Philly's Best Wedding and Party DJ's

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. We at Futurescapes strive to provide extraordinary service for an exceptionally affordable price... but when looking for a DJ for your Wedding or other special event, there are many things to consider other than just the price.

-How is the personality of your DJ?
-Will the DJ I meet be my actual DJ?
-What quality of equipment will you bring?
-Are there hidden fees?
-Do you bring lighting?
-What is the quality of the lighting system?
-Will you pay special attention to my requests?
-Will you develop a schedule for the event?
-Can I make a song list?
-Will you meet with me to personalize my event?
-Do you have back up equipment?
-Will you have a wireless microphone for my toasts?
-Can you show my slideshow?
-How experienced are you?
-What will you wear?

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. We take personal pride in the company and always put our best foot forward by offering the highest quality of sound and lighting for each event.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I love creating a successful event. I love the fact that we can take a very complicated schedule of events and coordinate it such that the event goes off flawlessly.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. Q. What type of music will you play at my event?

A. We will play whatever type of music you and your guests want. Our music library is very broad. It is our primary goal to keep your guests happy and dancing. Genres include Dance, Top 40, Pop, Hiphop, R&B, Rock, Alternative, Swing, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, Disco, Funk, Reggae, Classical, Jazz, Blues, Easy Listening, all types of Latin, Soft Rock, Country, Irish Folk, and others... If you think we do not have a song, tell us what it is and we will get it.

Q. What will you wear to my event?

A. For most events we wear a very nice suit with a vest and black tie. If your event is more or less formal or casual, we will come dressed appropriately.

Q. My venue coordinator gave me list of preferred vendors and DJ's... why should I hire you and not them?

A. Many venues keep a list of preferred vendors because they have a lot of prior experience with those vendors. These vendors work there very often and are very familiar with the facility. However, these lists are free advertising for DJ's. They do not have to work to obtain your business and therefore may charge you more. It is not uncommon for one of these companies to overcharge you for the same level of service that we can guarantee you will recieve from Futurescapes.

Q. How far will you travel? Do you charge extra for travel?

A. We do not charge for travel expenses within our normal travel zone which is based in Philadelphia and the Northern Suburbs, and extends: Northward to Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton, PA; Southward to Wilmington, DE; Westward to Coatesville, PA; and Eastward to Pemberton and Medford, NJ. Areas we normally service include, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Camden, Allentown, Easton, Bethlehem, West Chester, Downingtown, Coatesville, Trenton, Willow Grove, Jenkintown, Abington, Paoli, Media, Radnor, Horsham, Bensalem, Oxford Valley, Drexel Hill, Chester, Aston, Ambler, Blue Bell, Fort Washington, Hatboro, Warminster, New Hope, Warrington, King of Prussia, Valley Forge, Plymouth Meeting, Bryn Mawr, Haverford, Ardmore, Newtown Square, Broomall, Narberth, Chesterbrook, Malvern, Frazer, Exton, Phoenixville, Royersford, Collegeville, Skippack, Eagleville, Trooper, Audubon, Oaks, Trappe, Harleysville, Chalfont, Southampton, Glenside, Norristown, Montgomeryville, Quakertown, Lansdale, Souderton, Telford, Perkasie, Doylestown, Richboro, Newtown, Langhorne, Southampton, Levittown, Bristol, Conshohocken, Springfield, Upper Darby, Swarthmore, Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Pennsauken, Maple Shade, Moorestown, Willingboro, Mount Holly, Burlington, Pemberton, Medford, Lindenwold, Clementon, Phillipsburg, Alpha, and Lambertville. Travel outside of this area may incurr a small fee.

Q. Where does your music come from?

A. We do not use Limewire or any other filesharing program to illegally download music. Our music collection comes from a variety of legitimate legal sources and has never been copied or pirated. We buy CD's. We often use iTunes and also subscribe to Promo Only which is a music source available to DJ's. Our digital files are uploaded at the highest quality possible. We use Traktor and VDJ computer software and Denon CD players with realistic turntable control. Today's digital tools give us many impressive control options.

Q. How much time do you need to set up?

A. We need to be at least 3 hours early in order to set up and sound check. If we bring lighting or do ceremony sound, we will need to be at least 4 hours early to set up. We do not charge extra for setup time, it is built in to your quote. PLEASE, verify that your venue has NOT booked another event prior to your event and the required setup time is available.

Q. How much space does the DJ require?

A. If we provide a full lighting truss, the DJ requires a minmum 16 foot x 8 foot setup area. If space is limited, we can downsize, but lights or sound amplification equipment may need to be reduced.

Q. Do you take requests?

A. We will certainly take requests unless you specifically wish that we do not. We always try to stick to the theme however. We will not play a heavy metal song in the middle of your wedding reception just because your Cousin Eddie requested it. We will not play any music with explicit lyrics unless you specifically want that. We have many "radio edits" of popular songs, so yes, we can play that 50 Cent song and still keep it clean!

Q. Do you require a meal?

A. We are not guests at your Wedding or Party. We are working. We do not expect a meal. We eat before work, and do not require a meal unless we are working for more than 8 hours straight. Paying for another meal is just an expense you should not need to foot.

