1) How do I Choose a DJ?

1. Narrow down your search by finding the BEST DJ websites, ones that are fun and fit your personality.  Make sure to check out their blog.
2. Email or use the Contact button to see how long it takes them to respond (if ever).
3. Meet with them at their office (this is important so you can see if they are a real business).
4. Check their references and testimonials; are they from 1998 or are they current?
5. Find out who their DJ’s are (read their Bio, listen to their mixes).
6. Ask them to see their liability insurance and AVLA license.  This will let you know that they are professional.  $2 Million liability is standard, $5 Million is preferred.
7. Ask the DJ or the Sales person targeted, open-ended questions like; How would you deal with a guest requesting the YMCA when we specifically told you not to play it?  What if it was my mother?  This will let you know their personal experiences with dealing with different situations at weddings.
8. Ask what their policy is on music requests and guest requests.
9. Make sure you get a written agreement/contract with the terms and conditions clearly spelled out.  Be wary of those one-page contracts with NO terms and conditions.
10. I cannot stress this one enough; make sure the DJ Company you choose is passionate about what they do!  You will reap the benefits of an experienced, passionate DJ when you wedding day comes.

2) How important is it for a DJ to read a crowd?

3) How much should I pay for a DJ?

1. Bedroom DJ with no website, crappy gear and some business cards - $400-$600
2. Lower-end DJ company that hires students and trains them to be DJ’s - $600-$900
3. Mid-level good DJ company that services average clientele. - $900-$1300
4. Professional Premium DJ company that services Elite clientele - $1500-$5000

4) How far in advance should I book my DJ?

Typically most DJ Companies will recommend booking your DJ anywhere from 6 months to a year in advance. If you are having a large, high end wedding or you really want a specific DJ who is in high demand you may want to look at booking as far as 1.5 – 2 years in advance. A lot of DJ companies will have availability for certain dates right up until a couple of weeks prior to your event date, but we would highly recommend against this to avoid any disappointment. If your wedding is being held on a popular Saturday in prime wedding season (June through September) then we would recommend securing your DJ at least 6 – 9 months in advance.

5) What are the top First Dance Songs for a Wedding?

Our experience at Star Productions is that every bride and groom has their own taste in music and first dance songs can range from a country song to a rap song that their relationship can relate to.   We can certainly recommend the songs we have played for couples in the past, however we strongly suggest that you make sure that your first song has meaning to you.

1. Lonestar – Amazed
2. KC & JoJo – All My Life
3. Frank Sinatra – The Way You Look Tonight
4. Lifehouse – You and Me
5.  Al Green – Lets Stay Together
6. Bryan Adams – I’ll Always Be Right There
7. Jason Mraz – I’m Yours
8. Righteous Brothers – Unchained Melody
9. Van Morrison – Have I Told You Lately
10. Etta James – At Last

6) What are some popular wedding dance songs?

Here are a few modern dance / club songs that are popular at weddings and special events

1. Flo Rida – Low
2. Alex Gaudino – Destination Unknown
3. Bob Sinclair – Rock This Party
4. Britney Spears – Gimme More
5.  Lady Gaga – Just Dance

1. Madonna – Holiday
2. Michael Jackson – Billie Jean
3. Bob Segar – Old Time Rock & Roll
4. Beyonce – Crazy In Love
5. B-52’s – Love Shack

You can find a lot of more extensive lists online, or contact us at Star Productions to help you select the right music for you and your guests on your special day.

7) Will my DJ have a playlist put together before my event?

Part of the Star Productions service package, is to provide you with the online music request program, guest requests and planner that allows you to help us plan your song playlist in advance.  Our DJ’s will review your request list and the submissions made by your guests in advance to help them prepare for your reception.  Our DJ’s are always ready to accept a random request on the night of your event as they will always carry a minimum of 20,000 songs with them on their music hard drive to be able to pull up everyone’s taste in music.  Your selections made before your event will allow our DJ’s to play all your music at the right time.  You may select a lot of slower songs that there is just not enough time to play but would be great to play during your cocktail reception.  The experience of our DJ’s will shine through during this time as you will see that they are not only playing during the dance portion of the evening, but as soon as your guests arrive.

8) What are the best party songs of all time?

9) What are the 25 most popular First Dance Songs?

10) What are some popular Father / Daughter Songs?

11) What are some popular Mother / Son Songs?

12) What are some popular Bouquet Toss Songs?

13) Where do I start when planning my wedding?

So you’re now engaged and need to plan your wedding reception… where to start?  The best thing to do is to start creating a ‘Wedding To-Do Checklist’.  Here is a brief list of things that you need to keep in mind when creating your checklist.

