1. Do you provide a contract?
Yes, we provide a clear, concise, and complete contract that guarantees the services we promised at the rates we promised. It leaves nothing open to interpretation, which prevents misunderstandings for both parties.

Kemp Harshman, former legal aide to Ronald Reagan, currently of the American Disc Jockey Ass’n. states that “The presentation of information on your contract is superb - the best I have seen.”
We will honor a requested date for 5 days without a contract & retainer; our contracts are due back with signature within 5 days after your receiving them. However, if we have not yet received the contract & retainer and another client after you requests your date within those 5 days, we will, as a courtesy, let you know & reconfirm your reservation. This is because we cannot reserve any dates, times, or services without assurance of sincere intent; also because our product is a non-retractable service which is usually limited to weekends, usually creating a high demand for limited dates.

2. How can I reserve my event entertainment?
We require a 50% non-refundable booking fee along with a signed contract to hold any dates, times, and services. We simply cannot hold any dates, services, or entertainers without a contract & booking fee. We must operate on a first-come, first-served basis. We are serious about delivering our clients the quality, fun results they expect. Some companies do have lower retainers, but add on a postponement or cancellation surcharge that equates to our 50% retainer anyway. The remaining balance is due by check by 2 weeks prior to the event. This way we know the client is also committed to us and the client is also relieved of writing out checks or being distracted from the fun of the event.

We apologize for any inconvenience, but any event booked within 1 month of the event date or for an amount under $500 must be paid in full with the contract.

3. When should I call to book my event?
The plain answer is this - as early as you possibly can!
Remember - you are literally competing for time slots that once filled are simply no longer available. Be sure YOU get the date you want - be smart and book your event as soon as you have reserved your venue. After the venue is set, we should be the very next phone call you make.

We do not accept any bookings requested less than 2 weeks prior to the event date, no exceptions. Our experience has shown that those who book at the last minute cancel at the last minute.

4. Are you insured?
Yes, we are fully insured for $2 million dollar liability at all events & venues. Policy #042407AB0685;  Traveler's Insurance Company / Global Mobile. Many venues in the tri-state area now require all entertainment companies to carry liability insurance and will sometimes request a copy of our policy, which we readily provide to them. Most of our entertainers also have additional insurance policies on top of our primary one.

5. Why might your rates not be the lowest I have found?
The formula for “Best Value” is:
1. The best product at 2. The best price at which you can get that product.
We deliver that formula to you.

A good entertainer is not “cheap,” and a “cheap” entertainer is not good. It’s all relative. Our rates may not always be the lowest (or highest) for several reasons; namely, the caliber of our entertainers is purely professional, full-time talent. We believe we deliver a service superior to other companies and frankly we make sure we deliver a service that is worth our rate and more. We also very strongly recommend against hiring the cheap companies for the sake of your event’s success. Often I have heard disappointed clients tell me “Well, they were the cheapest, so I went with them….” You get what you pay for in life. We also happen to not be the most expensive, either.

6. Are your rates negotiable?
Our prices are based on operating expenses & fair pay to our top-knotch staff, whose reputation has brought you here to us. So our rates must remain steady for all clients.
We do not offer lower rates for "off-season" bookings, just as we do not charge increased rates for "prime-season" bookings.
We trust you will understand.

7. Do you charge extra for set up time, break down time, or charge tax?
We do not ever charge extra for regular set-up and break-down times. Since it is illegal for entertainment companies in NJ to charge tax, we, of course, do not.
(We are not, however, denied the priveledge of paying taxes on what we earn.)

8. What is your rain date / cancellation policy?
Studies show that having an event outdoors in NJ actually increases the chance of rain that day by 87.6%. Since we can’t control the weather and can’t re-book any event suddenly cancelled due to any reason outside of our control, our policy is that since we are not responsible for such factors, we are not required to refund or transfer any retainers or balances due. We do require a sturdy weatherproof 10 x 10” tent or similar shelter for any outdoor functions in order to protect our valuable equipment from damaging sun or rain.
We will provide this tent for $100.

9. What payment methods do you accept?

We accept personal & business checks, cashier's checks,

and money orders. For rush bookings, or payments indirectly by

credit card,  payment by PayPal is available:

1. You must first register for a free PayPal account at: https://www.paypal.com/
2. Click on "Send Money" Page:
   http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/ema/index-outside
3. Enter Payee's email address: brian@cosmic-entertainment.com and follow through payment procedure.
4. Please add a $25 handling fee to the total of your package price when you pay by PayPal. For example, if your contract states  a $1000 fee is due, and you are opting to pay by PayPal,  the actual total fee due is now $1025.
5. We request that you utilize a direct transfer from your bank account, or funds from your PayPal account balance. Credit cards are also acceptible, but will incur an additional [but avoidable] fee of 5% per transaction.
6. Seconds later, your payment is received & receipted via email, securing your reservation.

10. Do you have back-up equipment in case of mechanical failure?
Yes, we have 2 additional back-up systems with us at most events in case of unforeseen equipment malfunction. We have state-of-the-art professional equipment that we update regularly. Should the vehicle break down, we have AAA-Plus Roadside Service. Should the intended entertainer be unable to perform for any unavoidable reason, we can call for back up from any of the 3 local and national Associations to which we belong.

11. Will I get the same entertainer(s) I requested?
In 99% of cases, if you were promised a specific person, yes. Sometimes we are forced to juggle assignments between our entertainers but frankly anyone we employ is excellent or we don’t even have them onboard in the first place. We must and do, however, reserve the right to switch entertainers if we need to; but it virtually never happens. (About twice a year, if that.)