Q. Do I need to tip the DJ?

A. Tips are not expected or required. Please do not feel obligated to tip. If you feel we did an exceptional job, you are welcome to tip... but planning a wedding or other event is very expesive, and we understand this. The best tip you can give to us is a referral. Please tell your friends and family what a great job we did at your event! We will be glad to give you a $25 discount for each referral that results in a booking.

Q. What do you do if a piece of equipment fails?

A. We have redundancy built in to the set up and we also have back up equipment. A DJ's worst fear is the sound of "dead air". Problems happen all the time for DJ's... whether it be a blown speaker, a CD skipping, or a computer crash... but with us, you would never know. We are always prepared with a back up solution.

Q. What is the American Disc Jockey Association?

The ADJA is professional organization that provides a code of conduct for DJ's. ADJA code of Professional Conduct.
The ADJA also provides many resources for DJ's. We pay monthly dues to be a part of this organization.

Q. Do you have insurance?

A. Yes. We carry liability and equipment insurance. We are covered for up to $2 million dollars in liability insurance which covers property damages and personal injuries.

Q. Why is it important to be insured?

A. Accidents happen. Heavy 100 lb speakers can get knocked over by a guest who's had too much to drink. Injuries could result. Insurance protects you, your guests, the venue, and myself from claims and lawsuits. Most professional banquet halls require all of their vendors to be insured to protect them. Do not take a chance by hiring a DJ who does not have insurance. Insurance also protects you and your guests from damages to my equipment. We will be bringing equipment to your event with a value of over $10,000. If a drink gets spilled onto my mixer, we will make a claim to the insurance company, we will not try to hold you responsible. How's that for peace of mind?

Q. Do you use professional equipment?

A. All of our equipment is new, maintained, and of professional quality. The equipment we use is of higher quality than most mobile DJ's use. We want to have the best possible sound and the most reliable equipment. Our equipment is cased and protected. JBL, QSC, Denon, Crown, Yamaha, and Shure are all brands that we use. Beware of names that other DJ's use such as Peavey, Behringer, Pyle Pro, Harbinger, Gemini, Nady, American Audio, and Electro-Voice as they are extremely poor quality and are the staples of the "cheap" DJ. Also beware of DJ's who use iPod's, pirated music, or who do not have back-up equipment.

Q. Do you provide a written contract?

A. Absolutely. With this contract in hand you can sleep at night knowing that you have booked the area's best DJ's for your event. You can now stop worrying about the entertainment and focus on the food, drink, flowers, photos, etc... Good Luck with all your planning. Your hard work will be rewarded with a wonderful and unforgettable evening. Beware of DJ's who will not provide a written contract.

Q. Do you require a deposit?

A. Yes, in order to hold your date we require a minimum 20% or $200 deposit (whichever is larger). This deposit is not refundable if canceled within six months of the event date.

Q. Why are DJ's so expensive?

A. Real professional DJ's have a lot of overhead. When you hire us, you are getting: a sound and lighting system worth well over $10,000, a music library with an estimated value of about $20,000, personal consultations to plan your event, many hours worth of music planning and preparation, hours worth of set up and take down, a real company with real operating expenses, insurance coverage, and the most personable and lively DJ around.

Q. Why do I even need a DJ, why can't I just use my iPod?

A. As is often the case in society, some things or ideas become trendy with little thought to practical implementation. A few years ago, it was the idea of a "sponsored wedding" that somehow everyone would want to donate their services to you in the hopes of getting business from others. Sounds like a good idea, but never really took off because all the vendors realized that a sponsored wedding only generated more requests for sponsored weddings, not more business for them. So people that overspent on some items counting on the reception being paid for by others soon were in trouble as their budget was gone and they were still missing major parts of their event program.

Today, the trendy topic is DIY receptions by using an ipod and a rented sound system instead of a professional wedding entertainer, the DJ. This idea is fraught with peril, because a great event is more than simply gear and music. It is the talent that a qualified professional brings to the event that matters most. It is what allows for a smooth flow to the event, with no embarrassing surprises. A Professional DJ from the ADJA provides you with confidence that your event will flow smoothly and will be an event that you, your family and guests will never forget, instead of one they would like to.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I have always loved music. I played the guitar in bands in High School and College. Our band in college become somewhat locally successful and we spent time playing shows and recording professionally. It was at this time I realized that not only was I very good at engineering the sound for performances and recording, but I was also a ham on the microphone! When the band went their separate ways, I was left with lots of great professional sound equipment. Becoming a DJ was only the next logical choice. Today I am very experienced in Live and Studio sound and lighting. I still record my own music and hope to one day produce other bands and DJ's from my own studio.

Q. What are your most common types of jobs?

A. Weddings
Bar, Bat, or B'nai Mitzvah
Sweet Sixteen Parties
School Dances or Proms
Children's Parties
Birthday Parties
Graduation Parties
Engagement Parties
Holiday Parties
Corporate Events
Private Parties
Summer Pool Parties and BBQ's
School or Family Reunions
Religious Milestone Events such as Baptisms
Block Parties
Sporting Events