Wedding Dj's Serious

[slientman]

I had to go to a bridal show the other weekend, and there many booths with so call wedding djs, funny thing is 2 of them were asking for $2500 for 3 hours. I seriously laughed hard. I can understand if you are well known, established etc, but there are alot of djs that play our scene that would kill for 3 hour gig and getting that kind of cash, oh light set up thats extra.

anyone have an idea for wedding music, Not looking to spend $2500 or even close but always up for good idea.s

thanks everyone.

[BrandonQ]

Check out Dj DFW

[zymote]

Yeah, wedding DJ's make some serious cash. You can't compare it with an EDM jock though - entirely different worlds. Given the gear and the amount a wedding DJ has to invest in music, it's not entirely unreasonable to charge that much.

[Roos]

I've done weddings since about 1982. Every kind there is. I don't do them regularly anymore, but I do still do them for friends and certain people if the opportunity is right for both parties. I've done a few for DDM members. I was just in Denver last weekend DJing a wedding for someone on the side of a mountain.

And yes, it's great money. IF it's done professionally. It all depends on what the client wants and what you can provide and what your costs are. There's a lot more to doing a wedding than just playing music.

[slientman]

Originally Posted by zymote

Yeah, wedding DJ's make some serious cash. You can't compare it with an EDM jock though - entirely different worlds. Given the gear and the amount a wedding DJ has to invest in music, it's not entirely unreasonable to charge that much.

understood, one of the Wedding djs wouldnt even provide his own equipment he just brings the music, you have to provide sound and gear.

regardless, people like Tommie sunshine that play a bit of everything wouldnt be bad. just dont think I can afford him for the wedding.

[Roos]

Oh... and one thing I learned a long time ago is this. DJing weddings taught me more about DJing in a club than you can ever imagine. If you can go into a lit room and find a way to get an 86 year-old grandma out there dancing, a 5 year-old kid dancing, and everyone in between... then a club is a piece of cake. If you can do that without selling out or playing shit you don't want to play, then you are better than most.

[zymote]

Originally Posted by Roos

I've done weddings since about 1982. Every kind there is. I don't do them regularly anymore, but I do still do them for friends and certain people if the opportunity is right for both parties. I've done a few for DDM members. I was just in Denver last weekend DJing a wedding for someone on the side of a mountain.

And yes, it's great money. IF it's done professionally. It all depends on what the client wants and what you can provide and what your costs are. There's a lot more to doing a wedding than just playing music.

Hey, you have any resources you could point me to for getting into this? I've been considering buying a mobile rig and setting up shop.

[slientman]

check your pvt message roos

[SnoWhite]

Hatiras said he would DJ my wedding.

[J. Fees]

Originally Posted by Roos

Oh... and one thing I learned a long time ago is this. DJing weddings taught me more about DJing in a club than you can ever imagine. If you can go into a lit room and find a way to get an 86 year-old grandma out there dancing, a 5 year-old kid dancing, and everyone in between... then a club is a piece of cake. If you can do that without selling out or playing shit you don't want to play, then you are better than most.

is it really that hard to put 'rappers delight' or 'YMCA'? Its harder for me to figure out what would make a crowd from 21 to 61 in a club setting.

and wedding djs get a lot of money, because they bring their own equipment, need about every pop song ever made, they mc the reception, and they do what most djs dont want to, which is only play for a crowd. 2500 seems to be like a mid level wedding dj, most get at least 1000. Just because you have some young guys doing weeklies for 100 doesnt mean a wedding dj is going to do the same.

[slientman]

Originally Posted by J. Fees

is it really that hard to put 'rappers delight' or 'YMCA'? Its harder for me to figure out what would make a crowd from 21 to 61 in a club setting.

and wedding djs get a lot of money, because they bring their own equipment, need about every pop song ever made, they mc the reception, and they do what most djs dont want to, which is only play for a crowd. 2500 seems to be like a mid level wedding dj, most get at least 1000. Just because you have some young guys doing weeklies for 100 doesnt mean a wedding dj is going to do the same.

understood, I wont name the place, but $2500 gets his music. He does not bring the gear. Thats not a bit high?

[Roos]

Originally Posted by J. Fees

is it really that hard to put 'rappers delight' or 'YMCA'? Its harder for me to figure out what would make a crowd from 21 to 61 in a club setting.

