How To Keep Costs Down When Hiring A Dj
Hiring a DJ doesnt have to cost a fortune! Here are some tips and tricks for keeping costs down:
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Go off-peak – Planning your event during the off-season means that the price of hiring a DJ will usually be lower as the demand will decrease.
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Reduce the number of hours – Most of the time you wont need a DJ for the entire event, so reducing the number of hours is an easy way to cut costs.
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Dont be afraid to haggle! – Some DJs may be willing to negotiate when it comes to pricing. Dont be afraid to ask for a different package option for a lower price if their rate is higher than your budget.
Con: Your Dj Will Be Happy To Shoulder A Lot Of The Responsibilities Of A Traditional Mc
But typically, your DJ will happily make any necessary announcements and act as a traditional MC. Perhaps when you’re going through the process of finding the right music entertainment for your reception, pick someone you’re confident would make a good master of ceremonies as well. That way, you get your MC and DJ for the price of one.
How Much Does A Wedding Dj Cost In 2021/2022
How much does a wedding DJ cost, and how much does the average wedding DJ cost? These are two of the top Google searches done by thousands of couples who are looking to hire a professional DJ company for their wedding.
The cost of a wedding in 2021/2022 is expensive. Pricing for every vendor is important, yet surprisingly, very few wedding vendors list their prices on their sites. We get it, service businesses are different, but it sure would be helpful to at least have a price range, or the average cost, when youre planning a wedding, in our opinion.
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Questions To Ask Your Wedding Dj Music & Entertainment Company
Remember, youre interviewing them, too, so feel free to ask Why should we hire your DJ company, versus the others? You can also ask, why do their professional wedding DJs cost the rate that they do? Hint: Their answer should not be based on all their great equipment, lighting, etc. Most people dont know the difference between D.J. equipment or lighting brands, so this is irrelevant.
The other common answer is their music library. Having a 500,000 song library to play music from is good, but your DJ will actually only play about 20 songs per hour, and those songs need to be your favorite songs, not the DJs favorites! Remember the goal is for you and your guests to have a good time.
Wedding Dj Cost Guide
Costs displayed in graph are based on spend from thousands of couples who recently reported pricing for this service within their WeddingWire review. Pricing varies based on factors including, but not limited to, vendors experience, level of expertise, event guest count, date, and geographic region.
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How To Choose A Wedding Dj
Pick a wedding DJ who meets the following requirements:
- They offer fair prices that fit within your budget.
- They have a high rating on Thumbtack.
- They have mostly positive customer reviews.
- They have a friendly personality.
- They’re professional and communicative.
- They’re familiar with the music genre you want them to play at your wedding.
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.
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How Much Does Wedding Music Cost
The amount youll spend on your wedding music will depend on what services you hire for your day. Think about the number of people involved in what you want. For example, a wedding DJ is a solo artist compared to an acoustic duo, or a four, six or even ten-piece band.
Generally, the average couple will spend $1,693 on their wedding music around Australia. Those in New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT can expect to spend a little over the national average, with those in other states coming in below average.
Heres where you can start your budget depending on what state youre in.
Victoria $1,738
Australian Capital Territory $1,821
Tasmania $1,281
Couples in the Northern Territory should use the average national spend as a guide for setting up your music budget.
What Equipment Do I Need To Provide
Wedding DJs will usually have their own decks, high-quality PA sound system, microphones, and many have disco lighting. The quality of their gear makes a big difference to the quality of the sound and experience they createmore expensive DJs are often the ones who have better equipment, with this investment in quality and experience reflected in their cost.
Always check with the DJ whether they need extra equipment for their performance, as often your wedding venue may be able to provide additional lights or PA speakers to enhance the experience.
Its important to check your venues license details they may have a cut-off time at which music will have to stop. In addition, its a good idea to ask the venue if they require the DJ to provide proof of Portable Appliance Testing for any electrical equipment brought on site. An up-to-date PAT certificate proves that equipment has been checked for safety within the last year.
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Bargain Djs $400 $900
Of course, there may be exceptions in each of these categories, but in general bargain DJs:
- Are Less Experienced
- Focus On Quantity Not Quality
- Are One-Person DJ Company
Most bargain DJs are amateurs or hobbyists that have a regular day job and provide wedding entertainment on weekends for fun. They may be genuinely passionate about what they do, but often arent as easy to reach and may not be available for all of the meetings and phone calls youd like to have when planning your big day. This lack of communication can add additional stress for you through the already hectic planning process.
Some of these lower-cost DJs are just starting out or are nightclub DJs who are inexperienced in the intricacies of announcing speeches, timing the music for a ceremony, reading a crowd and playing music for an audience of mixed ages and music tastes.
All that to say that they typically have less experience and knowledge of the specific skills that are required to ensure that your day is memorable and stress-free.
Its kind of like going to McDonalds they focus on feeding people as quickly and efficiently as possible. Get em in, get em out. Will you get what you order? Sure. Is it going to be a gourmet meal? Not a chance.
