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VIP October 2017

Two DJs? Is this normal?

Carousel, on September 20, 2017 at 11:20 AM Posted in Etiquette and Advice 0 26

Earlier this week, while I was emailing our DJ about other things for our wedding, I asked him what his meal choice was (we're doing a plated dinner and the venue/caterer asked me to get preferences from our vendors).

His reply was "Might be two DJs so two chickens please. When is your final head count?"

Never in any of our prior communication or in our contract was it mentioned that there would/could be an additional DJ. I was taken by surprise and sent back a quick reply before thinking it through, just letting him know when the final numbers would be in, and asking whether there was an additional fee for the 2nd DJ.

Response: "No just not sure if there will be just yet Smiley smile"

I want to email back and ask for some clarification - will we have to pay more or not? Is he training this person? Where did a second DJ come into play? But I wanted to check with the community and see if this is normal and I just wasn't familiar? Any advice for how to phrase my email, because I'm flummoxed.

26 Comments

Latest activity by Carousel, on September 20, 2017 at 9:26 PM
  • Stephanie
    Devoted October 2018
    Stephanie ·
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    Our friends got married a couple weeks ago, and the DJ did bring a second DJ. I don't know if he was shadowing him, or what the exact reasoning was, but I'm my opinion we loved it. Our friends wanted people to dance, and the 2nd DJ was a GREAT hype man. It also gave them a tiny break, without having to take away from anything. Edited to add that they didn't pay extra for the second DJ, and as far as asking the question, I'd probably say something to the extent of "I wasn't aware we would be having two DJ's, is this an extra cost, because i didn't remember seeing it in the contract?" Which hopefully would lead him to giving you more of an explanation?

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  • Carousel
    VIP October 2017
    Carousel ·
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    Screenshots of the conversation...


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  • Carousel
    VIP October 2017
    Carousel ·
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    And the reply...


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  • Dana
    Expert August 2018
    Dana ·
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    Hmm I never heard of this before

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  • GymRat
    Master May 2017
    GymRat ·
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    Our DJ said he worked alone - set up and breakdown, as he's been doing it this way for years. It wasn't until our ceremony that I saw he had someone with him. Looked like he was an assistant that he probably asked to help him, he was never on the turntables though. I wouldn't bat an eye except if you hired this DJ because you liked him, then the other guy got on the turntables, that's not cool. I mean, it could work out great, but I don't care for surprises.

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  • Sparky_B
    Devoted October 2017
    Sparky_B ·
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    My DJ actually has two helpers. So this way they can manage the booth while he does his MC stuff like intros and dances and whatnot. Also they take care of stuff incase things go wrong so he can focus on us and the crowd

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  • Carousel
    VIP October 2017
    Carousel ·
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    @GymRat that's what I would like more clarification on. We chose all our vendors for a reason! We went with him instead of someone else because we liked what we saw/heard of his work, and that's what we're paying for. I mean, I understand that everyone has to start somewhere, and that shadowing a pro is a good way to get your foot in the door. But we contracted with *one* DJ based on our conversations and examples of his work. I dunno.

    @Stephanie hmm I hadn't really thought of it that way- having two would allow him to take a break when needed without disrupting the flow of the evening. I just hadn't ever seen or heard of this situation before.

    ETA @Sparky, good points. I hadn't considered that. Thanks for your perspective!

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  • Andie
    Super August 2018
    Andie ·
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    Most of the DJs I've seen at weddings there are two. That way one can go to the bathroom or manage the booth while the other MCs

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  • Nicole
    VIP November 2017
    Nicole ·
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    Does your contract say anything about the possibility of a 2nd DJ? Or any costs that you might be responsible for? Like their meal? He might be training someone or have an assistant that will help him set up or take over if he needs to take a quick break. I would clarify with him though about who will be running the music. I would not want to hire a professional with experience and then find out that the trainee is actually going to be the one running everything.

    Also, I would tell him that you need a final answer if there will be an additional DJ by your final count deadline with the venue. If you have to order and pay for an extra meal, you should get a guarantee that it will be eaten and not wasted.

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  • WED18
    July 1993
    WED18 ·
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    My daughter's DJ will have 2 people.

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  • Carousel
    VIP October 2017
    Carousel ·
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    Seems like it happens all the time! I was just in the dark lol.

    I'll write back and ask that he give me a firm number of people our headcount due date, and ask for clarification as to this person's "role" at the reception- assistant? There to fill in when breaks/emergencies occur? Trainee who will be getting a substantial portion of turntable time?

    Thanks for showing me that this is the norm =)

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  • A.L.S.
    VIP September 2017
    A.L.S. ·
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    We have a dj and a mc ive never seen two djs, but Ive seen djs with an assistant to help them with set up and take down etc

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  • FutureMrsBurroughs
    VIP October 2017
    FutureMrsBurroughs ·
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    A friend went to a wedding a few weeks ago that had two DJs. They had a silent disco. I had never heard of this before but apparently the guests wore headphones when they wanted to hear the party music and went out on the dancefloor to get down to the "station" of their choosing. Our friends said it was so much fun. This is the only time I have heard of two Djs.

    It looks like in the communication he sent back it said there is not an additional charge for the 2nd DJ. He is just not 100% there will be someone with him. I wouldn't worry about him charging you at this point. However, you need to know about his extra before your catering deadline so another vendor plate does not have to be paid for unnecessarily.

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  • Sarah
    Devoted May 2018
    Sarah ·
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    There will be 2 at our wedding. One will MC, other will be in the booth. I'll gladly feed them both.

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  • SSJKarigan
    VIP August 2017
    SSJKarigan ·
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    My DJ had an assistant, didn't cost any extra. Seems like fairly standard practice from what I can tell. The way he's going about communicating that is weird, though.

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  • Celia Milton
    Celia Milton ·
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    My DJ's almost always work in pairs, but you shouldn't be charged more. You make that very clear right now. If he is bringing an assistant or an MC, that should have been a topic of discussion early on.

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  • Megan
    Expert September 2017
    Megan ·
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    Whatever your contract says is the amount you owe. I wouldn't think twice about them choosing to bring extra people.

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  • Jo
    WeddingWire Administrator May 2015
    Jo ·
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    I interpreted his reply as "No (there will be no extra charge) just not sure if there will be (two of us) just yet Smiley smile" rather than that he was not sure whether there will be an additional charge. As long as you have a contract with the agreed upon fee I wouldn't worry too much about the possibility of an assistant. But I'd get clarification asap.

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  • andrea
    Super September 2017
    andrea ·
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    We have a DJ and an MC so maybe that's what he meant.

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  • Vanessasaurus
    VIP June 2019
    Vanessasaurus ·
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    Sometimes one person is the DJ and the other is the MC, but most are a one man DJ/MC nowadays but maybe they cant multitask that well and feel better with one person in each role!

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