The Wedding DJ: Part 2

Well, I think we should jump right in and tackle the elephant in the room. The one conversations ever DJ struggles to explain because it feels like they are defending their life’s work. Her goes…

Why do DJ’s charge more for weddings compared to other events?

On the surface, an event may seem like another 4-hour event where a DJ hauls in their equipment, plays some songs and goes home. Well, in reality, weddings are very involved with lots of moving pieces and opportunities for errors that a typical event doesn’t have. For example, some parties I DJ clients don’t really care what I wear, and in other cases, I may not even need to speak I just come in and play music for 4 hours straight and go home; Someone calls me for a party, I get some necessary information, secure a deposit and the next time my client hears from me is when I let them know I am in route for the event. Conversely, weddings take at least three meets and sometimes as many as 5. For my style, this works perfectly fine for me and I already baked meetings into my total wedding package cost. Do you see where this is going yet? I’ll cover more about meetings in part 3 of this series.

Unfortunately, I believe the challenge is explaining to people that playing music is, in fact, a tangible product. It may not be a box of cookies that you can eat and take with you but soundwaves at events leave a lasting mental impression. And the skill your DJ SHOULD HAVE to set the mood and tone is at the heart of why you want a wedding DJ. Ask someone who decided not to with the price DJ and I am sure you may here a tail that is not so kind.

Preparation for a wedding takes hours of preparation well ahead of the wedding day. On the actual wedding day, I don’t do anything but rest. All the music and equipment has already been prepped and ready to go. Because of my DJ schedule, I typically complete the playlist a week ahead of time because I will usually have events the day before the wedding and do not want to wait until the last minutes to be prepared.

Here is a list of cost a DJ typically factors in to their estimate (in no specific order):

• A base hourly rate (Do I have to setup in two locations, bring lights and other hardware?)
• Gas, tolls, and valet (yes, valet. Parking is one less thing I want to worry about)
• Batteries for wireless microphones
• Music purchases to make the playlist current or a portion to cover record pool dues
• Dry cleaning for a tuxedo
• Tape – (gaffer tape is VERY expensive, by the way)
• Paying a helper for larger weddings
• A portion to cover equipment depreciation 
• Lodging for events that are hours away

I think what many people fail to realize because they only see a DJ for 4 hours, a wedding reception is every bit of an 8 to 10-hour day. DJ’s are often the first to arrive and last to leave. Usually coming 2 to 3 hours before the start of the event to get set up, tape all the wires down, move vehicle(s), change clothes, and start playing music before the doors of the event are open to help set the mood in the room. After the event DJ’s have to wait for the venue to clearout, and depending on the establishment you may have to wait for valet to wrap up before bringing your truck around to pack up your gear. Teardown takes about half the amount of time as it does to set up. So, if it took 3 hours to set up, it would take about 1.5 hours to tear down. Why is this important? Well, this may have an impact on the agreement with the reception venue. In some cases when the party ends at midnight, that means the entire room has to be empty before that time. 

Make no mistake. There are DJs, and then there are wedding DJs. Trust me on this one. Your favorite night club DJ probably won’t translate well into a wedding DJ if that is not the space they usually work in. Make sure you hire someone who is actively DJing weddings.

I can’t have this conversation without talking about the DJ who over charges. I am I made at them, nope! Get what you can get if someone is willing to pay you for it. The person doing the hiring should have an understanding of the going rate in the area if they seek three, or four bids. As always, check references and ask around with people you know and trust. The internet may not always be your friend. Always ask for a sample of there work. If they can proud anything, that should be a huge red flag that sets off bells and whistle in your head. If this is what they do, shouldn’t be a problem.

I am sure I am missing something. But. I will close with this. I want my wedding performance to be perfect. I spend way more time than I quote. I think it is even safe to say that if I truly charger for the energy I put in to weddings, no one would be able to afford me. I do this because I love it. The thrill of pleasing the crowd is amazing…when you get it right!

What is your time worth to you at your Job? Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Stay tuned for chapter 3.