What is included in your services?

Our DJs provide music for cocktails, dinner and dancing and the basic sound equipment. We have a 6-hour minimum. Any additional time or special equipment will incur additional charges. Weddings and events more than 30 miles from our office will incur an additional travel fee.

Can we just give you a bunch of music to play?

We would love for you to give us your first dance song and your father-daughter and/or mother-son songs. That way we can ensure that we're playing the correct version of your songs of choice (because the Etta James version of "At Last" is way different from the Stevie Wonder version - yeah, it exists). Our clients' tastes and preferences are very important to us and we consider the music selection to be a collaborative process. We want you to have as much or as little control as you are comfortable with. However, it doesn't really work if you just hand us a bunch of CDs and tell us to hit Play for the whole night. We need the freedom to read the crowd and play music that will make them dance. But, again, it's really important to us to play music that reflects your tastes. Your DJ will meet with you twice before the big day so they can get a good grasp of your likes and dislikes and then make educated music selections when it's time to rock your dance floor.

Can we come to see you perform at a wedding?

Nope. Sorry to be blunt, but it's just not fair to our brides and grooms to invite strangers (no offense) to crash their weddings. We wouldn't want that for our own weddings, and we're guessing you wouldn't want it for yours either. Also, we specialize in tailoring the events to the specific needs of the client. One client's dream of an all gangsta-rap wedding could potentially be your nightmare. So going to their wedding really wouldn't tell you much.

That said, our DJs often perform at clubs, bars and other public events, and many of them have radio shows, too. You can drop by one of those events or tune in to the radio to check out our mad skills. But keep in mind that what we tend to spin at a bar or a club is not necessarily the stuff that we would play at a wedding.

All of our DJs have numerous references you can contact, and that will probably give you a better idea of what we are about. And of course you also get to meet your DJ specifically to make sure you click with them.

Can you do the music at our ceremony, too?

We'd love to, provided your ceremony and reception are at the same location.

How will my DJ know what to play?

Your wedding playlist is like a recipe: two parts your musical taste, one part crowd-pleasers that keep your dancefloor moving, a dash of classics, a pinch of pleasant surprises, and a heaping portion of flow. Stir it all together and you've got a deliciously danceable pie in your favorite flavor.

Your DJ knows what ingredients to use because your DJ knows you. Your DJ will meet with you before you even contract with Toast & Jam - we don't have a pitch man or a sales team to sell you on our company and then farm you out to some random DJ two weeks before your wedding. In this first meeting, you and your DJ will talk extensively about how you want your wedding to go, what guests will be there, what the general vibe should be, what you and your fiance are looking for, etc. She'll ask you a lot of questions and will make notes about everything you discuss. Afterward she'll type up all those notes and email them to you to make sure you're all on the same page. Then she'll meet with you again several weeks before your wedding to review what you'd talked about, go over changes, finalize special songs and make sure she's got everything she needs to make your wedding playlist perfect.

Many of our couples have said that of all their vendors, they felt closest to their DJs, which makes sense--music is a very personal thing. Our DJs really love their couples and truly appreciate the relationship they form throughout the planning process. And it shows on the wedding day.

I like dancing at clubs. Should I hire a club DJ for my wedding?

You could but you probably would rather have someone who's actually DJed a wedding or several before yours. To continue the food analogy we started in the previous question, our DJs are master musical chefs who know the hot songs and how to beat-match like a club DJ but who are also well-versed in what makes a wedding dancefloor work. You might think that you want the fanciest chef in the world to cater your wedding, but remember that not everyone likes foie gras and trout roe. Likewise, it might sound cool to have a "club DJ" who rarely "does" weddings, but are they going to know how to handle your introductions, your toasts and any potential wedding-related crisis? Do you really want someone who only works the occasional wedding because they couldn't book a club that night and they need the money? No. You need a chef who can make beautiful, delicious food that everyone will love and who will love doing it - you need a Toast & Jam DJ because that's what they do for your dance floor.

Do you use lights and disco balls?

No. You are spending a small fortune on linens, flowers, photography and the perfect venue. Ruin it with four chasing lights on a tripod? We wouldn't dare.

We're planning to have a band for part of the night and only need you for the dance set? How does that work?

We're happy to rock your guests into the night! But remember, we have to set up and sound check before any guests arrive. You wouldn't want us lugging our equipment through your dad's heartfelt speech or while your guests are enjoying their meal, right? Exactly. We'll get everything set up beforehand, and then we'll be ready to take over the dance set when the band portion is finished. Also, you probably need someone to coordinate introductions, toasts, announcements, or at the very least you will need a microphone, and that is where we come in. We do a lot more at an event than just spinning your favorite jams!

We want to incorporate ethnic traditions into our reception. Can you hang with that?

Absolutely! We are all about playing music that reflects who you are. If you want us to play a hora at your Jewish wedding, or if you need us to play a talota to greet the groom at your Hindu wedding, we've got you covered.

What kind of equipment do you use?

Congo drums and a megaphone. Just kidding. Our audio geek selves could easily bore you with the technical details of our gear, so let us assure you of this: Toast and Jam is obsessed with music, so we only use high-end equipment that can (and will!) create beautiful sound in any and all venues. If you really want to know, you can get the rundown when you meet with your DJ - all the DJs own their own gear, so everyone's rig is a little different.

Why shouldn't I just use my iPod at my wedding?

You totally could, but we don't recommend it. An iPod won't introduce the wedding party or announce the cake cutting, and it definitely won't fix itself if there are technical difficulties. And an iPod can't read the floor - it won't know when it's appropriate to cue the hip-hop or bring it down for a slow jam. Timing is crucial when it comes to keeping a dance floor going, and only a talented DJ can create that flow. Leave the music up to us, not a machine.

What if my DJ can't be at my event because of a car accident, alien abduction, etc.?

It would take A LOT...something huge and catastrophic. Ain't no mountain high enough to keep us from getting to you (babe). But if an emergency strikes, we have quite a handful of DJs on staff, so one of our own would cover the event. If not, we are tapped into a network that can bring in back-up equipment or DJs in a jiffy.

We like you. What do you we do next?

Call, email or reach us through our Contacts page. We'll select a DJ based on your event and availability. You will then meet with your potential DJ and get to know her. We'll hold your date for 7 days after that meeting. From there, you would sign a formal agreement, give us a deposit and the date is yours! Easy peasy.

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