Wedding showers are such a fun and exciting way to celebrate your upcoming wedding. However, planning a wedding shower can also be expensive. With that said, I’d like to share my Top 10 Wedding Shower Savings Tips to help reduce your unnecessary expenses.
Top 10 Wedding Shower Savings Tips
Outdoor Wedding Showers
Having your shower outdoors can have many benefits. If you’re limited on space indoors, you can expand your shower space outside. If you’re on a budget, this can also save you money on having to rent a banquet hall.
In addition, for around $300 to $400 you can usually rent a party tent with tables, chairs and linens for approximately 50 to 60 guests. Plus you instantly expand your overall seating space by several hundred square feet in a very inexpensive way.
DIY Wedding Shower Decorations
This is one of my favorite wedding shower savings tips for many reasons. A wedding shower is usually a more casual environment than a wedding reception. This may allow the opportunity to save extra money with Do-It-Yourself decorations.
I also recommend that couples spend some time on Pinterest. It’s a lot of fun and you will find many great DIY ideas for decorating your shower and wedding on a budget.
Have Guests Bring a Dish To Pass
“Potlucks” are so much fun. They will also help you save a ton of hard-earned cash. Plus it’s always nice when all of the guests get to play an active role at any party.
With that said, if you really want to take this wedding shower savings tip to the next level, you can request some guests to bring desserts, and others bring the drinks, appetizers and so on. Now you’ve got all of the food and drinks covered!
Bring Your “A” Game
In addition to having guests bringing a dish to pass, you can ask a few of them to bring their favorite party games. There are also tons of free and inexpensive party games online that you can incorporate as well. Plus many outdoor games cost little to nothing at all.
Go Digital
Using digital and online invitations is another great way to lower your wedding shower costs. One of the most common ways people send out invitations without spending a dime is through Facebook groups. In addition, there are other digital/online invitation companies like Evite and Punchbowl that you can use to invite your guests for less!
Assistance Please
This wedding shower savings tip will probably save you the most money. With that said, I think it is so important to ask for some help hosting your wedding shower. First, there’s a very good chance a friend or family member will gladly host the shower at their home.
You can also ask the members of your wedding party to help out in any way possible. In addition, it’s perfectly acceptable to see if people outside of your wedding guest list will donate their time and resources.
Skip The Alcohol
Just kidding. Off to more wedding shower savings tips we go!
DIY Party Favors
In addition to do-it-yourself decorations, you can make your own party favors. It’s important to note that pre-assembled gift bags or baskets are very expensive. You are far better off buying your favors separately and packaging all of them together yourself along with those helping you.
Buy in Bulk
We all know that we usually spend less when we buy in bulk. However, in my 10 years of servicing events, I am surprised at how many people don’t do it.
In my experience, wholesale clubs are the best place to buy in large quantities. Furthermore, if you want to avoid purchasing a membership, one of your guests might be so kind as to use theirs and you can reimburse them for the items purchased.
Shorten the Guest List
This wedding shower savings tip will reduce your costs in many ways. If you invite only your closest friends and family members, you will save on almost every wedding shower expense. You will need less food, drink and even space need for your shower.
Hello! My name is Tony Coppola and I’d like to take this time to tell you a little bit about myself and CC King Entertainment.
I began my musical journey when I was 12 years old as a singer and drummer. Ten years ago, I built a home recording studio and named it CC King Studio. Shortly after, I DJ’d my first wedding and CC King Entertainment was born!
After DJing hundreds of weddings, my business allowed me to leave my 16 year career as an occupational therapist. I ALWAYS go the extra mile to personalize my wedding services and I have the distinct honor to work with an amazing team of Michigan wedding DJs.
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Best Wedding DJ Questions
We have all heard the saying, “Your DJ will make or break your wedding.” With that said, it’s important to ask the best wedding DJ questions to ensure you hire the perfect DJ for your big day.
So without further ado, I have listed below the top 10 questions you should ask the DJ during the interview process.
Best Wedding DJ Questions
1. Do you charge for set up and tear down?
Most weddings are about 6 hours long. A DJ may charge an hourly or flat rate.
