Planning your Wedding

Planning a wedding can be so stressful! There are so many decisions to be made. Little ones, big ones, everywhere you turn, you have to make a choice!

Let’s talk about choosing a DJ

I am a huge supporter of having a great DJ at your wedding reception, if, of course, your budget allows. A great DJ will not only play music, he or she will also wear the hat of Entertainer of the Evening and in some cases will become your trusted Emcee and keep things running smoothly, on time….and keep that embarrassing Uncle away from the microphone!

There are a lot of options available when looking for a DJ, so here are some tips from my pal Klay the DJ! I’ve been fortunate enough to have photographed numerous weddings where Klay has been deejaying and I have to say, the crowd laughs, everyone dances and raves about the entertainment!!

5 tips to help you choose a DJ

-Talk to your fiancé and decide together what type of entertainment service you’d like and decide together on a budget! Practice making those decisions together like you will for the rest of your married lives!

-Ask friends for referrals! Be sure to get the individual DJ’s name in addition to the company’s name. Some companies have more than one DJ on staff and you want to make sure you get the one you wanted!

-A professional looking website with client testimonials is a good sign that the DJ is established and has experience in the industry!

-Don’t just email! Talk on the phone or meet in person to see if you mesh well! Is this DJ personable? Do they speak well? You’ll quickly find out if they are the person you want to trust to take control of the microphone in front of all your family and friends!

-Ask about insurance and reliability! Does this DJ carry liability insurance? Do they have back up equipment? Are they members of any professional associations like the CPDJA (Canadian Professional DJ Association)?

Here’s a bonus tip!

We all know that financially, weddings can quickly get out of hand budget-wise. However, please don’t just look at the bottom line! Find out the details about the DJ and ALL the services that would be included. There may just be a lot more value than you think! Generally speaking, an established DJ has put a lot of time, money and effort in to his craft and is worth more than someone that can press play on an iPod.

Klay Tate is the owner/operator of Klay Tate Productions, based in Central Alberta and available for travel. He is an award winning DJ/Emcee/Entertainer with more than 25 years experience in the music, entertainment and special events industry. He personally services one event at a time to give his clients his full experience and attention.

Visit him at www.klaythedj.com for more on his services!

Are you recently engaged and planning a wedding? Raelene Schulmeister Photography is currently booking for the remainder of 2016 and 2017 dates! She loves to travel so no matter where your wedding is taking place, if you love her style, give her a shout! She only takes a limited number of weddings each year to ensure she is giving each couple her utmost attention. If you would like to chat with her about possibly photographing your wedding, get in touch with Raelene here: CONTACT RAELENE