The Capital Region’s busiest months — June through October — are wedding season gold. Many venues (like The Adelphi Hotel in Saratoga or The State Room in Albany) are booked over a year ahead, and DJs follow the same pattern.

When you book early, you’re not just securing a date — you’re buying time. Time to build playlists, design lighting, and plan transitions that fit your exact vibe.
At VanBuren Entertainment, we begin curating your sound profile and event flow months before the first track ever plays.

Early booking often unlocks access to special packages — things like full lighting setups, photobooth add-ons, or free travel within the Capital Region. Waiting until the last minute can limit availability and drive up costs. You'll also have a way better chance at getting that hybrid DJ and Band experience if you book early!

Ideally 9–12 months before your date — or up to 18 months for peak venues and more exclusive vendors.  

Not really. Once you’ve secured your venue, locking in your DJ should be next. Some people even lock in their DJ first and choose the venue around their entertainment. Some also like to choose in tandem, research the venues preferred vendors for a truly compatible "workforce" for their special wedding day.  

Reach out anyway! Some DJs may have cancellations or weekday openings. Just keep in mind that if you're only booking a few days out, theres a good chance you won't be getting the same level of experience, skill, and organization that you would otherwise have available. 

Yes. Most professionals request a non-refundable deposit (usually 25–50%) to hold your spot. At VanBuren Entertainment, we require a 50% deposit upon receipt of agreement to fully secure your booking. We typically hold dates for up to one week after our initial call to give you the time to do your research and explore other potential options. We offer extra time for decisions depending on special circumstances and availability. 

Reputable DJs will transfer your deposit if your new date is available — but always ask before signing to make sure. We allow the deposit to be transferred as long as we have a DJ available to take the new date, or will otherwise allow the deposit to be used as credit towards other events and add-on's. We'll also allow you to transfer your credit to other family members and friends! 

Ask how many events they take per weekend. Reliable pros balance their schedule to stay sharp. We don't allow our DJ's to book more than 2 weddings a weekend, and we try to separate them by a day if we can. You should never consider a DJ who is taking another booking on your wedding day. 

Yes, but options may be limited. Early booking allows more time to build your perfect soundtrack. We use VIBODJ for our entertainment organization, and we "lock out" accounts as much as 2 weeks out from the day of the wedding to ensure that our DJ's have all of the updated information in a timely manner. You're still welcome to make changes, however those changes need to be discussed directly with your DJ so they can make sure they are able to address the changes accordingly.