Rick Byrd, 46 years old, Djing for 31 years. (man that makes me sound old). I've lived in Sacramento since kindergarten and I've always been into music. The DJ business has been my primary source of income since 1980, so I'm a full-time DJ. I've been a nightclub/teenclub DJ since 1976. I got started working at a Roller Rink at 16yrs old. I moved on to teen clubs and then to some of the biggest clubs in town including working for the Sacramento Kings for 10 years at their "after game party" at all home games.

How did your first Wedding Reception go?

Back in 1980 their wasn't much DJ equipment so I had to use band type equipment with a radio shack mixer. The first wedding was ok but I didn't realize then how much different it was from club work. Much more than just playing music.

What's the major difference between wedding receptions when you first started and receptions now?

Back when I first started, DJs were band replacements. We played music and provided a
mic for the toast, etc. Now the bar is raised and wedding clients expect more service.
The DJ acts as the MC, the coordinator, and the problem solver. At weddings playing
music is just a small part of what we have to offer.

What makes a great wedding DJ?

I try not to think of my weddings as gigs but as events.
This attitude separates me from most hobbiest DJs. I take the result of the event personal
and put much more time into each event to make it a success. To make a wedding seem to flow smoothly requires planning, rehearsing, and attentiveness. The ability to "read the crowd" to know what to play, when to play it, and at what volume level is a skill and a talent most people don't realize.
The best DJ/MCs don't have just one act. They personalize their style, delivery, and music selection for each customer. Some weddings are wild and crazy and some want a romantic atmosphere.
The reason some DJs are in demand and prices vary is because of personality, stage presence, mic skills, uniqueness, AND the ability to play music. It's all about presentation. Some of my weddings require 20 hours of prep before the reception to give the bride & groom the special day they have always wished for. This is what separates wedding DJs from house party or school DJs.
The right questions to ask are: How are you going to make my wedding special? How is the service you provide to weddings different than a picnic? How much planning do you do with the Bride and Groom?

I promise you the experience will be much different depending on your choice of a DJ.

What's the first thing, or first couple of things a bride should do when looking for a DJ?

Find a DJ that specializes in weddings. This is hard to do since almost every ad I've ever seen says "we specialize in wedding, school dances,..". The most important thing to do is to meet your actual DJ. Some mulit-op companies have a great owner or sales person and then their rookie DJ will show up and can't deliver what the owner promised. Ask for referrals from other wedding professionals and friends. Other wedding vendors
have seen many DJs and can tell you which DJs are really good.

What are some things she shouldn't do?

Hire a DJ because of price or just over the phone. In life you usually get what you pay for. Djing is a performing and talent driven profession. It requires practice, a desire to improve, and mastering many different skills.
There is a reason DJ prices range from $300 to $3,000.

What is the American Disc Jockey Association and what is your role with the
organization? What does that entail?

The ADJA (American Disc Jockey Association, www.adja.org) is an association of professional mobile entertainers. The mission of the American Disc Jockey Association is to encourage success for its members through continuous education, camaraderie, and networking. We believe that through involvement in this professional organization, DJ's achieve more as a group than they can individually.

As a follow-up I would like to point out some statistics that were published in an industry magazine.

"72% of all brides say they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment."
"Almost 100% say they would have spent more of their budget on the entertainment"
"65% of all couples that chose a band to entertain at their wedding, said, if they had it to do over again, they would have chosen a disc jockey."
"Within one week after their reception, 78% of Brides say they would have made the entertainment their highest priority!"

More tips can be found at the ADJA website at
http://www.adja.org/general/djHiringTips.asp

Copyright California Weds 2007