However, depending on the number of services, your DJ and his or her staff may need about 2 to 4 hours to set up and 1 to 3 hours to tear down.
That is roughly 5 extra hours of service for set up and tear down that might be added to your DJ bill.
That could possibly be a large dollar amount or none at all. The main thing is to be sure you ask your wedding DJ about this possible charge so it does not come as a surprise.
2. Do you take requests?
The obvious answer to this question should always be YES. Can you believe that some wedding DJs don’t take requests?
This is a question that is often overlooked because most people assume that all DJs should.
You will also want to ask if there are additional fees charged to cover the costs of the DJ downloading your requested music.
It is very rare that a DJ will charge a music downloading fee, but it is still a good idea to ask.
If taking requests, your DJ will want to make sure they can get a Wifi connection at the banquet hall, just in case they need to download a song on-the-spot.
Your DJ should make these arrangements with the hall manager prior to your wedding.
3. Will you have a DJ assistant with you?
I personally do not like to have a DJ assistant with me for the entire evening.
They sort of “cramp my style” and I feel like they get in the way more than they help.
I do however recommend that wedding DJs have assistants to help with the setup and tear down.
This will ensure that all equipment is ready to go in a timely manner and torn down to meet the rules of the banquet hall related to closing time.
4. Will you invite prospective clients to my wedding?
This is one of the best wedding DJ questions to ask.
It addition to reading the DJs reviews, prospecting clients often ask if they can check out the DJ performing at a wedding prior to hiring them.
There is nothing wrong with people asking this because it’s a very fair and understandable request.
However, you will want to make sure that your DJ does NOT invite anybody outside of your specific guest list.
I have heard countless stories of a prospecting client swearing to “just peek through the wedding hall door” but somehow end up being a distraction to the DJ.
Yes, this does happen and the bottom line is your wedding is an exclusive event for your invited guests only. Your DJ must honor that.
5. Do you have videos of weddings you have DJd?
CAUTION: Videos can often be misleading. I personally love it when I see video footage taken from a smartphone that is under-produced.
Why? Because it’s an indication that you are viewing authentic video footage of the DJ performing at a wedding.
Beware of stock videos that were purchased or overproduced videos where everything looks scripted and rehearsed.
6. Can we meet our DJ prior to hiring him or her?
The necessity of asking this question may be of personal preference. I have booked several weddings via email without even speaking to anybody.
Personally, I think it’s important to meet your wedding DJ in person before hiring them. A DJ’s personality is such a HUGE factor in the art of DJing.
If you hold a meeting with the DJ, I would advise you to take note of a couple of things.
Do they talk too much? Why? Because this is often a red flag that they might talk too much on the microphone during your wedding.
Also, take notice of how they dress. Do they pay attention to detail? Are they a slob?
Always remember, if they look like a mess, then it a good chance they might make a mess out of your wedding too.
7. Do you have backup equipment?
This is another one of the best wedding DJ questions I am asked most frequently.
The obvious answer is of course YES. However, you should also ask if the DJ has a backup for EVERY piece of equipment?”
For some strange reason, a lot of DJs think backup equipment means throwing an extra speaker in the car. No, we also want back up mixers, microphones, computers, cables and amplifiers.
Your DJ should basically have an entire second DJ setup on hand because if any one of these components fails, it could spell disaster if they are not prepared.
I have DJ’d hundreds of weddings and I have had to resort to backup equipment many times.
I have always had what I needed because I have what I call a “backup for the backup.”
Make sure your DJ is one that is prepared to handle any and every unexpected equipment failure.
8. What will you be wearing to our wedding?
This is another one of the best wedding DJ questions you should ask.
Surprisingly, I have been asked this question only a few times. It is never to be assumed that your wedding DJ will dress in formal clothing for your wedding.
I have seen DJs wearing a T-shirt, tennis shoes and jeans while servicing a wedding.
Everybody has their own style, but I recommend you ask this question if you have a preference for what your DJ wears.
Furthermore, the standard wedding DJ attire should consist of dress shoes, dress pants, a vest or suit jacket and tie.
