Detroit Based Wedding Services

Signs of a Great Wedding DJ

It takes more than music to pack a dance floor!

Don’t just hire anyone to DJ your wedding.

You wouldn’t hire just anyone to cater your wedding dinner or take your wedding photos. You likely want to be personally familiar with their work or least read through their customer reviews!

Same goes for wedding entertainment! Up front you know that your Michigan wedding DJ will impact your entire reception, that’s why it’s even more important to hire a company with a proven track record. Since your DJ is responsible for providing the fun (and keeping the night on time), it makes sense to hire a company you can trust.

As you begin your search for a reputable and experienced wedding DJ, follow this 11-point checklist to help you make your decision:

Love your wedding DJ!

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What is the average cost of a Detroit Wedding DJ?

According to the 2020 Wedding Wire Newlywed Report, the average cost for a professional Detroit wedding DJ is $1,350. Our prices for a wedding DJ range from $1099 – $1399, depending on the date. With Mike Staff Productions you’ll work with a certified DJ that you choose. Your wedding DJ will also serve as your Master of Ceremonies.

A wedding DJ can make or break your reception and the cost of a DJ directly represents how much fun you and your guests have! A lower price does not mean a better deal. A great wedding DJ does more than plan music:

Announce your grand entrance
Wrangle guests for toasts and dinner
Coordinate speeches
Announce special dances
Act as a wedding coordinator
Keep your reception on time
Communicate with vendors and guests

Investing 8-10% of your wedding budget on your DJ is actually a great value, considering that the DJ is responsible for handling 80% of your wedding reception. When deciding how much you can afford for entertainment, first think about how much you can afford to lose if your entertainment is poor or mediocre.

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1. Hire a Michigan Wedding DJ from a full-time company with a full-time staff.

Professional companies will answer the phone when you call and will be there to guide you through your entire planning process. That way, you’re never left in the dark.

2. Office Location

Hire a company that has a physical office location. There are a lot of “basement DJs” that are “here today and gone tomorrow” (often with your deposit in hand!). The Better Business Bureau suggests that you should only hire companies with a physical office presence. That’s good advice.

3. Hundreds of brides recommend the company’s services.

Can the company show you written evidence of happy clients? Has the company won any awards? Ask to speak with past clients and then actually call them!

4. Preferred Vendor

Wedding professionals regularly see DJs in action and they know who the best company’s are. Ask them who they would endorse.

5. Hire an established company with a successful track record.

Find out how long the company has been in business. Most new companies fold in the first two years. A DJ should have a minimum of three to five years of wedding experience. Check to see if his company has a professional website with meaningful content that is intended to educate visitors about their services. Also, make sure the company hold any necessary business licenses, is fully insured and offers a written contract.

6. They aren’t desperate for business.

Signs of desperation include using high-pressure sales tactics, “trash talking” other DJ companies or dropping prices on a whim. Great DJs are booked and prefer to work with clients who want to work with them. They will answer all of your questions, trust you to make up your own mind and respect your decision.

7. They talk about their talent, not their gear.

If a DJ is showering you with information about his exceptional sound system and fabulous lighting, he’s missing the point. A DJ’s job is to service his client. He’s has experience reading the crowd and spinning songs that make guests dance, and is skilled at coordinating the night’s events. He has a caring attitude — evidenced by the amount of time he spends asking you questions, not talking about his high-tech gadgetry.

8. Back-up DJs and equipment.

A conscientious DJ service is prepared for life’s curveballs. People fall ill and equipment breaks down. The savvy company will provide a plan for such contingencies in its contract with you. Stand-by equipment will be tested and ready to go at the site, not packed in the van; and on-call DJs will be ready to go in a flash.

9. You get what you pay for.

The cheapest DJ will almost ALWAYS be the worst, but the most expensive isn’t always the best. Price is important, but you should be more concerned with getting a lot for your money, rather than getting the cheapest you can find. Many couples spend thousands of dollars on hall rental, decor and meals and fail to budget properly for the most important element – FUN! (or how their guests will be entertained). Hiring a DJ with budget leftovers will usually result in a crummy DJ, a boring party and a premature ending — because people will leave. Prioritize your wedding entertainment, because your guests will!

10. They accept major credit cards.

A professional DJ service will offer the convenience of a variety of payment methods, including the ability to accept major credit cards. Doing so shows the company is serious about its business and is willing to accept some recovery risk.

