7 Characteristics of a Professional Austin Wedding DJ
Updated: Dec 4, 2022
With so many wedding DJ’s in Austin Texas, what does it take to be the crème de la crème in the “Live Music Capital of the World"?
Weddings in the south are an epic lifetime event, folk's around here go BIG or go home, and Texan Bride and Groom's always go big (in their own way)! I don’t know how wedding DJ companies do it in other cities because I was raised in Austin Texas and my wedding DJ company U7 Austin DJ is here in the city. But, here, in the music capital, DJ's know how to bring their electronic music A game to wedding's. So, with so many great DJ's in Austin, it's no surprise that the crème de la crème of wedding DJ's all share certain characteristics in common. In order to make it in such a competitive industry, said DJ's have to come with a level of professionalism and customer service that is next level. How do I know this? I’ve been an Austin Wedding DJ long enough to have met some great wedding DJ’s here in Austin and the ones that impress me all share the same seven characteristics. What are the attributes that will make a wedding DJ stand out as a professional Austin entertainer you ask?
Great question, let’s drive into what it takes to be at the top of the Austin Wedding DJ mountain of success and how couples can tell if a DJ is the right fit and “your” Austin Wedding DJ? The best wedding DJ's in Austin have:
Competence
Knowledge
Conscientiousness
Personality
Respect
Emotional Intelligence
Inclusiveness
In this blog, I would like to share with you what it takes to make it to the top as a wedding DJ and what you should be looking for when booking a wedding DJ. This post will take a closer look at the seven key characteristics that professional Austin Wedding DJ’s always have.
1. Competence
“You must have confidence in your competence.” - Elijah Cummings
As a professional, any wedding DJ worth their weight in salt will get the job done and done well. This level of wedding DJ professional has the skills that match the job requirements and they often produce results that exceed the expectations of their clients. A professional wedding DJ can easily provide you with the confidence of knowing you hired the right DJ company for the job. This level of DJ’ing is often booked a year in advance and that is for a good reason, they are the best of the best in the crazy competitive world of wedding DJ’ing. This level of wedding DJ’ing comes with years of knowledge on troubleshooting live event production, time management and results in a packed dance floor with unforgettable memories. A professional wedding DJ will create a dance party that keep’s you and your guests' dancing and talking about how much fun they had at your wedding long after your wedding day is over.
Pro Tip - Look for 5 star reviews from past clients on third party apps like;
1. The Knot
2. WEDDINGWIRE, and
3. Zola
Also, search engine profiles on google places and bing places are great insight into a wedding DJ companies work ethic and how they deal with unhappy customers. And, don’t forget to read the “bad” reviews to make sure you are comfortable and fully trust your wedding vendor to bring their A game to your important night. While, it is true, some people are negative by nature most if not ALL clients complaints are relevant and worth investigating not just as a business owner but a couple looking for the perfect wedding DJ for their big day.
2. Knowledge
“Good, Better, Best, never let it rest till your Good is Better than your Best.”- Saint Jerome
The best Austin Wedding DJ’s have a decade of knowledge under their belt. While that is not to say you can’t find a great newbie wedding DJ, because I’m the first to admit they do exist but they are a rare force to be reckoned with because professionalism involves digital and physical organization, time management, a crafted Master of Ceremonies skill set, and musical history knowledge to know what people are requesting and these wedding DJ skills take time to truly master as a professional. Moreover, a wedding DJ can create personalized playlists because he/she/they stay up-to-date on wedding and music trends. At every stage of a wedding DJ's career (newbie, professional and master) the DJ strives to master their Disc Jockey and MC role of the evening and continues to add to their musical library and what they already know as a professional wedding DJ. This high performing level of commitment is necessary to be the best wedding DJ that he/she/they can be and said wedding DJ will never let it rest till their personal good is better than their best.
Pro Tip: An itinerary created by a professional vendor is crucial to the success of an epic wedding that is flawless and moves with grace and class throughout the event. The DJ is the background maestro that keeps the wedding on time and said DJ can not do this without a detailed itinerary of your expectations for the evening. It is always a good idea to have your wedding itinerary created by or at least approved by a professional day of coordinator or wedding planner. While creating your own itinerary might seem easy it is not and you need wedding vendor professionals that work as a team to time manage your wedding so that it stays within your budget.
3. Conscientiousness
“Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” - MLK
My wedding DJ company, U7 Austin DJ along with other top Austin Wedding DJ’s is about conscientiousness and that involves being reliable, having high standards and a work ethic that sets the local industry bar. A wedding DJ cares about every aspect of his/her/their job and it shows. It's about being inclusive on the dance floor and well organized throughout the wedding night so said DJ can be the Master of Ceremonies that flawlessly moves from event to event with style. A top wedding DJ’s conscientiousness is second to none and he/she/they regularly follows up with the wedding planner, photographer(s) and videographer(s) throughout the night to ensure everything is going well and all the wedding vendors are on time and positioned for success.
Pro Tip - A top notch wedding DJ has great communication skills. Said DJ will be available to answer your questions at any reasonable hour of the day. While the weekends might not be the best day to connect because they are working, they should still be able to manage their day in which they can give you; an email, text message or call you back when you reach out. If you find communication hard from the beginning of the vendor relationship that is a sign his/her/their customer service skills might not be on the level you need them to be for an important day such as your wedding and you should move on from booking them and book the best professional wedding DJ you can afford. There are a lot of Austin DJ’s in the wedding game and it is no easy task but will be well worth the work you put into today by finding the right fit for your wedding day tomorrow. While we are all busy, a professional wedding DJ remembers that the day is about the clients' and their guests’ happiness and not their own. Not to mention if said DJ is unhappy being a wedding DJ in Austin they should get a new job that better fits their life and not make their career, or lack of career, their clients' problem. When you pay top dollar for a professional service that is exactly what you should get — professionalism from any vendor you hire to work with at your wedding, you deserve that.
4. Personality
“Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.” - Bruce Lee
To be a Master of Ceremonies