12. What time can we expect the entertainers to arrive at my event?
We are always punctual, except when we’re late. (Kidding!) For most events, we arrive about 1 hour before start time. For weddings, about an hour and a half to 2 hours before start time.

13. Will the entertainers be dressed & groomed appropriately for my event?
Yes, always. (But if the guests ask us to bring a pitcher of water to the table, we will not be amused...)

14. What exactly can your DJs do for us?
We provide every level of interaction from low-key background music appropriate for conversational mood-setting (such as a cocktail hour), all the way to an interactive Game Host or MC who will manage your entire event for you by running a myriad of fun games and/or line dances for your guests and coordinating the sequence & timing of each point of your program with the room captain, photographer, videographer, and staff at your venue. We adjust the energy, volume, and interaction accordingly at each event. Please be sure to look over our service options page, which describes the numerous entertainment options we offer for your event, whether for toddlers, teens, Mom & Dad, or Grandma & Grandpa. From Black Tie to Back Yard, we are your party solution!

15. Will you take requests at/for my event?
Yes, of course. We prefer that music suggestions be submitted prior to 2 weeks before the event, so that we can prepare or purchase any music we may not already possess, even though collectively our musical library far exceeds 100,000 songs. Ironically, to an extent, the more requests that are solicited, the more harm done to your event. That is not theory; that is fact. Requests taken by guests at your event are handled with an “if I have it, if I approve it, when I think it is appropriate” scenario in most cases. We usually honor about 80% of all requests and our policy is always to balance out requests with the DJ’s judgment, because some requests are perfect, but others are disastrously inappropriate. PS- Studies show that people who ask nicely are 482% more likely to hear their song than people who angrily demand it instantly from the DJ. (Just had to throw that in.)

16. Do you recommend a seating arrangement?
Glad you asked - yes! Always seat guests at least 20’ away from the speakers. Always seat elderly or older guests at the farthest seating away from the speakers and the youngest ones closest to them. This is because sometimes the volume needed to adequately sound the entire room might be unsuitable to those with more sensitive hearing if seated in front of the speakers. Younger people - kids especially - not only don’t mind, but they often like it louder than most others. What we don’t want, as DJs, is to be caught in a tug-of-war between “Turn it Down!” and “Turn it Up!”. Sometimes that’s what happens with ill-conceived seating arrangements.

17. How much space do you require?
We require a 6 x 10’ approximate area for our average DJ system and we recommend a 20 x 20’ space in front of the DJ booth to adequately run games and line dances. Dance floors / flat, clean-mowed lawns / parking lots can all usually be used for our activities. Certain space limitations can greatly reduce or even preclude our ability to deliver our best to you and if limitations are being forced upon us, we need to advise you of that clearly in advance.

18. Do you provide prizes, favors, and giveaways?
We certainly do, and we cannot overemphasize their importance as fun motivational factors for all events - especially children’s parties such as Communions, Sweet 16’s, Birthdays and Mitzvahs. They are great at weddings, too, when it’s time to cut loose (even if you think they are tacky, they still work!!!) We provide a varied array of giveaways such as glow necklaces, light-up items, inflatables, Mardi Gras beads, party hats, sunglasses, candy, key chains, maracas, and so much more. We offer Small ($100), Medium ($200), Large ($300), and Customized prize packages. We cannot, however, distribute anything we did not provide; so if a client wants to provide their own prizes, they are also responsible for inflating, unwrapping, and distributing them during each game and activity. (We do not recommend or provide loud noisemakers, Mom, so don’t worry about that.)

19. What is your overtime policy?
We are contracted to start and stop services at specific times. Should the event run overtime due to causes outside of our control, overtime charges will ensue. In the case of a client wishing to extend the party’s length, if we are able to provide an extension of services beyond our initially-contracted end time, we ask that you first tell us your intention to extend about 20 minutes prior to initial end time (so we don’t make false ending announcements, which can hurt the energy of the crowd); then, run it by the venue first, and if OK, we can be extended at $150 per hour paid in cash and in full upon extension. We cannot accept checks or credit cards for extensions.

20. Tell me about your Officiant - religion? will we meet before the wedding?
Our Chinese-speaking, American officiant is pastor of a nondenominational Christian church. You will meet with the officiant to discuss the meaning and the content of the wedding ceremony. See our About Your Officiant page for more information.

21. What about gratuities?
Although not required, gratuities for a job well done are customary & very sincerely appreciated. Bigger & more demanding events are usually tipped better than simpler, less demanding events, but we cannot tell a client how much to tip. Tips do typically run from around 10%. Again, it is not required, but it is customary & greatly appreciated for a job well done.
 
22. Why might there be a surcharge for certain bookings?
Certain surcharges may be applied to certain bookings for specific reasons. If a surcharge applies, it will be included on the contract and not hidden in any charges. Possible surcharges include, but are not limited to:

• Certain venues refuse to accomodate their constant flow of numerous vendors by providing ramps, elevators, or reasonably-located entry to their sites. Many venues understand the importance of teamwork between vendors & venues to create a successful event for their shared clients. Others simply do not care enough to make reasonable changes to their procedures. Certain venues are exceptionally difficult to load & unload the vast amount of equipment required to DJ events there. Due to such limitations, our workload is greatly increased at certain venues, and we must be compensated for it.
   
• Any event held directly on a major holiday
   
• Events requiring excessive travel / distance, etc.

For more information about surcharges, visit our Events page.

23. How long have you been in the entertainment business?
Cosmic Entertainment has been in business for 10 years, first in Hawaii, now in NJ. (Yeah, I know) All of our entertainers are entirely professional, and many of our entertainers have been performing well over a decade.