Category: How to

Hiring a DJ for an event can be a real challenge.

You might have the equipment all lined up, but you still need to figure out exactly the right person for the job.

And you probably have a mate who says they can do it, but the fact is a really great DJ can be a real make-or-breaker for events, and risking it could be costly.

So the question remains: how do you pick the perfect DJ?

How do you know if you’re onto a winner, and how do you choose between a selection of strong candidates?

 

First, determine what it is you really need

Plenty of DJs specialise – they might be a Pedding DJ, or a Party DJ, or a Club DJ – and that gives you a great shortcut for narrowing your market.

But beyond that, what is it you want them to achieve? What kind of vibe do you want your event to have? What is it a DJ’s going to bring to the equation you can’t do without one?

As an exercise, spend a little time really imaging the event, and try to figure out exactly what the DJ is doing to make it come alive the way you want.

DJs are experience makers, but you have to know what kind of experience you want them to help cultivate before they can go about doing it!

 

Ask for samples

You might not feel you’re in a position to critique a DJs work – what do you know? – but the reality is it’s your event, and you need to feel confident and secure that the DJ you hire (and pay!) is going to deliver the goods in a way you’re happy with.

So ask for samples.

That might be directly from the DJ themselves, but it’s often easy to simply find their work on SoundCloud or their websites nowadays.

And regardless of your misgivings, you’ll be surprised how quickly you find yourself picking up on differences and nuances between different candidates.

 

Establish limits

Before you go any further, you need to establish exactly what is off limits at your event.

There might be songs that are trigger points for a guest, there might be styles of music you want to veto.

And it might even be an issue of behaviour – you don’t want them drinking too much or turning up too late.

As with so many things related to event-planning, the key is to be clear without being too restrictive – don’t feel you need to direct every aspect of the set, but don’t shy away from giving instructions and setting limits!

 

Meet them first

One of the brilliant things about technology is it means we can meet people and feel out their ‘vibe’ without driving 100 miles.

So before you official hire a DJ, you should ask them to do some kind of Facetime or phone call or even just text a little bit to make sure your personalities mesh and that they seem to be professional and capable.

It doesn’t need to be heavy or involved – just make sure you get a little sample of what they’re going to be like on the day!

Let’s face it.

Your wedding might be the only chance you get to indulge your wildest fantasies, and have everyone find it endearing.

Indeed, have everyone falling over themselves to make it happen.

The rest of your time is spent making compromises, and that’s great.

But given this one chance to abandon all sense and do something outlandish, why not really go for it?

We’ve been involved in a lot of weddings over the years, and seen some pretty remarkable things.

So we thought we’d pass on that wisdom to you, by offering up the five best (and most surprising) things you could add to your wedding to make sure it’s exceptional.

 

Confetti cannons

This might seem simple, even uninteresting.

But confetti cannons are so much more entertaining than anyone ever anticipates.

Because they get everyone in the mood, and make a lovely little mess.

Which helps everyone relax and embrace their silliest, most excitable selves.

It’s like a shot of energy, and so straightforward to implement.

Plus it helps put a twist on the tradition.

Meaning you can have your cake and eat it too.

Camping

There’s something about sleeping outdoors that makes people that bit wilder.

Which is great for making sure you have the wildest, most memorable day possible.

And it means people have to make a commitment to the day.

You might use tepees, you might use old fashioned tents.

Regardless, incorporating camping into the equation will always make things that little more interesting.

And save your guests’ hotel dollar, too.

 

Perfect lighting

Another deceptively simple one.

The right lighting can be a real make or break.

And as much fun as quirky concepts and out-there ideas can be, the atmosphere needs to be exactly right for any of it to work.

But that’s not to say lighting has to be straightforward.

You can have extravagant lighting synchronised to the music.

You can have lighting which switches wirelessly between segments in your day.

You can light parts of your venue in unusual ways, or create unique spaces using lighting.

Or you can just make sure everyone’s skin looks really good in the photos.

 

Fairground

Yes, people genuinely do this.

Why not?

Seriously, you can hire fairground rides and amusements.

Don’t try and pretend you’re not tempted.

There’s nothing like seeing people dressed to the nines on a super slide.

And there’s nothing like a Ferris wheel to sober you up for that big toast.

Make it a Festival

We’ve seen plenty do it.

Get a band, a suitable venue…whatever you can think of.

It’s really not as big a challenge as you might think – especially if you use our guide to building one.

You could even combine each of our other four examples to make the biggest wedding any of your guests have been to.

The key is just to think big and bold.

Because, fingers crossed, you’re not gonna get to do it again.