How to Hire a DJ for Your Unique Hudson Valley Wedding

For most brides and grooms, hiring a wedding DJ is a new–and sometimes challenging–experience.

Bride and Groom Toast at their Hudson Valley Dutchess Manor Wedding MCed by DJ Bri Swatek Courtesy of Allan E. Levine Photography

Although some brides and grooms may have previously hired DJs for other personal or workplace events–and many couples have seen DJs perform at weddings for family and friends–most brides and grooms find themselves searching for a truly professional wedding DJ for the very first time.

What should you look for when searching for the best of the best in professional Hudson Valley wedding DJs? What questions, beyond the price or cost of DJ services, should you ask Hudson Valley DJs?

DJ Bri Swatek Spinning with Style at a Hudson Valley Wedding Courtesy of Allan E. Levine Photography

Don’t ever be afraid to ask your any of your wedding vendors–including your DJ–any of the following questions:

- Are you a full-time wedding professional?
- How many years of experience do you have in the wedding business?
- How many weddings do you work per year?
- How many weddings do you (or does your company) work in one day?
- If we hire your company, who will be working at our wedding?
- Do you ever “subcontract” your work out to other wedding vendors?
- Are you registered as a legitimate business? (DBA, Inc., or LLC)
- Are you a member of a professional association?
- Are you insured for liability?
- Do you use professional equipment?
- Do you provide backup equipment at my wedding?
- What’s *your* backup plan?
- What happens if I cancel the wedding or need to change the date of the wedding?
- When will you arrive on my wedding day?
- Will you be suitably dressed for our wedding?
- Will you be willing listen to me, and follow my plans for my wedding?
- What are your pricing packages, options, and services offered?
- What specifically is in included in your pricing, and what is “extra,” an “add-on,” or a “fee?”
- How much is your deposit, how do payments work, and what methods of payment do you accept?
- Do you provide a written contract?
- Can I have references and contact information from previous customers?
- Can I have references and contact information from other wedding professionals?
- Why did you decide to become a wedding vendor?
- What do you enjoy most about being a wedding professional?

The American Disc Jockey Association provides questions like these, as well as things to look for in your vendors’ potential answers, online at http://adja.org. While the ADJA’s guidelines are mainly focused on hiring a DJ, these questions could easily be applied to most of the wedding vendors you are looking to hire for your big day.

In addition, as the owner of DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style, I would recommend these additional resources to use when you begin to look for Hudson Valley DJs to provide music, entertainment, Disc Jockey, and MC services for your upcoming wedding:

“How To Find a Fun, Non-Cheesy Wedding DJ”

Stephanie Padovani of The Best Hudson Valley Wedding Ever! offers excellent tips on how to find the best Hudson Valley DJ services in her article “How To Find a Fun, Non-Cheesy Wedding DJ” at http://hubpages.com/hub/Hudson-Valley-DJ.

“Do Your Research – Finding the Perfect Wedding DJ”

Alan Robb, owner of Accent Events in Wisconsin suggests you “Do Your Research” when “Finding the Perfect Wedding DJ” at http://scottishdj.wordpress.com/2010/12/06/do-your-research-finding-the-perfect-wedding-dj.

“How Much Should Your Wedding DJ Cost?”

Stacie Tamaki of The Flirty Blog interviews a number of the best professional wedding DJs across the country to demonstrate that “there is a big difference between how “professional” and “stereotypical” DJ’s view weddings” in her article “How Much Should Your Wedding DJ Cost?” at http://theflirtyguide.blogspot.com/2010/06/how-much-should-your-wedding-dj-cost.html.

“How to Choose a DJ . . . a Decision Worth the Effort”

Judy Lewis at HudsonValleyWeddings.Com offers great advice on hiring Hudson Valley DJs in her article “How to Choose a DJ . . . a Decision Worth the Effort” at http://www.hudsonvalleyweddings.com/guide/dj-pick.htm.

“How to Select a DJ”

Shandria Strickland, Chief Entertainment Officer of A Woman’s Touch Entertainment in Atlanta offers advice on “How to Select a DJ” that could be applied in any area of the country, including the Hudson Valley. Visit http://womanstouchdj.com/about-us/how-to-select-a-dj to hear her unique perspective on the value of hiring a professional to DJ your once-in-a-lifetime event.

By the way, while these articles are mainly focused on brides and grooms hiring Hudson Valley DJs, many of these questions could easily be applied to almost all of the Hudson Valley wedding vendors you are looking to hire for your big day.

For more suggestions on how to interview and hire your wedding DJ or any of the most important vendors for your upcoming Hudson Valley wedding, please visit:

Wedding DJ Prices
http://djbriswatek.wordpress.com/wedding-dj-prices/

and

Wedding DJ Reviews
http://djbriswatek.wordpress.com/wedding-dj-reviews/

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

Bri

________________________________________________________

DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style
Your DJ for Your Unique Style
in the Hudson Valley of New York

Email: briswatek@aol.com
Phone: 845.235.0080
Online: www.djbriswatek.com