BLOG: Choosing a Wedding DJ

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Okay, I admit it, when we first started this wedding venue adventure I thought paying money for a professional DJ was a luxury not a necessity.  I was SO wrong.  Of all your recommended vendors, your DJ is the only one who is going to be at your day from before your guests arrive until long after they leave (and I do mean long--DJ's are always the last vendor to leave the venue).  Your DJ is the one who manages your timeline, herds the cats...I mean guests...and bears witness to what is happening the entire day making sure everything happens smoothly and seamlessly.  

We have seen:

- incredible DJs who can get an entire sober wedding party on the dance floor...all night;

- a DJ notice the "planner" neglected to put out forks and a plate for cake cutting AND the DJ making sure it was available for the couple when they cut the cake; 

- DJs who know our space and set-up so quickly they are available AND willing to help your other professionals setup your decor;

- DJs who have the timing down--including the timing of each key song, each event, each speech so your event is well-run and your months or years of planning is validated;

- DJs (far more than once) without enough equipment to cover our spaces and have NO music for 40+ minutes while they move their gear from the reception tent to the dance floor;

- DJs who think that because they have a microphone, they need to use it--loud and often--and set the tone that your wedding is similar to a sporting event needing a narrated play-by-play OR an opportunity to showcase their "beautiful" singing voice;

-DJs who have gotten drunk, thrown temper tantrums, suggested alternative uses of space because they don't have enough gear...and other fails;

-DJs who have asked for "a second chance" so they can "do better next time".  Your wedding day doesn't get a second chance and you don't need a vendor to fail.  

DJs are so important to a great wedding day AND Gray Bridge is not the space for a friend-er DJ, a "newer" (i.e. bargain) DJ, or a DJ without 2 complete kits of equipment, our current contracts REQUIRE the use of one of our recommended DJ vendors.  They didn't get on this list until they performed multiple times, did a 5* job every time, and are pleasant people we want to be around (remember--they are the last to leave--we spend a LOT of time working with your DJ).  

Wedding DJs in the Puget Sound range greatly in price.  The typical DJ pricing for weddings in the Seattle area is $1500-$4500.  Many DJs can add services such as up-lighting, fog machines, lights and graphics, or extra hours that will impact pricing.  

When choosing a wedding DJ, we have seen the great and the terrible and we now require the use of a short list of exceptional wedding DJs. They are all fantastic at their jobs, are great DJs AND MCs; they will keep your guests on the dance floor; they will run your timeline and work with your other professionals for a well-run event, and they all work at Gray Bridge for under $2500.

Here is our recommend list of DJs:

-- DJ Justin Murta

--DJ Clinton Dove

--DJ Shane Deegan 

--DJ David Baker