Backup Equipment

1st in Entertainment has tens of thousands of dollars worth of professional quality sound and lighting gear. This means that if something goes wrong with a DJ system, we can get it back up and running quickly.

Multiple DJs

What happens if your DJ is too sick to perform or gets in an accident? 1st in Entertainment has multiple DJs to choose from, so you will have a professional DJ when you need one GUARANTEED.

Massive Song Selection

Most weddings have age groups that range from under 10 to well over 65, so you want a DJ that has something for everyone. 1st in Entertainment has a music selection of well over 19 000 songs that we have specifically built to cater to a wide demographic.

Click here to browse our music library right now!

Free Consultations

Included in any contract price is one or more consultations with your DJ. We encourage all our clients to draw on our experience with wedding receptions and other events. Communication is crucial as it enables your DJ to give you exactly what you want.

Feel free to use any of the following resources to help you find the right DJ and plan your wedding ceremony and reception:

Reception planning tools - Register for our online planning tools and instant quote generator

Tips on shopping for a DJ - Most of us don't have to hire a DJ on a regular basis. What do you look for? What are the warning signs?

Other useful wedding links - A collection of online resources for couples planning their special day

Shopping for a DJ

So you have to hire a DJ for your wedding and you don't know where to begin. How much should you expect to spend? What kind of questions do you ask? How do you know you're hiring a professional? This section provides some useful tips that will help you make the right decision about hiring a DJ. These tips are not designed to persuade you to buy our services. We hope that by providing honest advice, that you will realize that 1st in Entertainment is an honest, professional, and reliable DJ service.

Tip # 1: Ask Friends and Family

Do you know anyone who has been married recently? Were they happy with their DJ? These kinds of referrals are useful because they give you an idea of how well the DJ actually performed. Ask how helpful the company was in the planning phase and during the ceremony. Try and ask for specifics as to what was good and what wasn't. Not everyone will consider the same things to be important when rating a DJ's performance.

Tip # 2:Check out testimonials

While they are not quite as good as a personal reference, testimonials will tell you that the DJ has impressed clients enough in the past that they were willing to take the time to sit down and write something about the DJ. The downside of course, is that testimonials are usually made available by the DJ company - so they are going to be a little tailored. When reading testimonials pay attention to how specific they are and how enthusiastic they sound. Even when people are eager to write a testimonial, they usually do it quickly and don't worry too much about making it sound good. Solicited or semi-sincere testimonials will usually say something like "thank you for your superior performance, the DJ was great!" They are usually vague and sound contrived.

Tip #3: Ask lots of questions

This may sound obvious, but it's amazing how few questions clients actually have for the DJ when planning a wedding. Usually it stops at "how much?" and "how long have you been in business?" However, the clients that ask the most questions tend to be the happiest because they have communicated what they need very clearly. Asking questions allows you to get a feel for how committed a DJ is to his or her job. Does the DJ have short, closed answers, or does he or she or she thoroughly explain and clarify things? The DJ should also be asking YOU a lot of questions, or giving you a clear idea of how he goes about the preparation process. Clear communication and gathering as much information as possible are signs of an experienced, committed, and professional DJ. Can't think of any questions? Try the following:

• How much experience do you have?
  • More is usually better, but a single DJ who has been in the business for 20 years might not be the best choice. DJ-ing is a high energy business, and even the best DJs can eventually burn out.
• Can you provide me with references?
  • Sometimes DJs don't want to do this for privacy purposes, but it can't hurt to ask.
• When is the last time something went wrong? What did you do?
  • This is a great question to ask, because most DJ's won't expect it. It gives you a chance to test their honesty and get a feel for the extent of their experience.
• Do you take requests?
  • Believe it or not, some mobile DJs don't!

Tip #4: Ask about backups and contingency plans

What happens if some sound equipment fails? Does the DJ have backup equipment? How many DJs are there in the company? Will there be a backup person if your DJ is unable to attend for some reason? Having ready answers to such questions is a sign of experience and reliability. Asking "what if..." is the first step in preventing problems.

Tip #5: You get what you pay for...to an extent

We have spent a lot of time pricing out DJs in Calgary, and have heard a lot of feedback. Here is the bottom line: there is a HUGE range of prices for DJs in Calgary, from $350 on the bottom end to well over $1500* at the top. Our advice is to aim for the middle of the road, as many DJs at the top end inflate their prices to make you think they are offering something better. Your DJ should be offering better service (online planning tools and personal consultations), better sound and lighting equipment and possible live music options for a top dollar package. Expect to pay a minimum of $500 for even a basic package if you want a decent DJ. You should be able to keep it under $1000 in the majority of cases and under $1200 in almost any case. Some exceptions to these rules are gigs with: very elaborate requirements, very large sound systems, live music, or long traveling distances outside the city.

*Please note that prices do vary by region.

Useful Wedding Links and Info

Check out the links below to help you with your wedding planning needs: