What About Budget Djs
You may be able to find a âbudgetâ DJ for a suspiciously low rate. Ever heard the saying, âIf it seems too good to be true, it probably is?â
DJs that charge just a few hundred dollars donât have the skills, the experience, or the equipment necessary to provide a good experience for you or your guests. They usually donât have a backup DJ in case of an emergency, and they donât have backup equipment if something gets broken.
And itâs not only about getting your dance floor moving. How would you feel if it was your grand entrance moment, and the DJ played wildly inappropriate music? Thatâs what happened to this poor bride, who had to stop her processional.
Or what about a DJ thatâs so unorganized that they leave you and your new spouse standing awkwardly on the dance floor for over a minute while they look for your first dance music? One couple learned how it felt first hand. When the DJ couldnât find the song, they started playing something else…only to start it over when they finally did find the right track. Warning: this wedding DJ fail is super cringey.
A DJ who doesnât pay attention to detail can majorly mess up your all-important wedding milestones, from the ceremony to the first dance to the cake cutting. They can also ruin the vibe of your day, drinking on the job, looking unkempt, making inappropriate comments â there are dozens of ways a âcheapâ DJ can wreck your wedding.
How Much Does A Wedding Dj Cost In Chicago
Your wedding day is going to be one of the most important days of your life. Unfortunately, it is probably going to be one of the more expensive days of your life as well. You will need to stick to a budget. As a general rule of thumb The Knot recommends you allocate 8-10% of your wedding budget to music and entertainment. You will invariably ask yourself How much does a wedding DJ cost anyway?. To cut directly to the chase, the average cost of a professionalwedding DJ in Chicago will range around $1,200 to $1,600 for basic services. Additional time, sound equipment, lighting, etc. will cost extra.
Beginner Wedding Dj Cost: $350
Lets begin this by stating that a DJ in this price range is most likely a beginner or part time hobbyist. And, you should base your budget on what kind of experience you want at your wedding reception. Honestly, if your budget falls into the $350-$700 range, you may consider re-adjusting your budget or just relying on a friend to play music on their I-Pod for your reception. Rather than depend on an inexperienced person who probably doesnt know what they are doing. Did you ever see the video on youtube of the worse DJs? The kind that shows up in dirty jeans and a t-shirt or worse.ah.just google worse DJ ever..it will be worth the 2 minutes. Often times, something becomes trendy in society that doesnt make much sense.
Suddenly its a great idea to use an I Pod with a set of rented equipment. This is not really a good idea. DJing is far more than pushing play on an I Pod..when you hire a professional Erie DJ, you are hiring talent, experience, and creativity. Most importantly, hiring a DJ who is a member of the ADJA will provide a fantastic night without those ugly little hidden surprises. A great DJ will offer more than entertainment, they will provide confidence that your wedding will be an event that you and your guests will never forget.
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Costly Mistakes People Make When Hiring A Wedding Dj
Your wedding day is something youve been planning for a long time. Youve taken special care to ensure that it is magical, unique, and everything youve ever dreamed. Whether formal and modern, or laid-back and original, your wedding will be one of the most important days of your life.
Planning your event can be stressful, but it is also fun and exciting! While preparing for your big day, you want to make sure you have thoroughly examined every detail and made the right decision for you and your soon-to-be spouse.
Throughout the planning process, youve booked photographers, caterers, venues, and so much more. You carefully check each item off of your wedding to-do list, and you make sure to follow up on references, reviews, and face-to-face meetings. Choosing the right DJ for your Minnesota wedding is as essential as all the other planning decisions youve made. The DJ will help set the tone for the reception and personify your style.
When selecting a DJ, you might wonder what factors to consider. Youve been looking forward to this day for so long, finding the DJ that matches your style as a couple is essential to pulling off a fantastic wedding and reception. Avoiding certain mistakes when hiring your wedding DJ will help ensure your day is everything youve hoped. Here is a list of nine common and costly mistakes people can easily avoid by choosing Adagio DJ Entertainment.
