FINDING A PROFESSIONAL DISC JOCKEY
Weddings are one of the most demanding events a disc jockey can work. The broad variety of ages and musical tastes, not to mention the time and money put into the reception, adds to the expectations placed on a wedding DJ. The following should help organize your thoughts and give you some guidelines when looking for the person who is going to be in charge of making your reception something to remember.

How to Find the Perfect Disc Jockey
If the Disc Jockey has been in business for a while and adheres to normal business practices, the odds are in your favor that they will do a fine job simply to protect their good reputation. Check to see if the Disc Jockey carries liability insurance: Many reception sites require this. Also ask your photographer, or caterer, they should be able to give you a good referral of a Disc Jockey. Ask for a list of his past 3 clients. This will give you an idea of the quality of his work. Great looking web sites, a big office or expensive literature does not assure you that the Disc Jockey will be the right fit for you and your event.

Price
Most Professional Disc Jockeys tend to be within a few hundred dollars in price. Question a Disc Jockey that is low-balling his cost; odds are you will be putting the success of your reception at risk in order to save a few hundred bucks. If the Disc Jockey you are considering is at the high end of the price scale, ask them to justify their cost. You might find you are compensating the Disc Jockey for a large sound or lighting system that you have no desire to use, or you might find that there are added services that are well worth the extra cost. Finally, keep in mind all the time and money you already have committed to your reception and the impact the Disc Jockey will have on how everything turns out. Paying a little more for a much better Disc Jockey is often a great investment.

Music Selection
Request a list of music the disc jockey will be choosing from that day. Be sure they have a good selection of the types of music you prefer. Many of the Professional Bay Area Wedding Disc Jockeys will give you a listing of a few hundred of the most popular selections for you to highlight. Question a Disc Jockey that cannot supply you with a music list.

Choose the Disc Jockey Who's Style and Personality You Feel Most Comfortable With
Once you feel you found an established Disc Jockey, in your price range, with the music selection you like, make your final selection based on their personality. Some disc jockeys like to steal the show. These DJs are always on the microphone and like to be very visible. The other end of the spectrum is the DJ with a lack of any personality who does nothing except play the music. While other Disc Jockeys are a even mixture of the two. Usually you can get a feel for style simply by talking to the disc jockey over the phone, but nothing beats a face-to-face meeting.

What to Avoid

The Ego
If you do not like the disc jockey's attitude when speaking with him over the phone, you can be sure he will be even worse at your reception. Avoid any Disc Jockey that tells you they are the best. Shouldn't that be for you to decide?

The Bait and Switch
Any service-oriented Disc Jockey will look down on this practice. In essence, the Disc Jockey you book with will promise that he will be at your event. In reality, he takes your money and then resells your contract to another (often less experienced) disc jockey for a big profit.

Salesman
You can spot this one from a mile away. While there are many great Bay Area Disc Jockeys, there are also many that simply want to profit off of all the big bucks related to a wedding. To these Disc Jockeys providing a great service takes a distant back seat, they are more interested in telling you what you want to hear and getting your deposit.