For each event, I'm happy to do my best to match the level of attire as everyone else at the event. For weddings, I specifically aim to match the formality level of the gentlemen of the wedding party.
For most weddings lately, I've worn a black suit. If preferred, I can wear a tuxedo. If your wedding is more casual and the guys of the wedding party will not be wearing suits, I'm happy to dress however you prefer (shirt and tie with dress pants, polo shirt and dress shorts, or similar).
Barn venues and other venues without climate control often tend to get much too hot and humid to be comfortable in formalwear. For weddings in such venues, I may opt to dress casually.
I do not take any breaks that would cause the music to stop. My only significant break is for dinner, but I always have plenty of dinner music queued-up before I head off to the vendor table. Once the dance floor opens, I may occasionally step away to refill my water or coffee, or to use the restroom, but I am directly there and back as quickly as possible and I always have extra music queued-up just in case I don't make it back before the current song ends.
Yes, if a meal is being served, I require a meal as well. However, most wedding vendors (myself included) don't partake in cocktail hour or drink any alcohol while working. Knowing this (and knowing it's good for word-of-mouth), many caterers offer discounted "vendor meals." If your caterer doesn't present this option to you, make sure you ask about it.
Sometimes you just don't want the party to end! If you make a last-minute decision to keep the party going, my overtime rate is $75 per half-hour, payable before overtime begins, cash or credit card only.
But check with your venue first -- most venues have their own overtime fees, and some don't allow overtime at all. Even if your reception is at a private residence, there may be local noise ordinances that require the music to end by a certain time. These ordinances are set at the city, town or village level, so cutoff times vary from place to place.
Once overtime is purchased, there are no refunds, even if you (or the police) decide to stop the music before the overtime period is complete.
For contracted DJ services and voiceover work:
Overtime DJ service requested during an event must be paid by cash or credit/debit card before Overtime service begins.
Definitely! Just tell me a little bit about your event plans and we can schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your plans in further details and answer any questions you might have.
Most of my meetings since 2020 have been video calls via Google Meet, which runs right in your web browser, without the need to install any apps or programs. However, "regular" phone calls and in-person consultations are also available upon request.
No problem! With more couples planning weddings 12, 18 or even 24 months out, it's pretty common for couples to revise their wedding day timelines as more of the pieces fall into place. I only book one event per weekend, so once you have me booked, you can slide things an hour this way or that way... or heck, even shift everything from the evening to the afternoon, or vice versa, and I'll still be available for you.
As long as you have a date and a venue, the main thing is to lock-in your date before someone else. Just make your best guess on the times when you request a quote. We'll use those times as "placeholders" on your initial contract. We can revise your contract whenever you finalize your timeline, even if that means the price will go down.
My library includes thousands of songs: top hits from every decade from the 1950s to present, plus plenty of classical, international and religious selections. If you request anything that I don't already have, I'll do my best to find it, buy it and download it into my library.
Due to copyright laws, I cannot "rip" or "scrape" or otherwise make copies of songs which are only available on YouTube, Spotify or other streaming platforms. To ensure the best quality, I don't "live-stream" music, either. The music must be legally available for purchase and download.
You can request as many songs as you like! But keep in mind, a primary reason for investing in a professional DJ is to let that DJ "read the crowd" and maintain the flexibility to pick songs that will keep your guests dancing.
Still, I know there may be certain songs that hold special significance for you and/or your families. So, here's a strategy I came up with several years ago and it's worked really well at all my weddings:
There's nothing worse than being at a wedding where the dance floor's empty because nobody likes the music, but the DJ is "trapped" with a strict request list. The above strategy ensures your most important requests will play, while also providing me some flexibility to be responsive to the dance floor crowd.
Absolutely! The Do Not Play list is just as important as your must-play list. Feel free to ban specific titles, everything by a certain artist, or even entire genres of music.
If anyone tries to request a song you've banned, I'll politely tell them I can't play that song -- even if the request is coming from your own parents or wedding party, and even if they try to claim you said it was OK. I never ask why you've chosen to ban a certain song, but if it's on the list, I know there's a reason... and I will solidly respect that wish. The only time I'll play a banned song is if you (or your spouse) personally tell me, face-to-face, that you've changed your mind about a particular song and you'd like me to play it.
