4.9
Praised by couples for:
Music selection
DJ quality
Unique party atmosphere
Your Award Winning Wedding DJ
Serving Chicago and the Chicagoland area
Travel area: Within 300 miles See details
DJ Jim was absolutely amazing. He made our day perfect and hit all the song cues down to the second. So many people came up to tell us our DJ was awesome and absolutely knocking it out of the park throughout the day. 10/10 recommend MBD and specifically DJ Jim if you are looking for an awesome night filled with music that flows, great energy, and professionalism. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
Kathleen H.
5.0
Music By Design took us on as clients at the very last minute, only a few weeks before our wedding, due to an emergency that caused the DJ company I had booked to no longer be able to provide services. We feel so lucky it happened this way because our DJ Ryan was a highlight of the wedding! He is a true professional and expert in his role, and he read the room perfectly from start to finish. All of our special song requests were honored, even the 'weird' ones. He was extremely flexible and reassuring when I was frantically texting him the evening before and morning of due to our last minute rain-plan changes. He even offered his experience to help us to adjust our timeline for a better flow of the evening during our week-of call. We and our guests had to be gently ushered out after the last song played and the lights turned on because he made the dance floor so much fun. We got so many compliments on our music and dance floor, but all of the credit is to DJ Ryan and Music By Design!
Valerie P.
5.0
Nicolette Rohret
PRINCIPAL
Typically responds within 24h
AWARD WINNER (16X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
At Music by Design, we believe your wedding day shouldn’t just have a playlist—it should have a heartbeat. With over 30 years of experience bringing celebrations to life, we have mastered the art of reading a room and creating the exact atmosphere you’ve always envisioned.
Why Couples Choose Us
Experience matters, but your unique vision matters more. We pride ourselves on a fully customized experience, ensuring that every note played—from your walk down the aisle to the final dance of the night—is a reflection of your personal style.
1. Tailored Music Selection: No cookie-cutter playlists here. We work closely with you to curate a soundtrack that hits all your favorite genres while keeping your guests on their feet.
2. Pro-Grade Sound Engineering: Whether it’s an intimate garden ceremony or a grand ballroom gala, we provide crystal-clear sound and precision equipment so every toast and lyric is heard perfectly.
3. Decades of Expertise: Our 30-year legacy means we are prepared for everything. We handle the logistics and the energy, so you can simply enjoy the moment.
Beyond the Music
Want to take your celebration to the next level? We offer a variety of premium add-ons to transform your venue and enhance the guest experience:
-Custom Uplighting: Set the mood with colors that match your wedding palette.
-Dance Floor Lighting: High-energy effects to keep the party moving.
-Enhanced Equipment: From wireless microphones for speeches to extra sound reinforcements for large spaces.
Let’s Design Your Night
Your wedding is one of the biggest days of your life. Trust it to a team that combines three decades of professionalism with a modern, fresh approach to entertainment.
Details
Equipment
Audio/Visual Equipment
Sound Equipment
Music Genres
Bluegrass
Bollywood
Caribbean
Celtic
Classical
Country
Dance
Disco
EDM
Flamenco
Folk
Hip-Hop
Indian
Jazz
Klezmer
Latin
Mariachi
Persian
Polka
Pop
R&B
Rock
World Music
Music Services
MC Services
Recorded Music
Sound Equipment
Wedding Activities
Rehearsals & Parties
After Party
Wedding
After Party
Ceremony
Reception
Awards and Affiliations
16-Time 'Best of Weddings'
2026.2025.2024.+13 more.
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
Hall of Fame
Earned by winning 'Best of Weddings' four or more times.
Join couples who chose award-winning vendors for their wedding
Meet the team
Showing slide number 1 out of 2
- Nicolette RohretPrincipalNicolette Rohret is a Principal at MBD Studios and the creative force behind the studio’s brand and client experience. She blends artistry with strategy to ensure couples enjoy a seamless, beautifully curated journey—from first inquiry to wedding day.
- Kasia JanuszewskiStudio AdministratorKasia is the Studio Administrator at Music by Design and the organizational heart of the team. She oversees day-to-day operations, coordinates client communications, and ensures every detail is handled with care and precision. With a passion for exceptional service and seamless planning, Kasia helps create a stress-free experience for couples from their first conversation through their wedding day.
Reviews
4.9
out of 5.0398 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Music By Design receives consistently high praise for professional, responsive DJs who read the room, keep dance floors packed, and smoothly MC events. Reviewers appreciated the easy online planning portal, flexibility with last‑minute changes, and solid coordination of ceremony and reception audio. A few mentioned minor photographer issues and recommended scheduling a specific planning-call time.Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 6
Alyssa L
Highlighted review.
