I recently heard from a DJ colleague that a bride getting married at my residency later this year was worried. She'd read, or heard that using a venue's resident DJ is a big risk. This is hardly surprising considering that one of the marketing tactics of many a 'professional' wedding DJ is to instil fear, uncertainty & doubt in the mind of potential customers. They say things like "to guarantee peace of mind, book a DJ who cares about the outcome of your wedding reception".

Of course you should book a DJ who cares about the outcome of your wedding reception! What isn't so true is their inference that resident DJs only care about money or the wishes of the venue. Obviously I have to work within limits set by a venue but that's true of any booking I take. If somebody booked me privately & wanted to extend the night by an hour (or even just 'one more song') it's not just up to me to go ahead - the venue has to agree too.

I'm very proud to have been the resident DJ at Walworth Castle Hotel since June 2015. Since then I've DJ'd at well over 200 weddings & I cared about every single one as much as my private bookings (that's a lot in case you were wondering!). Yes I'm paid by the hotel, but if the customers aren't happy it not only affects me it has a knock-on effect for the venue too.

Things other 'professionals' say about resident DJs range from the simply untrue to the outlandish. Resident DJs only care about themselves. They're lazy. They won't do what you want. They're stuck in their ways. This might well be the case for some resident DJs but it can just as easily apply to ANY DJ!

If some 'professionals' feel they have to resort to using negativity to sell themselves, what's that really saying about them?

Keep an open mind if a venue you're using for your wedding reception has a resident DJ. Get in touch with them, speak to them on the phone or arrange a face to face meeting with them to talk about how you'd like your reception to go. If, having spoke to them they seem like they just don't care about what you want, book somebody who does - like me!