7 Things To Consider When Booking A Wedding DJ

1. How Much Does It Cost For A Wedding DJ in Edmonton?

You can pay anywhere between $400 to $3000 (and beyond) for a wedding DJ in Edmonton, and across Alberta. There is a HUGE variety in quality and price. Wedding DJing is one of those services where you get what you pay for. On average, most established professionals are charging in the neighbourhood of $1200 - $3000 for a wedding reception, with higher prices including more elaborate sound and lighting systems, or guarantee of a reputable DJ. You may get a discounted rate during the low-season, as service providers will be hungry for work. You can also save money on a DJ by having your event on a weekday. The vast majority of mobile DJ events are on Fridays and Saturdays, so demand is high.

If you’re expecting 100 guests, a small PA system (aka sound system) will do fine. If you’re expecting 200-300 people, you’ll likely be paying a little more for a more extensive setup. A more powerful system will take longer to set up and is a more significant investment for the company, which will be reflected in the price. Lighting quality also varies a lot between different companies and the packages they offer.

Beware of working with a cheap DJ in Edmonton! There are too many horror stories to count, including DJs who don’t show up, are unprepared, don’t have a back-up plan, or have a bad attitude. If they’re charging less than the competition, that’s probably for a reason. It is your wedding, so you need to decide how much risk you’re willing to take on the music, lighting, sound, etc.. For something as important as your wedding day, it’s likely worth it to hire someone you can trust for your entertainment. They set the mood for your wedding reception with cocktail and dinner music, followed by the dance which is usually half of the entire evening.

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2. Is this a full-time business? Or just a hobby?

There are a lot of “weekend warriors” in the wedding DJ industry, that is, people who DJ a handful of weddings in a given year, but are still working a day job to make ends meet. Some great DJs do this, but it is a minefield out there. You’ve likely heard horror stories of DJs who are rude, annoying, scoff at requests, think the party is about them, or worse yet, don’t show up. The benefit of going with a hobbyist is they’ll probably charge less money. The risk is, you don’t know what you’re getting until the night of.

In Edmonton, and across Alberta, established wedding DJ companies tend to be more reliable. In general, they are more likely to be a part of a DJ association in which you have to sign on to an oath of conduct. That means they’ll have proper licensing, high-quality equipment, they’re hopefully insured, registered as a business, have backup systems, more experience, and a larger pool of talented wedding DJs to work your dance floor.

If you book with an established company, it’s pretty unlikely you’ll have a no-show at your wedding or a bad experience, but of course not all companies are the same. Look for established DJ companies with high ratings on Google, Facebook, and Wedding Wire.

3. Who is your Wedding DJ playing for?

Make sure your DJ is comfortable playing the music you want to hear! It may seem obvious, but far too many weddings have ended in disappointment because the DJ doesn’t know YOUR music. Do you want them to play to the crowd? Or would you rather they play music you personally enjoy? In most cases, you’ll want to book a DJ who will cater to you and your guests’ tastes. Look for them to show that they’re interested in what you want to hear, and that they’re not just in it for themselves. Make sure that you’ll get some input on what you want to hear. Established DJ companies will have a clear planning system in place.

Stay away from primadonnas! There are many in the industry in Edmonton, and across Alberta. Your wedding will likely have a large variety of guests which means a DJ who isn’t open to different styles of music could ruin your wedding. If you’re looking for a specific genre of music, a specialist in a particular style may make sense for you, but in general, it’s best to consider what will get your guests dancing if you want your wedding to be a success.

4. How does your Wedding DJ handle requests?

A surprising number of DJs do not play requests. This is understandable if you view DJing as your artistic expression and have planned out your entire nights worth of music. However, that is not the job of a wedding DJ! A wedding DJ needs to balance YOUR expectations (which you’ve hopefully discussed in advance) along with your guests on the dance floor. Your DJ should be open to requests. This doesn’t mean they should necessarily play every one of them (often that’s not even possible), but they should consider each recommendation seriously. If the request is made by someone in the wedding party, or an important guest, a good DJ will make sure to play it. These are your guests; their input gives good insight into what will bring energy to your dance floor. Someone who isn’t willing to take requests is likely looking to DJ your wedding for the wrong reasons. They are looking for a crowd to perform in front of, whereas a good wedding DJ will put the focus on you and your guests having a good time.

5. Is your Wedding DJ licensed?

In Canada, DJs are required to have a CONNECT music license which allows you to use digital music for commercial purposes. This license allows you to perform with music copied on a hard drive. Your venue is responsible for SOCAN and Re:Sound licensing which covers performance royalties for songwriters and publishers. Having a CONNECT license means you're likely dealing with an established company rather than someone's side project.

6. How interactive do you want your DJ to be?

Some DJs like to talk on the mic a lot, sometimes this is done very well, but more often, it’s annoying and interrupts the flow of the evening. The best interactive DJs are usually reputable enough that they work for a well-established company or have built their own reputation. Your wedding DJ should be willing to make announcements when required and have an engaging personality. If the company quotes a higher fee for an "interactive DJ" you're likely just paying for a service other companies might include for free.

7. Can your Wedding DJ mix? (Otherwise known as beat matching)

When it comes to mixing, the difference between a mediocre and great DJ is huge! By “mix” we mean transitioning from one song to the next. Is the volume the same? Do you hear a long pause between tracks? Do they overlap awkwardly? Or do they blend together smoothly? A great DJ will transition from song to song seamlessly which will keep the energy level high on the dance floor, they’ll bring in elements of the new song as the last track draws to a close, and when the time is right, they’ll drop the next hit. When done well, a good DJ mix will ignite your dance party, when done wrong, it can be jarring, and will destroy the vibe on a dance floor.

This skill is important if you want a lot of Top 40, hip-hop, or dance music. If you want country, rock and oldies all night, your DJ doesn’t need to be a master at this. No matter what, you want a DJ who can transition between one song and the next without awkwardness or delay.

Greg Goa is the owner of Market Sound Entertainment, a DJ company based in Edmonton, Alberta. Together with his team they have built one of the most reputable DJ companies in Alberta.