What Exactly Will The Best Charleston Wedding DJs Do For You?

We're inside another engagement season here in Charleston.  There will be lots of happy couples making that ultimate decision to spend the rest of their lives together.  And after she says "yes", those couples will have make a decision to possibly get married in Charleston, which is one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world. But even as we near the beginning of 2019, the entertainment and / or wedding DJ still are being marginalized and tend to be placed on the backburner. There are lots of people out there that think being a wedding DJ in Charleston is ONLY about setting up some expensive equipment and pushing a button or two to play music.  As one of the best Charleston wedding DJs, I feel that I am obligated to continue to educate the masses that a true professional wedding DJ's job begins long before your wedding day. The DJs job begins as soon as you book their services, and consists of many hours of preparation before the first song is cued up.

In past posts, I have spoke that couples MUST find the best Charleston wedding DJ that they feel comfortable with, and then pull out their check book or credit card later.  There are numerous lower end DJs out there in Charleston who have popped up and believe that they can provide the same level of service as a company like mine can.  I have unfortunately seen in recent years that some companies will not go to the great lengths that I have gone to with my clients to provide an exceptional wedding DJ experience. And as a result, those clients have been very disappointed, thus allowing that stigma that all DJs are cheesy and dumb to continue to permeate through the wedding industry. In a world of laptops and smartphone apps everyone "thinks" that they can be a DJ but as you'll find out in this post, playing music is just a fraction of what real wedding DJs do. The best wedding DJs will provide each client with an "experience".

The Best Wedding DJs Will Become Friends With You 
One of the biggest reasons I find it of utmost importance to meet with my clients is it gives me a chance to build a bit of trust with them.   When you meet your DJ as part of a consultation process, you can pick their brain and ask questions about specialty dances. The DJ can ask you "what kinds of music do you like?"  Your DJ should genuinely be interested in making sure that your wedding day is a success. One of the big keys to this success is meeting with you to discuss your musical "likes" and "dislikes". You don't want those silly line dances at your wedding? No problem, these first meetings are usually the time to get those special requests out in the open.  For me personally, I want to know what the couple wants and does not want.  Friendly banter about your wedding will set you and your fiance at ease. Plus, it's so cute to see my couples look at each other and smile and show their love for one another when I ask them what they want their first dance to be. These are the moments you get to bond with your Charleston wedding DJ and become friends. 

Details. Details. Details. And Even More Details.
Planning a wedding can be stressful, and even moreso if you have not hired a professional wedding planner to do that work for you. With most all of my clients "coming to Charleston" from other states, it's even more important for the process of planning their music to be even easier as a few clicks of the mouse.  Your wedding DJ is supposed to be a master of managing the flow of your evening. They will help you create a timeline for the evening, if you decided to not have a wedding planner. But, I will say this now, and you can click over and read it later. You need to have a wedding planner to ensure the most fun at your Charleston wedding.  The DJ will help you  put together a timeline (should you decide against a planner) which will outline where the major elements of your reception will be. 

Specialize In Charleston Weddings
The absolute best Charleston wedding DJs won't be hung over after their club gig from the night before. They'll "specialize" in weddings and treat you and your clients much different than your party or club DJ will.  The goal of your wedding DJ will be to get every one of your guests at your reception out on the dance floor. Yep, even your shy guests, and your 94 year old grandmother! It's no easy task when everyone might range from 15 to 85 years of age on your guest list.  While I am one of the biggest fans of 80s music and love to host 80s nostalgia events, 99.5% of my bookings are Charleston weddings so that I focus on that particular part of my DJ service to continue to hone my skills and be the best I can be.  Weddings are very challenging, and each one of them is very different, which is why I choose to focus solely on them. 

Think Of Your Wedding DJ As A Train Conductor
No, I am actually not trying to get you to put "C'Mon Ride The Train" by the Quad City DJs on your playlist, or do a line dance when I throw on "Conga" by the Miami Sound Machine.  Before your wedding, your DJ needs to organize your playlist selections in a way that will keep everyone on the dance floor. They "manage" your evening and keep the party going.  And even more importantly, they'll read your crowd and be able to know the right time to play the right song. You cannot get this skill from just "pushing a button". You cannot get this skill from being an amateur. You need to observe an obvious sense of urgency in your DJ in that they are determined to make this night of their lives and that this is NOT just another gig to them.  You'll see this when you meet with them. Do they look eager to do everything in their power to make your day as special as possible? Or, do they look more focused on free PBR and that cheap bar gig they are preparing for in a few hours, all the while your wedding DJ playlist gets pushed to the side. You be the judge. 

Never A Chance To DJ Your Wedding A Second Time
Remember that sense of urgency I spoke of up above that the great wedding DJs will possess? The best wedding DJs will have it and will go to extreme lengths in preparing for anything that could happen to disrupt your special day.  Are you going to get married twice if your DJ screws your day up? That'd be awfully expensive. That extra $30,000 or $40,000 could be used to put a downpayment on your dream home  or pay those student loans off. There are numerous critical moments at your wedding reception that demand precision and expertise, not an amateur who lacks the focus in executing your wedding reception, and navigating through your evening like a bull in a china shop. 

Now You Know What To Expect From The Best Wedding DJs In Charleston
Instead of inserting the cliche line "Knowing is half the battle", I'd prefer to say that I will continue to educate the masses on what to expect from their wedding DJ. As a true professional in the Charleston wedding market who has forged a reputation of providing some of the best service, it's a passion of mine to make sure you know how to make the right decision for your wedding entertainment.   It's a process that cannot be done in one simple blog post either.  Every couple I work with is different when it comes to their musical tastes. One thing that all my clients have in common is what they saw they went to my website for the first time.  It's what they saw when they read my reviews for the first time.  Please, feel free to take some time to check out more posts from my blog for even more tips,

Getting Engaged Soon And Want To Arrange A Time To Meet With Mike?
Thank you so very much for making it to the end of another one of my blog posts. Each and every blog I publish is full of the passion I possess for this art of being a Charleston Wedding DJ.  I could sit here and type for 24 hours a day and try to tell you how you should look at your wedding entertainment, but at the end of the day, the decision as to how you want your wedding day here in Charleston to be remembered is going to be completely up to you.  Every single bride and groom deserves to have the time of their lives when they have their wedding here in Charleston. The DJ you decide to hire will dictate whether or not your wedding is the best day of your lives or something forgettable.  If you just got engaged and would like to set up a time to grab coffee or schedule a call to talk to me about being at your wedding, I love "black" coffee.  If you are still on the fence and need to learn more about finding the best Charleston wedding DJ, be on the lookout for the second edition of my Complete Guide To Selecting Your Wedding DJ Click HERE to tell me a little more about your big day here in the Holy City of Charleston.