DJs - Dan Weisman
- Business: Portland DJ Dan
- Location: Portland, Oregon OR
- Experience: 35+ Years
- Profile: Portland DJ Dan
- Website: www.portlanddjdan.com
1. Introduction: What's your story?
Hello, Couples! WeddingRule Top 10 Portland DJ Dan Weisman (and MC) at your service and Weddingwire Couples Choice Award Winner in 2019 and 2020.
My career experience has been quite a wonderful journey stretching from my first days in OKC to 30 years in LA, 9 Years on Maui and, since the summer of 2017, I have been serving up exceptional music for Oregon couples. . . and it's true that I have been consistently delivering at a high professional level decades before most of my competitors were stumbling around in their little poopy diapers!
What's my secret? I love music. I love people. I look at every gig as an opportunity to bring a few hours of joy to those gathered. I consult carefully first, with you, my couples. I find out what you like and don't like musically. Then we put our timeline flow of songs together.
From the opening preludes that complement the bride's processional song . . the cocktail/dinner music through the party dancing hours to the final dance of the night, I am at my post every minute, applying my considerable 1st-hand knowledge of songs people love to hear. That's my specialty. My goal for every gig is to earn a 5 Star review from you!
I invite you to simply read the many recent reviews available on my website, and if you like what those brides had to say, give me a call. I ACTUALLY ANSWER my phone!
Thanks for reading! Sincerely, Portland DJ Dan
2. What's your experience as a wedding DJ? How many weddings have you done?
After several years as a nightclub dj working 5 nights a week, 5 hours shifts, 100 song mixes a night . . I went mobile so my experience as a professional wedding dj stretches back to the mid-1980s in LA, where I plied my trade till 2009 when I moved to Maui Hawaii for 9 years.
In Los Angeles, I DJ'd many cross-culture marriages which broadened my musical repertoire. American, Mexican, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Afghani, Chinese, Hawaiian, Armenian, Italian, Philippine, Romanian, and Punjabi!
I moved to Portland in late July of 2017, changed my brand from Maui DJ Dan to 'Portland DJ Dan'.
My bookings grew from 15 in 2017 (Aug-Dec)
2018 - 28 Bookings - A stack of 5-Star Reviews
2019 - 40 Bookings . . Couple's - A bigger Stack of 5-Star Reviews
2020 - 20+ Pandemic Cancellations moved to 2021.
3. How far in advance do couples need to book your services?
For the Summer wedding Season, there are only a select number of available weather-friendly Saturdays do Three months (90 Days to One Year) But it never hurts to call last minute.
4. What's your rate? What does that include?
Week Day Rates (Sunday through Thursday earn a discount.
Prime Summer Saturdays are negotiated depending on the hours needed.
but range from 950. to 1500.
5. Are you available to travel if needed?
Yes.
6. How would you describe your style?
Friendly, Positive, Fun, and always professional. As an MC I have been described as 'Welcoming, classy, and an MC who puts the focus where it belongs, on the bride and groom. . . doesn't over talk but takes command of the mic as a proper host should."
7. What's your backup plan if there's an equipment malfunction? Do you bring backup equipment?
I always bring a 2nd sound system onsite. It typically is set up for the ceremony but can, in an emergency, be quickly used as a backup system so the event can be completed. Any DJ who doesn't bring a backup system is flirting unnecessarily with disaster.
8. What's your sick day policy?
I don't get sick! However, if for any reason I am prevented from getting to the event, I have a reliable, professional backup DJ company I can call in order to protect and fulfill the agreement.
9. How do you motivate a shy crowd to dance? What do you do to motivate the crowd if nobody is dancing?
A 12 gauge shotgun blast helps. But no matter, I may personally go to tables and ask the guests if I can play any special songs they'd love to hear. Coaxing them out there with tried and true romantic slow dances or I might enlist the bride and groom to help with a 'Snowball dance.' I rarely encounter this situation. During the dinner hour the pace and tempo of songs begin to gradually increase. . . slotting in popular classic sing-along tunes such as 'Sweet Caroline' often elicits people spontaneously breaking into to sing. This is a great warm-up prior to dancing.
Another bit of advice I offer to couples is the effective use of group dances which many people love. The skillset I trust the most is my seasoned, intuitive, experience, and ability to read the crowd and lead them with well-timed song selections. The younger DJs are very lacking in that department!
10. What is your cancellation and/or refund policy?
I require a 50% non-refundable time reservation deposit with the balance due on or before the event date. It is a good-faith policy for both parties. Because when I sign our contract, I am your DJ for your date to the exclusion of all offers that might want to steal me away. A 90 Day pre-date cancellation is a fair time to book another couple and return a couple's full deposit.
Because of the Pandemic 'gathering rules,' I felt it was fair to offer couples this:
Instead of forfeiting your original reservation deposit, you may apply your original deposit to a rescheduled date within a 12 month calendar period to a new date. As long as another couple hasn't reserved that date contractually. There are, however, exceptions that I am willing to have a conversation about.
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