Music & entertainment

Wedding DJ & band contract: what to check before you sign

The music keeps your reception alive — and the contract decides what happens if the set ends early, the gear fails, or the act you booked sends someone else. Here's what to pin down before you sign a DJ or live band, written for the couple.

1. Who actually performs

With a band especially, you're often buying a name — but the contract may let the company send a different lineup. Confirm in writing the act, the number of musicians (or that it's a specific named DJ), and what happens if a key member can't make it. For DJs, make sure you're getting the person whose demo you heard, not "a DJ from our roster."

2. Set length, breaks and overtime

Confirm the exact performance window (e.g. 7–11pm) and how it's split. For live bands, check how breaks work — many play 45 minutes on / 15 off, and you'll want recorded music or a DJ filling the gaps so the dance floor never dies. Pin down the overtime rate in advance; "additional hours billed at the company's discretion" is a blank check. Also check setup and soundcheck time — is it inside or outside your booked hours?

"If we want one more hour on the night, what's the rate, and who do we tell?"

3. Equipment, backup and the failure clause

A professional brings backup equipment — a spare mixer, speakers, and at least one redundant music source. The contract should say what happens if gear fails mid-event and whether they carry their own liability insurance (many venues require proof of it). As with photographers, be wary of a clause that limits the company's liability to a refund with no duty to actually keep the music going.

4. Playlist, "do not play" and MC duties

Spell out your must-play songs (first dance, parent dances, entrances) and your "do not play" list — and make sure the contract honours them rather than leaving everything to the DJ's judgement. Clarify whether the DJ/bandleader also acts as MC (announcements, timeline cues), since that's often assumed but not always included. If you want to take requests from guests, say so; if you don't, put that in writing too.

5. Sound limits, power and space

Some venues impose a decibel limit or a hard curfew — and a few have sound limiters that cut the power if the music gets too loud. Make sure your contract acknowledges the venue's rules so the act can't blame you (or charge you) for a problem they should have planned for. Confirm who supplies power, staging and space, and whether the act needs anything from the venue that you'll have to arrange.

6. Deposit, illness and cancellation

Expect a non-refundable deposit (commonly 25–50%) to hold the date — standard and fair. Check the balance due date, the reschedule policy, and most importantly what happens if the performer is ill on the day: does the company guarantee a replacement, or just refund you? A refund the morning of your wedding doesn't get a band on the stage, so a guaranteed-replacement clause matters more here than almost anywhere.