FAQs January 30, 2017
The Sounds Unlimited DJs had a blast at the DIAMONDS Bridal Exhibition in January. We know there were a LOT of vendors there, and a lot of information to take in. So don’t worry if you’re feeling overwhelmed, or forgot to ask certain questions because we’ve compiled this list of Frequently Asked Questions from the bridal show!
You said “yes” not what?
Before you start looking at venues and calling caterers, the two of you need to sit down and list your priorities and then focus your budget and energy accordingly. For example: If you and your fiancé are foodies and you want food to be the highlight of your night, but you don’t care about having a photographer or how fancy the decorations are, then you should focus your budget on catering. Then, you need to find a catering company that can deliver the meal you are looking for. This will help you narrow down your list of to do's before you start planning!
Use the same process with all aspects of your day – more specifically the music. If you are not big dancers and are looking to visit with your guests all evening, then you might consider a different option for music at the reception than if you wanted a dance. You also need to ask yourselves if your guests are big dancers and whether that will affect your decision to hire a band or a DJ. Or maybe you want custom music during your ceremony. Our team knows weddings and we know how to deliver what you want for your day.
Top questions you asked the SUI DJs at DIAMONDS Bridal Exhibition:
1) How many weddings will the DJ that works my wedding have DJ’d during their career? Are you sitting with a slick talking salesman who plans on sending an inexperienced DJ to your wedding? You need to ask! It is important that you ask the number of weddings experience your DJ has as opposed to years of experience. You could be sitting with a 20 year veteran who has never DJ’d a wedding in his life, or a DJ with two years of experience and 100 weddings under his belt. You want a DJ who has experience with lots of weddings so he/she can offer suggestions for the big day, as well as ways to help it run smoothly the day of.
2) Have you DJ’d a wedding at our venue before? If not, are you willing to make a trip there before hand? If your DJ has not been to the venue before, he/she should be willing to visit the location to evaluate and make suggestions regarding location of equipment set-up as well further materials that may be required.
3) Do you offer customized music based on our likes and dislikes? What other customized options do you offer and how do you handle requests? This is one of the most important questions you can ask. If you and your fiancé hate a certain genre of music and you do NOT want it played, then it should never be played. Simple as that. If you only want country music played all night because you guys love to two-step, then that is all the DJ should play. It’s YOUR day. We can’t stress that enough. Your DJ should be willing to sit down with the two of you, ask you questions about your day and get to know you. Sounds Unlimited matches the personalities of its clients with its DJs to ensure this.
4) Do you have more than 1 set of equipment? Essentially you are asking if the DJ has back-up. We all know that technology can have its tantrums; if your DJ has more than one set of equipment you can rest easy knowing you won’t find yourself without entertainment due to a technical malfunction 2 hours before the wedding. For example, Sounds Unlimited always brings 2 computers to the event ensuring that if one decides to act up, the other is right there with all of your custom music ready to go.
5) What other services do you offer? Very often you will find DJs willing to help with the structure of your evening, acting as MCs the night of, or event planners leading up to the big day. Your DJ should be able to provide suggestions for the flow of the ceremony/ reception and should be able to MC if so desired. Sounds Unlimited even offers MC training if you have someone who is nervous about taking the task on!
6) Do you have a back-up plan? A great DJ will have a backup, likely an extra computer/laptop/tablet at the venue for those just-in-case moments. When in the initial planning stages of your big day, be sure to ask your DJs if they have more than one set of equipment – not just multiple computers. If something as simple as the soldering of a wire comes loose with a speaker or mixer connection are they going to be able to keep the show going?
Two of our DJs shared this anecdote:
“We had just finished setting up the Ultimate Package for a wedding reception. About 15 minutes before we were to start playing music, one of the clamps holding a lighting effect gave out and the light crashed down on top of the laptop which was sitting under the lighting truss! The computer was toast instantly. Good thing we always have two computers, we were able to switch the laptops out right away and still started on time! Then the other DJ ran back to the office to get yet another backup laptop.”
Another backup must: More than one DJ.
Let’s face it - things happen. People get sick. Generally, if a DJ is working alone, he/she will spin through the sickness, but what if that means leaving the music unattended for breaks? And do you really want the person in charge of your entertainment to be “pushing through a sickness” when they are responsible for keeping the party energized?
Having two DJs working as a team serves a number of functions:
• Music is always attended to.
• If the DJ is sick, there is still another on hand to make sure everything goes according to plan.
• Your DJ can MC your event, while the other keeps the musical momentum going!
• If something does go awry, one DJ can run out to grab a backup, while the other keeps playing.
Sounds Unlimited Inc. has a team of 20 DJs always working in pairs at each and every event. It has six systems ready to go for you, and each system has two computers.
Top 5 general questions asked of vendors at the Exhibition:
1) Do you have our date available?
2) How far in advance do we need to book with you?
3) What is the cost of your service and what does it include?
4) Do you require a deposit and is it refundable?
5) *If not on their website* Do you have any references or reviews available?