Shining Star Entertainment

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Wedding receptions

Please take some time and read the following.

There is much information on this page you may benefit from when choosing your entertainment.

Asking the following questions will help you find a professional, high-quality entertainer:

Are you available?
This should always be your first question. If your date is unavailable, a professional DJ will refer you to other quality entertainers.

Will you help plan and coordinate my reception?
Your reception is an entertainment function. A professional DJ entertainer will have the experience and knowledge to guide your reception from start to finish. Planning all the details prior to your reception will eliminate confusion on your wedding day. A prepared DJ will also work with your other vendors so your formalities occur at specific times and you have more time to enjoy your family and friends. Your DJ will act as your reception coordinator!
Your reception has many formalities with which your DJ should be familiar and know how to coordinate. An professional DJ will make last-minute changes occur as if they were already planned that way.

Will you handle Emcee responsibilities?
A professional DJ will handle Emcee responsibilities and make announcements at your reception. When meeting your DJ, listen to how they speak. They should exhibit confidence with their voice and sound pleasant. A confident speaker will be understood by your attending guests when your formalities and names are announced throughout your reception.

How will you dress for my reception?
Your reception will most likely be a formal event. A professional DJ will fit-in at your reception by wearing a Tuxedo, or your chosen attire. Make sure your DJ will dress appropriately for your event. Your DJ is a representation of you and their attire should reflect your standards on your wedding day.

What music selections do you have?
Every wedding has guests with a great range of ages, from grandparents to children. Your DJ should have the music library to satisfy requests, the experience to read your crowd, and the knowledge to play the right format of music for you and your guests.

Do you take requests and will you use discretion?
A DJ may not please all your guests all of the time, requests should be accepted within your defined guidelines. Your reception is a family event and appropriate music should be played which is not offensive, sexually suggestive, or inappropriate for this type of gathering.

Do you have professional equipment?
A home stereo will not deliver the clarity and quality sound required at your reception. If your DJ mentions equipment companies, you may not recognize the brands because most of these will not be found at your local home electronics stores.

When will you setup for my reception?
Your DJ should be completely setup and in appropriate attire prior to your guests arrival. If your ceremony is early in the day, but your reception is many hours later, make sure your DJ is setup prior to the first guest's arrival. You should not be charged additional amounts for setup or breakdown.

Will you guarantee a specific DJ for my event?
Many entertainment companies employ several DJs and call them in as needed. When you meet with us you get who you meet. We are not a multi op which allows us to concentrate only on your event. You should meet with your chosen DJ whose job is to insure the success or failure of your event. Don't accept a 'bait-and-switch' entertainer! You should feel confident about your chosen entertainer's ability to make your event a success. Dissatisfied client's often indicate they were never given a guarantee of the person responsible for their event.

Do you have references or testimonials from past clients?
Testimonials are a great way to know how your DJ has performed in the past. You also may be able to contact prior clients for their own experiences with your DJ. You should not be asked to show up at another formal event where your DJ is performing. A wedding reception etc. is a private affair which should never be used as a sales demo.

Will you provide a written contract?
Your performance contract should detail what your DJ entertainer is providing as well as requirements from you (such as floor space and electricity). Your agreement should also detail what will happen if your entertainer is unable to perform. A backup plan needs to be in-place BEFORE your reception, not on your wedding day!

Are you insured?
Responsible business owners carry liability insurance to protect their businesses and the consumer. Many venue locations now require proof of liability insurance for vendors who work at their site. Without insurance, your DJ may not be able to perform at your desired location.

Finally...ask yourself "How important is my entertainment to my reception?"
On a scale of 1-10, what importance does your entertainment hold for your entire wedding day? The higher the importance, the more service your DJ should provide, and the more you should invest in your entertainment. There is a big fallacy of thinking that a DJ is "just music". A professional Wedding DJ provides more than "just music" and will care about the success of your event as much as (or more than) you do. Make sure you hire a dedicated professional DJ who will transform your dreams into reality.

Do you really want to trust your memories of a lifetime to the lowest bidder?

We offer personalized and customized services. Each event is specifically designed towards those who choose us, so we offer suggestions to help you make the best-educated entertainment choice.

Hiring a professional DJ/MC for the first time is sometimes stressful. Pick the wrong one, and you are headed for a disaster. Your wedding is a ONCE in a lifetime event for which everything has to be perfect.

The DJ or Entertainment you hire for your reception will be responsible for 80% of the success of your entire wedding day. Most people only allocate 5% of their entire budget to their reception entertainment. In a recent survey, 78% of brides, interviewed after their reception, indicated they would have invested more into their entertainment had they known the importance it had on their entire wedding day. You are not just spending money on music, you are investing in the success of your entire wedding day.

According to a recent survey by The Wedding Channel, the average wedding now costs $27,600. That's as much as a some people's annual salary, a year of college, or a new car. Chances are you have never hired Professional Wedding Entertainment in your life and will attempt to qualify your entertainment by asking ONE question: How much do you charge? Do you really want to trust your memories of a lifetime to the lowest bidder? Instead of seeking the Best Price, shouldn't you seek the Best Value? The amount you invest in your entertainment is in most cases is directly related to the quality you receive, which is directly related to the overall success of your entire wedding day.

Budget vs. Responsibility for Success

Because I don't believe in a cookie-cutter approach for your reception, it is best for us to discuss your dreams and desires either face-to-face or on the phone. Each reception is different and I provide personalized services to those requiring quality, professional entertainment. During your discussion you should ask plenty of questions and I will offer ideas which may make your wedding celebration better than you've already imagined. I recommend you call me before your reception date is unavailable! If I am already booked, I will help you find another DJ entertainer.

"It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money, that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought is incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better. There is hardly anything in the world that someone can't make a little worse and sell a little cheaper - and people who consider price alone are this man's lawful prey." --John Ruskin (1819-1900)

DJ faqs provided by Brian S Graham