9. Will you drink alcohol while DJing our wedding?
The answer to this must be NO. The reasons as you can already imagine are countless, so I will just make this one short and sweet.
If the wedding DJ you are considering says anything other than NO politely say “Thank you for your time, have a great day and goodbye.”
10. Do you have DJ insurance?
The answer to this question must be YES. We have all seen the YouTube videos of wedding bloopers.
We also know that accidents are never planned.
The financial investments made to make a wedding a great success are massive.
You will want to protect your investment by making sure that ALL of your wedding vendors have insurance.
Most accidents occur when vendors are setting up and tearing down their equipment.
Furthermore, it is a great idea to have an appointed person be present at the banquet hall during vendor set up and tear down to keep an eye on things.
Thank you for reading “Best Wedding DJ Questions”
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Hello! My name is Tony Coppola and I’d like to take this time to tell you a little bit about myself and CC King Entertainment.
I began my musical journey when I was 12 years old as a singer and drummer. Ten years ago, I built a home recording studio and named it CC King Studio. Shortly after, I DJ’d my first wedding and CC King Entertainment was born!
After DJing hundreds of weddings, my business allowed me to leave my 16 year career as an occupational therapist. I ALWAYS go the extra mile to personalize my wedding services and I have the distinct honor to work with an amazing team of Michigan wedding DJs.
Contact Us
Tip the DJ at Your Wedding?
There are many factors to consider when deciding how much to tip the DJ at your wedding. It is possible you may not want to tip them at all.
Furthermore, a wedding DJ’s upfront charge can be very expensive and they should never assume they are going to get a tip without working for it.
On that note, your wedding DJ should appreciate a tip as a GIFT that was earned.
If you wish to tip the DJ at your wedding, here are the top 10 DJ qualities to assess
Personalized Service
I believe a wedding DJ should personalize their services to the specific tastes of every client. Personalizing any service takes extra time and energy and is necessary for the DJ to deserve a great tip. On the other hand, if your wedding DJ is just “going through the motions” they should receive a tip that is lackluster as well.
Expenses
Many times in a wedding DJ’s efforts to provide the most personalized service possible, they may have to increase their financial expenses.
Most DJs try to avoid charging their clients extra small fees after their contract has been signed as it can be tacky.
However, if a DJ encounters increased financial expenditures to service a particular wedding, it’s always a nice gesture to help compensate them with a generous tip.
Timeliness
The time in which your wedding DJ starts working for a tip starts with your initial phone call, email or text to interview or book their service.
Anytime a client messages the DJ, they should get a response within an hour or two. The only time this doesn’t apply is if your message is sent while the DJ is servicing an event.
They should never be looking at their phone while working. Furthermore, the DJ at your wedding must always arrive to every meeting on time and even a little early.
Organization
Planning a wedding is a tremendous amount of work. On that note, most couples begin planning their wedding about one year before their wedding date.
It is so important that your wedding DJ is organized so they actually help reduce the couples’ stress and workload.
If he or she is disorganized, they can actually create unnecessary work for the couple. If this is the case, you should NEVER tip this type of wedding DJ.
Interaction
I often say, when a couple hires a DJ, they are hiring a person and not a computer. It would be so easy for the couple to simply hook up a playing device to a speaker and play dance music all night.
However, that is not what they are paying for when hiring a wedding DJ. In addition to being the master of ceremonies, a wedding DJ must interact with the crowd in a fun and engaging way.
Otherwise, the couple could have saved the money they spent on a DJ and used it for something else. This is a very important factor when taking into account how much to tip the DJ at your wedding.
Time Spent Planning
Every wedding requires a different amount of time planning. Some couples do not wish to spend much time planning with their DJ and other couples want to have multiple DJ meetings.
Every wedding DJ should offer at least one to two consultations with the couple either on the phone or in person. Every so often, a couple needs much more than two consultations with their DJ.
If he or she is willing to spend this extra time planning with the couple, their tip should be a reflection of their outstanding service as well.
Expectations
Client reviews are so important to read. They are one of the best resources to use in determining which wedding vendors you’d like to hire.
