Why do all wedding DJ promo videos sound the same?
Promotional videos and streaming samples from different vendors all sound identical because they rely on the same recorded songs. This makes it hard to compare DJs and figure out what actually separates a great DJ from a bad one.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Reading vendor advice on what constitutes a great DJDid this help you?
- 2Looking for DJs who coordinate and manage the event timeline alongside musicDid this help you?
- 3Giving the DJ a short list of must-play songs and trusting them to read the room for the restDid this help you?
- 4Creating multiple granular playlists for different parts of the nightDid this help you?
- 5Providing a do-not-play list alongside the preferred songsDid this help you?
- 6Making a personal playlist and connecting it to the venue's PA systemDid this help you?
- 7Having a family member or friend handle the music and announcements for freeDid this help you?
- 8Delegating event announcements and schedule management to a wedding coordinator or a designated friend/emceeDid this help you?
- 9Checking out specific local services like Hill Country DJ and bundling services like photo booths and lighting to save money.Did this help you?
- 10Asking friends and family for recommendations based on past weddingsDid this help you?
- 11Looking for recorded sets, mixing clips, and MC work samples on websites or social mediaDid this help you?
- 12Reading Yelp reviews or searching for common themes across platformsDid this help you?
- 13Interviewing top picks to discuss must-play and do-not-play listsDid this help you?
- 14Switching to a different type of live music entertainment like a jazz trioDid this help you?
- 15Looking at general style alignment with personal music tasteDid this help you?
- 16Evaluating communication style and responsivenessDid this help you?
- 17Reviewing video clips and Instagram or YouTube footage of past weddings or parties to check the vibeDid this help you?
- 18Having a conversation with the DJ to set expectations and see if he is still comfortable doing it for freeDid this help you?
- 19Paying for an experienced wedding DJ instead of risking a cheaper or free inexperienced optionDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“we are trying to decide on our dj but every video of different vendors kinda sounds the same since they are streaming songs. What makes a dj great, good or bad?”source ↗
“Our venue comes with a dj, so we didn’t hire him. We have a playlist of specific songs we want to listen to. We took song requests from our families and incorporated them into the playlist... I was thinking of telling the dj that these are the songs we want but they can change the order so that you can mix them properly. Is this the best way to handle this?”source ↗
“My fiance and I are very particular about the music we like and we aren’t having a traditional wedding.”source ↗
“how TF do I know if they match what I want by going on their website?”source ↗
“How on earth do you go about picking a DJ?”source ↗
“We were super set on a band, but are struggling to find another one in our budget.”source ↗
“How do you all judge the quality of a DJ? What qualities do you look for?”source ↗
“Is a dj worth it? Or should I just make a playlist and save the $?”source ↗
“Do you think 1k for a few hours of people maybe dancing is worth the price? Or maybe dj does more than curate tunes I don’t really know?”source ↗
“Otherwise, if you didn’t go that route, did you have a playlist someone took control of for you? Or did you handle it yourself ?”source ↗
“Musicians are out of budget by thousands. We have a great venue and it has a PA system we can hook up to, or I can bite the bullet and hire someone to dj. I’m really not sure what the best move is.”source ↗
“i also had a non-traditional wedding and my friends, spouse, and i all wanted really specific music to play, we made playlists and told the venue DJs to stick solely to the playlists and not deviate.”source ↗
“I have had trouble finding anyone who will do 5pm-11pm for under $1500. Is this normal pricing now? Am I crazy or is that not really expensive?”source ↗
“It was SO weird not to hear a sample.”source ↗
“The DJ is essentially responsible for the entire vibe of your reception, flow from ceremony to cocktail hour to reception. I wouldn’t book a DJ to do a wedding who has never done a wedding (sorry).”source ↗
“My (25) fmil basically booked a DJ for us. He offered to do it for free as long as we tip him. Except he’s a nightclub DJ and has never done a wedding.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 6Live music vs. photobooth for a short wedding lunch
- 7Will the wedding processional song be long enough for a long aisle?
- 4Should I get my wedding planner or venue first?
- 3Should we do wedding speeches at the reception or rehearsal dinner?
- 17Is hiring a wedding coordinator actually worth the money?
- 9How to plan a post wedding brunch people actually attend