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HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT WEDDING DJ COMPANY

Choosing a Calgary wedding DJ company for your reception is one of the most important decisions you can make to ensure the success of the event. Everything else can be perfect, but if the music isn't good, the party will fizzle. Selecting the right DJ can be confusing. There are over 5,000 DJs in Canada, all promising they'll do a great job. So how do you pick the right one for you? This article will provide some guidance to help you make the decision easier.

The best and easiest way to find a DJ you'll like is to hire one you've already seen. If you've been to a wedding or a party where the DJ was great, find out who he or she was, or what company they were from. If you didn't get their card, ask the host or the manager of the function room where the party was held.

If you haven't seen a good DJ recently, ask your friends. Your friends may have the same taste in music as you. Maybe they've been to a function you missed. Let them know ahead of time that you'll be looking, and ask them to keep their eyes and ears open.

If the first two suggestions don't work, your job gets tougher. You might have to go to the Yellow Pages, or nowadays, look on the Internet. Do a Yahoo, Google or MSN search for Calgary or area Disc Jockeys, Music or Entertainment. You will find several wedding DJs listed in any of these categories.

How do you tell which one is best? Probably the worst way to choose a DJ is on price alone. Some DJs are more expensive than others. Prices for Calgary weddings can range from $500 to $2,000 for a 4 hour event. That's quite a difference, and it would be very temping to choose the cheapest alternative. If that's all you can afford, than you have no choice. But consider the law of supply and demand. There is a reason professional & reputable DJs charge more money than others. They are usually worth it. More expensive DJs tend to be the more experienced DJs. They can charge more because they are in demand and they end up booking all available dates. Generally, the DJs on the low end of the price scale are new to the business and trying to get bookings, or simply don't offer a service that warrants a higher cost. They could do a decent job, and might be worth a shot if your wedding is on the informal side. But there is probably more risk with a less experienced person.

Next, as you speak with the DJs, pay attention to their professionalism over the phone. It tends to spill over into their DJ style. The most important thing to ask about is their experience with your type of event. If you are planning an event like a wedding, school dance, or company party, it would be normal to expect a professional DJ company to perform hundreds of these each year. A number in the hundreds is actually common for a DJ company that is well established.

Always ask the DJ about their policy on requests. The best DJs will take requests from the audience and work them into their routine. However, do not expect the DJ to play every request. Many requests are simply inappropriate for the mood of the event. A good DJ is not a jukebox; he will blend requests with songs he feels will properly motivate the crowd. The art of DJing is timing, and this takes experience. Forcing a DJ to ignore his or her instincts by making them play every request will result in an "uneven" (and less fun) party. On the other hand, the DJ should try to play as many of your audience's requests as possible. Try to get a feel for their philosophy of requests as you interview them. It is also appropriate to give a DJ a list of songs you "must have played". Just don't make that list 20 or 30 songs long.

Many DJs boast about the number of songs they have. While variety is great, the fact is that they will only be able to play about 60 to 70 songs in a four hour show. Having the right 60 songs is a lot more important than having 5,000 songs your crowd do not want to hear. After you tell the DJ what type of party you are having and who the audience will be, ask them what type of music they'd suggest. You should feel comfortable with most of his or her selections.

Many DJs also boast about having great equipment. Unless you are familiar with professional audio gear, you probably won't know the difference between which brands are great and which are budget. However, your DJ should at least have professional grade equipment. If they brand names you are familiar with at the local electronics retailer, that is cause for further questioning. Home stereo equipment is not designed to stand up under 4-5 hours of high volume use. It could fail in the middle of your party! For example, typical professional DJ power amplifiers usually have 300 to 1000 watts per channel, where consumer amplifiers that are considered powerful may only have 100 watts per channel.

Some DJ companies have more than one DJ working for them. In this case, it's important to get references on the particular DJ who will be assigned to your show. Even if the company has been around for ten years, they might have hired your DJ last week. He might be a pro himself, or he might be newly trained. Be sure who you're getting.

The perfect DJ for you will be affordable, experienced at your type of event, and have great references. There are probably a lot of DJs out there who fit that description. As you search, remember that above all, you want your event to be classy and fun.

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A "Member in Good Standing" with the Calgary Weddings Group, CODJA & the Bridal Network, Good Times Wedding Music & Entertainment Services is a professionally run, full-time company. We have been entertaining at wedding receptions for many years, and we take great pride in doing a wonderful and memorable job for our customers!

What Sets Us Apart...

1. Our Experience. We have been making wedding dreams come true since 1993! We truly are a full-time wedding entertainment company, and we love what we do!

2. Our People. Our disc jockeys and wedding entertainers are hand-picked professionals from each city and town who take great pride in providing fun-filled, classy entertainment for all. Other companies may have similar equipment and pricing, but no one has our people.

3. Our Reputation. We are highly recommended by previous clients, as well as top wedding coordinators, hotels and banquet facilities, including The Palliser, The Banff Springs, Sheraton Hotels & Suites, Greenwood Inns, The Royal Inn, Best Western Hotels, Delta Hotels (Bow Valley & Kananaskis) & The Wedding Pavillion.

Anyone can play music - we do so much more!