Furthermore, these reviews set an expectation that your wedding DJ must meet and even exceed. Reading client reviews establishes a great baseline for deciding on how much to tip the DJ at your wedding.
Wedding Etiquette
I love personalized DJ services, but it should also be noted that proper wedding structure and etiquette MUST always be respected.
With that said, it is so important that your DJ acts in a professional manner and complies with all of your wedding service requirements.
If at any time you feel like your DJ is not taking your wedding seriously, do NOT tip them.
The DJ’s Appreciation
As I mentioned earlier, I think of the tip for a wedding DJ as being a very thoughtful gift.
With any gift, it is always so nice to know it is appreciated. If you can tell your wedding DJ is really grateful for the honor of being part of your wedding day, then it’s a good chance they will be appreciative of your tip as well.
The opposite can be true for a wedding DJ that seems to take the opportunity of DJing at your wedding for granted.
Overall Experience
That’s right, we have seen it in countless client surveys. “How would you rate your overall experience?”
We should also remember the follow-up question “Would you recommend our services to a family member or friend?”
In the end, these two questions are the most important questions to ask yourself when determining how much you should tip the DJ at your wedding.
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Click the video icon below for more CC King videos!
Hello! My name is Tony Coppola and I’d like to take this time to tell you a little bit about myself and CC King Entertainment.
I began my musical journey when I was 12 years old as a singer and drummer. Ten years ago, I built a home recording studio and named it CC King Studio. Shortly after, I DJ’d my first wedding and CC King Entertainment was born!
After DJing hundreds of weddings, my business allowed me to leave my 16 year career as an occupational therapist. I ALWAYS go the extra mile to personalize my wedding services and I have the distinct honor to work with an amazing team of Michigan wedding DJs.
Contact Us
“Top 10 Qualities Of A Great Wedding DJ”
“Questions To Ask Your Wedding Venue At The Final Meeting”
248-388-7974 – info@cckingent.com – DJ Livonia MI
Updated 2021
How To Pack The Dance Floor
And there it is! The number one question I am asked as a wedding DJ. “How do you keep the dance floor packed?” After all, the main reason you hire a DJ is for them to entertain and get people dancing. On that note, the DJ must take full responsibility for how the guests at a wedding respond to them by either dancing or not.
There are also a few things the newly married couple can do to support their DJ in packing the dance floor at their wedding reception.
With that said, I’ve put together a complete guide that includes tips for DJs and newlyweds on how to keep the dance floor PACKED all night long.
Tips For Engaged Couples And Newlyweds
Hire the Right DJ
There are so many experienced DJs with great reviews.
More importantly, you must hire a DJ with a proven track record that matches your personality and style.
A DJ must connect with their clients and “get in line” with the vibe and energy of the crowd.
They may have the DJ skills, but if they cannot connect with the guests they are serving, people won’t dance. It’s that simple.
Collaborate
Upon booking your wedding DJ, he or she should send you DJ planning forms to help guide you in selecting the music for your wedding.
Be sure to take the time to fill these forms out including your top song picks and special instructions.
This will help your DJ get a feel for the type of crowd they will be entertaining.
It will also help them prepare the most appropriate music in advance.
You DJ should always make themselves available to make music suggestions at any time.
They should also schedule at least one DJ consultation to review all of your selected music before your wedding day.
Create An Environment That Encourages Dancing
There is a very popular sign that DJs love to see at a wedding.
It is often located in the bathroom hanging on the mirror. It reads: “You look perfect, now get back out there and dance.”
Little gestures like this help set the tone for a fun night and help keep the dance floor packed!
Furthermore, it is so important to hire a DJ that understands that not only must they play great music, but create an environment of positive energy and fun for everyone to share.
Lighting
The proper lighting will help keep the dance floor packed at your wedding.
Furthermore, once the dancing segment of your reception begins, it is important that the reception area lights are dimmed.
There are a few reasons for this.
First, when the DJ fires up the dance music, if the venue’s lights also dim at this time, it sends a signal that it’s showtime and the dancing party has begun.
Second, people who may feel self-conscious are more likely to dance if they are not seen so clearly with bright lights.