1. Inform your immediate family and friends that you are engaged and starting to plan for your wedding
2. If you haven’t already, choose a date for the wedding
3. Look at several venues if you don’t have any one particular in mind
4. Check the availability of the venue and once decided confirm your venue
5. Organize a wedding officiant and church or location for your ceremony
6. If you are going to use a wedding planner / consultant, it’s a good idea to book this 12 months in advance
7. Interview and search for reception vendors including:
8. Catering
9. Florists & Décor
10. DJ / Band / Entertainment
11. Photographer
12. Videographer
13. Start creating a guest list, make sure to talk about this with both sets of parents to make sure you don’t miss anyone.  The list can always be slimmed down if needed before invitations get sent out.
14. Order wedding invitations and mail them to your invited guests
15. Look for a wedding dress, groom tuxedo, bridal party dresses and tuxedos.
16. Book Limo / Transportation if required
17. Select a wedding cake
18. Decide on wedding favours and guest book
19. Make and confirm Honeymoon arrangements
20. Obtain a wedding licence
21. Make sure you have a timeline of all events and that each of your vendors has a copy of this
You can find lots of information and checklists with a quick search online, just write down everything that you need to do and keep a file or binder with all your wedding information, contracts, etc. all in one place that is easy to find when needed.

14) Should I have lighting at my wedding?

Lighting can be a very important and effective way to create a special atmosphere and mood to your wedding reception.  Lighting is often not considered and overlooked when planning a wedding but it can be used in many different ways to create an atmosphere and mood as well as change the look and feel of a room. 

LED Lights or Upwall Lights
If you want to add something special to the décor and ambiance of your reception, the simplest and most effective lighting is to add some LED up-wall lighting to the room.  LED lights are great additions to almost any room to highlight pillars, backdrops, room features or simple spread out along the walls of the reception hall.  These lights can be locked on a colour to match your décor or they can be programmed to change throughout the night, for example during the cocktails the room could be blue, during dinner they could change to pink and during dancing they can change to another colour. 

Intelligent Lights
Another popular option which can be more expensive as well are moving head lights.  These lights are very versatile and can be used for many different uses throughout the night.  These lights are commonly referred to as ‘Intelligent Lights’ which simply means they are programmable and don’t just do one thing or pattern.  Moving Head lights project light through different gobos to create designs and patterns on the walls, ceiling and dance floor.  They can also be used as spot lights or stage washes to light up a podium or head table.  During cocktail receptions and dinner a nice effect is to have them pan around the room walls and ceiling to match the room décor and up-wall lights if they are also being used.  During dancing these lights are versatile and can be programmed to do many different patterns and sequences to create a club atmosphere light show. 

Commonly used moving head lights are the Elation Design Spot and Martin Mac Series of lights.  In most cases having an intelligent light show will require a lighting technician to control and look after the lighting for the evening whereas the usual semi-intelligent lights that most DJ’s carry to all events are simple plug into the wall and they are sound sensitive to do one pattern.  Other lighting options include but are not limited to: Centerpiece Pin Spot Lighting, Water Ripple Effects, Disco or Mirror Balls, Lasers, Low Lying Fog or Dry Ice, and Follow Spots.

Hazer
During the dancing, if your venue permits it, to add to the effect of intelligent moving head lights it is a good idea to have a hazer machine.  A hazer is similar to a fog machine, but it doesn’t just spray out a heavy fog, it disburses a light water based mist into the air that allows you to see the beams of light easier and gives the light show a better effect. 

The decision to have lighting at your wedding is totally up to you, but we highly recommend having some sort of lighting for the dancing as this is proven to get more people up on the dance floor and creates the mood of the party is now started, lets dance and have a good time. 

15) Do I tip the DJ?

In Toronto, tipping your DJ whether for a wedding, corporate or social event is entirely up to you of course.  It is however customary to give service providers a gratuity.  If you feel the DJ went above and beyond to help make your event a great success, then a tip would be appropriate.  For example, if your DJ basically saved you the cost of a wedding co-ordinator by running the show all night long then a gratuity would definitely be in order.  An appropriate tip would be anywhere from $50 to $200 dollars.

16) Should my DJ take a break at my wedding?
A professional DJ will not have the music stop at any point during a party unless there is a speech or presentation happening.  It is common practice to provide your DJ with a meal during dinner, at this time a professional DJ will have a dinner break CD or playlist to put on while they are eating. 

17) Do I provide my wedding vendors with a meal?
Some DJ, Photography and Videographer companies include having a meal provided for the DJ as a condition of their contract.  Regardless of whether it is in the contract or not, it is a good idea to provide a meal for vendors that will be there for the whole day or evening.  After all, a full DJ is a happy DJ.  Most venues will offer a discounted "vendor meal" (a.k.a. "supplier meal" or "staff meal").  The vendor meal is sometimes the same as your guests' meal, or sometimes it's a basic sandwich and salad.  Any DJ should be happy with either option.

Keep in mind that for an 8 hour long wedding reception, the DJ, Photographer and Videographer are at your wedding for close to 10 or 11 hours.  That's a long time to go without a meal.  If you want your vendors to be on the top of their game, then it's a good idea to keep them fed.

NOTE: It is important that the DJ and other vendors get fed before or at very least with the other guests.  This is important because venues always feed the DJ and other vendors last and then expect them to be ready to go when dinner is over and the dancing and festivities are set to start.  If your vendors have just been served when everyone else is done, it doesn’t make for a good flow.

