25 DJ Questions (TOP SECRET Tips + Tricks)
DJ + MC
1. You’re a female DJ! I never saw one before? What makes you different?
We are proud to say we are one of the only two all-female DJ companies in the U.S.
I think what makes us different is that as females, we just get it. Especially when it comes to weddings. I can be playing music, look over at your sweetheart table and just know…I know when you are feeling antsy, I know when you might need a drink. I know when it’s time to get pumped.
Intuition helps in managing the flow and creating the atmosphere of the wedding day! We also have female brains, which means we vibe on a girlfriend level and we are super detail-oriented.
2. What does an MC do?
An MC is going to set the tone of the evening, orchestrate it from start to finish and be the voice. They direct the flow of the night from the special dances and activities, to the dancing.
Think of it this way…if your wedding were an orchestra, the MC would be the conductor.
Part of what we do as an MC is gathering up all of your wedding details from the people in your wedding party — from who is toasting and blessing the food, to who you will be doing your special dances with. Once we gather up all of these details, we will help create a flow of the evening and then orchestrate it from start to finish.
This means ensuring that we have the correct pronunciation of the wedding party (we’ll do that on our 30 day out final phone call). As your MC, we will ensure that those you have chosen to dance with are in the room and been prepped. We will make sure that the honored guests who are toasting are prepped and have their speeches ready before we begin the toast.
I would say that MCing is at least 50% or more of what we do. We’ve got to make sure things stay organized and run smoothly, so that you have plenty of time for dancing — that’s where the fun begins and the DJ portion of what we do comes into play.
3. Does the DJ take care of the music and MC service?
Depends on the company. We absolutely have mastered both areas and create a wedding timeline to execute music cues and all the announcements.
You want to make sure your DJ is making a timeline so that you know exactly what they are saying and how the event will flow.
4. I want a live band. How does hiring a DJ work with live entertainment?
You can integrate the two! Most of the time when we’ve worked with bands, we have still been your MC and we also pump up your guests in between band breaks. Typically, when you hire a band, they will need to take breaks. From what I understand, they can put on an iPod during the breaks. But, why not incorporate a DJ into those breaks so the energy level of the evening stays high?
Also, depending on the band, they may not have an MC to orchestrate and announce your formalities. (See more about what an MC does in question #2.) We’ve actually found that some bands LOVE to work with MCs so they don’t have to eat into the “break time” making announcements and setting up the music for those times.
Plus, when the band goes on break, most of the time it still feels like ‘oh the band is on a break’ because no one is on the stage reading the crowd, playing the right music to keep them going. The MC you’d get with a band isn’t passionate about MCing like we would be, but rather, it’s the lead singer who is forced to make announcements.
5. What if you get sick? Who covers my wedding?
As a DJ, there are no sick days. I personally have been DJing for 12 years and never missed a wedding, However, we do have a plan in place for emergencies! We have a squad of DJs – so, you’ll always be covered. We also have strategic partnerships with other DJ companies, so this is the last thing you’ll ever have to worry about if an emergency happens.
We do have that in our contract as well, so that you are fully covered.
6. What if equipment fails or electricity goes out?
Oh my gosh! Our worst nightmare.
Truly speaking, if there isn’t electricity, we can’t play. However, one time, I was at a venue where the power went out. Someone had ran into a power line and knocked the entire grid out! Thankfully, it was during cocktail hour and I had a little Bluetooth speaker. So, I played music for an hour or so from that until the power company came to turn it back on!
7. What kind of insurance do you cover?
We have general liability insurance, which your venue will ask us for and sometimes, they even ask for our Auto Liability insurance, which we also have.
8. Are there different styles of DJs?
Yes! Every DJ company has a different model and style. And, every DJ has their own individual personalities. With Our DJ Rocks, you’ll always get the same experience — however, we are each our own individual person.
We also are specifically trained in weddings which is super important. We do not have a club background. What we mean by this is, there might be some companies out there that are great DJ-scratch master C’s, but do not speak professionally or elegantly on a microphone.
Our style is professional, yet fun — we mix and beat match for a smooth transition between songs and to ensure energy stays consistent throughout the night. No awkward pauses or breaks. We believe that if you love the melody of “Don’t Stop Believin’,” then you should hear that when you’re dancing.
Don’t get me wrong, though — there is nothing wrong with a good remix every now and then! Make sure that when you talk to your DJ, you enjoy their voice and presence. This is the person that will reflect the tone for your wedding reception.
9. Why do I need a DJ? I have a song-by-song list I want. Can’t I just play that myself on my venue’s sound system?
This is a great question and I think it depends on what you are wanting. I’ll give you an example.
It MAYYYYYBE happens only once a year, but we have a couple who just hired us for their ceremony only. They played their own music for their reception, however, it was a 20-person brunch wedding. There were no formalities, no dancing, just dining. So, if that’s what you’re planning, that might work perfect for you.
On the other end of that spectrum, the majority of our couples are having formalities likes special dances, cake cutting, speeches, etc. The DJ/MC is going to be the one to help orchestrate all of those activities, MC them, cue up the music for them and help make them happen at the appropriate time.