Lastly, the dance floor lighting and uplighting can be seen more clearly which makes for a more dance club-like atmosphere.
How To Pack The Dance Floor
Tips For Wedding DJs
Personalize, Personalize, Personalize!
I still remember as a kid I hated going to weddings and I couldn’t stand wedding DJs. Why? First, I knew the opening song they would play would be “Celebration.” Then they would slow things down with “Lady in Red” and close with “Last Dance.”
I’m not saying these are bad songs, but it’s so important to remember all of your guests are attending your wedding to celebrate YOU and your husband or wife.
You want your music and dedications to reflect your specific tastes and personality.
It will be so refreshing to everyone attending your wedding and further remind everyone of what the day is really all about: The celebration of YOUR marriage.
Give Shout-Outs!
I love giving shout-outs to people during the night. It’s one of the best ways to fire up the crowd and personalize my DJ services.
Here is a really fun thing to do when planning your music.
As early as possible, ask several of your guests for a song they would like played at your wedding and never mention it again so they forget about it.
Next, submit their song requests to your DJ with their name attached.
On your wedding day, the DJ can give them a shout-out when playing their song and they go CRAZY when they hear it and so do all of their friends and family members!
Mix it up
One of the biggest mistakes a DJ makes is they don’t read the crowd.
They often think if people are not dancing they need to turn up the volume and intensity to motivate people to get off their seats. WRONG!
I always tell the DJs I train, “If people are not dancing, they are trying to tell you they don’t like what you are playing or how you’re performing.”
With that said, the DJ needs to try a different approach.
For example, maybe they can play a couple of slow songs, come out from behind the DJ booth, get some crowd participation and so on.
Always remember, you are paying your DJ to MC your wedding and keep the dance floor packed.
You have every right to ask them to mix things up when what they are doing isn’t working.
Take Song Requests On-The-Spot
What better way to know what type of music the people at the wedding want to hear than to take requests.
People in the crowd are walking directly to the DJ and they tell the EXACT song that will get them dancing.
In addition, when one person dances, many of their friends will join in.
If a DJ plays song requests consistently throughout the entire evening at a wedding, it will almost always guarantee that the dance full will remain full.
There are actually some DJs out there that do not accept song requests and I think that’s a huge mistake.
Play The Right Song At The Right Time
It is one thing to have a playlist of great songs. It is another to play the right song at the right time.
A DJ could play a particular song early in the evening and find that nobody is interested in dancing to it.
Then later in the evening, the crowd is begging him or her to play the song again.
What changed? The fun answer may be that the people at the wedding had a few more cocktails, but it’s more likely that the DJ played the wrong song at the wrong time initially.
I actually have playlists of songs that go over very well at the beginning of the dancing segment of a wedding reception.
I also have a playlist of songs that work great in the latter part of the evening.
With that said, there are never any absolutes and the DJ should always use their best judgment to determine the best time to play a particular song.
Build Momentum
This important factor to keep the dance floor packed should be addressed when interviewing your DJ.
I’ve seen it countless times, the dance floor is rocking, people have their hands in the air and are begging for more!!
What does the DJ do next? They do the unthinkable and play a slow song only to lose all momentum.
Don’t get me wrong. Slow songs should be played during wedding receptions.
However, if something is working, the crowd is simply telling you to keep doing what you’re doing until the dance floor says otherwise.
People do start to get physically tired from dancing.
Your DJ must watch for these signs of fatigue and then it’s at this time, they should switch things up and “bring in the fresh feet” as we say.
Dance Floor Killers
Family Photos
Visualize this for a moment. The dance floor is PACKED and suddenly the DJ announces “All of the bride’s family members please meet in the lobby for a family photo.”
Guess what happens next. Almost half of the people on the dance floor leave the floor. Shortly after, the DJ announces “All of the groom’s family members, please meet in the lobby for a family photo.”
At this point, the DJ has lost all momentum. Many of the guests will also leave the wedding after the photos are taken and the DJ will have an uphill climb for the rest of the night.
It’s always a good idea to ask your photographer if it’s possible to take these pictures during cocktail hour.
