DJ Horror Stories
By Ed and
Dottie Ottman
Most
people only hire a DJ once in their life and
most often it’s for their Wedding Reception.
Too often I hear horror stories about how a
DJ ruined a reception and in this case, once
is too many! As DJs, we only have one chance
to get it right! Take a look at some of the
complaints I hear or read:
The
DJ showed up late or didn’t show at all.
They
didn’t play what I wanted or played music
that I specifically asked them not to play.
The
DJ I hired wasn’t the DJ that showed up
The
equipment was nothing more than a home stereo
system and a few CDs.
Unfortunately
I could go on and on. Professional DJs
have a not-so-nice name for the DJs that fall
into this category... "Bottom Feeders".
Contrary
to popular belief, DJs are not all cut from
the same fabric! In most instances, you really
get what you pay for. If there is one area of
your reception where you shouldn’t try
to cut corners, it’s your entertainment.
Notice, I didn’t say DJ, I said entertainment.
The same would hold true for a band, a harpist
or a pianist if you decided to hire their particular
service to be part of your special day.
Brides
and Grooms are willing to spend thousands of
dollars on food, drink and the banquet hall
but try to cut corners on entertainment. This
could be a recipe for disaster. No one will
remember if the London Broil was overly cooked,
or how nice the hall was decorated, but most
will remember if they had a great time because
of great entertainment. I’ll concentrate
more on DJ’s since that’s where
my expertise is.
Here
are some of the things that separate “Professional”
DJ’s from the “Bottom Feeders”:
Professional
DJs use professional equipment, not a home stereo.
Professional
DJs will meet with you and help you plan your
reception.
Professional
DJs will have many references available for
you to talk to.
Professional
DJs WILL NOT subcontract out your event unless
they tell you at the time of contract signing.
Professional
DJs will be set up on time and ready by the
time your first guest arrives.
Professional
DJs abide by your wishes and not just play what
“they” like to hear.
Professional
DJs will have liability insurance.
Professional
DJs will not drink alcoholic beverages on the
job.
Professional
DJs will not try to be the life of the party.
The Bride and Groom should never share the limelight.
Professional
DJs will not invite potential clients to watch
them perform at your event. A DJ cannot give
your event 100% attention if they’re trying
to sell to others.
Professional
DJs will use contracts, to protect both them
and you.
This
is not an all-inclusive list but just some of
the major discriminators that should help you
secure the services of a Professional DJ. I’m
not saying that the higher the price a DJ charges,
the more professional they are.
You
have to ask yourself though, if the average
price for a DJ in your market is $900 and a
DJ will undercut or quote you $400 for the job,
why is he willing to charge so much less. We’re
not all created equal! Use the list to help
you identify the professional DJ service and
save yourself the heartache of a bad DJ.
