Navigating wedding entertainment is one of the most agonizing parts of wedding planning. If you're organizing a wedding in or around the Los Angeles area, you may already know that finding a good Los Angeles wedding DJ is by far more challenging than any other. Despite the number of DJs in the area, finding a DJ that ticks all your boxes are

What You're Paying for When Hiring a Los Angeles Wedding DJ

Prepare to pay anything from $1,000 to $2,000 or more to hire a Los Angeles Wedding DJ.  This process is comparable to buying a car. You could save money upfront by getting a cheaper vehicle, but it will likely be riddled with issues and require you to pay extra for repairs, while you Uber or Lyft when it's in repair. Alternatively, you could get a luxury vehicle that comes with a luxury driving experience. Hiring a Los Angeles Wedding DJ is similar. Trying to save a buck can lead to a devastating experience at your wedding. But the price tag isn't always worth it. Instead, a reputable DJ can express what the cost entails, as it should account for the following:

Time: 

The hourly rate doesn't only include the few hours your Los Angeles DJ spends at your venue but the prep time. Before the big day, your DJ should be spending time preparing and perfecting the playlist. Then, on the day, your DJ will spend time traveling to the venue, setting up, performing, and breaking the set down.

Equipment:

Equipment maintenance is essential to achieving the kind of set your guests will appreciate.

A DJ that short changes on maintenance to cost cut is a DJ that's set will break down in the middle of your wedding, requiring your guests to adlib. If you think that's impossible, ask your friends about some of their Los Angeles Wedding DJ stories.

Music:

Music isn't free. To play copyright music — most well-known songs or beats — at your wedding, your DJ needs to purchase or rent each song, which quickly adds up. 

Operational Cost and Insurance:

Business licenses, rent, marketing costs, and insurance are all costs your Los Angeles Wedding DJ has to budget for while running their business. If they don't account for these costs, the results show up in their work.

3 Must-Follow Tips When Hiring a Los Angeles DJ

Now that you know why your Los Angeles Wedding DJ can demand their fees, you should practice the following:

Conduct an Interview

Save yourself from future trouble by conducting interviews for your shortlisted DJs.

At this point, you should have already seen pictures of their setup and contacted references. 

The interview is to determine if they're the right fit. 

The interview doesn't have to be face-to-face, you can do it over Zoom or phone, but you want the DJ to walk you through their process, style, and professional experience.

This is also the time to get clarity for any questions or concerns.

Go With Your Gut

Don't be persuaded by Google reviews when hiring a DJ. 

Unfortunately, there are many reviews — both positive and negative — that are fake. Relying only on your and your partner's instincts could be more accurate, especially if these feelings concern red flags.

Review Their Contract

Should disputes arise, having an understanding — and copy — of the contract ensures you have adequate recourse.

How to select a Bay Area Dj for your wedding. (San Jose, Milpitas, Sunnyvale, Gilroy, San Martin, Mountain View, Redwood Ciity and Morgan Hill)

 People have been putting their wedding on ice for the past year and some change. We had so many folks cancel their date and wait for it to be clear. In California, we have been super conservative but it has proven to be safe by its extreme tactics. People are now trying to figure out what dj they should use for their wedding.

First step is to figure out your wedding dj budget.

A dj is what makes or breaks the wedding. You do not want to skimp on this. A dj creates the vibe for the night with the music that they play. 

Time is of the essence.

Weddings are going to be taking up dates really fast. I have been getting inquiries for the next two months. Ideally you want to select a dj from 8 to 12 months ahead. For us, we can do a wedding at least a month in advance if needed to be.

Talk with the Dj

Some folks are still resistant to meet one on one in person still. That is ok. There is zoom or facetime or the old school phone call. Pay attention how the dj talks about weddings. Are they excited about it and do they give advice about your special event.

Pay attention how quickly they respond to you.

Setting up a wedding may seem like a second job and folks need answers asap. It helps if dj is on it with the response time. Its nice if they respond the same way you contact them. 

Greetings. This is a mini blog compared to my longer ones. Going to keep it short and to the point!

Before you select any dj for your event it is good to hear what they are all about. Its funny since sometimes people ask to see you perform and then you have to turn them down since you are playing at private events. For respect for your clients, the dj does not invite other guests to the event. A good way to see what is in the dj’s skill set is to see what they have on their mix cloud. Mixcloud is a website that hosts dj mixes. People can see the style of music a dj plays and if the dj can beat match. Beat matching is putting songs together so it is a seamless transition to keep the energy on the dance floor.

For your Bay Area dj, please look at their reviews then if satisfied please check their mixes out. If a dj does not have a mix to share then move on. There are many djs out there but hearing their mixes is the best way to really know a dj.

www.mixcloud.com/wingmansj