One of the things that I had left lingering on my “to do” list for the renewal was to pick a DJ. I know so many wonderful DJs and there are really a lot of great choices out there, but I have to admit I have a little soft spot for MyDeejay. So, months ago, I contacted Jennifer Reitmeyer (aka fellow mom and business owner) to see if Evan (aka as her husband) could be the DJ for my renewal. Alas, Evan was out of town. I was bummed. I sat on the decision for a long time. Then, a client of mine said that they were meeting with Devin from MyDeejay after our appointment. I told her to let me know how it went. She emailed me later and said that she really liked him and thought his personality would be a good fit for me and Tom! And, imagine my excitement when while reading his bio, I find out he is a season ticket holder to the Redskins. My hubby, his cousin, my cousin and my uncle would all approve! Yay! Thankfully, Devin was available for our renewal evening. We met with him last week and thought he was a great fit for us too….now, I can finally say that I have a DJ!!!

This blog post is really a two for one…because I got the opportunity to interview Jennifer from MyDeejay and want to share that interview with you today, along with some shots of their DJs in action! Enjoy!

Q: Why did you start MyDeejay?
My husband Evan and I had both previously worked at a larger DJ agency, and saw firsthand a lot of business practices with which we didn’t agree. We felt we could offer a better experience, both for the clients and for the DJ. We worked very hard on our business plan and feel we really were able to bring something new and fresh to the wedding industry here in the DC/Baltimore/Annapolis market.

Q: What makes you different than your competitors?
There are a lot of differences, but I’d probably highlight two as being the most important. One is the emphasis we place on the personal relationship between the client and their DJ. Our clients always meet their specific DJ before they sign a contract – there’s never a separate charge for this, and this meeting helps to build the foundation for a great relationship throughout the client’s planning process. The DJ a client initially meets with is guaranteed by name on the contract to be the DJ performing for the wedding, and the client works closely with that DJ from start to finish to plan the perfect playlist.

The other thing that sets us apart is the consistency of the service we give our clients. We’re a very purposeful company: everything we do is to create the best possible experience for our clients, and I think this shows in the hundreds of fantastic reviews we’ve received. We don’t just have a couple of superstars – our reviews, and the referrals from former clients and other wedding professionals, are spread out among our entire team.

Q: You have many DJs on staff. How do you decide which DJ to assign to each wedding/event?
Because we think a great relationship between the DJ and his clients is so important, we put a lot of consideration into matching clients with the perfect DJ for them. I do a detailed phone or email consultation with each couple, reviewing their music tastes, their ideas for the wedding, and any preferences they may have regarding the DJ’s age and personality. Clients also have the opportunity to review our DJs’ extensive profiles on our website, and often will have their own ideas about which DJs they’ll click with best. Together we’ll determine which of our available DJs would be the right fit, and then the client meets with that DJ to see if they have the right connection.

Q: What are the top three things a bride and groom should ask a potential DJ?
Well, the most important thing in my opinion is to ensure that they’re meeting with the specific DJ who will be doing their wedding – anything a salesperson or the company owner says is of little importance if you can’t meet your actual DJ. Assuming that’s the case, though, here are the three questions I think are most important:

(1) Can you describe your overall style, in terms of music selection and microphone work? It’s great if a DJ says he’s willing to do whatever the client works, because of course the client’s wishes come first, but you want more than a “yes man.” It’s important that the DJ’s general approach is in line with your expectations – if you want an unobtrusive DJ, then a total ham will never really “get” that; and if you want a super-interactive DJ who’ll be out on the floor with your guests, then a minimalist DJ isn’t going to do that.
(2) What specifically is included in the rate being charged, and what other charges might I be faced with later? Contrary to what some companies might have you believe, pricing out DJ services is really not that complicated. You want to make sure you understand, well before signing a contract, exactly what you’re being provided in terms of performance time and equipment. The last thing you want is to have a surprise later when you need to add an hour or a ceremony microphone or an additional sound system.
(3) What will happen if you are unable to DJ my wedding? Emergencies do happen, and it’s important to know how your DJ would handle the unexpected. Does he have a specific person designated as a backup DJ? Are they relying on another company being able to fill in? Do they just refund your money and leave you without a DJ altogether? You need to be clear on, and comfortable with, your DJ’s policy for handling emergencies.

Q: We see so many wedding trends come and go…I’m sure the same goes for wedding music. What are you seeing now for wedding music trends?
I’m really excited at how much thought couples today are putting into their music. Gone are the days of “smooth jazz” cocktail hours and boring, clichéd choices for major dance songs. Couples are choosing music that is more personally meaningful to them, and in some cases, more adventurous – we’ve seen more uptempo songs for first dances, as well as fun elements like flash mobs, surprise singing performances, and choreographed dance routines. It’s been wonderful to see couples truly take advantage of the versatility of a DJ and the wide array of music available to them.

Q: Do you have any songs that you wish people would consider playing at their wedding?
I’d love it if more couples considered using contemporary songs for their ceremony – fortunately, this is another rising trend! I’d love to see The Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” as a processional, or The Zombies’ “This Will Be Our Year” as a recessional (and will, in fact, use this myself if and when Evan and I ever do a vow renewal!).

Q: Do you only provide DJ services for weddings?
We exclusively perform for weddings and upscale corporate events. This seems like a natural pairing, as both of these event types require a sophisticated approach and a very high level of attention to detail. School events, mitzvahs, and clubs are fun, but they aren’t the right fit for our company, and we’re all about sticking to what we do best.

Q: Describe MyDeejay in 5 words.
Creative, positive, unobtrusive, purposeful, transparent

Thanks to Jennifer and MyDeejay for the wonderful interview and to the whole team at MyDeejay for just be all around great people!