5.0
We had an amazing experience music by design for our wedding. We booked both the DJ and the Photo Booth through them and they made the night such a success. The music was absolutel...
y perfect, the energy was incredible, and DJ Kevin kept everyone on the dance floor all night long. He was professional, friendly, and did a fantastic job reading the crowd and playing songs that everyone enjoyed. Our wedding was such a memorable night thanks to DJ Kevin and the Photo Booth. Both definitely played a huge part in making it so special. Highly recommend!
Response from Music by Design
Hi Alyssa,
Thank you so much for the fantastic review! We are thrilled to hear that DJ Ke...
vin and our Photo Booth team helped make your wedding night such a success. Keeping the dance floor packed and creating an unforgettable experience for you and your guests is always our goal. We truly appreciate your recommendation and wish you both a lifetime of happiness!
Kathleen H
5.0
DJ Jim was absolutely amazing. He made our day perfect and hit all the song cues down to the second. So many people came up to tell us our DJ was awesome and absolutely knocking it...
out of the park throughout the day. 10/10 recommend MBD and specifically DJ Jim if you are looking for an awesome night filled with music that flows, great energy, and professionalism. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
Response from Music by Design
Hi Kathleen! Thank you so much for the incredible review! 🎶 We are thrilled to hear that ...
DJ Jim made your day so special and hit every single song cue right on the second. It’s wonderful to know that he brought great energy and kept the music flowing seamlessly all day long. Thank you for choosing Music By Design, and congratulations to you both!
Any questions?
Valerie P
5.0
Music By Design took us on as clients at the very last minute, only a few weeks before our wedding, due to an emergency that caused the DJ company I had booked to no longer be able...
to provide services. We feel so lucky it happened this way because our DJ Ryan was a highlight of the wedding! He is a true professional and expert in his role, and he read the room perfectly from start to finish. All of our special song requests were honored, even the 'weird' ones. He was extremely flexible and reassuring when I was frantically texting him the evening before and morning of due to our last minute rain-plan changes. He even offered his experience to help us to adjust our timeline for a better flow of the evening during our week-of call. We and our guests had to be gently ushered out after the last song played and the lights turned on because he made the dance floor so much fun. We got so many compliments on our music and dance floor, but all of the credit is to DJ Ryan and Music By Design!
Response from Music by Design
Hi Valerie,
Thank you for the wonderful review! We’re thrilled we could step in on short ...
notice to help make your wedding day stress-free and unforgettable.
DJ Ryan was delighted to be part of your day, from navigating the last-minute rain plan to keeping everyone dancing until the very end!
Thank you for trusting Music By Design. Wishing you and your husband a lifetime of happiness!
Karina D
5.0
DJ Kevin was a wonderful DJ/MC for our wedding reception, and we are so glad to have worked with MBD! We were so impressed by the transparency and smoothness of the planning proce...
ss - from the beginning, it was clear that MBD had a very well-defined system, had a place for us to share thoughts about every detail while planning, and could anticipate just about any question we could have about putting together a reception. Working with Kevin was incredible – in his pre-wedding call a few evenings before the big day, he very kindly stepped through all of the main details of our reception and answered every question we had. On wedding day, he checked in with us at the start of the night and before every big transition moment, ensuring we were making good time. He was incredibly adept at pivoting for in-the-moment changes and made it all look like a breeze. Kevin’s music selections for dinner and dancing were excellent – we provided a relatively small number of songs as rough inspiration for a vibe we hoped to cultivate at the reception, and he completely nailed it with the music he added to the mix. As an MC, he matched the energy in the room perfectly and struck a great balance between the excitement and sentiment of the day. We’re really grateful to have worked with him!
Response from Music by Design
Thank you so much for leaving such a thoughtful and detailed review, Karina! We are thrill...
ed to hear that DJ Kevin made your wedding reception so special and seamless. We take a lot of pride in our planning process and music preparation, so it’s wonderful to know that Kevin’s pre-wedding call, timeline check-ins, and music selections gave you complete peace of mind to just enjoy the night. Thank you again for choosing MBD to be a part of your big day, and we wish you both the very best!
Tina Y
5.0
They communicated well with us, had a thorough and easy to use set up for planning our day and all the music, and our DJ did a great job of keeping the party going!
Response from Music by Design
Hi Tina,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback! We're thrilled to ...
hear that our communication and planning setup made the process smooth for you, and that your DJ kept the energy high and the party going all night.
