50 Questions to Ask Wedding DJs and Bands

DJ puts record on

Every wedding day has a soundtrack of its own—from the walk down the aisle to the first dance, the bouquet toss to your final farewell, music helps set the tone for the entire day … which is why your DJ or band has such an important role. To help you better vet the candidates, we’ve compiled this master list of questions to ask wedding DJs and band.

The Basics

First things first, you’ve got to figure out the basics … like, is the DJ or band even available on your desired date. The answers to the following questions will help you get a sense of how experienced the candidates are.

1. Is my wedding date available?

2. How long have you been doing this professionally?

Why you need to know this: Obviously, there’s a difference between volunteer gigs and legit, paid performances. Make sure your candidates are seasoned so there are no hiccups on the most important day of your life!)

3. How many weddings have you played?

4. How long have you been performing together (if you’re interviewing a band)?

5. How many weddings do you do in an average weekend?

Why you need to know this: If the band or DJ is playing ’round the clock all weekend, they’re performance might suffer. If they’re running on empty, you might want to rethink booking them.

6. Do you perform at more than one event in a day?

7. Will you be the DJ/bandleader personally be playing at our wedding? Which band members should we expect?

Why you need to know this: Bands usually have a roster of performers, and might alternate who’s playing based on their availability. If you’re choosing a band based because you love one musician or singer in particular, make sure they’re the performer who will actually be playing your wedding.

8. Have you done events at my wedding venue?

9. What sets you apart from your competition?

10. Can you describe your style?

11. Are there any other services that you provide, such as lighting design or a photo booth?

12. Can you provide me with recent couples that I can contact for references?

The Music

You probably already know a little about the wedding band or DJ since you were interested enough to interview them. Learn more about them and their style so there are no surprises on the big day.

13. Do you have a CD of your music or a video from a prior wedding where you performed?

14. Can you help me choose the music for my processional, recessional, father-daughter dance, etc.?

Why you need to know this: If you’re having trouble choosing music for a first dance song or father-daughter dance, etc., a DJ or wedding band tends to know a thing or two about choosing the right music. They can definitely be a helpful resource!

15. How extensive is your music library or song list? What genres can you cover?

16. Do you have a go-to list of wedding songs you play or perform for weddings?

Why you need to know this: Ask them ahead of time if they have a list of songs they recommend playing throughout the wedding. If they leave that list up to you, be sure to provide them with the songs you want to get down on the dance floor to before your wedding swings around.

17. How do you keep your music collection up-to-date?

18. If the DJ or one of the band members scheduled for my event is unable to perform for some reason, do you have a backup replacement ready to go?

19. Do you take any breaks? How many and when?

20. What music will be provided during the breaks?

21. How many band members will perform that day?

22. Do you act as the emcee and make all of the announcements?

23. How would you define your emcee style?

24. What do you do to motivate the crowd if nobody is dancing?

25. Do you take requests from our guests?

26. Can we submit a “Do Not Play” list?

Why you need to know this: you never know what your guests are going to end up requesting. Having a do-not-play list ensures you’re not going hear anything you and your new hubby hate.

Pricing and Payment

The price tag is one of the biggest factors in choosing what wedding DJ or band to choose, but it’s not as simple as just asking for a price. You need to find out exactly what that price includes. You definitely don’t want to discover any surprise fees after you’ve signed a contract.

27. What’s your rate?

Wh you need to know this: When talking about rate, make sure to find out if the rate changes bases on the day (or even time of day) and exactly how many hours that rate buys you. If the rate is in the ballpark (even if it’s over budget), great! If it turns out that DJ or wedding band is the one, you might be able to negotiate a discount, or increase your budget to be able to use that DJ or band.

28. Does that rate include setup and breakdown between ceremony and reception locations? What, if anything, isn’t included?

29. How much would you charge for overtime?

30. Are there any additional fees that could accrue that I am not taking into account, like travel expenses or charges for special musical requests?

 

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