18) Do I choose a band or DJ for my wedding?

When it comes to the music for your wedding you, it is ultimately up to you and your fiancé.  If you are thinking about your favorite band and you really want them to play at your wedding, you also have to consider the guests that you are inviting to your wedding and will they enjoy the band and music that you want.  Even though this is your day, you still want your guests to enjoy their time in celebrating your wedding with you. 

Whether you choose a band, a dj or a combination of both you want to ensure that you will have a variety of music for everyone that will be in attendance.  There are many good bands out there that have a wide selection of music available, but others are limited to the songs and music genres that they can play.  The main downfall of a band is that they do need to take breaks throughout the night. 

A popular option for people who want a band at their wedding is a combination of a band and a DJ, this give you the versatility of a DJ and continuous music throughout the whole reception.  If cost is a factor then a DJ might make the most sense as you can get a good DJ for between $1200-5000 for the whole night and a good band can run from $2500 - $15,000 which usually includes up to 5 hours.  As with booking any of your vendors, make sure you check references and confirm your entertainment with a signed contract and in most cases a deposit will be required.

19) Should my best friend to DJ my wedding?
With our experience we highly recommend against having your friend DJ your wedding (or a friends’ “friend”), especially if they are not a professional DJ.  If you have a friend that is a DJ, and if they are going to be attending your wedding, they may be able to recommend a great DJ for you to hire for your special day.  Keep in mind that your friend or friends “friend” may not take your wedding as seriously as a hired professional would.  

NOTE: I personally do NOT DJ my friend’s weddings even though this is what I do for a living.  I use one of our other great DJ’s so I can attend the wedding and enjoy myself.  Too often, bedroom DJ’s offer their free or discount services not realizing how much work is involved to make a wedding reception a success.  Once they do realize this or get offered a ‘better paying gig’ they often cancel last minute leaving you stranded.

20) Should I use an iPod for my wedding?
It is with our experience that using an iPod for the music at your wedding is never a good idea.  We have heard so many times the disasters that can happen when using an iPod at your wedding.

First of all, you need to have the music library that will cater to the wide variety of guests that will be in attendance at your wedding.  A professional DJ will make music selections in an order that will flow evenly and switch upon request. This is very difficult to program on an iPod in advance.  The sound system that will be used is also an important thing to consider, when hiring a professional DJ. An adequate and reliable sound system is provided in any package.  If you decide on using an iPod you need to rent a sound system that you may not know how to setup or operate.  Once you have a sound system for your iPod you then need to find someone to setup the system and operate it throughout the night, the last thing you want to be doing in your wedding dress is to be setting up speakers and running over to the iPod every few minutes.  Bottom line, hire professional vendors to look after your wedding reception if it is important to you that everything works, flows and is stress free.

NOTE: I have read hundreds of articles on how to save money on your wedding and how to make a successful wedding and NONE of these suggest an iPod as an alternative to a DJ.  DON’T DO IT, YOU WILL REGRET IT!

21) Where should I have my wedding reception in Toronto?
With so many venues and options for a venue in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), where do I start in choosing a venue?  First you should think about what part of town you want to host your wedding reception, consider where you and the majority of your guests live as well as what parts of town you really like.  If there is an area of town such as the waterfront or a special park that you might want to have photos taken at you would most likely want to look at venues within a reasonable distance of that. 

Word of mouth is always a great way of finding a venue for any event, so think of other weddings you have attended or ask your friends, family and co-workers if they know of any venues that they have had a good experience at.  Secondly, the internet is a great place to do some research on finding venues and also reading reviews from others that have used those venues previously.

Here is a list of several venues that Star Productions DJ’s have performed at and recommend.

1. Atlantis Pavillion (http://www.atlantispavilions.com)
2. Eglinton Grand (http://www.eglintongrand.com) 
3. Old Mill Inn (http://www.oldmilltoronto.com)
4. King Edward Hotel (http://www.lemeridien-kingedward.com)  
5. Glen Abbey Golf Club (http://www.clublink.ca)
6. Granite Club (http://www.graniteclub.com)
7. Horizons, CN Tower (http://www.cntower.ca/book_an_event/event_space/horizons_restaurant)
8. Casa Loma (http://www.casaloma.org)
9. Capitol Event Theatre (http://www.eventtheatres.com)
10. The Estates of Sunnybrook (http://www.estatesofsunnybrook.com)
11. Fairmont Royal York (http://www.fairmont.com/royalyork)

22) What are some ideas for a themed wedding?
As more and more people are trying to come up with unique weddings and receptions, having a themed party is an option.  A few things to remember when choosing to have a themed wedding is that you don’t want to make your guests uncomfortable and you don’t want the theme to take away from the actual wedding rather you want to enhance your special day and celebration.

Here are a few quick ideas for a themed wedding or party.

Some things you can do to help bring your themed party to life would be: props, décor, lighting effects, costumes & attire, specialty entertainment, performers, music selection, look-a-likes, photo ops, etc.