I firmly believe that in order to command top dollar for my services, I must provide them with outstanding planning services prior to the wedding

Planning Weddings:
An Important Part of the Service We Provide. I have been performing for wedding receptions for 15 years now and it never ceases to amaze me that I learn something new at every wedding I do. You'd think that after so many years I would have it down, but no no no! The reason I enjoy doing wedding receptions is because for me, every event is different. From the age of the bride and groom to the type of interaction required for the event, to the setting of the facility, I have found that each party has it’s own colors.

As you sit back to read this article I will take you through the stages of finalizing plans with a bride and groom as they prepare for their very special day. This part of the event is just as important as the actual wedding day. It’s a time to really connect with the bride and groom. I am very detailed orientated. I feel this is one of the main reasons I attract the type of clientele that will spend a little more money on their entertainment so they are guaranteed that "their day" will be personalized the way they envisioned it to be. I firmly believe that in order to command top dollar for my services, I must provide them with outstanding planning services prior to the wedding. This means giving the client more than five minutes on the phone to plan her wedding.
In addition to the obvious benefits to the bride and groom, taking time to plan and organize a wedding has benefits to you and your company’s reputation. You would be amazed at the number of DJs that show up to a wedding with nothing more than the song title and artist of the bride and groom’s first dance. An unprepared DJ is something that is noticed by everyone, including the banquet manager. Banquet manager’s tend not to refer entertainers who are unprepared, because they come across as amateurs. Don’t allow yourself to be classified in that category because you didn’t take time to plan and organize the reception in advance.

After the couple hires me for their event I send off a finalizing sheet and a general play list. I let them know that these 2 items need to be back in my office at least 2 weeks prior to their wedding day. This will allow me to look over all their information ahead of time so it will be easier for me to tend to all the details.

The finalizing sheet consists of a yes and no questionnaire about the event, a section for sequence of events, special music to be played and a place to list the wedding party including parents, bridesmaids, groomsman, maid/matron of honor, best man and the all important flower girl and ring bearer.

When I speak with them, I ask very detailed questions because my motto is "It's better to be well informed than uninformed". The more I know about the couple and their guests, the smoother the reception will flow. Here are a few of the detailed but very basic questions I ask:

"Do you have your own Champagne Glasses?"
Many times the couple will receive glasses as gifts at their shower and will want to use them at the event. Make sure they are at the appropriate table before the reception begins so you won’t be scrambling to find them during the toast.

"Will your Maid/Matron of Honor like to participate in the toast as well?"
I use to think because it was called a "Best man's Toast" that it was proper etiquette to have only the Best man toast the couple. However, here in the Northwest, anything goes and many times the Maid/Matron of Honor would like to give a toast also.

"Are parents married to each other or do they have significant others?"
The reason I ask this question is because sometimes the parents are included in the Grand Entrance and you want to make sure everyone is paired up appropriately (especially if the divorced parents don’t get along so well).

"Do you want the cake cutting to be "nice" or "not so nice"?
How many of you have not asked this question ahead of time? The result being that the crowd coaxes the groom to smash cake and the bride gets all upset? Not a good thing! You have control over the cake cutting and can set the mood. Find out what they want to do ahead of time so there are not bad feelings.
The last two questions I ask are probably the most important.

"Are there any artists or songs you absolutely DO NOT want played at your event?"
I ask this question because, for instance, if the bride has been to a million weddings in the last year and has heard "Celebration" (I avoid this song at all cost) at every event, there is a possibility that she won't want this particular song played at her own wedding. It’s just as important to find out what they don’t want as well as what they do want!