HOW TO BECOME A WEDDING DJ IN CANADA?

 

Wedding DJs do more than spin records, play CDs, and provide light shows. A smart wedding DJ can move the ceremony along and engage attendees on the dance floor. Preparing your business, marketing yourself, and creating great playlists will make the event memorable!

The following actions illustrate how our strategy is designed to achieve the best results as a wedding DJ in Canada.

•        Before starting, watch a wedding DJ.

Before investing your time and money in classes or audio equipment, you should ask to see a wedding DJ in action (with the bride and groom's permission, of course) before making any purchases or signing up for any classes. You only have one opportunity to contribute to the success of a couple's wedding day, so you should make sure that the high-pressure culture around weddings is something that interests you.

•        Enroll in a course that teaches audio mixing.

To be a good wedding DJ, you need to have DJ talents on an expert level. You can learn how to precisely mix, edit, and match songs by enrolling at your local community college or taking online classes. Because there is no second chance, serving as a DJ at a wedding is not something that beginners should do.

•        Develop a strategy for your company.

You must write out a business strategy if you intend to make a significant portion of your living as a wedding DJ. You won't need an official business plan if you plan on wedding DJing being more of a hobby for you; however, you should be sure that wedding DJing is something you want to do because it may be challenging.

•        Either buy the gear or borrow it.

To complete this task, you will require a computer with capable mixing software, an external controller, headphones, and a speaker system. Be sure to stock up on spares of all necessary components, including connectors, speakers, and batteries for your laptop. You are more than welcome to purchase secondhand equipment because it is more cost-effective. It would help if you verified that it is in good working order before you use it for a wedding. You may buy used equipment at a discount on Craigslist and restaurants and nightclubs closing their doors. Certain places have their public address systems. Check with the location to see what gear you need to bring to connect their speakers to your DJ software.

•        Set your charges.

The typical time commitment for hiring a DJ for a wedding is four hours. DJs with less than a handful of weddings under their belts often charge between $200 and $300 for a four-hour shift. At the same time, intermediate DJs with at least a few weddings under their belts can charge between $400 and $600. DJs that work professionally and full-time charge anything from $1,000 to $2,000 per hour or more.

• Construct a contract.

You can get one by downloading it from the internet, but you should be protected in case the wedding gets cancelled, or your equipment gets lost. Put the contract up on your website, but black out any identifying information, so couples can know their responsibilities to you before making a reservation with you.

• Develop your website.

If you have experience as a DJ (which you do! ), you may establish more credibility by posting images and videos of people having fun at events where you were the DJ in the past. These should be of professional quality. Be sure to include a way for potential clients to get in touch with you on your website, and as you play weddings, add more pictures and videos.

• You should engage in self-promotion on social media.

Beginning with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are good places to start. Create a professional page on Facebook that is distinct from your account. You can share new images on this page, express your gratitude to prior customers, and demonstrate how much you like being a DJ.

• Let everyone know you DJ weddings.

You can get referrals for new customers by relying on word-of-mouth marketing. Obtain business cards to offer to everyone who mentions "wedding" in conversation.

•        Visit popular locations to get on their DJ list.

If a couple prefers to avoid searching for a DJ on their own, they might use the list of well-known DJs provided by certain venues. You should introduce yourself to the coordinators, hand them your business card, and ask if you may participate in an "audition." Your goal should be to be on as many lists as possible.

•        Choose ceremony songs with the couple.

At the reception, the bride and groom have chosen songs for the exit, the bride's entrance, and the bridal party's entrance. In that case, you should provide them with several tried-and-true solutions.

•        Create playlists for cocktail hour, entrance, and dinner.

Smooth jazz and classical music are wonderful choices for these parties. Try to get the vibe of the music to correspond with the place's vibe.

•        Choose tunes for formal dances.

Some of these are the dance with the bride's father, the dance with the groom's mother, and the first dance as a married couple. The pair may have some tunes in mind, but any slow, romantic song will do the trick. Send the couple a copy of your list to get their permission.

•        Create a dance set.

Make sure it lasts at least two hours, and get the party started with a slow song to get everyone in the mood to dance. Include a huge selection of songs appropriate for any age group (children, young adults, and older folks). Choose tunes that 85% of people would recognize.

- Ask the pair for a list of music they must and must not play.

- To give everyone a break occasionally, switch up the genre between each song. While keeping some guests on the dance floor, you want individuals with diverse musical interests to have the opportunity to get a drink, go outdoors, or interact with the couple.

•        Work on your public speaking.

Not only are you in charge of the music when you're working as a DJ, but you also have the responsibility of announcing the transitions from one segment of the ceremony or reception to the next. When they are making announcements, good MCs will use humour and respectful and uplifting language.

•        Ignore inappropriate requests.

Before you play a song that might not be appropriate, you should get the requester for the bride's opinion on it. Be on the lookout to ensure they discuss the matter with the bride before coming back to you with their conclusion. If someone asks for a song on the list that is not to be played, you should respond politely and apologize that the happy couple did not want that song played.

•        Announce the last song before playing it.

People are curious about when they should start winding down and getting ready to say their goodbyes to the bride and groom.

To be a successful wedding DJ in Canada, you need to know how to make a couple's wedding fantasies come true and ensure that the couple's big day goes off without a hitch while being stress-free and unforgettable.