Services:
Established:	1989
Employees:	1
Accepts:

 

Atlantic Caterers, Inc.

I have had the pleasure of working with Frank Marsden many times over the last several years. In addition to being extremely pleasant and easy to get along with, he is always professional...giving the client the highest level of customer service. I have referred him to many customers, all of whom have been very grateful for the recommendation. He arrives early, sets up quickly, and caters to his clients...no one could ask for anything more.

Who is Frank Marsden?

Born, raised and residing in Harford County, I completed my B.A. in Mass Communications at Towson State University in 1993. I enjoyed 5 years of teaching radio to Harford Community College Students at 91.1 FM WHFC and hosted a daily radio show on X-106.9 WRXS in Ocean City, Maryland for 2 years. I’ve produced The Ravens Report for ESPN Radio/Infinity Broadcasting 1300 AM WFJK. Most importantly, I am passionate and committed to Friendly Entertainment. I’ve been providing full-time professional mobile disc jockey services for over 15 years in and around Maryland and I’ve made lots of new friends along the way.

What is your style?

My approach to any event is fun + classy = a successful event. I am low key and approachable. Even at my most outgoing level, I remain totally professional and never steal the spotlight. Unless otherwise specified, I will act as master of ceremony and work with your other vendors to facilitate a smooth, "stress-free" event.

Who will be the Disc Jockey at my event?

I, Frank Marsden am guaranteed to be your disc jockey.  I’m considered by my peers and by industry professionals as one the premier disc jockeys in the Mid-Atlantic region.  I do not subcontract out other disc jockeys.

Can we meet you in advance?

Prospective wedding clients are free to schedule an in-person preliminary or planning consultation with me to discuss their event before signing any contract.  If we are unable to meet in-person, then we can have a phone consultation.  For obvious reasons, I don’t allow prospective clients to sit in on events.  This is disrespectful to my clients because it is their event, and it is generally frowned upon in the disc jockey community however, I do allow potential clients to visit me at a pre-approved function such as a bull roast, nightclub, etc.

How extensive is your music library?

You name it and I can get it.  As a rule, if you’ve heard it on the radio, I have it in my collection.  I also have a large collection of music that isn’t played on mainstream radio.  This is your event; if you want to select every song I play, go right ahead.  If you’d rather let me work the crowd and take requests, that’s fine.  You can create your own custom made song list for you event using my Song Search browser.  You can also create a DO NOT PLAY list as I’m sure that you may not want certain songs played.  I have access to over 60,000 songs!  We’ll work together to create just the right mix of music for your special event.

What type of equipment do you use?

I use only top of the line equipment that is crystal clear at any volume level.  My standard set-up features a Gateway laptop computer, Denon dual CD system and mixer, a QSC power amplifier, two heavy duty JBL speakers, a Senhieser wireless microphone system for toasts, blessings, and speeches, and a corded microphone.  In the rare event of a malfunction, I also have back-up components available. 

What areas do you cover?

My service area covers all of Maryland, Washington DC, and South Central Pennsylvania.  My service reaches as far north as Harrisburg, PA, and as far south as Ocean City, MD, and everywhere in between.  In general, my service area covers a 75 mile radius of the Harford County area.  All travel costs within my service area are included in the price of your package.

What is your back-up policy?

I have a successful track record of more than 15 years.  However, in the case of an unforeseen personal emergency, another disc jockey will be provided.  I work closely with several local mobile disc jockey companies and on-call personnel are always available.

Do you carry liability insurance?

Yes, I do.  More and more catering halls and hotels are requiring DJ services and bands carry liability insurance for weddings and other events.

What are your payment and booking terms?

In order to book my services, full payment or a retainer must accompany your signed contract and your balance is due at least 28 calendar days (4 weeks) prior to the scheduled event.  Forms of payment include personal check, certified check, cashier’s check, or money order.  There is a $50 charge on any returned checks in addition to any finance charges that may accumulate.  Payment may be received on the date of the event provided it is in cash and is delivered prior to the scheduled start time.  Under no circumstances will I begin services until the balance is paid in full.

 

So your getting married soon and you and your future spouse decide it’s time to start planning for the big day.  Besides the venue, the caterer, photographer, wedding gown, rings, cake, flowers, and more, you have to get a DJ or a band for your musical entertainment. Let’s say you decide to choose a DJ over a band.  A lot of top-notch proffesional wedding DJ gets booked anywhere from 6 months to 18 months in advance, so start looking early especially if your wedding date is in May, June or October.

Now that you know when to start looking for a DJ you need to know where to find them. You can find DJs from a variety of sources, friends, family, the internet, print ads, from other vendors, etc.  A common mistake by most people is that they tend to believe that all DJs are pretty much the same, which couldn’t be further from the truth.  Just about every DJ has their own unique style and level of professionalism which they bring to the table. When looking for a DJ, look for one that specializes in weddings.  If they do other types of events to, that’s fine as long as they have substantial experience performing at weddings (At least 100 weddings). Also, a large variety of music is important, everybody has different tastes, and more than likely so will your guests.

Now that you know where to find a DJ, and the basics of what to look for, it’s time to start contacting DJs and start making appointments for interviewing. Keep in mind you want a professional for your wedding, not a hobbyist, this is your wedding day, and you only get one chance to do it right. As soon as you start to contact DJs you’ll know very soon which are professionals, and which are just “weekend warriors”. If you call and leave a message and they don’t return your inquiry promptly (no later than 24 hours) move on to the next one. Why? If a DJ can’t return your phone call or e-mail promptly, that shows a lack of reliability and professionalism. If they’re too busy to return your inquiry, more than likely they may be too busy for you when you have questions, plans, or issues which will arise.  Now you have to look at your budget, what percentage of your wedding budget should go towards your musical entertainment? On average most brides spend about 5% on a DJ, but numerous articles in bridal magazines and the internet stated that most brides said that if they could do it all over again they would have spent probably 10%-15% of their wedding budget on a better DJ. So the price of a DJ shouldn’t
be your only factor in choosing a DJ.

Make sure that the DJ has references, is willing to meet with you, has quality equipment, and probably most important, has a written contract.  I receive about 5 phone calls a year from brides whose DJs never showed up, or cancelled at last minute, and the bride never had a contract with the DJ to begin with. Before signing a contract, discuss any overtime fees, your plans for your wedding, special songs, their back-up plans for personnel, transportation, and equipment, etc. After signing a contract with any DJ, the key to a successful wedding reception (and sometimes the ceremony) is communication. I can’t stress this enough,  don’t wait until the last minute to inform your DJ of exactly what and how you want something done. Most professional wedding DJs do much more than just play music, some are pretty much the wedding coordinators also. They make sure that everything goes smoothly and all your “wedding events” such as the cake cutting, toasts, garter and bouquet toss, special dances, etc get done in a reasonable time frame. So stay in contact with you DJ, keep him/her informed, and this way you’ll both be on the same page for your special day.