It was a pleasure being a part of your special day, and we wish you both the very best!
Molly M
5.0
DJ John made our night so special! From setting up on the boat (an unfamiliar event space) to playing our favorites, we had such a great time. Our dance floor was just so much fun!...
I loved the lights too.
Response from Music by Design
Thank you so much, Molly! We loved being a part of your special day, and taking the celebr...
ation out on the water made it even more unforgettable. Boat cruises are such a unique event space, and we're so glad DJ John made the setup seamless, kept the dance floor packed, and set the perfect mood with the lighting. We wish you both a lifetime of happiness!
Alex S
5.0
Jim did an amazing job for our wedding! In our meeting, he made sure to clarify all of the details to ensure the day was exactly what we hoped for. On the wedding day, he did a gre...
at job! Not only did we have a great experience, but the guests at our wedding were all having a great experience! He was very nice and made sure everything went how we wanted it to go. Plus, his selections for the dance floor were spot on! We would highly recommend!
Response from Music by Design
Hi Alex,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback! We are thrilled to...
hear that Jim did such a wonderful job bringing your vision to life and keeping everyone on the dance floor. Clarifying every detail before the big day is always a top priority for us, so we are glad to hear the planning process helped put you at ease and made for a seamless celebration.
We truly appreciate the recommendation and wish you and your spouse all the best!
Warmly,
The Music By Design Team
Nora M
5.0
Eric was great!! Would definitely recommend
Response from Music by Design
Hi Nora,
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a wonderful review! We’re th...
rilled to hear that DJ Eric took great care of you and helped make your wedding day so special. Congratulations again on your marriage, and we wish you both a lifetime of happiness!
Lisa M
5.0
DJ Russ was amazing and took our wedding to the next level. We had such a wonderful experience with him from pre-wedding phone conversation to post wedding. He is extremely persona...
ble; after I initially spoke with him my stress level decreased, and knew just based off that phone call I was in good hands. We had a smaller, afternoon wedding with about 40 guests and my dance floor was filled! Russ is extremely experienced and engaging. I also loved how there wasn't any down time between songs, he was able to perfectly blend songs one after another. After the wedding he checked on us and even sent some photos he took. Not only did he do an amazing job providing the music and emcee services we were hoping for, we have enjoyed just our overall interaction with him! He will be our forever DJ from here on out; if and when we ever need services again he will be my first stop and I will absolutely recommend him for anyone else looking for a DJ/Emcee! Thank you for assisting in making my special day even more perfect :-)
Response from Music by Design
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review, Lisa! We are so g...
lad to hear that DJ Russ was able to put you at ease from your very first conversation and deliver exactly what you were hoping for. Keeping the dance floor packed for an afternoon celebration is no easy feat, but Russ loves a good party! We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to him. Congratulations on your wedding, and thank you for trusting us to be part of your special day.
Meghan D
5.0
Kevin picked a great playlist, he was very friendly and easy to work with, and he communicated very well. Everything went smoothly throughout the night and we highly recommend him!
Response from Music by Design
Hi Meghan! Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We are thrilled to hear that Kevin ...
put together a great playlist and that everything went so smoothly throughout the night. It was an absolute pleasure working with you both, and we wish you a lifetime of happiness together!
Xenia C
5.0
Jim was awesome! He had all the music on point and did a great job at keeping the dance floor alive. The songs he played were perfect and had everyone on the dance floor. It was gr...
eat working with Jim on our special day!
Response from Music by Design
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this, Xenia! We are thrilled to hear that J...
im was able to keep the dance floor packed and the music on point all night long. It was an absolute pleasure working with you to make your special day unforgettable—wishing you both a lifetime of happiness!
Veronica C
5.0
A DJ can make or break a reception so easily and I couldn’t be happier with MBD!! Our DJ (Jimmy) I cannot thank and compliment enough! We had about 100 people in a brewery style ve...
nue. Given the # people we had and general age, we knew we wouldn’t have everyone dancing 100% of the time. But Jimmy was so in tune and couldn’t have done a better job of going with the flow and vibe of our guests. We had lots of great heavy dance moments and he catered to all our guests tastes! We had so many complements from our guests! They loved his style and personality so much. He was so kind and easy to work with our friends who were helping with coordination. He gave us the gift of being able to just show up and enjoy our day and I cannot be happier with the services!
Response from Music by Design
Hi Veronica,
Thank you so much for the fantastic review! We are thrilled to hear that Jim...
my did such an incredible job reading the room, catering to all your guests' musical tastes, and making the reception flow so smoothly. Knowing that you were able to just show up, relax, and completely enjoy your wedding day means the world to us.
