Questions to Ask a Wedding DJ Before You Book

A wedding is the one party where you can't try again next weekend. So it's worth a short conversation with any DJ before you book them.

Not a long one. Most of what you need to know fits in about ten questions, and some of the usual ones you can skip, because listening to the DJ's mix answers them better than any reply.

Here's what to ask, and what a good answer sounds like.

Before you ask anything: listen

Every DJ profile on ORDO has a real mix. Listen to twenty minutes before you message.

It answers the questions people usually lead with, like "what kind of music do you play?" and "can you mix?". You'll know in a few minutes whether their taste and your crowd are anywhere near each other. If they're not, move on. There's no point asking ten questions of a DJ whose music you don't like.

About the day

1. Are you free on our date, and what hours are you thinking?

Obvious, but ask about hours at the same time. Weddings often need music across a long stretch: ceremony, drinks, dinner, dancing. Some DJs cover all of it. Some only do the evening.

Good answer: a clear yes or no, and a question back about your timings.

2. Have you played this kind of wedding before?

Not "have you done weddings". Ask about your kind: a small restaurant dinner, a barn with two hundred people, a bilingual crowd, a late club-style party.

Good answer: something specific. A DJ who describes a similar room and what they did there has actually thought about it.

3. What do you need from the venue?

Power, space, access, curfew, sound limits. Many venues have a noise limiter that cuts the power if it's too loud. The DJ needs to know that before the day.

Good answer: a list, and an offer to speak to the venue directly.

About the price

4. What exactly does the price cover?

This one matters most. Ask about:

• hours of playing
• equipment, and whether it's enough for your guest count
• a microphone for speeches
• travel
• setup and pack-down time

Bark's price guide puts the average UK DJ fee at about £350. Wedding quotes are usually higher because the day is longer and the setup bigger. That's fair, as long as you know what you're paying for.

Good answer: a breakdown, not just a number.

5. What happens if we run late?

Dinner overruns. Speeches go long. Ask what an extra hour costs and whether the DJ can stay.

Good answer: a clear rate, and a clear answer on whether they're booked elsewhere later.

About the music

6. How do you handle requests from guests?

Some DJs take requests freely. Some only take ones that fit. Neither is wrong, but you should know which you're getting.

Good answer: a sensible rule, and a willingness to follow yours.

7. What do you need from us about music?

Most DJs want three things: the first dance, a short must-play list, and a do-not-play list. Beyond that, a good DJ wants room to read the crowd.

Good answer: they ask for those three, and they're relaxed about the rest.

8. How will you move between parts of the day?

Background music during drinks and dinner is a different job from a dancefloor at ten. Ask how they'll build from one to the other.

Good answer: a plan with a shape, not "I'll see how it goes".

About the equipment

9. What will you bring, and how big is it?

A full wedding setup might include speakers, a mixer, a microphone and some lights. Ask how much space it needs and how long setup takes.

Good answer: a clear list, a footprint, and a setup time.

10. Do you have a microphone for speeches?

Easy to forget. If the venue doesn't provide one, the DJ often can.

Good answer: yes, and they'll test it before the speeches start.

Questions you can skip

• "What genres do you play?" The mix tells you.
• "Can you read a crowd?" Everyone says yes. Ask about a specific wedding instead.
• "Are you professional?" Their replies to your first few messages tell you more than any answer.

Signs to keep looking

The answers matter, but so does how they arrive.

• Slow, vague replies before you've booked. It rarely gets better after.
• A price with no breakdown, even after you've asked for one.
• No questions back. A DJ who doesn't ask about your guests, venue or timings is planning to play the same set they always play.
• Pushing you to decide today. A good DJ will tell you honestly if the date is in demand. They won't pressure you.

None of these mean the DJ plays badly. They mean the planning will be harder than it needs to be, and a wedding has enough of that already.

Getting the answers in writing

Once you've agreed, write it down in one message: date, hours, what's included, price, arrival time, and the three music lists. Ask the DJ to confirm it. That short message is the thing you'll both look back at if anything is unclear later.

How to use this on ORDO

Send the booking request with the date, occasion, guest count, set length, equipment and budget filled in. That covers questions 1, 3 and 9 in part before the DJ even replies. Put the rest in the notes, or ask once they come back to you.

Requests are free, so ask two or three DJs at once. DJs keep 100% of their fee, and you agree the details with them directly.

London has the most DJs on ORDO. Browse London DJs, or see every DJ and filter by your city.