1. Lack of Experience
2. Choosing the Cheapest DJ You Can Find
3. Not Finding the Right Fit
Size Of Wedding Party
The size of your wedding party is a critical factor in determining the question of how much a DJ should cost. For everyone to be able to hear the announcements during the festivities, the DJ may require extra speakers, microphones and extension cords to set them all up.
If the wedding ceremony or cocktail hour is outdoors and further away from a power source, they may need to bring a generator to supply their own power. Besides, outdoor weddings require some shelter to protect your guests and the DJ’s expensive equipment in case of unexpected rain. Renting a deluxe tent for your wedding usually starts at rates around $500.
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What Does A Professional Wedding Dj Actually Do
Great wedding DJs are a lot more than disk jockeys who simply play music. They are aces at helping your wedding go smoothly. They will help you create and stick to a timeline. They will keep the mood going from the ceremony to cocktail hour and through the reception. They make stellar introductions and direct guests to where their attention should be at a given time.
Most DJs will have their own database for you to record your favorite songs, must-have playlists, and songs to avoid. You can also provide them with your wedding party names and any other announcements youd like them to handle. The right DJ can advise on the best flow and timing for the first dance, father-daughter dance, and mother-son dance as well as things like the cake cutting, toasts, and bouquet toss.
And, of course, a DJ creates a great dance party! Good DJs know how to keep the mood going with a balance of upbeat and slow songs. Theyll also be the one to announce things such as last call and offer information about your transportation and after-party.
Plus, professional wedding DJs are used to coordinating with other wedding vendors. They can talk to your officiant about microphones and work with your wedding planner on , for example.
What Is Included In A Wedding Dj’s Price
If youre feeling some sticker shock at wedding DJ prices, remember theres a lot more to a wedding DJs role in your wedding day than simply showing up to your reception and playing music. Heres a list of what a wedding DJs cost includes:
- Time: Not only does the cost of a wedding DJ include the hours he or she will be performing at your wedding, it also includes the time it takes for your music pro to prepare for your big day. Before your wedding, your DJ will spend time creating your playlist and a unique script for your wedding. And on your wedding day, your DJ will travel, set up, perform, and break downnote that if he or she has to travel a long distance to your wedding, you may incur an additional charge.
- Equipment: The last thing you want on your wedding day is for your DJs equipment to breakso part of a DJs fee goes to purchasing and maintaining the most up-to-date equipment including speakers, microphones, and more.
- Music: Its trueyour DJ actually has to buy his or her music, and you certainly want to make sure that he or she has lots of songs from which to choose!
- Operational costs and insurance: These include things like paying rent on an office, business licenses, and marketing costs. Youll also want to make sure that your DJ is insuredthis protects you, your DJ, and your venue in the unlikely event that equipment is damaged or someone is injured due to your DJs equipment.
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How Can You Save Money On Wedding Entertainment
Tight budgets are perfectly normal. In the end, what matters most is the love and the I dos.
If you are looking for ways to save money on your wedding entertainment, here is a list of wedding budgeting tips:
Hire A DJ Over A Band
With respect to the great energy that bands bring, how much a DJ does cost will be significantly less than wedding band prices. Due to the gear and crew size, a band can cost at least $3000 more than a DJ, even more in southern California.
Pick The Right Wedding Date
Even the more expensive DJs offer discounts for weddings scheduled for the off-season. As you go from November to February, rates can be very feasible due to the low demand for weddings. The same can be said for weddings March-October if the wedding falls on a Friday, Sunday, or even a Thursday.
Limit Entertainment Hours
The longer the DJ performs, the higher the cost. There are unique ways to shorten the performance time. One example is not using the DJ and their sound gear at the ceremony. This is easy if you have a small guest size and a professional officiant who can command a room. Also, ending your party and entertainment when the bar closes is a money saver and a smooth move if you want to end your party on a high note.
Do Some Research
Extra Wedding Dj Costs That Are Unacceptable
There are many wedding DJ charges that make up a basic wedding DJ package price.