I don't do weddings where I play YMCA, The Chicken Dance, etc... I've never done that... well, MAYBE my first year doing them when I was 12 or 13... but not after that. I try to provide the client with a more unique and classy reception than what every other wedding DJ out there offers. I mean when it comes down to it, MOST people I talk to really don't want that shit. They just want to have fun and unfortunately there aren't a lot of DJs out there who can do it without going that old traditional route. I also give them the comfort of knowing that it will all be taken care of... not just the music being played, but the whole progression of the evening. I offer various ways to get through the special dances, cutting of the cake, garter/bouquet toss, etc. that not only make the Bride and Groom happy, but will also make the guests have more fun. I cut out the traditional formalities of the order things are done in and I offer them a smoother way of doing it.

Originally Posted by J. Fees

and wedding djs get a lot of money, because they bring their own equipment, need about every pop song ever made, they mc the reception, and they do what most djs dont want to, which is only play for a crowd. 2500 seems to be like a mid level wedding dj, most get at least 1000. Just because you have some young guys doing weeklies for 100 doesnt mean a wedding dj is going to do the same

I try to keep my speaking to a minimum at the weddings I do. I only speak to make necessary announcements about the flow of the evening or someone's lights on. Luckily, I have a lot of pop music, but I really don't play anything that I don't want to play unless it's requested by the bride and groom specifically.

I know what you mean though and to just do any wedding offered you have to be able to 'sell out'. I LIKE doing weddings if they satisfy me creatively and I can share some good music and see that people enjoy it. The money to me is really just a bonus. So it's not worth it to do them for just anyone. The people need to know what I am about and if that works with what they want then I'll make it kick ass.

I wish I had some of the recordings of the ones I have done lately. Luxe has one from her wedding. Sindell357 has one from hers as well. I didn't keep the recordings, but they did. Maybe they can post em up. There's some really cool stuff in there. COMPLETELY different styles of party... but I think they were satisfied with my part of it.

[J. Fees]

yeah, people spend so crazy on weddings now, that he's just bullshitting you. I know a girl that asked me to do her wedding, and i was thinking she wanted to lo ball me, so i declined. she ended up paying some clown 4k and she said he sucked. all he kept talking about was his music collection and how he had it backed up 3 ways. after about the 1000th gig ive done, ive never had to worry about my backed up music.(knocks on wood, i have a gig tonite)

[Roos]

Originally Posted by slientman

understood, I wont name the place, but $2500 gets his music. He does not bring the gear. Thats not a bit high?

Depends on the hours, the locale, the amount of music he had to purchase, how much MCing he has to do, how many meetings he had to have prior, etc...

People spend EXTRAVAGANT amounts on weddings. So when you are dropping 60 grand on the event. 5 grand isn't much to consider paying a PROFESSIONAL wedding DJ.

[J. Fees]

Originally Posted by Roos

I don't do weddings where I play YMCA, The Chicken Dance, etc... I've never done that... well, MAYBE my first year doing them when I was 12 or 13... but not after that. I try to provide the client with a more unique and classy reception than what every other wedding DJ out there offers. I also give them the comfort of knowing that it will all be taken care of... not just the music being played, but the whole progression of the evening. I offer various ways to get through the special dances, cutting of the cake, garter/bouquet toss, etc. that not only make the Bride and Groom happy, but will also make the guests have more fun. I cut out the traditional formalities of the order things are done in and I offer them a smoother way of doing it.


Again, not always the case. I try to keep my speaking to a minimum at the weddings I do. I only speak to make necessary announcements about the flow of the evening or someone's lights on. Luckily, I have a lot of pop music, but I really don't play anything that I don't want to play unless it's requested by the bride and groom specifically.

I know what you mean though and to just do any wedding offered you have to be able to 'sell out'. I LIKE doing weddings if they satisfy me creatively and I can share some good music and see that people enjoy it. The money to me is really just a bonus. So it's not worth it to do them for just anyone. The people need to know what I am about and if that works with what they want then I'll make it kick ass.

I wish I had some of the recordings of the ones I have done lately. Luxe has one from her wedding. Sindell357 has one from hers as well. I didn't keep the recordings, but they did. Maybe they can post em up. There's some really cool stuff in there.

i want to do a kool wedding. i like the atmosphere, cuz its not so serious and everybody is celebrating getting drunk.