FAQ
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here are the most frequently asked questions I get from the hundreds of clients I have served. Feel free to jump around to find the exact answers you’re looking for or be an overachiever and read through them all!
My DJ Background
I’ve been a full-time entertainer for over a decade. I started as an emcee for my college campus events, got a job at the school radio station, did two radio internships and built a career as an on-air radio host. As more and more people requested me to DJ their weddings, I decided to fully invest in the mobile DJ side of my business and here we are. I work year-round honing my skills as one of Idaho's top mobile DJs.
Hire an "Olympian"
Your wedding day is like the Olympics. Athletes train without fanfare for years before the world sees them on TV. They’ve completed intense training, put in hours of focus and dedicated their lives to their sport. No one sees the many late nights and early mornings in the gym…they only see the final performance for a few minutes during the on-screen performance.
You could hire a person with an iPhone and a Spotify subscription or you could hire someone similar to the Olympic athlete. The most important day of your life is not the time to experiment with an unproven DJ. It’s not the time for your DJ to learn how to use their gear or practice their craft. It’s showtime. The pressure is on.
Career DJ
I am a career DJ. This business is how I provide for my family. My voice has been broadcast on the radio to tens of thousands of people across the Northwest on stations like Wild 101, Z103 and KSL. I’ve emceed and entertained hundreds of weddings, corporate events, private parties, fairs, talent shows, galas, pageants and dances successfully. I’ve spent over 10,000 hours as an emcee and event host. This is my profession and I treat my performances like my wife and kid’s lives depend on it. Because they kinda do.
Weddings, Corporate Events, Private Parties
Most of my business is running sound, emceeing and performing for weddings. But, I am absolutely open to every opportunity to use my voice and skills as an event planner and entertainer. I've done corporate events, private parties, country club events, school dances, awards shows, galas and community events. I also offer add-ons like generators and LED party sticks. Ask for my digital brochure to see all the ways I can enhance your party!
I Play Everything
I’m an open format DJ so I play everything. If I don’t already have your songs in my library, I’ll buy them (legally) and have them ready for your event. I also subscribe to streaming services and can play almost any song you can imagine even if they’re not in my library.
But I Really Love Hip Hop
With that being said, I love hip hop! As a five-year-old I memorized every word to Coolio’s song Gangsta’s Paradise. I had the Space Jam soundtrack on repeat so much I physically wore out the cassette tape. We’re talking Busta Rhymes, Coolio, Method Man, LL Cool J and B Real. Kid Rock also had a big impact on me as a middle schooler.
Southern Hip Hop
In high school, I discovered southern hip hop legends like Ludacris, Outkast, Three Six Mafia, Lil Wayne, T.I. and Young Jeezy. Lil Jon’s Kings of Crunk, Jeezy’s Thug Motivation 101, and 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’ albums were the soundtrack to my teenage years.
East & West Coast Hip Hop
50 was my introduction to the rags-to-riches, success at any cost, type of bangers coming from the East Coast. I dabbled in west coast hip hop and fell in love with Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Tupac.
Midwest Hip Hop Back to South
The midwest even has a special place in my heart. Kanye West is one of my favorite artists of all time. But that real soulful, hard hitting 808’s, heart-palpitating sub-bass lines, chopped and screwed, dirty south gangsta music speaks to my soul.
You can take the boy out the South, but you can’t take the South out the boy! Needless to say, if you let me play some hip hop at your party, I’ll love you forever!
Book as Soon as You Choose a Venue
Once you pick a venue, your DJ is the next step! Six months to a year in advance is best.
Summer Weekends Book First!
Late spring, summer and early fall weekends are my most popular dates and they fill up quickly.
Last Minute Planning
If you’re scrambling to find someone last minute, please still reach out! I don't recommend this, but I helped pull off an incredible wedding recently with less than 24 hours notice. So it's definitely possible to pull of, but please plan ahead! If I'm already booked, I'll refer you to another great Boise area DJ.
State-of-the-Art DJ Gear
It’s important to research your DJ and get a feel for their level of professionalism. Expensive gear doesn't make a great DJ, but cheap gear can absolutely wreck even the best DJ's performance, as well as your wedding day.