However, in my opinion, you should never be charged an additional fee for a service that is required for a DJ to perform the most basic duties of their job.
With that said, Im going to cover the services that I think you should not pay extra for as well the services that should have additional fees attached to them.
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What Does A Wedding Dj Cost
If youre in the midst of wedding planning, youve probably noticed that prices are all over the map. You dont want to blow your budget, but neither do you want to ruin your wedding by hiring the cheapest professional DJ.
There are a TON of wedding DJs in the Orlando area alone how do you know which ones are the best value? How much does a wedding DJ cost?
The average cost of a wedding DJ is around $1,000, but this doesnt reflect the wide range of prices youre likely to see while planning your event. In reality, youll see DJ companies charging anywhere from $800 up to $4,500.
The aim of this DJ cost guide is to help you discover the type of services you can expect from wedding DJs at varying price points and how to find a DJ that you feel comfortable with on your big day.
Additional Equipment Or Services
Many DJ companies offer add-on lighting and special effects for use during the wedding ceremony or reception. If your DJ needs to use additional DJ software, create complex special effects, or have access to specialized DJ equipment, it’s likely to increase the price. Heres Afino Entertainment’s pricing for common add-on options:
- Two CO2 cannons : $600
- Black lights: $40 per light
- Custom image projection: $250
- Fog machine: $200 Costs may also be affected if the couple requests music or sound effects that the DJ has to download or seek out beyond his or her existing music library.
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Wedding Dj Price Factors
Not only does a DJ serve as the master of the wedding ceremony and cocktail hour by making the appropriate announcements at just the right times, such as the first dance, but they also help to read a crowd and understand when to change the music to keep everyone happy and enjoying the dance party.
The main DJ pricing factors are your location, the size of your venue, the length of time they perform, what kind of equipment they use, their level of experience, and how many add-on services you request. The larger the entertainment company is, the more additional perks they can add to your celebration.
What To Ask Wedding Djs
Ask the following questions to find the right DJ for your wedding.
- What services do they offer? If you want special equipment, complex special effects, music festival-style lighting, or certain music production elements, make sure that they offer those services.
- What styles of music would you like them to play? From slinky dinner jacket jazz to New York hip hop to Canadian pop , no genre is too obscure. Just make sure they’re a part of your DJ’s library or that they’re willing to include a few of your music files. Share a playlist or mp3 files of the songs you absolutely need to hear at the reception or when you jump on the dance floor.
- Do they provide all of their own DJ equipment? Typically DJs provide the pa system, channel mixer, direct-drive turntables, CDJ and DJ headphones. It never hurts to double-check if they need any additional items before the big day.
- How much do you charge? Always ask the DJs you’re considering how much they will charge for your wedding. Ask them to provide a price breakdown so you understand exactly how the costs are determined.
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How Much Does It Cost To Hire A Wedding Dj
A recent WeddingPlanner.co.uk survey of 100 couples showed that 60% had hired or were planning to hire a wedding DJ. This was more than double the number going for a party band which demonstrates that a wedding DJ remains the current popular choice for wedding entertainment at the party.
With DJs usually costing significantly less than party bands this isn’t particularly surprising but how much are you actually looking at spending if you want to hire a DJ?
As with most suppliers, the price brackets vary signficantly so below we’ve broken down what you can expect depending on your budget.
Why book a DJ?
If you’re still thinking you don’t need a DJ or any sort of wedding entertainment it’s worth keeping in mind the role the DJ plays at the wedding. Not only do they often take on the roll as MC and provide all the mics for the speeches, they’re also there to get the party started. If you just press play on a spotify playlist, you may have a bunch of great tunes ready to go but a DJ is there to respond to the crowd, understand what’s getting everyone up and dancing and make sure the party keeps going right until the very end! Managing the music yourself can be risky and ensuring someone else is in charge of making sure you’ve got the right, party atmostphere is a weight off your shoulders. Just like we recommend with your musicians, you should try and book your DJ 7-8 months before your wedding date as they do get booked up fast.
How much does a wedding DJ cost?
£300 – £400
