hiring a DJ: smoky mountain wedding

You are so excited that you are getting married! You know you want your guests to remember this day for years to come, and you don’t know where to start. I have five questions you want to think about when hiring a DJ for your wedding.

What type of reception are you wanting?

Before you even consider hiring a DJ for your wedding, you need to know the answer to this question! Every bride has a vision of what they want for their wedding and reception. Whether a casual “garden party” type setting or a “party to remember” she knows what she wants. Music plays an important role in every setting. With your “garden party” a live string quartet, a band, or a DJ playing your favorite songs in the background may be perfect for you. For your “party to remember” you will want a band or DJ to not only play what you want to hear; they will need be able to read your guests to see what they want to dance to.  You want a band or DJ to give you the celebration your guests will remember for years to come.

Do I want a reception with music?

You may decide that you don’t want any music or that you may want to try a Spotify list for background music. Remember, if you are getting married in the Smoky Mountains, you will probably not have any internet access so you won’t be able to use Spotify or any DJ that only uses the internet. Most professional DJ’s will have all of their music legally purchased and physically with them so there will not be silence for your event. If you are not worried about music, hiring a DJ would not make sense for you.

Will I be hiring a DJ or a band?

A band is great, however, they are not always trained to be a Master of Ceremonies in helping your event flow. Also remember, bands take breaks and may leave awkward silence if you don’t ask for them to play something in-between. If you don’t care about any of that a band is perfect for you. If you do care, remember a professional DJ is also a trained Master of Ceremonies and will help give you the vision you have for your reception.

Is price a huge factor when hiring a DJ?

It can be, however, you do get what you pay for. If you have a more casual wedding it may not matter. If you are wanting the “party to remember”, that is indeed where it matters. I am not saying that the most expensive DJ won’t be as bad as the “cheap” DJ, but it is less likely. Make sure you have a realistic budget. The average cost of a good DJ in the United States for four hours is about $1,100. This is one of the most important things to think about when hiring a DJ.

Does professionalism matter to you?

Not all DJ’s are professional so you need to make sure you do your research if that matters to you. We have heard horror stories about “DJ’s” that have come to weddings inappropriately dressed and played innappropriate music. A DJ that didn’t blend the music or do any announcements to keep the guests informed about activities. Ask friends or family if they have used a DJ service they were happy with. Look at reviews. Check with other vendors or venues for referrals of those DJ’s that are professional.

I hope these suggestions help you in deciding whether or not you wish to hire a DJ for your wedding.

I know there are so many things to think about when planning your wedding and we would love to help your vision come true. For more planning information, here are great articles with good information from Bridal Guide and brides.com.

Written by Ellen Crivellone of Smokey Mountain Sounds and the Smoky Mountain Wedding Association– We would love to DJ for your celebration, call now for availability! 1-865-712-1854

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