There are two structured meetings: the Initial Planning Meeting and the Timeline Meeting. These meetings can take place either in person somewhere convenient for you and your fiancé or if you have a busy, fast-paced schedule, via Google Meet or Facetime. Both of these meetings are important in the personalization and customization of your wedding. In addition to these meetings, you will receive access to an Event Planning Tool to help organize your timeline details, key moments, and song requests all in one convenient, user-friendly resource. I will contact you to set up the Initial Planning Meeting once a contract has been finalized and the Timeline Meeting about a month before your wedding date. Fret not, I am available around the clock to answer questions and make adjustments outside of these two key meetings!

From the moment we finish the Timeline Meeting, the timeline continues to be a living document. Plans can shift, ideas change, and last-minute adjustments may arise; and while the online event planning portal locks changes three days before your wedding, I will check-in a few days prior to your event to ensure that we have a finalized timeline in hand.  I also encourage communication with any vendor that may be involved in your special day and am happy to work with Wedding Planners and/or Day-Of Coordinators if applicable. It’s my job to take that finalized timeline, remain flexible the day of your wedding, and adapt to necessary changes accordingly so that you have absolutely zero timeline concerns.

YES!  Insurance is an absolute must, especially when working weddings. While some venues make it a requirement, not all venues require proof of insurance to be provided.  Regardless of your venue’s requirement, have confidence that your event is protected by a $2 million-dollar commercial general policy per incident with a general aggregate limit of $2 million dollars. A COI or Certificate of Insurance can be developed at no additional cost on a case-by-case basis as needed.

A non-refundable retainer fee of 50% is required to hold your wedding date and is due seven days after a finalized contract is fully executed. The remaining balance is required 30 days prior to your wedding date. Payments may be broken into installments at the client’s discretion. Acceptable methods of payment include: personal checks, cash, and all major credit cards. Zelle, Paypal, and Venmo are also conveniently available.

I am proud to serve the Washington DC Metropolitan area, including parts of Maryland and Virginia. While I normally operate within an estimated 100 mile radius from my home in Stone Ridge, Virginia, I am also fortunate to work weddings in some amazing places beyond my regular market. For any out-of-town weddings within a reasonable driving distance, there is a mileage fee of $1 per mile beyond 150 round trip miles. In some cases where an overnight stay may be required, accommodations may be requested or an equivalent per diem fee for Lodging and Meals and Incidentals (M&IE) may alternatively be requested using either local GSA rates, or market averages for the time of the year. For some further destinations, Airfare, Rental Car, or Equipment Rental may also be applicable depending on location and/or event accessibility. My policy for out-of-country weddings will vary on a case-by-case application.

Unfortunately, all of the weddings I work are private affairs. Out of respect to my clients, I do not allow prospective clients to come watch me DJ. It should also be noted that no two weddings are the same, so the preferences and styles of music of the couple may be completely different from your preferences.  For further assurance, I can guide you to a handful of references or reviews, or you can check out some of the videos from past weddings on this page.

Music selection is a collaborative process; some couples choose to be very involved in this process, others let me read the crowd and rock the party. Outside of any songs you select for your key moment’s, your requests will generally apply to the Cocktail, Dinner, and/or Open Dancing portions of the night. The Event Planning Tool is quite resourceful in assisting with song selection.

Throughout our meetings, we will work together to determine your musical tastes. First, we will discuss what genres you prefer to ensure I cater to the overall vibe that you envision for your wedding. We will also chat a bit about the demographics of your guests to make sure that we accommodate accordingly.

Next, we will discuss Do’s and Do Not’s; this can be anything from what styles/artists you enjoy/dislike to specific instructions like “No line dances”. This also helps me use discretion when taking guest requests during your wedding. (In general, I won’t play line dances unless a bride and groom specifically request for me to do so.)

From there, you are able to utilize whatever method you find most convenient to share your specific requests.  I happily welcome tools like Spotify or Apple Music for example, to share multiple playlists for your cocktail, dinner, or open-dancing. Alternatively, I will provide you with blank templates within your Event Planning Tool to populate with tags like Must Play, Play If Possible, or Do Not Play. You can input your personal selections here or use suggestions from a few websites that I refer you to.

There will never be a specified order of songs. Instead, I use my judgement based off our preparation to curate the music accordingly throughout the night. This magic formula allows me to read the crowd and keep mixing upbeat with the idea that everything should flow in line with your requests.

I always ensure to keep an open mind to requests; sometimes they can be fantastic. With that said, I will accept requests with consideration to the specified details I have established my clients. If a particular artist or song is on your Do Not Play List, I will honor your preference and ask for an alternative request. The only time I will honor a “Do Not Play” request is if it comes directly from the Bride or Groom. I always have internet access at my events to ensure that in the rare occasion I don’t have something a client wants, I am able to download on the fly!

During your wedding, I do not take breaks. I work throughout your wedding, hand-in-hand with your other vendors in order to ensure that everything flows smoothly.

This one can be tough but let me give you some helpful advice! Here are some things to consider:

I am a DJ first and foremost, but my services encompass more than just music. As an event entertainer, I also play the role of an event host or MC throughout your wedding. Why is this important? It is my responsibility to curate the night and create an atmosphere that is unique to you and your guests. Beyond engaging with your guests as an event host, I also facilitate key moments with your other vendors to ensure a smooth timeline.

When looking to budget your vendors, I cannot emphasize enough how important wedding entertainment is! Your wedding entertainment can single handedly make or break your party. My particular niche is to bring a high energy party, something you would expect on a night out with friends, to the wedding atmosphere to break the norms of the “typical” wedding DJ.  You can trust that you are getting a veteran event DJ with a versatile skill set.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: price. A lower price does not necessarily translate to “Best Value.”  Take the Wedding DJ market for example, there are some DJs that charge a couple hundred dollars and others who charge tens of thousands. With either end of these extremes, you will receive a certain return on your investment. There is a tradeoff process that exists in the wedding industry that forces couples to balance a number of factors when selecting their vendors. This may equate to any combination of experience, professionalism, services, quality, presentation, availability, price, and how well you connect with that vendor. Notice that I am speaking generally; that is because this concept applies to just about any market of vendors within the wedding industry.  I encourage you to shop around, pick up the phone, and talk to your potential options; everyone brings something different to the table and I am not here to tell you which way to decide, or why you should pick me as your wedding entertainment.  However, what I will tell you is that this definition of “Best Value” is different for each couple. You should consider the factors that are important to you, assign an order of importance as needed, and when it is time to decide, evaluate the tradeoffs with respect to your budget.  Trust me when I say, this will come into perspective once you begin the selection process for your “Best Value.”

Lastly, I realize that my services are not for everyone. With that said, I have established relationships with many quality DJs and entertainment companies — including my personal agency, District Creative Agency — that I am happy to refer you to. If you have made it this far, please don’t hesitate to contact me so that I can provide you with reliable entertainment options that may better suit your needs.