vancouver, Kelowna, Victoria, Kamloops and now Calgary too!

Get in touch with us at: www.airwavesmusic.ca/contact