HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU SPEND ON A PROFESSIONAL DJ? Well, let’s put it this way….the bad ones are a dime a dozen! It couldn’t be more true that, “you get what you pay for” when it comes to hiring a professional DJ. In reality, the difference in actual price between a bargain DJ and a professional DJ is relatively small compared to the overall cost of planning a wedding. Couples will think nothing of spending $80 to $200 per person for food and drinks, and then turn around and bargain-hunt for the cheapest entertainment that they can find, often spending less than 5% of the total cost of the wedding on entertainment. Your guests are likely to remember only one thing about your wedding when they leave: Did they have a good time? Investing 8-10% of your wedding budget on your DJ is actually a great value, considering that he accounts for 80% of the responsibility of a successful wedding reception. Bear in mind that the average cost of a vegetable tray for appetizers is $700-$800! Ask any bride and groom and they will tell you that the entertainment value of your wedding reception is worth far more than a vegetable tray. When deciding how much you can afford for entertainment, first think about how much you can afford to lose if your entertainment is poor or mediocre. Look for professionals and expect to pay them what they’re worth. A great DJ that is able to handle all the responsibilities discussed in this report will undoubtedly cost more than one who cannot live up to these strenuous expectations. The Pricing “Game” Pricing professional DJs can be a tricky thing. A lot of DJs will take advantage of the fact that couples have little or no experience in shopping for a professional DJ. Therefore, they will create a number of confusing packages for you to choose from, knowing full-well that you will have a difficult time distinguishing between them. They do this by charging extra for the tools that should be basic for a successful evening, things like proper equipment, lights, travel expenses, etc. A reputable DJ company will understand and sympathize with your lack of experience in hiring their services. A good DJ company will make it easy for you to understand exactly what you are going to get, for how much, and for how long. The ideal company will offer one, all inclusive package! It is also important to understand how professional DJs set their rates. DJs work on supply and demand, much like a vacation spot or travel activity. They set their prices based on availability. Expect to pay the most during the busy wedding season of May through October, as well as for Saturdays, the busiest wedding day of the week. In contrast, the period of November through April is a slower time of year for weddings and Fridays and Sundays are the slowest days of the week. Having a wedding during the slow months or on the less-used days of the week can save you money in almost every area of your wedding, not just on the entertainment. So, how much? If your DJ costs less than your vegetable tray, then you’ve got a problem! In the Metro Atlanta area, expect to pay anywhere from $900 to $3000 for a professional DJ who you can have confidence in to make your wedding a complete success. The price may be less during the “off” season. The actual price will depend on several factors, including day and date of the wedding, duration of event, equipment needs, etc. Again, it is best to find a company that offers one, all-inclusive package. Most importantly, only consider a company that will stand behind its promises. DJs can talk a great game – that’s what they do – a professional that you can trust will be able to back up his word and shouldn’t feel apprehensive about doing so. Is it worth it? Consider how much it would cost you to: Rent $10,000 of sound & lighting gear? ($850) Hire someone to deliver it, set it up, and then tear it down at the end of the evening? ($250) Download and / or buy just the bare minimum of the music you would need including cocktail, dinner & dance music ($200) Hire a professional Master of Ceremonies? (Professional speaking is one of the highest paid professions in the world…a minimum of $400) Hire a professional disc jockey to just play & mix the music? ($200) Hire “on-call” backup services in case of emergencies? ($200) That totals over $2100.00! How much is your wedding reception worth to you? The difference between a “bargain DJ” and a professional wedding DJ that stands by his word is relatively small. Too many newlyweds wished they had spent a few extra dollars on their DJ when at 10:00pm on their wedding night two-thirds of their guests have already left. The best way to determine the reputability of your DJ is to call references. Some DJs will have a list of references that they will gladly give you to call. However, these will either be hand-picked couples or, worse, people who’ve never actually hired the DJ. A professional DJ is booked almost every weekend during the busy season, so ask the DJ for the phone number of a couple from a random date to call for a reference. Any company that balks at this is most likely hiding something. A good DJ will feel confident that every wedding they’ve done was of the highest quality. Stay away from DJs who will allow you to check up on them at someone else’s wedding. First off, it is VERY unprofessional to invite strangers to a private reception. Secondly, if a DJ is willing to be distracted at someone else’s wedding to talk to you; he will also indulge in this unprofessional manner at your wedding reception. Plus, you will never get a complete picture of the DJ’s abilities by spending a few minutes standing in the corner at a stranger’s wedding. It is what you DON’T see that will hurt you, such as, if was he on time, if he was prepared and organized, if he pronounced everyone’s name correctly, etc. More than one of the brides from the watched their DJ at a stranger’s wedding and later regretted it by saying, “I went and saw him and he looked like he was doing fine.” This type of “preview” can only give a false sense of security about your DJ’s abilities. Getting What You Want To help you in finding the right DJ for your wedding, here is a list of questions you should ask to ensure you are dealing with a professional who can get the job done right. Questions to Ask when interviewing a DJ (and the right answers!) How long have you been in business? ( At LEAST 7 years! ) How many DJs do you employ? ( Make sure there is enough to guarantee a DJ is on-call.) How many weddings has my DJ performed at? ( Minimum of 100. ) Will the DJ also be my Master of Ceremonies? ( Yes. ) Does the DJ work with the photographers and wedding coordinators? ( Yes. ) Are we allowed to submit our own music list and will you play it? ( Yes, Yes, Yes.) What attire will you wear to the wedding? ( A suit ) How big is your music collection? (At least 20,000 songs. ) What type of sound system do you use? How old is it? (Newer, professional-grade gear. ) Is there someone to replace the DJ in case of emergency? ( Yes. He will be prepared and standing by. ) Will you bring back-up gear to ? ( Absolutely. ) How long in advance does the DJ arrive to the reception hall? ( a minimum of 1 ½ hours. ) Are you insured? (Do not hire a company that doesn’t have at least $1,000,000 of coverage.) Will we receive a personal consultation with our DJ prior to the wedding date ? ( Yes. ) Do you require a security deposit? How much? ( Usually about one half of the contracted price.) Do you accept major credit cards? ( Yes. This signals a professional & reputable company. ) How much do you cost? ( Stay away from “bargain” DJ’s!) How many hours does that include? (As many as you need.) How much for each additional hour? Does that include all the gear, such as lights and equipment? (Everything is included.) Will the DJ require a meal? ( It’s usually standard to feed the DJ and photographers.)
Posted on: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 15:00:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015