Skip to main content

Private events

Hiring a DJ, without the guesswork.

Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and company parties. If you’ve never booked a DJ before, this page shows when to book, how booking works, and what happens to your money in between.

Verified track recordsPayment held until the eventNo cancellation penalty up to 72 hours before
Timing

When to book.

The single most common mistake is leaving it late and then paying more for less choice.

9–12 MONTHS

Weddings

Peak Saturdays in spring and autumn go first. If you have a date and a venue, you can book the DJ — the playlist can wait.

2–3 MONTHS

Corporate

Enough time to clear the vendor through procurement, confirm venue requirements and lock the run of show.

3–6 WEEKS

Birthdays & parties

Comfortable for most dates. Tighten to two weeks and your choice narrows, especially on a Saturday.

SAME WEEK

Something fell through

Send requests to DJs who are free that night. The booking runs on the same protected terms.

How booking works

From first click to the last song.

Six steps. Your money is protected the whole way.

DJ PT8
DJ PT8Atlanta · $200–600
150 draw
Hip-Hop · R&B · Afrobeats1 verified event · venue confirmed
1

Find your DJ

Browse by style, then compare rates and real crowd numbers.

Ask if they’ve played an event like yours.

Event detailsAdd crewReview & pay
Venue nameYour venue
Event dateSat, Oct 3
Start – end6:00 – 11:00 PM
Agreed fee$1,200
2

Send your event details

Venue, date, times and the fee you agreed, plus notes for the DJ.

In the notes, say if you need sound, an MC or a do-not-play list.

Event detailsAdd crewReview & pay
✓ Photographer✓ VideographerEvent hostJust the DJ
3

Add crew (optional)

Add a photographer or videographer to the same booking.

One invoice. You approve their work before they’re paid.

Event detailsAdd crewReview & pay
DJ — set$1,200.00
Gelatin booking fee$7.00
Card processing$36.36
Booking total$1,243.36
Stripe places a temporary hold now
4

Review & pay

See the full total. Your card is held — not charged yet.

If the DJ declines, the hold is released.

DJ acceptedJust now
PaymentCharged
Held in escrowUntil the night
5

The DJ accepts

Now your card is charged, and the money waits safely in escrow until the night.

Cancel more than 72 hours out with no cancellation penalty.

  • DJ checked in
  • Attendance confirmed
6

The night, then payout

The DJ checks in and plays. They’re paid after the set.

Confirm how many came — it builds their record.

Your money

No payout until the job is done.

This is the part that separates booking here from sending a deposit to a stranger. Your card is authorized when you request and charged only when the DJ accepts. From that moment the money sits in escrow — not with the DJ, and not spent by us.

  • The DJ is paid after the event, not before
  • More than 72 hours out — no cancellation penalty, though card processing already charged isn’t returned
  • 2 to 72 hours — the DJ’s rate splits 50/50, and the $7 booking fee and card processing aren’t refunded
  • Inside 2 hours — cancellation is blocked
  • If the DJ cancels late, you are refunded in full and it’s recorded against them
  • No deposit to chase, and no cash on the night
Wedding · 5 hoursEscrow protected
DJ fee$1,200.00
Gelatin service fee$7.00
Card processing$36.36
Held untilThe event completes
You pay$1,243.36
Questions

Answered plainly.

Do I need to know anything about DJs to use this?

No. DJ profiles show how many people came to their recent events, confirmed by the venues that booked them, with self-reported numbers labeled separately. Filter by style, compare rates, read the record, send a request. You are choosing on evidence, not on a friend-of-a-friend recommendation.

Can I hear their music first?

Profiles can link mixes on SoundCloud, Mixcloud or YouTube. If you want something specific, ask — a good DJ will happily send a sample that fits your event.

What if my venue already has sound?

Say so in the request. It often lowers the fee, since the DJ isn’t transporting and setting up a rig. Confirm with your venue exactly what’s available, including whether there’s a booth, a mixer and a way to connect.

Can I add a photographer or videographer?

Yes. A booking can carry a creative package — a recap video, a photo gallery, or a full production. We assign vetted creatives and manage delivery, and you approve the work before they’re paid.

What if something goes wrong on the night?

Contact support and we will help. Because the payment is still in escrow until the event completes, there is real leverage to resolve it — unlike a deposit already spent.

Get started

Find someone who’s done your kind of night before.

Free to browse. You pay only when a DJ accepts, and DJs are paid only after the event.