There are lots of places to find a disco for your event. There are a few online directories, including www.mobilediscodirectory.co.uk . Another way of finding a disco is to look in your yellow pages. By following this FAQ, you will ensure that you choose a professional for your event.
When you are looking at booking a DJ, do not make your decision based upon price. There are lots of DJ's out there, especially in the yellow pages that will quote you under £100. This may seem a bargain at the time but be careful and remember – you get what you pay for. A good quality DJ will usually cost around £150 - £500 depending on the size of your venue and your location in the UK. There are some important factors to consider and questions to ask before you book. Hopefully this will give you all the advice you need and ensure that you book with a reputable DJ company.
It is strongly recommended that you book with a company that has public liability insurance (PLI). This is important should anything happen to you or your guests, such as a trip on a lead or a lighting effect come loose and fall on someone’s head. If this was to happen you need to be assured that the DJ has sufficient insurance against such accidents. Even more so if you will have young children at your event. You can ask the DJ to send you a copy of his/her insurance certificate to prove that they are insured. Some directory services can tell you at a glance whether the DJ has PLI.
It is also recommend that you ask the DJ if the equipment to be used is PAT tested. This is an annual electrical safety test of all their equipment. This is not yet a lawful requirement but is a good way of ensuring you are booking a DJ whose equipment will have been checked by a qualified electrical professional. Yet again you may ask for a copy of the certificate.
When you do decide to book a DJ, it is strongly advise that you get a signed contract from them. If you get a contract, this will give you a legal guarantee that they must attend your event. Be sure to read the small print on any booking form or contract and ask them what happens if they are taken ill or have equipment failure on the night.
Be sure to get a receipt for any reservation fees or deposits they require to confirm your booking. Some companies require full payment, others let you pay in cash on the night. Either way ask for a receipt for any money that you pay, this gives you proof of payment.
Ensure you have sufficient contact details for the DJ. A mobile phone number is not adequate. Insist that you have a full postal address and a landline if possible. You should not pay any money until you have these details.
Ask the DJ what kinds of music they carry with them. These days all good DJ's will carry a wide and varied selection of music. If you are after a particular kind of music, ask them what they have in that genre. Most DJ's these days will accept play lists, where you can specify what tracks to play and what not to play. These are a good idea and usually help the DJ in knowing what your musical taste is. It is recommended that you give the DJ some indication of the sort of music you would like played. This gives the DJ the chance to keep the dance floor busy should they need to change the music slightly to please all your guests.
Check to see that the DJ has your chosen music. With the resources available these days to purchase music, this should not be a problem. You could always bring your own CD's along if the DJ is short of a few specialist tracks.
Ask the DJ what equipment they use, such as lighting and sound equipment. This will give you a good idea of the kind of show that they will be using. Another good way of seeing the kind of show they have is to ask if they have a website with pictures of them working. Another important factor is whether or not the venue allows some of their equipment such as fog or haze machines. You may also request that they do not use smoke machines if you have any guests that will not like this.
Remember, ask your DJ what they will be wearing on the evening. Ripped jeans and an old T-shirt may not be what you are looking for so ask them if they will be dressed accordingly. Most DJ's will dress smartly – feel free to suggest the sort of attire you feel the DJ should wear, particularly if your event is a fancy dress party or black-tie.
Don't rely solely on the recommendation of venue managers. Venues are businesses and in most cases will recommend their "in-house" disco because they are probably the cheapest they could find in order to make a mark up. If you do decide to book an "in-house" disco insist that you are given the telephone number of their disco company so you can check them out.
However, some hotels do recommend high class discos - But insist you make the booking yourself, by doing so you almost guarantee you'll not pay the venue mark-up.
It can be of great benefit & is important to build up a working relationship & work on a 1 to 1 basis with your chosen DJ from the moment your event is planned to the moment it is completed. Not only will your DJ be responsible for ensuring you have a good night to remember but your disco host should be experienced in many kinds of ceremony & can really help bring the night together. Your DJ should be experienced and able to help you in the planning of your event. If appropriate, give the DJ a running order in advance so your DJ knows when you expect things like cake cutting, speeches, buffet, etc.
Another thing you may want to do is ask the DJ if he will allow you to pause the show & use the microphone to say a few words of thanks or to pass the microphone over to one of the key guests or even yourself. The best thing you can do is try to make a schedule of your day as well as your evening reception, inform your show host in what you want to do & how you plan the reception night to turn out & together you can bounce ideas of each other out so that on the day you can relax in comfort & leave the hard work to someone else so you & your guests can savour those moments & memories for a long time.
Like has been quoted before in this section previously, do not book a DJ simply on the basis he is low priced. It has been quoted many times, a good DJ is the one thing that can make or break your night. When arranging a wedding or similar event the DJ is usually the cheapest thing you will need to hire – the wedding cake will probably cost a lot more than what your DJ will quote - yet hiring the right person will probably turn out to be the most important decision you make for the day. Don't make the wrong choice as you may well regret it & everyone who comes along will probably not remember your party for the right reasons. If you hire a poor quality DJ or if you find one that goes out for really cheap rates it may be worth remembering that they may not be covered for insurance, use basic or inferior sound equipment, not carry the right music, etc. Therefore your night could cost you a lot more in the long run & your night of fun could be quite the opposite. A poor DJ also only tend to play the music they like themselves & not what gets a dance floor going. Also, chances are they won't carry the music you need to get any atmosphere going.
Following the above advice will ensure that you employ a professional DJ for your event. Good hunting!