Family photos outside of the reception area during the dancing segment of the evening is a DJ’s worst nightmare and should be avoided at all cost.
Frequent Smoke Breaks By The Hosts With Guests
This is one of the most unique factors to be addressed to keep the dance floor packed at a wedding.
It is extremely important to understand that the newly married couple are like a magnet. Wherever they go, their guests will follow.
In other words, if a bride or groom are outside smoking for the majority of the night, two things will happen.
First, a very large group of people will follow them outside and many end up leaving the wedding.
Second, several guests inside will feel the couple is neglecting them and they will also leave early.
The Music Is Too Loud
Nothing will discourage guests at a wedding from dancing like music that is too loud.
Not only does it make the music sound horrible, but music that is too loud literally causes physical pain.
If a DJ’s goal is to have an empty dance floor, then blasting the music at extremely high levels is the way to have one.
If they want to have a packed dance floor, then the DJ must keep that volume at a level that is fun and energizing while remaining comfortable to the ear.
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Click the video icon below for more CC King videos!
Hello! My name is Tony Coppola and I’d like to take this time to tell you a little bit about myself and CC King Entertainment.
I began my musical journey when I was 12 years old as a singer and drummer. Ten years ago, I built a home recording studio and named it CC King Studio. Shortly after, I DJ’d my first wedding and CC King Entertainment was born!
After DJing hundreds of weddings, my business allowed me to leave my 16 year career as an occupational therapist. I ALWAYS go the extra mile to personalize my wedding services and I have the distinct honor to work with an amazing team of Michigan wedding DJs.
Contact Us
Wedding DJ Cost on Average
I’m gonna cut right to the chase. The Average Wedding DJ cost is around $1000.
However, this figure means absolutely nothing!
Would you pay $1000 for a wedding DJ that has little experience, malfunctioning equipment and a terrible reputation?
Of course not!
Continue reading to learn all of the DJ qualities and services that you must take into account to avoid being overcharged by a wedding DJ.
Wedding DJ Cost On Average
How much Does It Cost For A DJ Per Hour?
The average wedding DJ’s cost per hour is around $150.
However, a DJ may charge less if they are performing at an event that is not a wedding. Most DJs charge around $100 per hour for “non-wedding” events.
It’s important to note that most DJs have a minimum number of about 5 hours that they require for booking.
For example, if a client needs a DJ for only 2 hours, there is a good chance the DJ will still charge the minimum rate for a full 5 hours at $500.
How Many Hours Do You Need A DJ At A Wedding?
The average number of hours that you need a DJ at a wedding is around 6 to 7 hours.
If you need their audio services for the ceremony, then that would add about one additional hour to their time.
Below is a basic example of a wedding timeline to help you calculate your costs.
Do You Really Need A DJ At Your Wedding?
The answer to this question really depends on the needs and interests of each individual couple.
It is possible to simply set up a speaker and hook it up to a playing device and you’ve got music for the entire night.
And that’s about it.
If you are looking for someone to coordinate, entertain and emcee all of the events to take place during your wedding, then you will definitely want to hire a pro DJ.
The other benefit in hiring a wedding DJ is he or she can read the crowd and play the most appropriate music at the best time to keep the dance floor packed.
They also take requests on the spot to keep the dancers’ momentum going.
Furthermore, a DJ should be hired if you are looking for someone to really motivate everyone to dance the night away.
Average Wedding DJ Cost
Factors To Assess For Pricing
A wedding DJ cost depends on several factors. There are many tangible and intangible qualities that must be considered to ensure you pick the perfect wedding DJ at the perfect price.
The price range for a wedding DJ can range from as low as $100 to $2000 or more!
I don’t want to put a price tag on anybody’s services other than mine, but I do want to cover the most important DJ qualities and services to consider when your assessing if a DJ’s quote is accurate.
These qualities and factors are listed below:
Personality
Determining if a wedding DJs cost is right for you also has a lot to do with the DJ’s personality.
One may ask, how can you put a price on a DJ’s personality?
The answer is, I can’t. But as the client, you can!