Thank you again for choosing Music by Design—wishing you both a lifetime of happiness!
David H
5.0
Erice was great. He took time to see what we anted in the day and was so patient with our questions
Response from Music by Design
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review! We're thrilled to hear that Er...
ic was great to work with and took the extra time and patience to ensure all your questions were answered and your vision was realized. We appreciate your feedback and wish you all the best!
Emma P
5.0
MBD was fabulous from start to end! DJ Jim was working with us during our wedding and he was absolutely amazing!
Response from Music by Design
Thank you so much for the glowing 5-star review! We’re thrilled to hear that MBD was fabul...
ous from start to finish and that DJ Jim made your wedding day so special. It was an absolute honor to be a part of your big day, and we wish you both a lifetime of love and happiness!
Helina W
5.0
I definitely recommend MBD! From the beginning, they were quick to respond and super helpful. Our DJ was amazing and brought great vibes and clearly listened to our vision for the...
dancing portion of our wedding. We are so thankful for MBD.
Response from Music by Design
Hi Helina,
Thank you so much for the five-star review and for recommending us! We are inc...
redibly happy to hear that our team was helpful and quick to respond from the very start. It means the world to us that your DJ brought the perfect vibes and successfully brought your vision for the dance floor to life.
Thank you for letting us be a part of your special day, and we wish you a lifetime of love and happiness!
Jessica Y
5.0
As the bride and groom, we give five stars to every category, and we are confident that all of our guests would say the same.
The overall performance of this contract was overflow...
ing with value and enjoyment.
We had DJ Eric, and Photobooth Ani. Both services fully captivated us and our entire guest list.
Photo Booth by design and Music by design were crucial elements that turned our special day into an all-out party. Absolutely fantastic!
Response from Music by Design
Hi Jessica,
Thank you so much for the incredible five-star review! We are absolutely thri...
lled to hear that DJ Eric and Ani with the photo booth team helped turn your special day into an all-out party for you and your guests. It means the world to us that both services brought so much value and enjoyment to your wedding.
Wishing you and your groom a lifetime of love and happiness together!
Holly D
5.0
DJ Jimmy was the BEST! He followed all instructions perfectly, was great at changing the flow of the music as the wedding progressed, and kept the dance floor alive until the very ...
end. I had a few guests ask me how I found him because he was so fun. Couldn’t have been happier with his performance. The booking process was also easy, and very professional.
Response from Music by Design
Hi Holly,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience! We are absolute...
ly thrilled to hear that DJ Jimmy kept your dance floor alive until the very end and that your guests had such a blast. We also appreciate your kind words about our booking process, we always strive to make the planning stage as smooth and professional as possible.
Wishing you both a lifetime of love and happiness!
Grace H
5.0
I was hesitant at hiring a DJ at first. This company had a deal going on when I was looking so I filled out the inquiry and wanted to see where this went. From the consultation to ...
working with our DJ it was SUPER simple. Once you hired MBD, they will send you a portal to add music to your playlist; I already had a Spotify playlist created- spotify and MBD link up so it was a few clicks and I was done. It was a little at first concerning that you don't talk to you DJ til the week of your wedding but honestly our DJ was great! Easy and flexible to work with- we didn't decide on a first dance song til the day before our wedding. He made suggestions for us about MCing and songs. He was prompt with our timeline and helped us stay within our timeline to ensure the night flowed smoothly. Also if you have any questions along the way, their chat button on the portal is really quick with responses to your email!
Response from Music by Design
Thank you so much for this incredible, detailed review! We totally understand that hiring ...
a DJ can feel a bit overwhelming at first, so hearing that our planning portal and Spotify integration made the music selection 'super simple' for you is music to our ears.
We also appreciate you mentioning our communication timeline! We wait until the week of the wedding for that final DJ hand-off so that every single detail, timeline tweak, and last-minute choice (even a day-before first dance song!) is completely fresh in your DJ's mind. We are so glad our team's suggestions and timeline management helped keep your night flowing perfectly.
Congratulations again, and thank you for trusting Music by Design to help celebrate your big day!
Beth H
5.0
I had a good experience working with Music by Design. I set up my photographer and DJ through them for my wedding. Jim was a great Dj. He kept the party going and people on the dan...
ce floor with fun music people wanted to dance and sing along to. He communicated with us throughout the night and everything went smoothly and according to plan. I would recommend him. Sal was also a great photographer, making sure he got all the pictures we wanted to take throughout the night.
