This past week, my wife and I wanted to have steak. But we didn’t go to a steak house. Instead, we found a local-franchise-style one-in-every-town type place to eat. While the steak was OK, it left me with more of the “I wish we would have spent more!” feeling.
What most couples who are planning a wedding don’t know is that saving money by hiring a cheaper-priced DJ comes with a high price tag. Before you make a decision you regret, here are some things you need to know…
There’s a chance that a cheap (or free) DJ won’t be in business by the time your wedding arrives.
Many low-priced DJ’s just aren’t charging enough to support their own business for the long term… or they are just a “hobby” DJ with another job that matters more to them. Meanwhile, your wedding is 6-12 months away or more, and everything is riding on him or her being there. You would be shocked at the amount of calls we get in a year from frenzied couples whose DJ has disappeared weeks, days, or even hours before the wedding.
A professional company that employs multiple DJ’s offers piece-of-mind to couples, since we always have experienced DJ’s available to step in if an emergency situation arises.
Do you want to risk the possibility of a cheap DJ finding a better-paying gig… or going out of business before your big day?
Amateurs are less invested in their performance than a wedding professional.
Don’t get me wrong! DJ’ing is the most fun you can have while getting paid! But the amateur DJ is doing it “for fun”… and if something goes wrong, it’s not a big deal to them. A wedding professional, on the other hand, risks his entire reputation and livelihood with every performance. One bad review can destroy his business and he knows it.
I am sure you have seen bad DJ’s on YouTube. And if you have not, do a search! It’s almost humorous, until you realize that it’s a real wedding. I was just told a horrible story by the coordinator of one of our preferred venues. A DJ actually brought along his wife… and newborn baby! The wife and child sat there all night, and even got up to eat off the buffet.
Would you rather have an entertainer who is 100% invested in his business and performance on your wedding day, or someone who does it as a hobby or a few extra bucks?
A wedding is a unique event that require the skills and experience of a wedding specialist for a smooth, flawless ceremony and reception.
It’s about much more than just playing music. Your wedding DJ is responsible for coordinating the timeline, orchestrating the introduction and flow of events, working with your other vendors, managing the guests, reading the crowd and making sure the right song is played at just the right time. We do training sessions with our DJ’s every four months. Even with all of our experience, it’s still great to talk with our guys and see what they are saying or doing that might be different and working well for them!
Even a DJ who is quite experienced in the club setting will be at a loss at a wedding, because he/she simply isn’t familiar with the flow of events and how to prevent disasters when something goes awry. That club DJ also doesn’t know how to be a host and emcee! That can be bad news! Who’s going to line the bridal party up for introductions? Who’s in charge of making sure the toasts, special dances and dedications go without a hitch? In most cases, your entertainer is the one who makes sure your special events are executed as you’ve requested.
I talked with a friend of mine out of state. She told me her DJ didn’t even play the correct version of her first dance. It was a cover version from YouTube! Another venue told us about one inexperienced DJ who mistakenly announced a special dance with the bride and her grandfather because he forgot to update his notes. The entire family started crying because Grandpa had passed away two weeks earlier.
Are you willing to place the outcome of your wedding in the hands of someone who doesn’t do weddings for a living?
Your guests won’t dance without an entertainer who can read the crowd and keep the momentum going.
Just having the equipment and knowing how to push play doesn’t guarantee the people-wrangling skills you need for a fun, smooth reception. You have to play the right songs at the right time and in the right order to maintain dancing. Oftentimes, the mood changes and your entertainer needs to change the program to maximize the dancing along the way. If the DJ can’t mix from one song to another, you’ll have gaps of “dead air” or awkward rhythms that will frustrate your guests and clear the floor.
Many couples think that providing an amateur with a set list of songs they love will be enough to make a fun wedding. It’s not. You need someone with experience to work with your requests and what your guests are responding to in order to avoid an empty dance floor.
Are you willing to sacrifice the fun at your wedding to save money on a cheaper DJ?
The MC (the guy on the microphone) has a huge impact on the mood and outcome of your party, for better or worse.
An obnoxious DJ with an abrasive voice will irritate your guests and dampen the mood of the entire party. Professional DJ’s invest in vocal training and practice to optimize their performance. I personally witnessed one DJ embarrass everyone by making suggestive comments to the bride over the microphone.
Do you want just anyone acting as your wedding host or do you want a professional speaker you can trust?
I always say, “The best MC’s know when not to talk on the mic!”
An amateur DJ has inadequate or non-existent backup equipment, which means that if something fails, you have no music at your wedding.
A fully functional backup system on the premises is essential to making sure you have music at your wedding no matter what. Most amateur DJ’s won’t have a backup plan if a speaker blows or a laptop crashes.
I was approached (many years ago) at the end of my wedding by a DJ in the next room who asked if he could “borrow our speakers” because his were broken.
Are you willing to takes your chances without a backup on your wedding day?
DJ’s who charge less invest less into their equipment, which means you have inferior sound and performance at your wedding.
When I was 15, a stereo system that sounded great in my living room was my main DJ system. It was perfect for a 10′ x 10′ room. But not for a ballroom that holds 300 people! Professional speakers and equipment are necessary for clear sound that has impact at low volumes, so your guests can speak at the tables even while the dance floor is thumping. And if you want your guests to actually hear your exchange of vows at the ceremony, you’ll need professional equipment and an onsite tech to make sure that happens.
I heard another story that one DJ showed up at a venue for the first time without ANY speakers or mixer, because he was told that he could, “use the venue’s sound system” and he didn’t call ahead to verify.
Are sound issues like blasting music or impossible-to-understand audio acceptable on your wedding day?
And in conclusion…
If you’re not planning to have any formal events at your wedding, and you’d like a cocktail party more than a dance party, it may make sense to save money by hiring a non-professional. But if you’re investing thousands of dollars on creating the perfect day, please don’t jeopardize it by hiring someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing.
Your wedding day only happens once; make sure you hire a DJ who gets it right.