I often tell couples that if you don’t like your DJ’s personality, it’s going to be a looooooong six hours at your wedding.
So be sure to interview your DJ either on the phone, at a bridal show or at a meeting with your fiance’ to make sure you LOVE their personality.
Client Reviews
I believe client reviews are the most important thing to consider when selecting your wedding DJ.
What better way to get a true perspective of a DJ’s value than to listen to their past client’s stories about their experience working with that person.
You can often find a wedding DJ‘s client reviews listed on wedding vendor platforms such as The Knot.
I also recommend that couples read reviews from The Knot because they take several measures to ensure the reviews you are reading are from actual clients and not written by the DJs themselves.
Experience
Experience is usually at the top of any list when considering someone to provide a service, but I put it third for a couple reasons.
There are many DJ’s that have been in the business for a very long time, but if you don’t like their reviews or personality, then their experience won’t matter much.
With weddings however, I always recommend that the couple hires a DJ with a minimal of two to three years experience.
A couple’s wedding day is often the most special day of their lives.
On that note, it’s so important that their wedding DJ knows how to handle the extra pressure that comes with DJing a wedding as well as their client’s expectation for everything to be perfect on their most special day.
Equipment
Equipment should always be factored into assessing the value you are getting for your wedding DJ cost.
You don’t necessarily need to know all of the technical terms about audio and lighting systems, but it is important to ask the following questions:
1. Do you have backup equipment? 2. Can I see a picture of your DJ setup including your dance floor lights? 3. Does this package include subwoofers, microphone for toasts, dance floor lighting and set up/tear down time? 4. Is your DJ equipment in good condition free of dents, dust and scratches?
Wedding DJ Packages
We’ve all heard it hundreds of times in the TV commercials, “Bundle and Save!”
Although this phrase is often associated with cable, WiFi and cellular packages, it also applies to wedding DJ packages.
A wedding DJ cost on average will often go down a little bit when additional services are added to their wedding package.
Most DJs also offer uplighting, monograms, ceremony audio services and even photo booths.
I never advise a couple to hire separate wedding companies for each individual service.
This will significantly increase your total wedding bill.
Furthermore, this can often be avoided by hiring as many services with the fewest number of vendors possible.
Organization
I often remind couples that they are not just hiring a DJ, they are hiring a person who will be orchestrating all of the events throughout their wedding.
It is extremely important to make sure your DJ is a very organized person.
Look for noteworthy signs of personal responsibility like: Do they return my calls or emails promptly?
Do they keep their appointments? Do they dress professionally? All of these qualities MUST be considered when determining if the wedding DJ cost is accurate.
We want YOU
This wedding DJ factor is definitely one of the intangibles I had mentioned earlier.
An experience and popular wedding DJ knows that they can charge more simply by the laws of supply and demand.
They also understand that choosing a wedding DJ is a very personal decision.
It is very common for a couple to ask “If we hire your DJ company, will you be our DJ? We want YOU!!”
On this note, as long as the price is within your budget, I always recommend that even if you have to pay a little more, it’s worth having the DJ that like the BEST!
Too many couples compromise in this area to save a couple hundred dollars and it’s simply not worth it in my opinion.
DJ Prices for A Wedding
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, I’m 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.
Wireless Microphone
The first time I heard of a DJ charging extra for a wireless microphone, my jaw hit the floor.
Every wedding DJ should have a wireless microphone. Furthermore, I would NEVER recommend paying extra for one.
If the DJ says they are much more expensive than a microphone with a wire, I wouldn’t accept this response.
The average price of a wired mic is about $100 and the average price of a decent wireless mic is around $400.
That’s not a very big difference in price and I also don’t think it’s enough to justify charging their clients an extra fee.
Dance Floor Lighting
I’ve been to many weddings as a guest. I’ve seen great DJs and not so great DJs in action.
However, one thing they all had in common is they all had dance floor lighting. Why? Because if you are a DJ, ya gotta have it!
First, almost every venue wants to dim or turn the lights off once the dancing starts.
On that note, the room would be too dark without any dance floor lighting.
Second, basic dance floor lighting is not heavy and it takes very little time to set up.