Response from Music by Design
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a wonderful review, Beth! We are thril...
led to hear that bundling both your DJ and photography services through Music by Design made your wedding experience smooth and stress-free.
It's fantastic to hear that DJ Jim kept the dance floor alive with everyone singing and dancing along, and that his communication kept your timeline perfectly on track. We'll also be sure to pass along your kind words to Sal, we are so glad he captured every single shot you wanted throughout the night!
Thank you for trusting our team with your wedding day. Wishing you and your husband a lifetime of happiness together!
Michelle F
5.0
Their photographer Maks is literally the best! We were in such good hands. His energy and years of experience were perfect and needed on the day of. I can't express how good he is!...
And MBD pricing was super reasonable for Chicagoland
Response from Music by Design
Thank you so much for the 5-star review, Michelle! We are absolutely thrilled to hear how ...
much you loved working with Maks on your wedding day.
His energy and years of experience are truly unmatched, and we agree that having someone so reassuring behind the lens is exactly what every couple needs on the day of. We'll be sure to pass along your incredibly kind words to him! We also appreciate you mentioning our pricing, we work hard to deliver exceptional, high-end service that remains a fantastic value for couples all across the Chicagoland area.
Thank you again for choosing Music by Design. Congratulations and best wishes to you and your husband!
Amy P
5.0
When planning our wedding, my husband and I primarily wanted to dance the night away. Our motto was banger after banger and DJ Jim was able to fulfill that for us. We had an abso...
lute blast dancing at our wedding and Jim was able to keep the dance floor packed the whole time. I loved how we were able to customize our music, making sure that we got what we wanted. We could not have asked for a better night.
Response from Music by Design
Thank you so much for the awesome review, Amy! We absolutely loved reading that your weddi...
ng motto was 'banger after banger', that is exactly the kind of energy we love to bring to a dance floor!
We are so glad that DJ Jim delivered on that promise and kept the energy high all night long. Making sure your playlist is fully customized to exactly what you and your husband want is what we strive for, and it sounds like DJ Jim nailed it.
Thank you for choosing Music by Design to help make your wedding night unforgettable. Congratulations to you both!
Liese P
5.0
Jim was absolutely phenomenal as our wedding DJ! He brought such great energy, kept the night flowing smoothly, and had everyone out on the dance floor. Our guests loved him, and t...
he music selection was perfect from start to finish. He was also so easy to work with throughout the planning process, which made everything feel stress-free. We are so grateful he was part of our wedding day and would highly recommend him!
Response from Music by Design
Thank you so much for the glowing review, Liese! We are absolutely thrilled to hear that D...
J Jim was phenomenal and that he brought such amazing energy to your wedding day.
Our ultimate goal is always to make the planning process completely stress-free, so it’s wonderful to know that you felt supported from start to finish. We are so glad that DJ Jim kept the night flowing smoothly, nailed the music selection, and kept your guests out on the dance floor all night long!
Thank you for choosing Music by Design to be such a special part of your big day. Wishing you and your husband a lifetime of love and happiness!
Junhui Z
5.0
Dj Kevin did an amazing job. He helped coordinate everything and ensure our event went smoothly.
Response from Music by Design
Thank you so much for the 5-star review, Junhui! We are thrilled to hear that DJ Kevin did...
such an amazing job for you.
A great wedding DJ does so much more than just play music, so we love that you highlighted his help with coordinating the timeline and keeping everything running smoothly. We will be sure to share your kind words with DJ Kevin!
Thank you for choosing Music by Design to be a part of your wedding day. Congratulations and warmest wishes to you both!
Laurel D
5.0
We had a great experience with Music By Design! All the information was very organized on the portal leading up to the event. I was definitely nervous about the DJ as he is the per...
son who sets a lot of the tone for the reception, and our DJ really put my mind at ease during our final phone call the week of. He was joyous and super fun. Thank you so much!
Response from Music by Design
Setting the right tone for a wedding reception is a massive responsibility, so hearing tha...
t your DJ completely put your nerves at ease is everything to us! Laurel, thank you for trusting Music by Design with your celebration. We're so glad the planning portal kept you organized leading up to the big day, but we're even happier that our team brought that 'joyous and super fun' energy straight to your dance floor. Congratulations to you both!
Angelica I
4.0
Music by Design was wonderful and incredibly professional. They have an excellent online system to upload your song request and itinerary to. It made it incredibly easy to work wit...
h this vendor. On the week of the wedding I received a phone call with my DJ to go over all of the details. He executed the event wonderfully. The reason I provided four stars and not five is because I was asked to submit a "must play" and "possibly play" options. I was surprised there were not as many "must plays" as I had expected and more "play if possible" than I had expected.