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Music Selection And Versatility
Whether youre planning to play oldies, country music, or rock n roll during your wedding reception, DJs have wide access to a huge range of songs. Today, most DJs play music digitally, which means they have even broader access to play a versatile range of songs. Plus, many DJ services allow the bride and groom to create their very own custom playlist. This means youll get to hear only the songs you love and be able to skip the ones you dont. Even if your music taste is unconventional, a quality DJ will be able to play a huge music selection for you. They can also take requests thanks to the ability to play virtually anything.
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How Much Does A Live Band For A Wedding Cost
However, a live band provides guests with an extremely memorable experience. We recommend working with a professional live wedding band simply because they’re expert musicians who have experience at weddingsâwhich means they know how to work the room. But that expertise does come at a price. According to an internal study, a live band at a wedding costs $3,700 . This price does vary a great amount, as it can depend on a multitude of factors such as number of band members, hours booked and equipment required. While the price tag may be higher than that for a DJ, couples still love to have live bands at their wedding. Per our data, nearly 15 percent of couples who wed in 2019 had a live band play at their reception.
A major pro of a wedding band is that you and your guests will get to enjoy live music all night long. While you may be limited artist-wise, live bands are extremely well-versed in different genres. They can create a set of upbeat dance songs and romantic slow songs so that you have the reception of your dreams. Plus, most wedding bands are willing to learn any special requests . Not only will they provide an unforgettable set, these talented musicians will also help keep the energy of the room up.
How To Choose The Right Dj For Your Wedding
A DJ will be a focal point of your wedding, talking to your guests, introducing the newlyweds and making announcements. You want to make sure theyre comfortable doing this, and that you feel comfortable with them.
You also want to find a DJ who can play your special requests, those songs that bring back special memories and hold emotional meaning for you, as these songs are the key to making your wedding day personal to you.
At the same time, you need someone who can play a range of music that will appeal to guests of different ages and musical tastes, including classic and modern party hits, so that all of your guests can enjoy a good boogie. By all means, give your DJ a list of your favourite tracks but leave the rest up to them. With an experienced DJ booked for your wedding, you can relax knowing that youre in safe hands.
If your wedding has a theme, such as the Swinging Sixties, 70s disco, 80s electro, House, Northern Soul, Motown or Swing Music, it would be better to find a DJ who specialises in that particular era or genre. If you want a mix of genres and standard party hits, most wedding DJs can offer this. For something a bit different, some DJs even have musicians such as a saxophonist or violinist playing along with their tracks!
And of course, the best way to get a good deal is to find a local wedding DJ for hire – just use our search function or request a quote to find the right one for you.
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Questions To Ask Before Booking Your Dj
Interviewing potential vendors is like going on an awkward first date you both hope there’s chemistry, but it can be confusing to know exactly what to say . Follow our new “10 Questions to Ask…” blog series with experts from each field who will break it down for you step-by-step. I’ll share hard-earned real bride advice along the way, so you know how to spot the best vendor for your needs. This week, contributors DJ Kev Sakoda from Scratch Weddings and Vito Namio at Dash of Class Entertainment show you how to scout an amazing DJ.
1. Is this your full-time business? Are weddings your primary focus? What clubs, lounges, and corporate clients have you performed for in addition to weddings?
Determine whether they are a well-rounded, successful entertainer who can bring a level of expertise and versatility to your event. “You want to ensure that your DJ isn’t a one-dimensional part-timer, but a true performer whose had varied and extensive experience performing in front of different audiences,” said DJ Kev Sakoda. It’s fine if your prospective DJ mainly focuses on weddingsDJ Vito Namio performs at well over 100 per yearas long as they squeeze in some time for other types of parties as well.
2. How do you customize the music experience for each couple? Can you help with song lists and providing suggestions?
3. How do you get the crowd pumped?
4. How do you handle song requests?
Read more about song requests here!
9. What other services do you offer ?
The Average Cost Of A Wedding Dj
Based on our research, it was more or less impossible to come to a true average cost for a wedding DJ if we factored in all of the variables. However, there were definitely patterns and trends that can be averaged to come up with some basic pricing averages:
- The Average Cost of a Wedding DJ is $1600-$2200 in a major metropolitan area is for an experienced professional or a large company with a solid reputation. This only covers the DJ and equipment for 4-6 hours of music and does not included lighting or any other services.
- The Average Cost of a DJ for a Wedding is $1400-$2000 in smaller cities for an experienced professional DJ or a large company with a solid reputation. Again, this was only for DJ services and nothing else.
- The Average Price of a Wedding DJ in rural areas or less affluent cities with a low cost of living is $1000-$1600. As above, this was for DJ only and no other services.
- The average cost of a DJ is lower if factoring in the free or nearly free bottom feeder DJs on sites like Craigslist or Thumbtack who serve low-expectation clients. We removed them from our data for our research because they arent a factor in any market, and there is no way to tell how many of them there are in a given area presumably because they are constantly going out of business, but we cant say for sure.
- The cost of a wedding DJ is higher if they include additional services like lighting, photo booths, etc.
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