11. They offer a money back guarantee.

Most importantly, only consider a company that will stand behind its promises by offering a money-back guarantee. DJs can talk a great game – that’s what they do – a professional that you can trust will be able to back up his word and shouldn’t feel apprehensive about doing so. Do not hire a Michigan Wedding DJ company that does not offer a money back guarantee!

Hire a Great Wedding DJ!

A great wedding DJ gets ready for your big day by understanding exactly what is important to you… A packed dance floor Names announced properly Keeping your reception on time A great wedding DJ will ask specific questions about the many details of your wedding reception. That person is front and center the entire evening, running the show, reading the room, keeping the reception moving. That’s why it’s crucial a couple and their DJ are on the same page. During the hiring process, here are a few key factors to determine if the right DJ will be hosting your reception.

Pack your dance floor!

Great DJs Listen to YOU

In addition to detailed conversations about your wedding plans, agenda and music favorites, a truly awesome DJ will closely listen to your instructions and make sure he understands your every wish. Great DJs realize that you have spent months planning the perfect night, and you are trusting him with the incredible responsibility of making it flow for you.

Professional DJs Practice Formal Announcements

Professional DJs & Master’s of Ceremonies take the responsibility of your formal announcements seriously – taking great care in pronouncing the names of your Bridal Party and family members correctly. There’s nothing worse than being at a great party with your intimate friends and closest relatives and hearing your DJ mispronounce their names. It immediately brands him as a stranger and an amateur. A great DJ will practice his announcements and his pronunciation until any names sound just as natural to guests ears as when their best friends say them.

Prepared DJs Bring All of Your Requested Music

If your DJ is a professional, he knows that there is never an excuse for not having the couple’s favorite songs to play at their wedding reception. A professional DJ will create custom playlists based on your favorites and his knowledge of songs that make a party buzz. A professional DJ also performs quality control by listening to all custom playlists before your reception.

Considerate DJs Call the Hall

A good DJ is always thinking ahead, and an important part of his checklist includes contacting the hall in advance to inquire when the doors will be open for sound system set-up and take-down. He also asks where he may unload, which door to use, where he can park, which elevator or set of stairs to take, and what the hall’s rules might be.

Smart DJs Never Assume

A competent DJ never assumes he knows where he’s going! He always asks for directions and brings a map with him to the reception hall. This sounds elementary, but you’d be surprised by how many amateur DJs show up to events late because they don’t know exactly where they are going.

Conscientious DJs Test Their Gear

Professional DJs arrive at least 1 – ½ hours before the event begins to unload his equipment and set-up his sound system, which has been thoroughly tested prior to his arrival. An awesome DJ takes his time adjusting his sound levels, checking his microphones, and positioning speakers to take advantage of the room’s acoustics. Should any component of his sound system fail, the awesome DJ always has a back-up system set-up ready to play. All DJs neatly secure their power cords to the floor or ground in consideration of others.

Classy DJs are Poised

Common sense tells us that if guests at a party are dressed in their best, then vendors (including DJs) ought to follow suit. Professional DJs wear freshly-laundered and pressed tuxedos with crisp, clean shirts. Their personal grooming is impeccable, and they appear well-rested and relaxed. They arrive in plenty of time to set up equipment, change their clothes, and spin some cocktail music as guests enter the hall. They are relaxed and in-control at all times, due to their diligence and proper preparation.

Caring DJs Create an Onsite Team

One essential duty often overlooked by amateur DJs is synchronizing their efforts with those of the hall staff, wedding photographers and videographers. An experienced DJ knows that any deviation in the evening’s agenda will directly impact the bride & grooms wishes. Logistics and timing are just as important to photographers and food service staff as they are to DJs. By forming a team with these vendors, the DJ leaves less to chance and brings much more to your table than his ability to spin a good song.

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Your budget will love our Team Approach Package.

Starting at $6,197

Bundle Photography + DJ + Videography + over $1,500 in extras

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Save Time

Imagine booking your photographer, videographer, and DJ with one phone call.

Save Headaches

When you bundle services with Mike Staff Productions, our team coordinates with one another, so you don’t have to.

Save Money

With The Perfect Package, you’ll enjoy substantial discounts and bonuses. Can you imagine coming in under budget?

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Troy, MI 48085

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