There is no reason to charge extra for this very necessary service needed for all weddings in my opinion.
DJ Consultation
It’s important to note, that in order for a wedding DJ to deliver the best performance possible, they should have a consultation with their clients before the wedding day.
This can be done over the phone or in person. I personally like to meet the couple I am serving at their wedding venue for this meeting.
However, these consultations usually take only about 30 minutes to an hour and I don’t think there should ever be an extra fee for them.
Set Up and Tear Down Time
I hate to break the news to my fellow DJs, but they (or their assistant) must set up and tear down their equipment.
There is no way around it. Furthermore, if a DJ wanted to charge me an extra fee to assemble a basic DJ setup, I would refuse to pay it.
However, if they are adding services that are in addition to a basic setup, I think it’s perfectly acceptable to pay extra for their set up time.
Song Requests
An experienced wedding DJ will have a massive song library. If you hire a pro they will almost always have every requested song on-hand already.
It’s possible that during a wedding they may have to download a few songs to fulfill requests.
This might cost them a mere $5 per wedding. With that said, the average DJ’s upfront charge is about $1000.
For that reason alone, I would never suggest allowing a DJ to charge extra to download music.
The Subwoofer
This is one of the most frequently added expenses to a wedding DJ package and it makes me laugh.
First, most venues don’t need them.
Second, one subwoofer will usually provide more than enough bass, so you may want to question if you need to pay for a second one.
Finally, many wedding DJs will try to convince you that subwoofers are super heavy and take a ton of time to set up.
However, these speakers usually have attached wheels and roll across floors easily.
The DJ can also use a dolly to move the sub to the proper location. Plus it only takes a matter of minutes to set them up.
I should also mention, as a personal preference, I almost always use two subs.
For me to charge my client extra for me to use them would just be wrong in my opinion.
Meal Requirements
After DJing hundreds of weddings, I can honestly say I have always so kindly been offered a meal.
With that said, I’m beside myself when I hear some DJs add it in their contract that they MUST be served dinner.
I think this is completely uncalled for and it sends a very tacky message.
If the DJ is served a meal, it should be regarded as a kind gesture of appreciation by the client, not a clause in a contract.
DJ Prices for A Wedding
Extra Wedding DJ Costs That Are Acceptable
Travel and Lodging
Most DJs will travel up to an hour without charging an extra fee.
However, if the travel time is more than an hour you may be charged for travel expenses.
If it’s more than two hours the DJ may need to charge a lodging fee.
The reason for this is because they will be driving home in the middle of the night and may need to get some rest to make it home safely.
Multiple Setups
Some banquet facilities have separate areas for the ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and dancing areas.
This may require a significant amount of extra equipment, set up and tear downtime.
It is perfectly acceptable for the DJ to charge a fee for each area within the venue requiring their services.
Novelty Items and Supplies
It’s always so much fun to add props and novelties to your dancing experience.
DJs may offer an option to add items like jumbo light sticks, party hats, and slip-on sandals for when your feet start getting tired.
The costs of these supplies can really add up, so this is a very reasonable extra wedding DJ charge.
Upgraded Dance Floor Lighting
As I mentioned earlier, every DJ should offer a basic dance floor lighting package at no extra charge.
However, certain venues and client requests may require more lighting than the basic package provides.
If a DJ needs to bring additional lighting equipment to meet these needs, there should be an extra charge associated with these services.
Just make sure to ask to see a picture of the basic lighting package before adding extra lights.
There may be a chance you won’t need to upgrade your lighting package and you can save some money.
Wedding DJ Cost On Average
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Hello! My name is Tony Coppola and I’d like to take this time to tell you a little bit about myself and CC King Entertainment.
I began my musical journey when I was 12 years old as a singer and drummer. Ten years ago, I built a home recording studio and named it CC King Studio. Shortly after, I DJ’d my first wedding and CC King Entertainment was born!
After DJing hundreds of weddings, my business allowed me to leave my 16 year career as an occupational therapist. I ALWAYS go the extra mile to personalize my wedding services and I have the distinct honor to work with an amazing team of Michigan wedding DJs.
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