Unfortunately, I was disappointed with the DJ services for my wedding…read more
Pre-wedding:
Leading up to the event, Donnell was extremely responsive, professional, and kind over the phone and email. However, as the wedding got closer, I was surprised to learn that he didn't have any standard touchpoints or phone calls built into his process. For such an important vendor who needs to handle specific announcements, cues, and emceeing throughout the night, I found that unusual. I ended up creating a very detailed document outlining every cue and announcement and specifically requested a phone call to review it. I can't imagine how the day would've gone without that call--because even with it, several cues were still missed.
Ceremony:
The microphone cut in and out throughout my vows, even though I had asked for a sound check beforehand. I also asked for him to start music at a specific cue (the officiant would say a particular sentence and exit the platform we were standing on). He missed that cue and we stood there in several long moments of silence. Luckily the officiant was my best friend and was still able to maneuver the proper timing for us so that we kissed at the right moment in the song.
Reception:
During the reception, I asked for a surprise dance floor opening after taking a large group photo with all the guests. We went over my vision several times, but he completely botched it. Then, the microphones weren't working well for the speeches. Throughout the rest of the night, his energy was completely flat. To give him the benefit of the doubt, I did have a smaller crowd, and people weren't as eager to dance as I expected. But I felt he didn't read the room well or adjust accordingly. He played several songs that weren't even on my "play" list, rarely spoke on the microphone, and didn't make any effort to encourage guests to dance or stay engaged.
End of the night:
I had planned a "last dance of the night" for all our guests, but about fifteen minutes before 10PM, people were already gathering their coats and leaving. Instead of jumping to the final song or encouraging guests to stay, he said nothing. I ended up having to personally ask people to stay and send my maid of honor to tell him to play the last song so we could have that final dance. Again, just didn't read the room.
Communication and attitude:
Whenever I tried to give feedback during the night about music choices, he came across as rude and dismissive. While I understand that it was a challenging crowd, as the bride who knows the guests best, I wish he had been more receptive, friendly, and enthusiastic.
Overall, if you're more of a type B bride who doesn't have any specific cues or requests for him, and you have an easy crowd who you know will dance (I thought my guests would - I was surprised - makes me wonder if it was them or him) then you might be fine. But overall I would say I got what I paid for as he was the cheapest DJ option we found; I regret not splurging on a DJ. Luckily our wedding day was still beautiful, but it was definitely in spite of the DJ services.