Can we pick our DJ?
Yes. You also can come into our office and go through the staff profile book and DVD presentation and select someone if you wish. If you know of someone on our staff that a friend or relative had at their reception, call us with the date of their event and we can check which DJ they had on the night of their reception.
If you request a specific DJ, there is a $40 or $80 request fee, based on length of time they’ve been with us. Less than (5) years = $40.00 More than (5) years = $80.00 Most couples feel this is a small amount to pay to guarantee a specific DJ at their reception and remove the factor of “who will be our DJ?” If you have no particular preference, one of our staff will be assigned to your show about 30 days in advance. You don’t have to select someone if you don’t want, it’s just an option we offer that most DJ services don’t or can’t.
Keep in mind: Embarrassing antics and bad behavior are the number one reasons why couples want to select their DJ. They’ve been to other receptions where the DJ was inexperienced, unprofessional, and the end result is disappointment. That doesn’t exist with us. Our staff is trained. There is a Code of Ethics in place here. Our DJs are professional, dressed in tuxedo, follow your song requests, and make announcements in a pleasing manner. We don’t have kids and teenagers working here. Our average staff age is 30, which is much older than the industry standard age of 20-22 years old.
Can we come out and see you in person?
Our customers find that coming into our office-showroom is more beneficial than coming out to someone else’s event. It’s a relaxed setting. We take the time to get to know you and see if we can meet your expectations. You can view our DJs at actual weddings on our web site, and get even more feedback about each of them via our profile book in the office. You can select specific songs and hear them on the sound system, and view our lighting. We will go over our wedding forms, discuss any special needs or requirements that you may need. None of this can be done when listening to a DJ at a stranger’s wedding.
How do you keep track of all of our details?
For those that like to go online, we will create your own personal “online” account via our web site which has forms and other tools that will convey to us everything we need to know about your reception. Couples really enjoy this benefit. You will have access to our full music library database which is linked to a site where you can listen to each song, you can print our Wedding Planner Form if needed, you can pay us via Pay Pal, you can list everyone is your wedding party, it’s really amazing what you can do via our “online” site.
Can we meet our DJ beforehand?
This is difficult in the sense that our staff is only in the office on Fridays or Saturdays before they leave for their shows. They work full time during the week and we can’t expect them to be available when couples come in for a consultation. We help ease the mind of most couples by having the DJ profile book along with the DVD presentation on each. We have nothing to hide about anyone who works here. We want our customers comfortable that all of our staff has the skills, class, and knowledge to easily handle their reception. We have real people with real names, photos, and comment cards for you to get a feel for each staff member. PS: The best DJ services will provide detailed info about their staff. If not, keep looking. It’s too important to simply assume or hope that their staff is qualified.
Do we tip the DJ?
At Jukebox Express, our policy is to tip what you feel the DJ has earned. Most couples tip us, especially if they are more than pleased with the DJs efforts. Some DJ companies now add a predetermined gratuity (18-20%) so you MUST tip the DJ no matter how good or bad they are, up front. Some competitors don’t tell you about adding their mandatory gratuity, and quote you a price without it, then send a contract, and now the price has just increased by 20%! Avoid ALL DJ services who do this unethical practice. This is not the proper way to do business. Report them to the Better Business Bureau or the Twin City Bridal Association, or both. We let you decide the amount, based on your satisfaction with our service.
Will you play our music if we bring it?
Absolutely. Anything off of CD ( burned or store bought ) or an iPod. It’s best to put a Post-It Note on each CD to let us know which songs you want us to play. We will make sure they’re returned to you at the end of the night. We can import MP3 files if needed. We utilize Macintosh iBook laptops, but also have dual CD player as a backup source.
What if we want additional time after the four hours?
Not a problem, as long as it’s okay with the facility manager. Just let our DJ know at least 15 minutes before the scheduled end of the evening if you want to extend your dance time. An additional half-hour is $60.00 or a full hour is $120.00. (These prices are subject to change.) We don’t believe in charging you for extra time unless you request it.
When is the balance due?
Not until the night of the event. A personal check is preferred; we do accept Visa, Master Card, and American Express. The best companies don’t demand or require to be prepaid. When you prepay, you lose ALL leverage in case you have a problem, and a DJ service may lose their incentive to come out and do a good show. Better DJ services don’t require pre-payment before the event date, and don’t ask for a large deposit to hold a date. They haven’t done anything other than a little paper work. There is no need to leave so much of your hard earned money upfront.
Do we carry liability insurance?
Yes, we have a two million dollar policy that insures us at every venue we perform at. Many hotels and banquet facilities will not allow a DJ service to perform there without this insurance, so make sure whoever you hire is insured for personal liability.
Why don’t we just use our i-Pod and save money?
Many couples are certainly doing that, but before you do, please take a look at this video and information courtesy of The American Disc Jockey Assoc. They bring up the point that when you consider the cost of the i-Pod, speakers, time to load the music, and that someone still has to run it, you may have spent more that the cost of a reputable DJ service. And then you still have no one to coordinate any announcements, introductions, blessing, toasts, first dance, father-daughter dance, bouquet toss, the list goes on and on. Guests seldom stay past dinner with an i-Pod.

Most venue managers will not be excited to have you do this. Why? Because they know that bar sales will be less that with a good DJ, and guests 90% of the time leave much earlier with an iPod. So, they lose money. Chances are very good that there will be no memories of your dance to share years later. Is this really worth the cost of saving a few hundred dollars on your budget?

What happens if we aren’t happy?
We will do everything humanly possible to make your reception successful. FACT: We have never missed a show in (6000) plus events in twenty three years. We ask that if you are unhappy with something during the course of your reception, that you let the DJ know so he can correct the situation immediately. We don’t require final payment until the end of evening, and that’s based on you being pleased with our service. Our satisfaction rating with couples is one of the highest in the industry, but sooner or later we all deal with a dissatisfied customer, and how you handle these complaints is the true test of a reputable, quality service. We listen, we care, we try extremely hard to please every customer. We are here after the sale.

It’s all about you. Your wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event that is charged with emotion, and your DJ service will be responsible for making this event both entertaining and memorable. A good wedding DJ actually serves as a catalyst to help your guests entertain themselves. To connect with your guests, the DJ must watch for details both on and off the dance floor, plan effectively and personally with you, the bride and groom, and most of all listen to your ideas, preferences, questions, and concerns. It’s all about you, from the first phone call to the last dance.