16 Ways to Reduce the Stress of a Wedding DJ Business

by Chris Brower
Last Updated: April 20, 2021

I wish I could say running a wedding DJ business is just fun all the time, but it can be stressful too. Really stressful.

Of course, that’s one of the big goals of this website and the complete guide eBook: to make starting a wedding DJ business much less daunting and stressful. To help you avoid a lot of the costly, frustrating mistakes we all make early on. To help you get through the rough patches. And of course to thrive!

Because while a wedding DJ business can be a lot of work and be overwhelming, it can also be a blast and very rewarding.

Let’s look at some specific ways you can reduce the stress of a wedding DJ business.

Remind Yourself That Clients Are Paying You a Lot

Clients hired you, and they’re likely paying you a lot of money. Even if you don’t think it’s a lot of money, for them it may be a lot.

It’s easy to forget this when clients stress you out, when they have a lot of demands, are picky about the music, micromanage your job, etc. They are paying you a lot of money. They hired you. So expect that you may have to put in extra work from time to time, that not every DJ gig will be easy.

Of course, if clients are really being abusive or unreasonable, then you could talk with them and work out a compromise. And if it’s truly too much, you could walk away, but that would mean breaking your contract.

Just remind yourself: It’s only one gig. You’ll likely never see these people again. If they’re difficult and micromanaging and have a lot of demands, fine, just do the job and then move on.

Accepting that some DJ gigs are more stressful than others – and that these gigs are one day and then they’re over – can help reduce your overall wedding DJ business stress.

Get a Hand Truck/Dolly/Cart

You need a lot of DJ equipment. And moving it can be, frankly, stressful. It’s heavy, for one, and sometimes you have a long way to transport the equipment.

That’s why a quality hand truck/dolly/cart (there are so many names) is essential. The Rock-N-Roller Multi-Cart* is a popular choice.

My first year I went without a cart. So moving equipment took a long time and killed my back. My second year I got a cart, and I’ve never looked back!

In addition to making the initial move in and out of the venue quicker and less physically taxing, you may also have situations where you need to move multiple pieces of equipment very quickly. Perhaps you need to move some equipment from the outdoor ceremony to the indoor reception fast. If you had to carry each piece of equipment one at a time, it would take much longer. A cart can help.

Plus, this cart is so handy in real life! I use my cart all the time to carry groceries, move in boxes/furniture, large packages, etc. It’s been a lifesaver. So it’s not only reduced my physical and mental stress at wedding DJ jobs, but also in my regular life.

If your cart’s tires will ever need air, be sure to also get a pump and throw it in your car or among your other DJ equipment. It’s no fun when you load up the cart only to find you’re low on air and now the cart is hard to move.

Visit the Venue Prior to the Wedding Date

Every venue has its quirks and challenges. Not seeing it until the day of the wedding can be an unpleasant surprise when you discover it has a weird layout, is hard to load into, etc.

Visiting the venue prior to the wedding date can help you get a sense of what to expect so you can better prepare. Plus, you may have a chance to talk to the venue staff and make suggestions about where the DJ table will be located or other ways to reduce the challenges and stress of DJing there.

Ready for the complete guide to becoming a wedding DJ? Here you go.

Get to Your Events Earlier Than You Think

Get to your events plenty early. Even if it takes you only thirty minutes to set up, give yourself plenty of extra time just in case. Because pretty much every event, something will get thrown at you that makes the setup take more time – technical difficulties, the bride’s dad who wants to chit-chat about your equipment (“Wow, that’s a lot of stuff…”), confusing room layouts that require more setup time, etc.

Things become a lot less stressful if you have more time.

Backups, Backups, Backups

It’s essential you have backups of pretty much all of your equipment, including speakers, laptops, cords, you name it. Trust me, things will stop working! It becomes a lot less of a panic if you can quickly sub in something else quickly.

Also be sure you have backups of your music. Don’t let a computer glitch erase all your music. Back up to the cloud and get an external hard drive (do both), if not multiple.

This topic has been discussed repeatedly on this website, because it’s so important, so check out these other articles for more information:

Carry a First Aid Kit/Some Medical Essentials

You’re going to get a headache at weddings sometimes. You may also cut your finger while carrying in equipment. That dinner that looked delicious may give you an upset stomach. Your may get a sore throat from making all those announcements. Heck, one time a wasp stung me at a wedding (yeow!)!

