Before you hire any music professional, ask for references. You need to hear about the good and the bad and a reference does just that. Ask to see letters or emails from previous clients or better yet ask if you can chat with a former client.
Find out about the musician. How did he handle things like song selection and payment for services? Was he or she courteous to guests and friendly to the bride and groom? If the answer is no, find another DJ or band. Make sure you’re comfortable with this person and that you like her personality and her skills.
Make sure the musician or DJ has a good reputation within their industry and with the local Better Business Bureau.
5. Name your Price.
The first questions most brides and grooms ask a vendor is, “How much is this going to cost?” And sure enough, that’s an important question to ask.
Rates can vary but nowadays most DJ’s and bands charge at least $200 an hour with a four hour minimum. There are ways to get cheaper prices though. Consider having your wedding on a non-peak day or time. Choose a Sunday morning wedding or a Thursday night reception and most music professionals don’t have any other events planned so they can offer brides and grooms bargain rates.
6. Get a Preview.
Before you hire a musician or DJ, ask the vendor for a glimpse of his work. Maybe you can drop in at a wedding he’s performing at one weekend or at the very least you can view a DVD showing his performance at a wedding or another event. A live performance is best but even a tape can show you the musician’s poise, talent and interaction with the crowd.
7. Get it in writing.
Once you decide to hire a musician or DJ, get a contract since it’s the only way you can protect your financial investment. Most music pros have standard contracts that outline both parties’ expectations such as payment, date, time and length of service as well as refund and cancellation policies.