Frequently Asked Questions
Booking & Pricing
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Fill out the form here! I check my calendar and reply personally within 2-3 business days. There’s no automatic check, because when I tell you a date is open, I want it to be true
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Earlier is easier, because it’s just me you’re booking, and popular dates in the height of wedding season go first. That said, I’ve booked a wedding as little as a month out, so if you have a date and venue locked in, reach out
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Booking takes a signed contract and a 50% retainer, which holds your date. The retainer is non-refundable, because once it’s paid I’m turning down other couples for that date. The remaining balance is invoiced one month before the wedding.
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Extra time is $100 an hour. Moving my setup from the ceremony to a separate reception location is $150. Beyond 30 miles of Hopkins, travel is billed at the mileage rate. For anything on the edge, I decide case by case and tell you up front. These are the main things that can change your price.
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There are two options: you can book the room on my behalf, or I can book it and include the cost in your final invoice. Booking it yourself works especially well if you have a room block I can join.
Planning & Music
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Absolutely! There is no limit to how many songs, artists, or genres you can have me not play. On the day, that list is non-negotiable. No amount of pleading or bribing from guests will get me to play anything on it.
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For the dance, you give me 15 must-plays, songs I’ll play no matter what, plus as many want-to-plays as you like.
I cap the must-plays because a typical 2½ to 3 hour dance set is 60 to 80 songs. If too many are locked in, I can’t respond to the room, and reading the crowd is the job. Your want-to-plays aren’t forgotten. They steer the night. Say the crowd just loved “Fireball” and I’m choosing what’s next: I check your must-plays first, then your want-to-plays, and if “Temperature” fits that moment, that’s the one. Must-plays guarantee the songs you can’t miss, and want-to-plays let me build the night around your taste and the energy on the floor.
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That’s up to you. In planning, you make two choices:
Who can request: just the two of you, you plus family and the wedding party, or all guests.
How I handle requests: I can play anything that’s asked for, or I can use my judgment and only work in the ones that fit the room and keep the dance floor going.
I follow whatever you pick, and your do-not-play list always comes first.
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This is also your call, set in planning: all clean, explicit okay later in the night, or explicit okay all night.
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Yes! MCing is included by default when you book. I handle introductions, announcements so guests know what’s coming, and dinner and cake-cutting cues. Those are the most common, and I’m happy to take on others.
The Wedding Day
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I arrive at least 2 hours before guests, and most of the time much earlier. That gives me time to make sure the setup suits the space, room to handle any unforeseen problems or changes, and time to test the sound and lighting from where you and your guests will be. Setup never comes out of your booked hours.
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Not much. A few basics make the night run smoothly:
Power: at least one working, grounded outlet within 100 feet of my setup.
Space: a spot for my setup within 10 feet of the dance floor. If I’m outdoors, it should be level and free of standing water, wet grass or mud. If it’s a stage, it should be sturdy and not wobble.
Venue fees and permits: parking, power charges and any sound permits are the couple’s responsibility, along with checking the venue’s rules. I’ve vary rarely run into a majority of these, there is a good chance if you’re at a venue who does weddings often these are non-issues.
A meal: at dinner, ideally when the wedding party eats so I don’t miss anything and can help keep the timeline moving.
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Yes! When able I reach out to your other vendors such as planner/coordinators, photographer, and videographer ahead of time. I share the timeline we work through together so as a vendor team we can identify conflicting times and other details in advance so day of runs smoothly.
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Our wireless microphones are professional quality. At the start of each wedding day they are swapped with fresh batteries, and I make sure to scan the frequencies in the area to avoid frequency interference.
However we never assume they will work perfectly 100% of the time so we always prep backups. For the ceremony, there is always a backup wired-microphone run near the officiant. If the unforseen happens, the backup solution is just a few feet away. As for the reception, I setup a wired-microphone under my DJ booth. This microphone always has a 50ft cable connected so it can act as a replacement in a moments notice as well.
If Plans Changes
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This has never happened, but I plan for the worst case. If illness, injury or a family emergency keeps me from your wedding, I’ll let you know immediately and then try to find another professional DJ you’re happy with. I stay in close touch with other Twin Cities wedding professionals, so a good solution is very likely. If I can’t find one, or you’d rather not switch, you’ll be refunded or credited for the services I didn’t provide, and you won’t owe anything further.
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Yes, with written notice (email is fine). If I’m able to rebook your original date, everything you’ve paid becomes a credit toward your new date, which needs to be within 12 months of the original date and on a day I’m available. If I can’t rebook the original date, the retainer is forfeited. Give notice at least 30 days from the originally booked date, or the full balance is due.
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Cancel in writing (email is fine) more than 30 days before your wedding, and you lose the retainer but owe nothing more. Cancel within 30 days, and the full balance is due.
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You can upgrade any time, in writing, at the prices in effect when you upgrade. Downgrading isn’t possible after booking.
About Danny
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It’s pronounced boy, like boy/girl. spelled B-O-I-E, as in D. Boie Entertainment. And yes this is my actual last name! If you immediately started singing to yourself “oh danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling” no worries… you would not be the first (and most certainly won’t be the last)
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I started DJ’ing in 2019 during college. This consisted of mostly house parties, campus events, or bars. After COVID, I had the opportunity to work with a Wedding DJ company for 2 years before starting D. Boie Entertainment in October of 2023!
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Yes! The person you email, DM on instagram, meet on the video call, and DJ your wedding is me. From time to time I will bring an assistant with me on wedding days, but they’re never replacing me as the one providing DJ & MC services.
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Yepp. I quote every event individually, so tell me what you’re planning and I’ll be able to get you more information and a quote for services.