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There’s a high probability that a cheap (or free) DJ won’t be in business by the time your wedding arrives.

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Many low-priced DJs aren’t charging enough to support their own businesses for the long term; you’re just financing their hobby.  Meanwhile, your wedding is 6-12 months away or more. We’ve received those calls from desperate couples who had a “friend of a friend” DJ cancel on them last minute.  It’s not pretty. Do you want to risk the possibility that the cheapie DJ is bankrupt and out of business before your big day?

 

Amateurs are less invested in their performance than wedding professionals.

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The amateur DJ is doing it “for fun,” and if something goes wrong, it’s not a big deal.  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. At one wedding, the DJ brought along his wife and newborn.  Their table was littered with McDonald’s bags and his wife decided to breastfeed the baby during dinner. 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?

 

A wedding is a unique event that requires the skills and experience of a wedding specialist for a smooth, flawless ceremony and reception.

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It’s about 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. Even a DJ who is quite experienced in the club setting will be at a loss because she simply isn’t familiar with the flow of events and how to prevent disasters when something goes awry. One inexperienced DJ 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?

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Your guests won’t dance without an experienced entertainer who can read the crowd and keep the momentum going.

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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 she 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 setlist 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. One bride regrets hiring her DJ because he played “Unforgettable” five times during the wedding because he didn’t know any other slow songs. Are you willing to sacrifice the fun at your wedding to save money on a cheaper DJ?

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The MC (the guy or girl on the microphone) has a huge impact on the mood and outcome of your party, for better or worse.

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An obnoxious DJ with an abrasive voice will irritate your guests and dampen the mood of the entire party.  Professional DJs invest in vocal training and practice to optimize their performance. I personally witnessed one DJ and 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?

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Your special events may not happen if you don’t hire a specialist who’s experienced in channeling the flow of events.

 

Who will direct your bridal party and guests at the ceremony?  Who’s going to line them up for introductions?  Who’s in charge of making sure the toasts, special dances, and dedications go without a hitch? Just having the equipment and knowing how to push play doesn’t guarantee the people wrangling skills you need for a fun, smooth reception.  In most cases, your entertainer is the one who makes sure your special events are executed as you’ve requested. One inexperienced DJ forgot to bring the couple’s First Dance song; they were forced to dance to Barbra Streisand, whom they can’t stand. Will you risk leaving your special events to chance or do you want to ensure that everything is done according to plan?

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An amateur doesn’t have the experience to include your unique requests in a way that truly expresses your personality AND keeps people dancing.

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You can’t make your guests dance to the songs you like if they don’t feel the same way.  Your DJ needs to read the crowd and have the experience to build sets of music around your preferences. An amateur DJ can play the songs you request but lacks the experience necessary to make it work. One bride told us her DJ played the unedited version of Sexy Back during dinner and had five minutes of dead air while he queued up the next song. Do you want your guests on the dance floor all night or is it acceptable to have large chunks of time with no dancing?

 

An amateur DJ has inadequate or non-existent backup equipment, which means that if something fails you have no music at your wedding.

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A fully functional backup system on the premises is essential to making sure you have music at your wedding no matter what.  Most amateur DJs won’t have a backup plan if a speaker blows or a laptop crashes.

We were approached at the end of one 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?

 

DJs who charge less invest less into their equipment, which means you have inferior sound and performance at your wedding.

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A stereo system that sounds great in your living room doesn’t sound good in a spacious wedding venue.  Professional speakers and equipment are necessary for clear sound that has an impact at low volumes, so your guests can speak at the tables even while the dance floor is thumping. 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. One DJ showed up at a venue for the first time without ANY speakers or mixer because he’s been 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? 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 in 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

 

By Aon Events

 

Behind the Scenes and Everything Involved.

 

 

 

 

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As you have already figured out, it's common to see a wide variety of pricing when it comes to DJs. Can you find a professional DJ/Emcee on a budge? Of course! We too at times offer packages that cater to all types of budgets! But is that the norm? Will the quality of those "other guys" be compared to the other reputable DJ/Entertainment services? We don't want to say no, but realistically, probably not.

 

It's crucial to understand that reputable Wedding DJs don't just come in and press play, there are many hours upon hours invested in ensuring your day is just how you envisioned it; way prior to even stepping foot into the reception or ceremony. From the first meet and greet to the finalizing an itinerary to playing the last song, there is a lot of work that is involved behind the scenes that many couples are simply unaware of.

 

Dependent on the company and package, Wedding DJs, spend countless hours and money on marketing, advertisements, formulating contracts, purchasing thousands upon thousands of dollars on equipment, insurance, licenses and so much more. After meeting with new clients, wedding DJs are tasked to start building up specific playlists in which music is then listened to, purchased, and downloaded on multiple formats, where queue points are made and noted, crates are created, and sent across multiple DJing software. Sometimes, DJ will spend the majority of their time creating crates of music for a specific wedding. There's the building of an itinerary which is sent to the newlyweds to review and verify which is then sent over to the venue and the newlywed's other vendors; like their photographers and or videographers, to ensure there are no overlapping of formalities within their own timelines. There's a lot of back and forth that happens behind closed doors to ensure a seamless and memorable night where the sensation of feeling rushed is hopefully eliminated. Wedding DJs will typically schedule a walkthrough with the venue prior to the event to ensure everything is up to par so there are no unexpected surprises on the day of.

 

If the client has decided to add on extra features like a dance floor, dancing on the clouds, photobooth, then it is the DJs responsibility to possibly contact those involved to book and hold such items as well as inspect all items prior to pick up, test runs and purchase all the additional accessories needed as well as ensuring that the venue can accommodate the client's requests and needs. On the day of the event, equipment is loaded into vehicles, and an early drive is commenced to ensure set up and walkthroughs, test runs, etc are all done prior to the first guest ever arriving.

 

Oftentimes, ceremony music is requested by the newlyweds, or even an officiant if a wedding company offers such services. If this is the case, there are additional moving parts added as additional set-ups and teardowns as well as customizing a ceremony speech, vows, scheduling rehearsals, etc.. There's the task of going over ques with the bridal party to ensure everyone walks down the aisle when they are supposed to; sounds easy on paper, but have you met some of your in-laws? Sometimes it's a process, but a good reputable DJ/Company makes it fun and enjoyable! Prior to making an entrance to the reception, it is the DJ/Emcee's responsibility to line parents, bridal party, and the newlyweds up. Reviewing the pronunciations of names, making announcements throughout the night, dismissing tables, and of course, Djing - throwing a party that's unforgettable! Emceeing wedding games, queuing up special dances, entertaining guests all throughout the night is their forte, and public speaking is so important! When the night is finally over and all is said and done, we are the last to leave after all the guests have gone home. We will stay behind to tear down, pack up, complete a few more walkthroughs, load vehicles and drive through the night to where ever we need to go to unload and unwind, all to do it again the next day or the following weekend.

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We wouldn't change it for the world!

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