How we match you with a wedding DJ: Finding your dance-party style

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You want a lot of dancing at your wedding. Most professional DJ companies assume that much – and most professional DJs should know how to make it happen. But there are some things we DON’T know ’til you tell us. And they aren’t the things you think. At Backthird Entertainment, we like to match you with a DJ who’s a natural fit for the music you love and the way you want your dance party to go. All of our DJs are trained in ALL the skills it takes to make your party a success – but if your DJ happens to LOVE the kind of party you’re throwing, working together will be that much easier for you. To match you with a DJ, your Account Manager will consider several factors. We already looked at your reception style, so now let’s talk about how your dance-party style helps us match you with the right DJ. […]

How we match you with a wedding DJ: Finding your reception style

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Which wedding DJ is right for you? At Backthird Entertainment, couples meet with their DJ several weeks before the wedding to go over plans and song requests in detail and get to know each other. All of our DJs are trained in ALL the skills it takes to make your party a success – but all of our DJs are humans, too! We all have our own personalities and our own preferred style. That’s why your Account Manager will match you with a DJ whose personal style is a natural fit for your own. How do we do that? We start by talking about your personal reception style. […]

Stop worrying about your wedding and just do your job.

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At your wedding, you’ll have one job. Being perfect isn’t it. Trust me on this one. I’ve worked for a lot of couples at a lot of weddings: I was at the wedding with the butterfly release, when it was too cold outside for the butterflies to wake up so they just fell on the pavement and got trampled. I was at the wedding where the couple arrived late, and then the maid of honor passed out halfway through the outdoor ceremony. Then it rained. I was at the wedding where the bride and groom set up a tent in their backyard and threw a potluck instead of hiring a caterer, except nobody told the guests when they could eat so half of them went through the line and filled their plates during the cocktail hour while the bride and groom were gone somewhere taking photos. They arrived in time for dinner to find dinner had been eaten without them. I went to all those weddings. They were all fantastic. Why? Because in every case, the wedding couple knew their one job. And they nailed it. […]

DJ vs band for weddings: How do costs compare?

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“Wedding band or DJ – or wedding band and DJ?” If you’re thinking this one through, you can’t help but compare band pricing and DJ pricing as part of the equation. My company’s been booking wedding DJs and small ensembles in Chicago since 2005 – and up until 2013, we also booked wedding dance bands. So I’ve spent plenty of time thinking about our rates and researching those of other companies. If you’re pitting DJ vs band for wedding plans, here’s what to expect from each in terms of cost. […]

Wedding DJ or band? In Chicago, you’ve actually got 5 options.

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“Band or DJ for your wedding?” It’s the first question you might get asked as you start to think about your wedding entertainment. And it’s way oversimplified. I’ve been a musician, a wedding band leader and a DJ in Chicago’s wedding scene since 2003. Apart from an intimate knowledge of every hotel loading dock and country club kitchen in the city, it’s given me a decent working knowledge of what your choices really are. If you want a professional DJ or band for wedding entertainment, there are actually 5 different options you could take. […]

Backthird is supporting refugees this February.

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The concept of advocacy is central to how we approach our work at Backthird Entertainment. It’s your account manager’s job to help you navigate a world – the events business – that might be unknown to you. And it’s your DJ’s job to literally speak for you at your party, welcoming guests on your behalf and playing the songs you wanted played. That’s how we use our voices in our day-to-day profession. Who speaks for the people who come to America fleeing terror? This month, Backthird is supporting two such advocates. For every wedding reception we book in February 2017, we’re donating $100 to either World Relief or to the National Immigrant Justice Center. World Relief makes refugees’ transition easier once they come to the United States. The NIJC is speaking up to make sure they’ll be able to keep coming here at all. […]

Here’s the poem we make our DJs read so that they never suck.

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  “Every wedding DJ needs a liturgy” – said no one, ever. Which is too bad, because after more than 10 years of DJing weddings in Chicago, we’ve realized there are a few things you need to remember if you want to DJ well. And what better way to remember things than with a little poetry? […]

For your wedding, don’t buy the leap. Buy the parachute.

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There’s a reason we don’t talk about “climbing in love.” Falling is more fun – letting go, relaxing, being in the moment. People who skydive call it “the most liberating thing you can do.” For 12 seconds, you’re not falling. You’re floating on a cushion of air. As long as you’ve got a parachute. Without a parachute, those same 12 seconds will be pretty stressful. You’re not safe. And if you don’t feel safe, you don’t feel free. And freedom is the fun part. Any idiot can jump out of a plane. But for a good time, bring a parachute. […]

What does my wedding Account Manager do?

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Backthird works a little differently from some Chicago wedding DJ companies – and not just because you can book live music here along with your DJ! If you’re setting up your first call to talk wedding music with us, here’s what you need to know. You’ll have two main points of contact at Backthird Entertainment: Your Producer and your Account Manager. Your Producer is your DJ or your lead musician. (If you book both, you’ll have two producers.) They run the music and events at your wedding, and they help you plan those things ahead of time so they’ll be successful. Your Account Manager helps you do everything else. […]

Why are the best DJs in Chicago so expensive?

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There’s no such thing as the “best DJ in Chicago” – only the one who’s right for your event. But if you’re deep enough into your plans to be comparing rates, you may be noticing broad differences in what different DJs charge. Focus specifically on wedding DJ pricing, and the discrepancy looks even greater. I’ve written elsewhere about what the differences in Chicago DJ pricing can mean to you, the client. But in this post I want to look at why, exactly, the best DJs are so expensive. And I want to explain in a way that’s as transparent and honest as possible. Here’s how my Chicago DJ company breaks down our wedding pricing. This is where your money actually goes. […]