ENTERTAINING
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BOOKING A BAND OR DJ FOR YOUR WEDDING WRITTEN BY: Jessica Burke SO MANY FACTORS GO INTO PLANNING AN AMAZING PARTY TO celebrate your marriage. From finding the right place to host festivities to designing decor and selecting menus, there are so many decisions to make! One decision that should never be left to chance is your entertainment. The right band or DJ can make or break your reception.
both personally and as a company.” In addition to general reputation, Lane advises prospective clients to dig even deeper. “Ask about their experience performing for wedding receptions like the one they envision,” he says. “Ideally you want someone that has experience with the type and style of reception you want to present to your guests.”
We’ve consulted with local, musically-inclined experts to find out exactly what you need to know before you book your reception entertainment.
TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
EXPERIENCE MATTERS
It’s important to find out how well your prospective band or DJ works with, not only with clients, but with other vendors. Are they easy to work with or will they bring chaos into the picture? Will they be available before the wedding to discuss details or will they just show up on the big day and wing it? Having clear communication is essential!
“When guiding friends on vendor selection for weddings, I always point to ‘experience’ as the most important qualification for hiring,” says William “Chuck” Credo IV of WCA Entertainment and Media. Credo advises engaged couples to ask several questions: 1. How long has that vendor been around? 2. What is that vendor’s reputation? 3. What do you other clients have to say about that vendor? “Because every wedding is different and every couple is different, experience allows a vendor to ebb and flow with the needs of the client without any concern,” advises Credo. Aaron Lane of Aaron Lane Professional DJ Entertainment agrees. “Ask about their reputation for the overall wedding experience,” he says. “This can be accomplished by reading reviews and learning what others say about the DJ, 34 | N.O.W | NOWWeddingMagazine.com
“Ask about their willingness to work with other vendors to create the reception vibe you’re planning,” says Lane. “Make sure your DJ is willing to collab with your other vendors.” “I’ve always found that the key to success is being extremely detail oriented, without emoting stress on your client,” says Credo. “We’re in the entertainment and special events business - if we can’t have fun, we’re doing our jobs wrong. It’s important to convey that as a vendor and be easy to work with, while maintaining absolute professionalism and keeping a keen eye on the details.”
THE LINEUP If choosing your song list has you daunted, don’t worry. Tackling this project isn’t something you have to do at all if you’re looking for the best possible outcome! In fact, if you feel the need to curate every single song played at your reception, hiring a band or DJ probably isn’t for you.
Image credit: stock.adobe.com/sonyachny
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