The list goes on and on.

That’s why it’s a good idea to bring at least a basic first aid kit. You can’t depend on the venue to provide everything.

At the very least, assemble the essentials so you can take care of any minor incidents yourself.

Tylenol
Bandages
Pepto Bismol
Kleenex
Cough Drops
Sunscreen
Any other prescriptions/medicine you may need

Accept That Guests Can Be…Difficult

Your couples may be a handful, but in my experience, the guests can be particularly difficult. They can make DJing weddings even more stressful.

Your couples hired you to carry out their wishes. The guests did not. Still, some guests apparently haven’t gotten the memo. Some will try to take over, lobbing request after request at you, complain about what you’re playing (“Eww, change it, bro!”), and make other demands (“Oh man, gimme the mic, man. Let me rap along to this! Come on, don’t be lame, man!”).

A lot of guests are great. Some aren’t. And naturally, those can stick with you more.

On some level, you have to accept that guests can be difficult. They can be pushy and rude. They can be insulting. Just keep your cool.

Of course, you want everyone to love every song you’re playing, but it’s just not going to happen. Do your best and try to ignore the guests who are pushy or simply wrong in their assessments/demands.

And, hey, look on the bright side: After the wedding is over, you (most likely) don’t have to see these people again!

Learn Pronunciations for Any Names You’ll Announce

Obvious, right? If you’re going to be introducing the wedding party in to the reception, or saying any other names, be sure you learn those and practice them ahead of time. Speak with the couple and practice the names. Write them out phonetically, if it helps.

Before you introduce the wedding party in to the reception, line everyone up in the order you were told and practice the names again.

You’ll be surprised – or you won’t – how often the order has been changed, or a new bridesmaid/groomsman has been added or couldn’t make it, and the couple didn’t tell you.

I’ve also had names be different than what I was told! Sometimes it’s just a maiden name/new married name situation. One time, a groomsman said, “That’s actually not my last name…” stumping even the groom, his friend, who had known him as something else their whole friendship. (No idea the story there…)

Mispronouncing names is an easy way to look bad and add an unneeded stress to your night.

Keep Amazing Financial Records

Track everything you spend on your DJ business. Everything. These are your business expenses and can reduce how much in taxes you owe. It also helps you monitor how you’re doing financially and can help you spot if you’re getting a little too equipment happy (i.e., buying the latest, fancy, expensive stuff when you don’t really have the revenue to justify it).

Similarly, track every mile you drive for weddings, meetings with clients, everything. I recently drove about 500 feet (yes, feet) to get to a wedding, and you better believe I wrote down that mileage! These miles can also reduce your taxes.

Pay Estimated Taxes

My first year in business it felt like I was making a good deal of money quickly. Great! But then tax time rolled around and I was reminded, oh right, that I needed to pay taxes on that income. It was a few hundred dollars but not too bad. No big deal.

By my third or so year, when I was starting to make really good money, tax time became even more of a big hit. That year I owed around $7,000 in taxes! I hadn’t planned for this or really even thought about it much, and I wasn’t making tons of money, so this was a real “oof!” moment.

So that’s one reason why making quarterly estimated tax payments can reduce the sudden huge tax bill. It spreads out the payments over the year, and you can adjust the amount based on how well you’re doing that year and how well you think you’ll do the rest of the year. Plus, you can sometimes be charged a penalty if you don’t pay enough in estimated taxes or pay them at all.

Get Comfortable Shoes and an Anti-Fatigue Floor Mat

You’ll likely be on your feet much of the night, as DJs typically stand through much of the reception (if able). So make sure you wear comfortable shoes that are still dressy and appropriate.

But also don’t forget how valuable an anti-fatigue floor mat can be to ease the pressure on your feet, knees, and joints. Place one behind your DJ table to step on when you’re DJing.

I first used one of these when I had a standing desk at my day work. At first, I didn’t have one. “I don’t need one of those!” I thought. But, oh boy, my legs soon hurt so much. So I got a mat, and it greatly relieved the pressure. And then I started bringing this to my DJ gigs too.

It may not 100% relieve any fatigue/physical stress from standing so much, but it can help.

Of course, if you need to, sit down! I often pick slow songs as a chance to sit down. I don’t need to be standing and looking like I’m trying to pump everyone up when I’m playing a slow song.

