Wedding DJ Checklist: What to Share Before the Wedding
Your first-dance song is picked. The playlist is coming together. But your DJ still needs to know how to pronounce your names, who is giving a toast, and whether you want that song played all the way through.
Give your DJ a final brief, not just a playlist. Include your timeline, introductions, key songs and cues, music boundaries, announcements, and a wedding-day contact. If your DJ has a planning form, use this checklist to complete it rather than creating a second set of instructions.
What To Share With Your Wedding DJ
Start with the parts of the day your DJ is actually covering. Ceremony audio, cocktail-hour music, reception entertainment, and MC duties may not all be included in the same package. Confirm the scope before assigning responsibilities.
- The current timeline. Include the venue, event spaces, service start and end times, and the moments that need music or a microphone.
- Names and introductions. Share exactly how you want to be introduced, the order of any wedding-party entrances, and pronunciations.
- Special songs and playback notes. List the artist, exact version, and any requested start, fade, or stop point.
- Music preferences. Separate must-play songs from general suggestions and do-not-play choices.
- Speeches and announcements. Identify speakers, their order, and anything you do or do not want announced.
- Guest-request instructions. Tell the DJ whether requests are welcome and what boundaries still apply.
- A wedding-day contact. Name the person who can confirm a cue or approve a timeline change without pulling you away.
- Venue and setup contacts. Connect your DJ with the person handling access, equipment questions, and venue rules.
Share The Timeline Your Team Is Using
A DJ working from an old schedule can miss a change that everyone else knows about. Send the same current timeline your planner, coordinator, venue, and photographer are using, with a date or version name so it is easy to identify.
Mark the moments that need the DJ’s attention. They should not have to guess whether “dinner begins” includes a welcome speech or whether the first dance happens before or after the meal.
Name The Person Who Gives The Cue
A scheduled time and a live cue are not always the same thing. If portraits run late, someone needs to tell the DJ whether to hold the entrance. Agree on who gives that instruction and how they will communicate.
A Useful Timeline Note
6:15 PM, Couple’s Entrance: Wait for [coordinator’s name] to confirm we are at the doors. Announce us as [preferred introduction], then start [song and version]. Hold the first dance until the photographer is ready.
You do not need to direct every transition yourself. Ask your DJ which details they need and let the professionals coordinate the timing within their agreed roles.
Write The Introductions Exactly As You Want Them Said
Do not assume your DJ knows which surnames, titles, or relationship terms you prefer. Write the actual introduction you want to hear, even if it is simply your first names.
- List anyone being introduced in the correct order.
- Add phonetic spellings for names that could be mispronounced. A short voice recording can help if your DJ accepts one.
- Confirm whether wedding-party members enter individually, in pairs, or as a group.
- Note any introduction, title, or family reference you want left out.
Share sensitive family information only when it affects something the DJ needs to do. “Please do not announce a parent dance” is enough if there is no reason to explain the background.
For Special Moments, The Song Title Is Only The Start
A live recording, acoustic cover, radio edit, and album version can sound very different. Send the artist and exact version, plus a reference link when available.
For a shortened dance or a specific entrance, ask the DJ to confirm the edit or cue in advance. A streaming link identifies the recording you mean; it does not replace whatever audio preparation your DJ needs to do.
| Moment | What Your DJ Needs |
|---|---|
| Ceremony Entrances | Who enters to each song, their order, and who signals when to start or change the music, if ceremony service is included. |
| Ceremony Exit | The exact song and the cue to begin, agreed with the officiant or coordinator. |
| Reception Entrance | Introduction wording, entrance order, song version, and whether different groups use different songs. |
| First Dance | Artist and version, whether you want the full song, and any agreed fade or choreographed ending. |
| Other Special Dances | Participants, order, songs, and whether anyone joins partway through. |
| Final Song | Your choice, the planned end time, and whether this is a group dance or a private moment. |
Leave out the traditions you are not doing. You do not need a bouquet toss, cake-cutting song, or parent dance just because it appears on a worksheet. Mark it “not planned” so an empty field is not mistaken for a forgotten decision.
Separate Your Favorites From Your Boundaries
“We like a little of everything” leaves a lot open to interpretation. Give your DJ examples of what you enjoy, what gets your guests dancing, and what would make you leave the dance floor.
Must-Play Songs
Keep this list focused on the songs you would genuinely miss. If something is meant for a particular moment or person, explain that. Ask your DJ what number of must-plays is realistic for the available dancing time.
General Preferences
Use artists, genres, decades, or a reference playlist to describe the atmosphere you want. Make clear whether the playlist is inspiration or a requested running order. Those are different instructions.
Do-Not-Play Choices
Be specific about excluded songs, artists, genres, or group dances. If you want clean versions, say so. Tell the DJ whether these boundaries still apply when a guest requests the song.
