So you’re getting married! Congratulations!
Once you start your planning, you will quickly realize that in Montreal there are a lot of wedding vendors to choose from for every aspect of your wedding.
If you’ve decided to go with a DJ instead of a band for your wedding, you will be faced with dozens of choices! In this post I will list six points that will help you determine how to choose your Montreal wedding disc jockey.
1) Their Availability
This is obvious! Right? Well, not really, as there are many people who still hold off on hiring their wedding entertainment until 3-4 months before their wedding! We advise hiring your DJ about one year in advance! Why is that? Because although there are plenty of DJ’s in Montreal, there will probably only be a handful that fit what you are looking for. And if you don’t book them early enough, you will be stuck having to choose your second choice, or maybe even third choice. It’s your wedding; do you want to be stuck with the second or third choice for one of the most important parts of your wedding? Book early, so your first choice is available!
2) Their Style
With the number of DJ’s we have in Montreal, many of them specialize in particular genres, cultures or niches. Some DJ’s offer more of a club-style feel, some are remixers or real great scratch artists. There are also styles for their MC work, there are some extravagant and outrageous MC’s in Montreal. This may be something you like, by narrowing down the style you want, it will make your choice easier.
3) Personality
I believe that you should be meeting with your DJ in person well before your wedding, not just the owner of the DJ company, the actual person who will perform at your wedding! Why? Even if they are available, and they have a style you like, you need to like the person him or herself! Sound strange? Think about this: Your wedding reception will be anywhere from 7-10 hours long (common in Montreal!). Can you imagine if you do not like your DJ’s attitude or energy? These are things you can begin determine by meeting them in person before you choose them.
4) References
This tip applies to all of your vendors, not just the DJ! Make sure they have a solid list of references and testimonials from previous clients. Many wedding professionals use Wedding Wire to collect their reviews, or video testimonials on their website or even Facebook. Either way, look for some references and read them.
5) Stage Look
Let’s face it, every DJ will be bringing similar looking speakers to your wedding. There is much more to it than that though! First off you should never, ever, see any wires dangling from any part of the DJ’s equipment. There are many ways DJ’s will differentiate their look around the DJ booth or with their setup. Some DJ’s will bring almost concert like lighting effects and trussing. Some DJ’s will bring 3, 4, 5 huge LED TV screens as part of the setup. Other times it may be something more specific that you really like and you have noticed no one else seems to have. Make sure you ask to see pictures from previous events; in fact, this should already be on their website. If there is something specific you like, this can help narrow your choices to a select few.
6) Price
I made price the last tip. Not because it is the least important, but because it should definitely not be the most important factor in choosing your wedding DJ. A good wedding DJ does more than just play music. They are creating an atmosphere, interacting with your guests, keeping the night on track and organizing the special points throughout the night. A good DJ comes prepared with backup equipment and the proper liability insurance too. You need to realize that hiring a DJ in Montreal for $500 for your wedding should raise some red flags. Expect to pay about $1500-$2500 for your average wedding DJ in Montreal. Of course, you don’t want your wedding to be just average! DJ’s who provide a more personal and premium service, carry great reviews and experience and have all the proper insurance and licensing will be charging more, expect between $2500-$4000 to begin.
How to Choose Your DJ
With these six tips about choosing a wedding DJ, you should be able to narrow your search and be less stressed about finding your DJ. You can also read our FAQ’s for a list of questions to ask DJ’s when you are shopping around. If you are looking for more details on how DJ’s price their services, here is a post I wrote recently explaining how much a DJ in Montreal will cost.
Over to you, do you have any tips for choosing a wedding DJ? Put them in the comments below!
Stefan Jez can help create your Unique Wedding Entertainment Experience. Specializing in Montreal weddings, with over 20 years experience, Stefan’s goal is to work with you on creating a one-of-a-kind, romantic, tailored, made-to-measure wedding reception. Acting as a true Master of Ceremonies, Stefan promises to deliver an experience that you and your guests would have never thought possible. Don’t hope your once in a lifetime experience will just happen. Contact Stefan at 514-297-3508 or stefan@uptownxpress.com to begin your experience today! We travel to Ottawa, Rigaud and surroundings too!
Stefan Jez peut vous aider à créer votre expérience unique de divertissement de mariage. Comptant plus de 20 ans d’expérience avec une spécialisation dans les mariages, l’objectif de Stefan est de travailler avec vous pour créer une réception de mariage unique, romantique et sur mesure. En tant que véritable Maître des Cérémonies, Stefan s’engage à offrir une expérience que vous et vos invités n’auraient jamais cru possible. N’espérez pas que votre expérience unique qui arrive qu’une fois dans une vie arrivera par hasard.