Choosing a DJ isn’t easy. Prices vary, everyone has videos, and it’s hard to tell what separates one from another. I’ve played weddings, private parties and corporate events across London, the UK and abroad for 15 years. This is what I’d check before you book anyone, me included.
Ask what experience means
Years alone don’t tell you much. Ask how many events like yours the DJ has played in the last year. Ask to see video from the same kind of event. You can see mine on The Reel.
Check the music range
For weddings and mixed crowds, a DJ needs to move between styles. I play hip-hop, RnB, Afrobeats, house and Greek music, and I shift depending on who is on the floor. Ask any DJ how they’d handle 25-year-olds and 65-year-olds on the same dancefloor. If the answer is “whatever is in the charts”, keep looking.
Know what kind of event you’re booking for
Weddings have a running order, speeches, a first dance and family with different tastes. Private parties, like birthdays and milestones, often mean mixed ages and a venue with its own limits on volume and finish time. Corporate events vary. Some have a strict running order, technical needs and a brief from an organiser. Others are staff parties where everyone wants to let their hair down. Ask if the DJ has played your kind of event. I cover weddings and corporate events on their own pages.
Ask about the unglamorous things
These decide whether the night runs smoothly. Is the DJ insured? Is the equipment PAT tested? Will they set up and soundcheck before guests arrive? Is there a wired microphone for speeches? For corporate events, can they provide a risk assessment or method statement? I carry £10m public liability and £10m professional indemnity insurance, and my equipment is PAT tested.
Talk before the day
A good DJ asks about your crowd, your must-plays and your no-go songs before the event. If they won’t have that conversation, don’t book them.
Compare what you’re paying for
Price matters, but compare what’s included, how much planning the DJ does and whether they have experience with your kind of event. My cost guide explains what changes the price. Private events start from £595, corporate from £795 and weddings from £895.
Planning an event?
Tell me about it and I’ll come back to you within 24 hours.
