FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions)
Musical Style
First and foremost, we’re lovers of music and we started DJing to share that love with the world. We love ALL kinds of music, from the super popular to the obscure and we know there are always gems within every musical genre. We come from a nightclub background with a focus on playing music that makes people dance! We use our smooth nightclub mixing and blending techniques to make every transition between songs smooth, seamless and interesting to keep the energy up so there is always a fun vibe on the dance floor. It’s this fun, high energy mixing style that we’ve become known for. We have an extensive knowledge of great music to play for a wedding crowd, but we are always open to new ideas and love discovering new music through our brides and grooms.
Hear Your DJ
While we can’t invite you to our private events, we do play at nightlife venues around New England on a regular basis and invite you to join us any time to see us live in action. Just ask us for our current schedule!
Please keep in mind, we play different musical styles at different venues and they may not fit your personal music taste, especially for your wedding. We have a wide range of experience playing many styles of music, so just because we play nightclubs does not mean we will play that type of music at your wedding unless expressly asked to do so of course.
We work with you to customize the music played at your wedding so it fits your personal style and also gets your friends and family dancing! We do have some live clips from past weddings in case you’re not able to see us live. You can listen to those HERE.
Choosing Your Music
During our first meeting we will review our online planning document which covers all of your music needs, from the ceremony to the last song and everything in between. We have lists of song suggestions for the special events throughtout the day so you don’t have to start from scratch. You’re in charge and can give us as much or as little musical guidance as you want. Most couples give us a short list of must-play songs, a slightly larger list of would-like-to-hear songs and of course, a Do-Not-Play list! Together, these lists help us shape the musical journey on your wedding day.
TIP: Use the Shazam app on your phone throughout your planning process. When you’re out and about and hear a song you like, Shazam will let you listen to 5-10 seconds of the song and immediately tell you the title and artist! Not only that, it will store each song you “Tag” in a list so you can go back later and hear each song that peaked your interest. A perfect tool when you’re filling out your online planning documents.
Mic Work
Even though we are skilled and experienced MC’s, we do not use the microphone more than necessary. We like to keep things simple and organized to keep announcements to a minimum so your guests can spend more time dancing and enjoying the music and less time listening to us talk, as wonderful as our radio voices might be ;) We will let your guests know what’s going on with special events throughout your wedding, such as introductions, speeches, cake cutting and parents dances, but we are not the type of DJ’s to tell your guests to “put your hands up” every 2 minutes. We know the right music to get your guests dancing without overusing the microphone.
Booking Timeline
Most couples book 12-18 months out, so high demand dates go early and quickly! Dates are booked on a first-come-first-served basis. If you’ve already opened up a dialog with us but have not signed a contract and another couple inquires about your date we will do our best to inform you and give you the right of first refusal. However, this is not a guarantee and we cannot guarantee your date without locking it in with a contract and deposit. We never intend to rush you in your decision making process and we always want to treat you fairly, but we also have to run a business and provide for our families. Thank you for understanding.
Fully Insured
We are happy to provide you and/or your venues with the necessary documents as required.
Taxes & Fees
We strongly dislike them ;) And we're sure you do too. That's why all taxes are included in the prices we quote you, so you won't have any surprises. We also won't charge you and payment processing fees.
Sickness or Emergency
We’ve never missed, been late or unable to perform at a wedding! However, if the worst were to happen and Dawson Entertainment was not able to perform, we would pull from our large network or top-notch DJ’s we’ve built up over the years to find coverage. The way we prepare for a wedding results in all the necessary music and information being stored in one place so it could easily be taken over by another experienced DJ without them needing to do a lot of prep work. We have an extensive network with our relationships with Big Night Entertainment Group and Berklee College of Music and we’re confident that a suitable DJ could be found on short notice in an emergency situation. In that situation our fee would transfer to them and, depending on the situation, may also issue a partial or full refund. Our goal is always to do what’s best for our clients and we would do whatever it takes to do to make your wedding a success.
Payment
You can make payments directly through your invoice online! We can also take credit card payments in person or over the phone, send you a PayPal invoice or even Venmo @dawsonentertainment. You can also send checks made out to “Dawson Entertainment” to 25 Spencer Hollow Rd., Griswold, CT 06351.
Attire
Our standard wedding attire is a black suit and tie with a white or gray dress shirt. We find this fits best with most wedding themes, but if you have something else in mind, just let us know! We’d be happy to change it up if your wedding has a different dress code.
Requests
We’ll always listen to your guests song requests, but we won’t always play them. If their request works within the set musically and won’t clear the dance floor, we’ll do our best to work it in because we know this can have a positive impact on the night when done right. Weddings are typically smaller groups, so listening to your guests can be an important tool for us to cater the music to your group. Even if we don’t play the song they requested, it may still inform our decisions to play other songs that may work better in the moment. Of course we’ll play any song YOU want us to play, as long as we’re able to get it in time.
Travel
Travel within a one-hundred twenty (120) mile radius of Norwich, CT is no additional cost. For events outside of a one-hundred twenty (120) mile radius of Norwich, CT, overnight hotel accommodations will be required. For destination weddings, all costs for travel are to be paid by client. Costs may include, but not limited to: airfare, hotel, transportation, parking, per diem, service incidentals and all taxes.
Food
We travel with two people, DJ and assistant, and each person will need to be provided a full guest meal. For larger events where more help is needed, additional meals may apply. These would be agreed on in the planning process.
Drinking
Water? Yes, please! Alcohol? No way. Not when we’re working and providing the best service possible! Our favorite non-alcoholic drinks we enjoy while DJing are: Club Soda, Pineapple Juice & Soda and of course, coffee.
Breaks
Once the music starts, it never stops. We do sit down for our meal and use the restroom here and there, but we always have the perfect mix of music playing throughout your wedding day.
Volume
We all want to be heard, right? Well, don’t worry, we know our place and we strive to keep our music at an appropriate volume throughout the night. That means cocktail hour and dinner music is played at a lower volume so you and your guests can enjoy conversation. Once the dance set begins, the volume goes up, but we keep it in line with the number of guests on the dance floor and the venues acoustics. You will occasionally see us walk around the venue to check the volume and adjust accordingly. If at any time you feel the volume is not right, please tell us right away and we’ll be happy to make adjustments.
We all know that social media is the gift and the curse! But it’s absolutely the best way to stay up to date with the weddings and events we’re doing right now! Make sure to check our stories, highlights and feed for the latest pictures, clips and inspirations for your wedding day.