Response from Music by Design
Thank you for the feedback, Angelica! We're so glad to hear that our online system and fin...
al coordination call made the planning process seamless, and that your DJ executed the reception wonderfully.
We take our couples' 'must play' lists incredibly seriously, and our team always aims to weave every single one of those priority tracks into the mix. We completely understand how much of a beautiful, fast-moving whirlwind the night is for the newlyweds, between photos, cake cutting, greeting guests, and just trying to take it all in, it is so easy to miss things when you are pulled in a million directions!
Thank you again for choosing Music by Design, and we wish you and your husband an amazing future together!
Jill P
5.0
Our Dj, Jim, was absolutely fantastic. I received compliments all night and the next day about how engaged he kept our guests. Once the dancing started, there was not a single mome...
nt that the dance floor wasn’t packed. We are so grateful for his upbeat personality, professionalism, and for making our day so special. We will definitely recommend and request him for any of our future events!
Response from Music by Design
Hearing that your guests were complimenting the music all night (and the next day!) is the...
absolute ultimate praise for us. Jill, thank you so much for sharing your experience!
We are incredibly proud to have DJ Jim on our team, and his ability to keep a dance floor packed from the very first song to the last dance is exactly why he's so great at what he does. We will gladly pass along your wonderful compliments about his upbeat personality and professionalism.
Thank you for choosing Music by Design, and we would love nothing more than to pack the dance floor for you again at any future events! Cheers to a wonderful marriage!
Ellen E
5.0
We were very impressed with the professionalism of this vendor for our DJ . For the most part they communicated well. The customer portal was great and made selecting music very ...
easy. Our DJ (Jim) was fantastic! He listened to all our concerns, and did an excellent job keeping people out on the dance floor.
My one recommendation to the company would be to schedule a specific time for the planning call. Not knowing when the DJ was calling Wed evening was a little anxiety provoking.
We did not have a great experience when we booked a photographer and ended up going a different route.
Response from Music by Design
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Ellen! We're so glad to hear that our porta...
l made music selection easy and that DJ Jim did a fantastic job listening to your goals and keeping everyone out on the dance floor.
We always want the week of the wedding to be as stress-free as possible. To help couples plan their final week, we do notify everyone at the time of booking that our DJs dedicate a set 6–9 PM window on Wednesday evening for these final detail calls. However, we completely understand how incredibly busy that final week is, and we appreciate the reminder to ensure this time window is kept top-of-mind for our clients as the big day approaches!
We're sorry to hear our initial photography inquiry process wasn't the right fit for what you were looking for before you chose another route, but we are so glad we could deliver an amazing experience on the DJ side.
Thank you again for trusting our team with your celebration, and we wish you and your husband a beautiful marriage!
Kelly P
4.0
Jim was our DJ and he was great! You don't get to speak with the DJs until the week of the wedding, but he was so kind and professional. He was flexible day of when we needed, was ...
very accommodating to my vision and everyone had such a great time. My only negative was that a lot of the songs on our must play list were not played, and I'm not sure why. Overall great time and Jim was wonderful. It was just a bit disappointing to not hear the meaningful songs to us that we spent so much time picking.
Mollie C
5.0
Online planning was easy and our DJ was friendly! He got the vibe and everything was great. Thanks!
Wendy L
5.0
Having a great DJ was probably one of the most important vendors to us. After reading reviews, decided to take a chance that MBD and DJ Jim were as great as everyone said – he was...
, and so much more!!! Our planning meeting with him was like talking with a friend – he got us immediately, got our vibe and what our hopes were for the wedding and reception. For the wedding and reception, he played perfect music. He kept everyone on the dance floor – knew how to read a crowd, and important to us, abided by our “no play list” to a T. Everyone commented on what great music he played and what a great time it was – the dance floor always had people dancing up until the final song. We really are so grateful that all of our vendors “played well together”!! Definitely another vendor I can’t recommend enough!!
Lacy M
5.0
Both our DJ (Kevin) and our photobooth attendant (Monica) did a phenomenal job at our wedding. Kevin worked with us to make sure all the songs we wanted played (at certain times) w...
ere played. Our dance floor was packed from the moment that part of the wedding started until the very last song. His energy was amazing and he kept us on schedule. Could not have been more happy with him! Our Photo Booth had such a beautiful set up and Monica was super friendly. Everyone loved their experience with it and we were so happy to be given a photo album with copies of everyone’s pictures they took. Truly could not have asked for a better experience with this company. Highly recommend not only for their excellent service but for how easy they were to work with.
