The first thing to consider when selecting the entertainment for your wedding is the fact that a DJ is quite possibly the most essential element of your entire event.  Simply put, the DJ provides the soundtrack for every memory of your special day, and his voice (and judgment) will control practically every aspect of the event.  In other words, your DJ will be the one who creates your guests' lasting impression of your wedding.

Because of this, it is absolutely imperative that you choose a wedding DJ who will be the right fit for your event.  It's a good idea to put some thought into the type of DJ you want, and the kinds of music you enjoy, before you even start looking.  Once you have a feel for the type of personality, performance style, and music tastes that will suit you, it will be very clear to you as you meet prospective DJs which would be a good match.

There are many resources for DJs' contact information, but the most helpful are those with consumer reviews, such as WeddingWire (www.weddingwire.com), or those with some sort of standards for its listings, such as the website for the American Disc Jockey Association (www.adja.org). 

You can always pull names and numbers from the telephone book, but determining these companies' professionalism adds another step to your research -- most savvy wedding professionals don't spend their advertising dollars this way.  Finally, be cautious of sites such as Craigslist, which tends to attract listings from less experienced, lower-demand vendors, and Respond.com, which invites vendors to provide the "lowest bid" for a prospective client's business.  Most reputable wedding vendors do not list their services on these websites.

Once you've made a list of DJs to consider, doing a little research prior to starting your interviews will start you on the right path to finding the DJ that best meets your needs.  There are three major factors that indicate a company's professionalism and reputation:

• Industry Awards and Accolades:  Some of the most prestigious awards include Washingtonian Bride and Groom's "Best Wedding Vendor", Washingtonian Magazine's annual "They Know Weddings" feature, The Knot Best of Weddings Pick, and WeddingWire.com's Bride's Choice Award.  Recipients of these awards are independently selected, usually based on feedback from actual brides and grooms or local wedding professionals, and cannot be bought with advertising dollars.
  
  
• Online Reviews: Several sites, including WeddingWire.com, WeddingMapper.com, and TheKnot.com feature consumer reviews from recent brides and grooms.  Vendors have no control over these reviews (with the exception of being able to dispute a truly fraudulent review or post a rebuttal), and therefore they are a great way to learn more about a company's quality of service.
  
  
• Quality of First Impression: A smartly designed and informative website, an attractive bridal show display, and appealing marketing materials are all indicative of whether a company takes itself, and its clients, seriously.  Add the quality of the company's initial communication with you (whether by telephone, email or in person), and you'll be able to tell a lot about whether they are worth considering more closely.
  
  

There are also a lot of marketing tactics that don't reveal much about the actual merit of a company:

• Industry-Wide Associations: Professional groups can do a lot for a business in terms of networking opportunities and continuing education, but belonging to these groups has nothing to do with a company's ability to effectively serve its clients.  Furthermore, these groups are open to anyone who wishes to pay the membership dues, and therefore aren't exclusive or conditional by any means.
  
  
• Better Business Bureau Membership: Obviously, complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau against a company are a huge concern.  However, purchasing a Better Business Bureau membership helps to protect the company from consumer complaints and allows them to suppress information they don't want revealed.  A membership says nothing about the legitimacy of a company, nor does it imply any actual endorsement by the Better Business Bureau.
  
  
• Advertisements: Certainly the design and message of a printed or online advertisement can tell you something about the style of a company, which can be valuable information.  However, the mere presence of a company's advertisement in a particular publication or on a website doesn't actually demonstrate its quality.  Advertisements are obviously purchased, and often a company that doesn't receive a particular magazine's or website's award will purchase an ad to make it appear they were included.
  
  
• Meaningless Language: There's nothing wrong with a company having confidence in itself and promoting itself the best way it can.  However, consumers shouldn't take at face value labels such as "best," "premier," "critically acclaimed," "top-rated," and so on.  Empty claims such as "Baltimore's (or Washington's) Best DJ" or "The area's most requested DJ" are just that -- empty -- and companies know that you can't prove or disprove these claims.
  
  

Finally, remember that going on price alone is never a good way to select a wedding vendor.  Everyone has some kind of budget, but when deciding how to allocate yours, you should be mindful of the impact a DJ has on your wedding.  Remember, a DJ's success -- or failure -- will be extremely prominent at your event, more so than any other type of vendor.  No one will notice if the caterer switches one of the hors d'oeuvres you selected, or if the photographer captures a few bad shots, or if your flowers aren't the exact perfect shade, but everyone will notice the music and emcee work of your DJ.  There are many DJs available at many points on the pricing spectrum, but trust, rapport, experience, and ability are invaluable.

Once you've narrowed your list based on a company's style, accolades, reputation and a great first impression, it's time to move on to the interview process.  You'll need to evaluate each company on a few important criteria, learn more in the next section of The DJ SHOPPING GUIDE™ - What to Look For.