You could also bring your own DJ chair, a compact stool that can help you sit at a higher height. This has the effect of almost making it look like you’re standing or at least less like you’re slouched down in a normal chair.

Address Technical Issues One Variable at a Time

When technical issues arise during an event, you need to solve them as soon as possible.

However, if you’re in the situation where you’ve arrived for the event, set up your equipment, and are having a technical issue that you can’t immediately figure out, approach it by changing one variable at a time. (And hopefully you’ve arrived early and have plenty of backups, so you’re not totally screwed.)

When technical issues come up, it’s natural to panic and start fiddling with a million things at once. Instead, change one variable at a time. Replace one cord and see if it solves the problem. If that doesn’t fix it, plug that cord back in and then change one of the other cords. Keep on going down the line. This will help you pinpoint which particular piece in your setup is not working.

One time I was getting unexplained loud noises coming from a speaker. I naturally focused on the speaker and the cords that directly go into that, such as the 1/4″ cable and the power cord. But by changing one variable at a time, I eventually determined it was the cord that connected my sound card to my mixer. I of course had backups, so I swapped them out, and problem solved. Stress over!

Have Multiple Calendars

Keep your wedding DJ gig dates recorded in multiple spots, such as on your phone/computer, calendar apps, and a physical calendar.

You don’t want that harsh (and very stressful) reminder that, oh, you have a wedding in three days and you forgot. While this is unlikely – because, for one, the couple will probably be in contact with you – you don’t want to risk this possibility.

You also want to avoid accidentally double-booking yourself or booking a job when, oh whoops, you’re actually supposed to be going on vacation with your family that week.

It’s not just about keeping your DJ jobs straight, but making sure they work with the rest of your life too.

Don’t Overschedule Yourself

It takes a while to know how many wedding DJ gigs you can handle. And your opinion may constantly change too.

A few times I’ve done gigs on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in the same weekend – in addition to working a Monday through Friday day job. On the one hand, cha-ching! Making that money! On the other, oh wow, is it stressful! Even two weddings in the same weekend in addition to working a day job can be too much.

You may also have to work with your significant other/family to get a wedding DJ schedule that works for all of you. If your weekend is the time you get to spend together, but then you’re gone Friday and Saturday nights at DJ jobs, it could naturally create friction.

Skip DJ Gigs You Don’t Want

It may take a while to understand which type of DJ jobs you like doing and which you don’t. Or which make good money and which don’t.

While this website is mainly devoted to weddings, there are a lot of events DJs can do.

One other common DJ opportunity: school dances. In some ways, these jobs are easier because you’re typically not expected to do much emceeing, and there are rarely a lot of activities – it’s just continuously playing music.

But getting people to dance can be hard. Remember how little dancing went on at some of your own school dances? Nothing’s changed. And the number of requests can be overwhelming. I’ve had long lines – literally, lines – of students waiting to request songs. And certainly student behavior can sometimes be stressful. One time I was set up on the school’s stage, where students decided to start jumping off until the principal yelled at them to stop.

Plus, a lot of school dances are relatively short (some just two hours or so), so the ability to make good money from them can be a challenge. You may have more luck making much better money DJing a wedding that night.

Of course, school dances can also mean steady work, if the school hires you continuously.

The point is, try out different events and see which you enjoy doing and which help your business, and which just end up being stressful or not particularly profitable.

Remember to Be Thankful

Sounds like advice from your grandma, right, but when I'm getting overwhelmed or stressed or annoyed by a wedding DJ job, I have to stop and remind myself of some of the amazing positives:

It is flattering that this couple hired me for their big day. That they looked into other DJs, perhaps met with some, and ultimately chose me over anyone else.
I love music, so it is cool I get paid nice money to throw a party and play music. I get to learn about all kinds of music, listen to great stuff (and, well, some not so great stuff...), and help other people have a great time.
Even though Guest X is annoyed I'm not currently playing Bad Bunny, which he requested maybe five minutes ago, and Guest Y just scoffed and said, "Um, when are you gonna play any slow songs!?!?" even though I just played one ten minutes ago, so clearly she hasn't been paying attention, etc. - there are lots of people who do seem to be having fun. They're smiling and dancing and having a great time, and they're making what I do gratifying.

Weddings can be very stressful. But they can also be a blast. It's a fun way to make a living or extra cash. There are certainly worse, more stressful ways to make a buck.

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