Lauren B
5.0
Kevin did a wonderful job as a DJ for our wedding! He planned out all the specific requests I had for music entrances, walking down the aisle, the processional etc. we had a few te...
chnological microphone issues with a toast but he promptly resolved the issue! He was so on top of everything! My guests loved the music and we all had a fantastic time!
Nikki Cherwin C
5.0
5/5 stars for the most amazing DJ! DJ Jim from Music By Design was absolutely incredible! He was professional, upbeat, respectful, and kept everything running smoothly. He MC’d the...
whole night perfectly and the dance floor was packed all night thanks to his amazing playlist. He was also super responsive and easy to work with. We couldn’t have been happier and highly recommend him to anyone looking for a great DJ!
Trent T
5.0
Kevin from Music By Design was AMAZING and was so integral to making our day seamless, timely and most of all FUN! Kevin was professional and helpful during our planning call, we f...
elt like he really listened to our requests and understood what we wanted for the day-of. Throughout the reception, he did a great job making announcements and ensuring that guest knew where they were supposed to be and when, keeping the evening on track. He kept the dance for MOVING for almost 3 full hours, not a single lull! So many guests of all ages complimented his song choices and said it was the most fun they'd had on a wedding dance floor! I think the value of this DJ company is unbeatable. Thank you Music by Design and Kevin for a GREAT experience!!
David E
5.0
We absolutely LOVED working with DJ Jim at our Hotel Baker wedding this past June. Jim handled sound for the microphone during our outdoor ceremony and provided music for our indoo...
r reception—both perfectly executed.
From the start, MBD was incredibly easy to work with. They were responsive, friendly, and helpful every step of the way. On the wedding day, DJ Jim went above and beyond—coordinating speeches (guiding speakers on where to stand and when to go), organizing our bridal party entrances, and checking in with us to confirm song choices for our first dance and other special moments. Those thoughtful touches made us feel completely at ease.
We knew from our consultation call that he had a fantastic personality, but he truly brought that energy to the dance floor—keeping the celebration going all night long. We couldn’t have asked for a better DJ! Thank you DJ Jim and MBD!
Mandy P
5.0
MBD were easy to work with and very accommodating to set up all of our wedding day needs. Every little detail was perfect including the ceremony audio needs, dinner intros and spee...
ches, the dance floor lights, and of course the reception party. DJ Russ was fantastic. He went above and beyond. Can’t recommend Music By Design enough.
Kira S
5.0
John with Music by Design was the best DJ we could have asked for! He was professional, fun, and went above and beyond for us. Right before our outdoor ceremony, our glass containe...
rs for our sand unity ceremony blew off a table and shattered. When John heard about this, he worked with our best man to find replacement containers at our venue and reset the table. The table was reset so perfectly that we didn't even notice the original containers had broken! John had a flawless system for taking song requests. With our permission beforehand, he passed out papers during dinner where anyone who wanted to, could write down song requests. He met with our wedding party and told them to mark their requests with a star so he knew to prioritize them, which we loved! In addition to this, Music by Design had an extensive online platform where we were able to input all of our important event songs, our personal song requests, and our "do not play" songs. Several days before our wedding, we had a video call with John where he went over this list with us to make sure everything was accurate. With Music by Design's online platform and John's thorough walk through during our video call, we were confident the music was going to be perfect! And we were right. John has a talent for reading a crowd and playing music people want to hear. There was not a single moment that our dance floor was empty. He kept people dancing for nearly 4 hours! We couldn't be happier with our experience with John of Music by Design!
Elisabeth K
5.0
The staff at Music by Design was so easy to work with and made our planning so smooth with their online portal. Our DJ, Jim, was fantastic and we received so many positive comments...
throughout the night! He made sure the night ran on time, and made sure that all our requests were met. The photo booth was also amazing- the staff member working was so professional and organized. Highly recommend!
Maya C
5.0
We had Music By Design as our DJ at our wedding reception and they killed it! They were great to work with from the start. They answered all of our questions in detail and made it ...
super easy to input your song requests, timeline, and other important details on their online portal. Jim was our DJ and he was very friendly, and followed our timeline perfectly making sure we stayed on track with the grand entrance, speeches, first dances, and the bouquet toss. He did a fantastic job understanding the vibe of the night and playing great songs to keep the energy going. We were on the dance floor all night! We would definitely recommend MBD.
Emily L
5.0
The planning process with Music by Design was detailed and clear. Between the planning forms we filled out and the phone call with our DJ, we knew that everything would go smoothly...
