Where to get recommendations for hiring a Wedding DJ?
So you have decided to hire a DJ for your wedding (good choice!). Shortly after that decision, you must sort through the endless options in finding your perfect DJ for YOUR wedding. Before spending countless hours blindly searching Google and social media, here are the places to get the best wedding DJ recommendations.
1. Venue or Vendor recommendations.
Unless you know exactly who you want to provide the entertainment for your wedding before you even set the date, most couples typically book their venue first. That is a fantastic place to start when looking for any vendor, DJs included. Ask the venue when you are signing your contract for your date who they recommend. Usually, venues can give you a “preferred vendor” list, which states who they like working with. Also, ask any other vendors you book before the entertainment who they can recommend. Every popular venue or experienced vendor has attended multiple, maybe even hundreds, weddings EVERY YEAR.
Based on previous weddings they have seen, they probably can tell you a lot about the DJs they think are “good” or who to avoid. If your venue or vendor has yet to work with a particular DJ, that shouldn’t disqualify them from potentially being the perfect DJ for your wedding; however, those recommendations can steer you in the right direction.
2. Friends or family recommendations.
Definitely ask your friends and family if they have any suggestions. Maybe they have attended a wedding recently that was an absolute blast, or even had a wedding themselves recently where the entertainment was top-notch (or, unfortunately, was not). Write those down, as those recommendations should definitely carry some weight. One note to keep in mind; unless that person is in the business of throwing parties or has been to multiple weddings recently, they might have ONLY seen that one DJ perform at that one wedding or event. They might not even know what other options are out there. Their wedding or party might have been perfect for THEM, but is it ideal for YOU.
3. Online Search engines, such as Google/Wedding wire/The Knot.
This one is obvious, but a simple search on any internet search engine is an excellent way to find out what all DJs service your area. A simple “Wedding DJs in city, state) should yield you a few different DJ businesses that operate in your area. The good thing about search engine results is that they usually take you to the prospective DJs’ websites to learn more about them.
The one thing to remember about the different search engine results is that they are “pay to play.” It costs money to be listed higher on any search engine. In some cases, A LOT of money. The more money a vendor spends with any of these companies in advertising, the higher they are listed in their search results. In some ways, that is good: it shows that someone is investing in their company/brand. In other ways, however, it doesn’t help to decide that person is a good fit for your wedding, let alone a good DJ. Look at the business’ websites. Are they professional-looking websites, or do they link to someone’s Facebook page? Do they have reviews? The one thing to note about Google Reviews is that they are FOREVER, meaning a business cannot simply “delete” them if someone says something less than flattering in a review.
4. Social Media (Facebook, Instagram) recommendations.
Unfortunately, many brides start their search on social media, which is the quickest way to end up with someone who is NOT a professional DJ – or even a DJ at all. When searching on social media for your DJ, you are moving into “everyone is a DJ” territory. As soon as a “looking for a DJ” post gets made, you will be BOMBARDED with “DJs” claiming to have availability, as well as people saying, “hire DJ so-and-so, they are the best” comments. Approach those with caution! When trying to filter those comments, there are a few things to keep in mind:
1. ANYONE can post on social media. The person “recommending” the DJ might be their spouse, brother, parents, grandparents.. or maybe even the DJ themselves on a fake account (trust me, it happens literally every time). If you want to wade in those waters, be aware that ANYONE can post on social media. Would you take a stranger’s “Facebook recommendation” on which Doctor to use for a major operation? You want to do your homework. When you look at those people that are being recommended, look at their business page.
2. Does the DJ have any reviews? Are they legit reviews? (most brides do not post a review that says, “hire this DJ. They are the best.” with no additional content stating why they feel that way. Do they have a website? Do they have previous events posted where you can see what their events look like? Can you see their equipment? How do they present themselves? Again, do your homework.
Knowledge is power!
In closing, when looking for recommendations for a wedding DJ, you should always take in as much information from various sources as possible before making the final decision. Knowledge is power. Please read some of my other blog posts about what to look for in hiring a wedding DJ before making the final decision. If you are in the Gulf coast area (AL, MS, FL) and are looking for a DJ, feel free to do your homework on me, ask your venue if they have worked with me, check out my website, and read my reviews on both google and Facebook (facebook.com/djlynchevents). Once you have done those things, if I am a good fit for you and your wedding, contact me at djlynch.com anytime!