I only use cutting-edge equipment and have spent years acquiring gear and refining my on-stage appearance. You can expect tidy cables taped to the floor or hidden completely as well as clean equipment in perfect working order. I go to great lengths to make sure my gear looks just as good as it sounds.
I'd Love to Meet You!
Absolutely! Maybe you love what you're seeing on the website, but are on the fence about hiring me. Let's meet up and see if we click!
I also do final consultations in-person. Once you book, we can schedule a time to meet up to talk through all the final details of the wedding.
Yes, Except When I Don't
When you're happy, I'm happy. If I don't already have your song in my library, I'll buy it so it's ready to go for wedding day. If inspiration hits while we're on the dance floor, I subscribe to multiple streaming services and can pull up just about any song you can think of.
With that being said, some modern brides are moving away from letting guests request songs.
You spend a lot of time choosing the perfect tracks for your day and sometimes guests can derail the dance floor with oddball requests.
In our final consultation, I'll ask if you want me to take requests. I'm happy to politely explain to your guests that the bride and groom have worked hard on their playlist and probably wont have time to add any extras.
50% Deposit & Sign Agreement to Book
There are two total payments. All I need from you to get started is a 50% deposit. This is a non-refundable retainer fee. The retainer holds your date and is taken out of the final balance. The second and final payment is due 30 days before the event date. Once you tell me you want to book me, I’ll send an agreement to sign and an invoice with the exact payment amounts and due dates so there is no confusion.
I make it as easy as possible to pay by accepting cash, check, debit, credit, Venmo, PayPal and direct bank transfers.
Less Than 30 Days Till Event?
If you'd like to book me less than 30 days from your event, the full balance will be due in order to officially book my services.
You've Got My Word
Integrity is one of my core values. When I say I'll be at your wedding, I will be there.
In case of an emergency, I have a backup plan to ensure you have a professional DJ even if I’m in the hospital. I’ve spent the last several years building relationships with other Treasure Valley DJs. If you book me, you can be confident knowing I'm accepting full responsibility for the entertainment at your event.
If I’m unexpectedly on my death bed, I'll still make sure you have a pro DJ to keep the party going. And then I'll meet you on the dance floor in ghost form.
Three Spotify Playlists
Once you book, you'll want to put together three playlists in Spotify, Apple Music or your favorite streaming platform.
1. Ceremony Prelude Music
This is the music we’ll play before the ceremony to create the right atmosphere. It’s popular to choose classical, big band standards like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin or instrumental covers of pop songs. Groups like Vitamin String Quartet and Piano Guys have some awesome instrumental pop covers.
2. Cocktail Hour & Dinner Music
Let your personality shine by showcasing your favorite bands during cocktail hour and dinner. Start building a list of their low and mid energy songs. People don’t usually dance during cocktail hour and you probably don’t want guests head banging while they're eating so this is the perfect time for the mid level energy songs.
3. Open Dance Music
Give me about 25 tracks that will make you and your friends go absolutely nuts! We want the highest energy songs you can possibly find for open dancing.
From there, I'll watch your guests to see which genres, artists and decades they're loving. I'll fill in the rest of the day with similar tracks.
Pro Tip
I work with a lot of couples. If you can put your name in the title of your lists it would help me a ton!
Two Hours Before Showtime
I arrive at least two hours before your event starts. The idea is to greet your guests with music to set the atmosphere for the evening. Showing up early allows me extra time to be fully prepared and relaxed to help your guests enjoy the event as much as possible.
Never Expected, Always Appreciated
Tips are never expected, but always appreciated! I don’t include gratuity in the final contract price. Martha Stewart recommends 15-20% of the total price of entertainment. And if Martha said it, you know it's law.
Yes, Please!
That would be awesome! I'll be one of the first vendors to arrive and last to leave. Finding time to eat on a wedding day can be challenging for any vendor especially DJs.
You might just ask your coordinator or planner to prepare a few extra plates for the vendors so we can slip into the kitchen and eat during downtime.
I’ll be sure to keep the music going and no one will notice I’m gone.