Before you sign a contract with a wedding deejay, make sure you know exactly whom—and what—you’re booking. Wedding entertainment expert Jason Jani shares three red flags couples should watch for.
Your wedding deejay does a whole lot more than play music. This is the person who sets the tone for your reception, coordinates with the maître d’ on everything from dinner service to special moments and, perhaps most importantly, determines whether your dance floor is packed—or practically empty. We often refer to the deejay as your wedding conductor—the person responsible for keeping the reception flowing smoothly from one moment to the next.
So how do you know you’re hiring the right one?
Jason Jani, founder and owner of SCE Event Group in Freehold, NJ, has spent years in the wedding entertainment industry. And he says couples need to do their homework before signing a contract and handing over a deposit.
In fact, there are a few things he thinks couples should be particularly wary of during the sales process. Here are three lies—or at the very least, misleading sales tactics—wedding deejays may tell just to get your deposit.
Lie #1: “You’re going to have me at your wedding.”
You have a great conversation with a deejay. You love their personality. They understand the vibe you want for your wedding. You’re ready to book.
But before you put down a deposit, there’s one very important question to ask: “Will you actually be the deejay at my wedding?”
According to Jani, couples sometimes don’t realize that the person selling them on the company isn’t necessarily the person who will show up on their wedding day.
“Truth is a lot of deejay companies sell you the highlight reel deejays that they have on staff, and then send whoever’s free that night,” he explains. “They assign your wedding to whoever’s open a month or two before your actual wedding date. And guess what? That person is usually not the person that was in the video that you originally saw that got you interested in that company. It’s someone you’ve never met or seen.”
And that, he says, is something couples should clarify from the beginning.
“The fix for this is get the exact name of the deejay in contract before you sign up,” Jani says. “And if you’re getting any type of weird vibes or hesitation, then ask to speak to them before you lock in. You should be able to do that.”
Having multiple deejays on a company’s roster isn’t the red flag. Plenty of established entertainment companies operate that way. The issue is whether you’re being led to believe you’re booking one particular person when you aren’t—or you have no idea who your deejay will actually be.
Before signing a contract, ask whether you’re booking a specific deejay or simply booking the company. And if you’ve been promised a particular entertainer, make sure that’s reflected in your contract.
Lie #2: “All of our deejays are the same quality.”
The truth is they’re not. “No company has five or 10 identical talents,” Jani explains. “Skills vary widely in the world of wedding entertainment, specifically deejays, and everyone cannot technically be the same.”
Skill level isn’t the only difference. Every deejay has a different musical style, personality, strength and way of performing.
“Don’t just book a ‘deejay,’ ” he adds. “Do your homework and specifically look at who you are getting in your contract before you sign up.”
That’s especially important at a wedding, where your deejay isn’t simply choosing songs. They may be making your introductions, interacting with your guests, controlling the pace of the reception and deciding when—and how—to change direction if the dance floor starts to empty.
Rather than asking whether a company has “good deejays,” ask why they’re recommending a particular deejay for your wedding. Does this person’s personality match yours? Do they have experience with the type of reception you’re planning? Are they comfortable with your musical tastes? Do they have the emcee style you want?
Look at their work. Read their reviews. Have a conversation with them. You want to make sure the person you’re entrusting with your reception is the right fit for you.
Wedding File Tip: When reading reviews, don’t stop at the company’s overall star rating. Search the reviews for the name of the individual deejay you’re considering. You want to know what past couples say about that person.
Lie #3: “We’ve got another couple looking at your date and you need to lock in today.”
“Truth is, that’s a countdown clock, not a conversation,” Jani warns.
Wedding vendors book up. That’s a reality, particularly for popular dates and during peak wedding season.
“But a pro deejay protects your date, while you decide,” he explains. “Pressure is a red flag, not a favor. The right deejay should earn your trust and it should feel right—it shouldn’t feel rushed and they shouldn’t push you to decide.”
Take your time. Ask questions. Understand what you’re buying. If you’re going to give somebody your money and trust them with one of the biggest days of your life, you should feel comfortable with that decision.
That doesn’t mean waiting weeks to make a decision about an in-demand vendor. If someone else is legitimately interested in your date, you may have to make a decision relatively quickly. Jani’s point is that decision-making and pressure aren’t the same thing.
What Should You Ask a Wedding Deejay Before Booking?
So how can you protect yourself?
Start by asking more than, “Are you available on my wedding date?”
Before signing a contract with a wedding deejay, find out:
- Who, specifically, will be the deejay at my wedding?
- Can I meet or speak with that person before I book?
- Will my deejay’s name be included in my contract?
- What happens if my contracted deejay becomes unavailable?
- How would you describe this deejay’s performance and emcee style?
- Can I see videos of this particular deejay performing at real weddings?
- Can I read reviews that mention this deejay specifically?
- How much input will we have in our music?
- How does the deejay handle requests from guests?
- How does the deejay read the room and adjust the music if guests aren’t responding?
- Who will make announcements and introductions?
- What equipment and backup equipment will be brought to the wedding?
- How much is the deposit, and is it refundable?
- What is the cancellation or postponement policy?
- Are there any additional charges that aren’t included in the initial quote?
The Bottom Line
Choosing a wedding deejay isn’t simply about finding someone with a great playlist—or even choosing the entertainment company with the most impressive Instagram feed.
You’re hiring a person who will have an enormous influence on how your wedding reception feels.
Do your research. Ask to meet the actual deejay. Watch videos of them performing. Read their reviews. And don’t sign a contract until you know exactly whom you’re hiring and what you’re getting.
Jason Jani is the founder and owner of SCE Event Group, a New Jersey-based wedding and event entertainment company. SCE’s team includes professional deejays, emcees and event professionals serving weddings throughout New Jersey and beyond.