A DJ is also going to be the one to mix and program the music.
10. Do I need a DJ for my ceremony if I have a quartet or other live music?
Only if you would like us to set up microphones for your guests to hear. We can provide a mic for your officiant and another mic if you are having a singer or reader.
11. Do DJs provide uplighting or monograms?
Depends on the company. We sure do, because it helps to set the tone and atmosphere along with the music.
12. Do DJs work with my planner in terms of the timeline of the day?
Absolutely! It’s important for all of your vendors to be on the same page, not just your planning and us! We will work with you to create the flow of your reception and then review that with your planner to make any adjustments. Your planner will then incorporate that piece into the entire wedding day timeline.
Music
13. Who picks the music at my wedding?
You do! We look at it as a collaboration. Of course you want our expertise on what songs work and don’t work and to be able to read the crowd to make adjustments. But, at the same time, we LOVE input. We love to know your faves, your “do not plays,” what your parents jam to, and even what your throwbacks are.
When we get to know you, your style and the vibe you are going for for your reception, we can create moments and surprises with music.
14. Can I give the DJ a playlist and have them just hit go? Specifically for my cocktail hour?
We can and love to customize cocktail hour and dinner with your faves. That’s the best time to incorporate the songs you love that aren’t really danceable, but enjoyable. That is information that you can include in our online planning system and we’ll custom create the music program for the night!
One time, I had a couple do all “Post Modern Jukebox” for their cocktail hour. It fit their copper mug vibe so well!
15. Do you take requests? Do you take requests the night of my wedding, too?
Absolutely (as long as it’s a good one — you know what I’m talking about.) We love feeling it out in the moment. And, there may be a time where you are on the dance floor and are like… “oh YAAAAAAAAA I need this jam!” BOOM — let’s do it!
16. What if I have a list of songs I don’t want played at my wedding?
Love it! Put it in the online planning system that we have, so that we make sure NOT to play them.
Pricing + Setup
17. Is it important for my DJ to have been to my venue before? Why or why not?
It depends on the venue and the company.
For us, we have been to hundreds of venues across Central Florida since 2010. There are still times that we go to a venue we’ve never been to before and most of the time, it’s okay. But, there are some venues where it’s imperative that your DJ visit it before because they will need to know how to create the timeline and flow of the night based on the venue. This is something that we can chat about in our first meeting. 🙂
18. What type of equipment do you use?
All of the most expensive quality stuff! j/k — kinda, not really. But, we do trust brands like Denon, QSC and Shure because just like you, we don’t want to have to worry about our equipment.
19. Will the DJ be there for the ceremony too, or does our officiant need his own mic and sound system?
That’s up to you and what package you choose. If you’d like us to provide a mic and/or music for the ceremony, we can create a package that includes that!
20. Why does a DJ cost so much, if I’m making the playlist, shouldn’t I get a discount?
You’re choosing a wedding DJ based on a few things.
- Their personality and style – Your DJ is going to help set the tone of the evening. That means that style and personality do matter.
- Their communication and articulation – They will be the voice of the evening as the MC, so you don’t want a cheesy or “wrestlemania sounding” DJ.
- Programming – This is the reason why you are having a celebration, right? Music bridges the gaps between generations and cultures. So, playing the right song at the wrong time is just as bad as playing all of the wrong songs. We can make playlists all day long, but it’s all about the timing.
I think about this like a comedian… if they don’t deliver the punchline correctly, they epically fail.
21. Is there a charge if a DJ is going to different spaces (especially if the ceremony space is at a site completely separate from the reception space)?
Sometimes, yes. It just depends on the venue or venues. Sometimes one person can do it and sometimes it needs to be a two-person team. This is something that we chat about in our initial meeting to figure out what is needed in your package.
22. Does set up cut into my coverage’s hours?
Not at all!
23. Can we put the DJ in the corner? I don’t want to see their table in my photos.
You have full flexibility on where you set up the DJ. The most important thing to keep in mind when figuring out placement is to make sure they are near or next to the dance floor.
24. Who does the set up?
Your DJ does! That means that if i’m your DJ and MC, I’ll be there for setup and sound check — until the very last dance with you!
25. Are there alternate packages for uplighting? It sounds like the lights you have are top-of-the-line, but some of the quotes we received from other vendors place LED lighting packages at a lower price point.
It’s hard to answer this question, because you mentioned it yourself and we always want to put positive vibes out there.
The best way to explain the difference in lighting prices is the equipment used. For example, I have seen companies who try and do amber uplighting and because their lights don’t do amber…they instead try to mix red and green together and it looks green with a red outline. I’ve also seen lights that have a really skinny beam angle, rather that true illumination of light from floor to ceiling.
Our lights are also completely wireless which means there is not a bunch of messy cords. The benefit of it being wireless is that some venues don’t have an outlet where an uplight is needed or they don’t have enough outlets. Our lights also last for 16 hours, so we don’t have to worry about them shutting off.
Another thing to understand about uplighting is that if it’s anything outside of $25-60 per light, then I would start asking questions.