. Our DJ, Eric, was very professional and followed all of our requests discussed during planning. He covered ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, and reception music smoothly. We definitely recommend Music by Design. Thank you!
Lisa A
5.0
We had an amazing experience working with Music By Design. From the initial choice to have them as our DJ company until the last moments of our wedding day, they were absolutely fl...
awless. We greatly appreciated their prompt response to any questions we had, making the music side of our wedding planning seamless. They were always so quick to respond and ensured we had all the answers we needed. Kevin, our DJ for both the ceremony and reception, was incredible! He was well-prepared with our music choices for the ceremony and also made sure we had the best music playing for our cocktail hour, dinner and reception. Kevin went above and beyond to make our day special. He was always available to answer any questions and his knowledge of Riverside Receptions, our venue, was truly helpful! Thank you, Music By Design and Kevin, for making our day so memorable!
Alexandra H
5.0
Highly recommend Jim! He was great and sat with us for over an hour when walking through our music choices prior to the wedding. You can tell he really cares about his craft and ev...
erything went great!
Rachel L
5.0
We loved working with Music By Design for our wedding this past September! They were always so prompt in responding when we had questions. We booked them for DJ and Photo Booth ser...
vices and the team knocked it out of the park! DJ Jim was AMAZING during all aspects of our wedding, from ceremony, to our private last dance. Our dance floor was never empty because of how awesome he was! He also was so helpful in the flow and timeline of the reception. He made everything move so smoothly. We loved our photo booth attendants too who helped our guests create long lasting memories that we get to keep too! Highly recommend booking with Music By Design!
Rian H
5.0
Stephen was our DJ and he kept the dance floor full all night long, he was amazing to work with! We also had their Photo Booth services and we were extremely happy with the employe...
e they had helping out with that. We even walked out the door with a book full of all our guests photo booth pictures to keep. Everyone at Music By Design was attentive and easy to work with!
Nia S
5.0
Jim RAN THE SHOW! Literally amazing DJ and MC. He completely made our wedding stress free! Not only did every one of my guests note the great music and how they didn't leave the da...
nce floor all night, but he worked super closely with our videographer, photographer and us to make executive decisions that helped make our day stress free! I am so grateful for Jim! He was WONDERFUL!
Angela M
5.0
We used Music by Design for our wedding and they did a fantastic job!! They played all of the music that we requested and took requests from the audience as well. Our DJ was super ...
friendly and funny and he helped us throughout the evening with our schedule. We got a lot of compliments from our guests on how much fun they had during the dancing portion and that they loved all of the music that was played. I was a little nervous at first hiring a DJ instead of a band, but honestly it does not make a difference and I would always choose a DJ going forward. We had an amazing night, thanks to our DJ!
Jon P
5.0
We had Kevin as our DJ for our wedding and he was incredible! The dance floor was so fun all night long. He knew how to play to our crowd. Communication with Music By Design was wo...
nderful and the planning form was amazing. Highly recommend MBD and Kevin!
Jessica W
5.0
We booked Music by Design as our DJ for our June 2024 wedding and could not have been happier. Our DJ, Jim, was awesome. He was so attentive and responsive to everything that day, ...
including starting the party early when the kids were ready to dance during dinner! As the night went on, he knew exactly what to play to keep the party going until the end, mixing our requests, guests requests and what he could tell we responded to in the moment. I would absolutely recommend MBD for your wedding DJ.
Roxanne M
3.0
I wished we had gotten Dave, who was our originally assigned DJ. The overall planning process was great. The team was very nice and easy to work with. Our DJ did not come with high...
energy as I had requested on the DJ planning forms. He came and did a job, we tipped him appropriately. The photo booth attendant was great. She received the same tip as the DJ for a lot fewer hours worked. We didn’t request a ton of songs as our “must play” and we made it clear that we wanted him to direct the party appropriately. We gave him the creative ability so to speak, and our music ended up being the biggest thing that I regretted on our wedding day.
My advice is, if you’re expecting a high energy DJ, make sure it’s communicated and in writing. The DJ’s job is to hype the group. Not to treat it as though it’s a retirement party. (Unless you’re hiring them for a retirement party, of course).
Kelsey W
5.0
Our DJ, Stephen was amazing! The ceremony was flawless and we got so many compliments on the sound quality and music. Our ceremony was outdoors but everyone could hear perfectly. O...
ur guests LOVED the reception music and the dance floor was full all night. Highly recommend!
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Music by Design
Nicolette Rohret
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Wedding vendors in Saint Charles
Music by Design
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