Wedding Reception Help & Tips

Here are some useful information for you to consider when you are choosing your reception venue and where to get your entertainment from.

“Wedding Reception Package deals” also known as “All-in-one” or “easy-for-you”

It is becoming worryingly more evident that with the credit crunch, that reception venues are playing on potential wedding couples with the offers of a “Wedding Reception Package deals” and some Wedding Reception Venues will try to insist that you use their recommended DJ or Disco Company (As they know them & trust them).

Tips !!

“Wedding Reception Package Deals” commonly do not really offer a personal DJ for your event, typically the venue has a either a resident DJ or will sub contract to an agency who will provide a service for an event.

These Package deals should be avoided, if you are wanting to have any sort of control over your wedding reception, ie If you want to see the DJ in advance, organise music playlists or request an etiquette for your evening reception, as you will find that, typically if you do manage to get the company or the DJ, you will be told “YES I/We can do that for you, no problem..” and then be let down on the day through poor communication, in-experience and no understanding.

You do not have to use their recommended DJ or Disco Company (please see the choose your own DJ guidelines below for advise)

The Risks - What to consider

The Reception Venue Events Manager or Company Chain although trying to do it’s best in good faith, is most likely to go with an agency, so that the can invoice including VAT, also to mitigate the risk of being let down at the event and some competitive companies also will pay a venue a commission to be recommended, so the Reception Venue will also get money.

Check Them Out

It is obvious to most that cheap packages can have their faults, so my recommendation is to ask the Reception Venue for contact details of the DJ or Disco Company that the venue is intending to use & YOU call them.

Ask the company or the DJ’s about what they can do. Do Not Tell Them Anything…let them tell you. The avoidance & seek tactic used by any good sales person will try to extract information from you and give the answers to what you want to hear, not necessarily actually tell you what they do. Ask for commitment, photo’s, references and even ask if you can see them in action, be prepared for many excuses and poor quality images.

Lastly if you like the sound of what you hear, get them to commit to you, for your day in writing, if they cannot do this, then I would be looking elsewhere.

Choose Your Own DJ

If you are choosing your own DJ, then your Wedding Reception Venue may insist that your chosen DJ has the following:

• A valid official PAT test (independently carried out by a qualified or certified person)
• Public liability cover typically a minimum of £3m is required, however most Wedding Reception Venues really require £5m or more.

My advice to anyone that is looking for entertainment for any event is to at the very least answer the following:

Check out the DJ’s Safety & Equipment

• Does the DJ’s Roadshow have a valid Public Liability Certificate (£5m or over)?
• Does the DJ’s Roadshow have a valid PAT Test?
• Is the DJ’s Roadshow of good quality & in good cosmetic condition?

Check out the DJ’s Performance & feedback

•     Can you meet the DJ or see them in action at an event?
•     Can you get references or see valid feedback about the DJ’s services online?

•     Can you see pictures of the discos that DJ has performed at? (equipment, peoples reactions, are they enjoying themselves

Will the DJ fit in with your event?

• Will the DJ be willing to play requests or accept playlists?
• Will the DJ Is your DJ willing to setup around you?
• Will your DJ be suitably dressed for your wedding reception?

Is the DJ reliable

• Does your DJ advertise in premium well known sectors ie Google Adwords/Yellow Pages? (not just a FREE to list dodgy DJ Listing Websites (Created by DJ’s to promote themselves) or free search engine listing (Created by anyone, who wants to increase traffic on google), Simply do they spend good money on their reputation)
• Does your DJ provide a written contract?
• Do you think that your DJ is going to be reliable?

I hope you find this information useful