Houston Wedding DJ and Quinceanera DJ questions to ask

It seems that other DJ companies have a “How to hire a DJ” questionnaire full of cr*p and mislead the customer to hire them by talking down their competition with untruthful facts and feeding their customer the fear of making the wrong decision. I do not pay any negative criticism to my competition nor do I support any company that does so. I simply offer advice for free and in a positive and unbiased manner to benefit my readers first, then if they agree, myself. People are intelligent and can tell when they are being lied to, mislead, or when their concerns are not addressed in a positive matter.

Anyway, enough of my rant, I have taken the time to write my answers some of the questions that I commonly get asked. These questions come from the web site All time Favorites and I used some that I have been asked.
—->Can I Meet my DJ?
For Weddings, Quinceañeras, and Corporate events, we would encourage a personal consultation with your Disc Jockey. You can find out if you two are a correct match and you can take the opportunity to ask questions on how the DJ will handle your event and you can select the songs you want played at your reception. The more control your DJ allows you the better your party will be. I keep coming across people that tell me that other DJ companies do not allow them to select the music they want played at their event. To me that is unprofessional. I allow you to select as many songs as you wish.

—->Do you accept my CD’s to play or an IPOD
Yes our system can handle CD’s, MP3 CD’s, MP3’s, CDRW’s and DVD’s

—->Do you have a back up DJ?
Yes, we have backup equipment with us at all times. Additionally, my equipment is checked the day before the event and the day of the event. We try our best in order to make sure your Wedding or Quinceañera goes according to plan.

—->Do you take requests on the night?
Yes, I take requests at any time before the day of the event, and all day at the event; During Dinner, Cocktails, and during the dance. Again, there are DJ’s that feel that requests “tie their hands behind their back.” I, on the other hand, believe that requests are a great way to stay “in tune” with the crowd and I find that helpful throughout the night. Most of the events, when someone comes up to make a request, I already have that song as my next song. It is always a pleasure to see that ear to ear smile as I hit the play button and play their song immediately after they request it.

—->Does a DJ need Liability insurance?
It is in his and his clients’ best interest to carry liability insurance.

—->How do I compare DJs?
The absolute best way to do this is to make a list, on paper or you will forget, about the qualities that are important in your DJ. What you want to evaluate is:

  • Is he willing to do a sample introduction when you meet him, why or why not?
  • Is he on time to your appointments?
  • Is he doing the DJ/MC’ing? Why or why not?
  • What kind of organizing Help is he providing?
  • What responsibilities is he helping you with at your event?
  • Is he the type of person to get frustrated easily?
  • Does he talk bad about people? (If he does chances are he will about you)
  • How is he dressed? How does he smell? breath?
  • DOES HE LISTEN TO YOU?!?!?!? (the most important attribute)
  • Is he friendly?
  • What is his price and what do you get for that price? (At the time of this writing, average DJ fee is $600 for 4-5 Hours)
  • Can he provide a list of songs that you can select your music from?
  • Use your previous experiences from other events you have seen to add to this list.

Then you ask the DJ’s you are interviewing these questions or ask them to comment on these concerns and evaluate their answers with your ideal answers. Finally, select the one that best meets your answers and share with him where you would like to see an improvement. This is why doing your part, writing down your “ideal” answers to your questions, come in very helpful. Additionally, this is where selecting a DJ that listens to you well is important, because he takes the time to understand your needs and concerns.

—->How do you get people up dancing?
I have a few methods that I use, some are known by other DJ’s and some are pretty unique ways that I have come up with over time. The most basic way would be to play a song that everyone knows and loves to dance to. This is another place where a good listener (DJ) will be able to help you out. We all have intuition, but a good DJ will use his listening skills to add to his intuition and select the perfect dancing song to get people motivated to dance. Games are another great way to get the dance started. The conga line, the magical circle dance, YMCA song with party props, etc.

—->Is all your music edited and clean?
Yes, 90% of my music is clean and edited.

—->What are the benefits of hiring a DJ over a band?
The DJ will be able to play a lot more of the music you can dance to at a lower price.
—->What are the differences between hiring a DJ using CDs and one playing MP3s from a computer?
Nowadays, with technology as advanced as it is, a great DJ will be able to play both formats. CD and MP3’s from a computer. By using a computer the DJ can find he next song approximately 33% faster. Song quality is better on CD’s but not noticeable to the human ear. The world of technology is improving and changing, your DJ should too.

—->What happens if my DJ becomes sick or ill?
We are a team of two, so there will always be another DJ, it will either be myself, Francisco, or The Doctor, Len Luna DC. So you are in great hands all night.

—->What questions should I ask a DJ when hiring them?
These and any others that you can come up with, that you would like to know how your DJ is going to handle. If you do not come up with any, these are all the questions you need answered.

—->What should I make sure is in the contract when I hire a DJ?
Ask for a copy of each DJ’s contract and compare them as well. Make sure he protects your concerns as well as his. Make sure if he does not show up, you can get 100% of your money back. What will happen in case of rain or anything that cancels the event and if you have to pay him (most of the time you will, since that is something he cannot control). What he expects you to provide him with, table, electrical outlet, food.

—->What will my DJ wear at the event?
To Weddings and Quiceañeras we will wear a tuxedo unless specified otherwise by the client. Other events are; as requested by the client.

—->Who will Be The DJ?
Myself, Francisco Perez.
—->Will my deposit be refundable?
Once the date is reserved for you, we reserve it for you and we lose the opportunity to be hired by another person on that date. For that reason your deposit is non-refundable

I hope this helps you distinguish when somebody tries to feed you lies instead of positive facts, Thank you


Francisco H. Perez
FHP Entertainment
832-465-1161
1 (877) 284-3612

By Simply Frank

Francisco Perez has been a Professional Wedding DJ in the Houston Area Since 1999 which has allowed him to grow into a leader in the community. Now he is sharing his wisdom with informative posts about the industry. Weddings are his passion because they are centered around LOVE and commitment that two people make to each other for the rest of their lives. The name Simply Frank describes his style perfectly, Simple and Frank or Simply Frank

4 thoughts on “TOP DJ Questions for Weddings, Quinceaneras, Coorporate Events, or School Dances”
  1. Wow, it has been months needed to take some notes on. Well perfectly. I need this article something I am working on, lucky it is on a similar subject as yours. Thanks, great share.

  2. […] I will dedicate some time to writing about my competition, I know I cannot hide them for too long so I might as well tell you how to find a good DJ in Houston. I will start off with the members of the Houston Chapter of the American Disc Jockey Association, which I am a proud member of, and then to some of the DJs in Houston that attended the Houston Bridal Extravaganza. Also, make sure you have your specific questions that you want to ask your DJ. […]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.