Questions to Ask a Wedding DJ or Band Before You Book

Quick answer

Ask who will perform and exactly which sets or hours the price covers. Talk through requests and do-not-play songs, equipment, lighting, setup, sound-check, venue limits, breaks, announcements, backups, insurance, overtime and the full cost. Share your venue and timetable before you sign so the plan fits the actual room.

Check the actual performers

For a band, ask whether the musicians shown in current material are the people booked and how substitutions are handled. For a DJ company, identify the individual assigned and whether you can speak before the day.

Watch or hear representative live work, not only a studio recording. You're assessing performance, room reading and communication.

Define performance time and breaks

Write down arrival, setup, sound check, set lengths, breaks and finish. Ask what music plays during breaks and whether background music or microphones are provided for other parts of the evening.

Fit the performance around dinner and the venue’s permitted hours. A late start can squeeze the set you paid for against a fixed music curfew.

Talk about music direction

Share tastes, important songs, firm exclusions and the mix of guests without dictating every transition. Ask how live requests are handled and whether explicit lyrics or cultural requirements need advance planning.

A strong professional balances your preferences with the room. Decide how much freedom you're comfortable giving and put non-negotiable moments in writing.

Check venue production

Check stage or floor space, power, loading, parking, changing area and whether a sound limiter applies. Bands may need a specific electrical supply; DJs may provide or require particular lighting and speakers.

Ask who liaises with the venue and when. Smoke effects, confetti, haze and high sound levels may be prohibited regardless of performer equipment.

Plan introductions and key songs

Decide who will announce the couple, cake cut, first dance or last song. Give them names and pronunciations with a brief running order. If the band will play your first dance live, agree the arrangement and any learning fee beforehand.

Supply final choices by the agreed deadline, but keep a downloaded backup of irreplaceable tracks if the performer requests one.

Ask about resilience

Understand replacement cover for illness, spare equipment and what happens if travel is disrupted. Check public liability insurance and electrical safety documentation required by the venue.

For a band, ask whether the quoted lineup can adapt if one musician is unavailable. For a DJ, confirm music access doesn't rely entirely on venue internet.

Compare the complete offer

Include travel, accommodation, early setup, lighting, ceremony audio, overtime and tax when comparing. A lower headline can become higher after essential production is added.

Musical skill matters, but so does a team that communicates clearly and can set up on time. The evening only gets its momentum if the practical plan lets the music begin smoothly.