Guest Requests
Decide whether the DJ may accept requests freely, use discretion, or stick to choices you have reviewed. For the collection process itself, see how to collect wedding song requests without interrupting the DJ .
A Clear Music Preference
“We love 2000s pop and Motown. Our playlist is inspiration, not a fixed order. Please use clean versions and skip organized group dances. Guest requests are welcome if they fit those preferences.”
Talk Through The Microphone Moments
If your DJ is also the MC, share the names and order of speakers, when the speeches happen, and who should receive the microphone. Tell them whether you want a brief introduction for each person.
Make your preferences about unplanned speeches clear. If you do not want an open microphone, the DJ should know who can approve an extra speaker.
- Confirm any welcome, meal, shuttle, or final-song announcement.
- Identify cultural traditions and explain the cues rather than assuming the DJ knows your family’s version.
- Discuss preferred volume and microphone arrangements for speakers who may need additional support.
- Flag announcements you want to review word for word.
For translated announcements or unfamiliar names, provide the wording early and ask what the DJ is comfortable delivering.
Let The DJ And Venue Confirm The Setup
You should not have to guess where the power supply is or how equipment gets into the building. Introduce your DJ to the venue contact and ask them to confirm the practical details directly.
Their conversation may need to cover load-in access, setup windows, sound restrictions, microphone needs, and moves between event spaces. For outdoor events, make sure there is an agreed weather plan and a clear person responsible for calling the change.
A second location can mean a second setup. If the ceremony and reception are in different places, confirm what equipment and staffing your booking includes. Do not assume the same system can cover both at once.
A Wedding DJ Brief You Can Copy
Use this to gather your answers before the final planning meeting. If your DJ has a portal or questionnaire, transfer the details there and keep that as the agreed final version. Delete anything that does not apply.
Wedding Details
Couple’s names: [Names]
Wedding date: [Date]
Venue and event spaces: [Details]
DJ coverage: [Ceremony / cocktail hour / reception / MC]
Service start and end times: [Times]
Final timeline: [Link or attached file, with version date]
Contacts And Cues
Wedding-day contact: [Name, role, and phone]
Venue contact: [Name and phone]
Person giving entrance and dance cues: [Name]
Person authorized to approve changes: [Name]
Introductions
Introduce us as: [Exact wording]
Name pronunciations: [Phonetic notes or recording]
Wedding-party entrance order: [Names and order]
Introductions or traditions to skip: [Details]
Special Songs
For each moment, include:
[Moment] / [Song] / [Artist and exact version] /
[Reference link] / [Start, fade, or stop notes] /
[Who gives the cue]
Dance-Floor Preferences
Must-play songs: [Short list]
Favorite styles or artists: [Examples]
Reference playlist: [Link, marked as inspiration or fixed order]
Do-not-play choices: [Songs, artists, genres, or dances]
Clean versions: [Preference]
Guest requests: [Allowed / DJ discretion / reviewed list only]
Speeches And Announcements
Speakers and order: [Names]
Introductions for speakers: [Wording]
Unplanned speeches: [Who may approve them]
Other announcements: [Wording and timing]
Cultural or family-specific instructions: [Relevant details]
Still To Confirm
Open questions: [Details]
Person responsible for each answer: [Names]
Final changes due: [Date agreed with DJ]
Last updated: [Date]
Keep contact numbers and family notes in the version shared privately with your vendor team, not on a public wedding page.
Before You Send The Final Version
Ask your DJ when final details are due and how they prefer to receive updates. There is no need to invent a deadline if they already have a planning process.
- You and your partner have reviewed the introductions, special songs, and do-not-play list.
- The timeline matches the version shared with the rest of your wedding team.
- Reference links open, and special song versions are clearly identified.
- Requested edits and cue points have been confirmed with the DJ.
- Every unfinished decision has a person responsible and a date to resolve it.
- The DJ knows whom to contact on the wedding day.
After sending it, ask for confirmation that the DJ has the current version. If you make a late change, name the change in your message instead of sending a new document and expecting them to spot it.
Wedding DJ Questions, Answered
Should We Choose Every Song?
Not unless that is the arrangement you want and your DJ agrees. A focused must-play list and clear preferences leave room for the DJ to respond to the room. If a fixed running order matters to you, discuss it before assuming a reference playlist will be played in sequence.
Can We Send A Spotify Or Apple Music Playlist?
Ask your DJ which links they accept. A playlist can show your taste, but put special-moment songs and exact versions in the brief as well. Important cues should not be buried among several hours of suggested music.
What If We Have Not Chosen Every Song Yet?
Mark the undecided moments and ask for recommendations. Include a date to make the choice. A clear “still deciding” is more useful than an empty field that could mean you are skipping the moment.
Who Should Handle Changes During The Reception?
Choose a planner, coordinator, or another agreed contact who understands your preferences and has authority to make the relevant decisions. Tell the DJ which changes still require your approval.
