Emphatically, NO. You also don't need a florist, photographer, officiant, wedding rings or a wedding party. What this whole wedding event is about, is to celebrate this day, with your statement to the world, that you're "in it forever", and doing it only once (so let's do it right the first time). How do you want to remember this day? For next to nothing, you can get married at the local courthouse for under $200. Most brides want "something special" to remember this day. And, $200 will not cut it.
The first and foremost consideration, is your total budget. In the United States, the average cost for a wedding is over 30 thousand dollars. There is then a "percentage" breakdown of each facet of your special day. Catering, staff, venue and bar typically costs 45% of the total. So if your total budget is 30 thousand, then just the above, will run about $13, 500.
Here is the national average of costs, broken down in percentages of the total budget (these numbers are comnpiled from many bridal magazine sources):
Venue / staff / food / bar 45%
Photographer / Videographer 14% (double if you hire both)
Honeymoon 12%
Dress / Tux / Hair / Makeup 11%
Cake 10%
Transportation / Gifts 10%
Flowers / Decor 9%
Entertainment (Band or DJ) 9%
Rings 4%
Officiant 4%
Stationary / Cards/ Invites 3%
This list in not complete, but gives you a major portion of your expense for your wedding day. Sure, you can trim here or there, and add here or there, but keep in mind, that a Craigslist DJ will not give you the same performance as the seasoned pro DJ, with custom lighting and logo projection on the floor or wall, who has high tech state of the art equipment and sound gear. Can you get by for less... sure... do you want to?
If you'd be happy with an iPod wedding, then go for it... but at least search out other brides who've gone this route, and see what they have to say (VERY few comment after the fact on the bridal boards... I bet there's a reason for that). Would a instant camera on every table accomplish what you're after, or do you want high quality, edited and arranged professionally photographed pictures. You WILL notice a differance, but what is your fairytale dream whispering on the inside of your head? A Nationally published bride magazine, took a survey, and discovered that 80% of brides (after the fact) wished they had spent more on better quality entertainment. Source: http://www.perfectweddings.us/2010/03/wedding-statistics.html
A great DJ will "MAKE" the party. IPod... not so much.
Do you want a "Cake Boss" work of art, or will you go to isle #9 at Wallmart for your cake? Are you after the diamond ring that you'd drempt about since you were a little girl, or will a cigar band work for you? It really boils down to what YOU want, and can afford. Many brides who fill the ranks in DIY bridal magazines, all tout the concept of cutting costs to the point that the wedding turns into a disaster. DIY is perfect if your uncle Harry is a skilled baker, or your mom can arrange a vase of flowers... but use caution with nonprofessionals doing professional service. Do you want a guy who know how to use a wrench, to fix your car alternator? I can change a tire, so I bet I could swap your engine...right! I know you understand the concept I'm getting at.
So what makes the differance between a professional and "the other guys"? Read my other blog entry (below) for my opinion.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
"Bride on a budget"... My response.
I completely understand the DIY mentality, and in some cases, you can have an amazing wedding by doing all of the hard work yourself. But... the opertive words here are "Hard work"... and don't forget to "do your homework".
Here's a statement by a long time trusted and respected national disc jockey, Randy Bartlett:
"$500 DJs have always existed and always will. There are $50 magicians and $500 magicians and $25,000 magicians. That will never change. Anything that people 'love to do' and think is fun will always have a low end. The goal was never to do away with low end DJs, but simply to raise awareness among them that the value of what they do is probably higher than what they thought".
After reading that statement, I had to follow with some of my own comments. The bridal wedding forums are filled with the DIY mentality... which in and by itself, isn't a bad thing. It keeps us (professional vendors) all on our toes, and cognizant of trends. One of the current trends is to have a low cost "iPod" wedding where the background music originates from an iPod device. While I don't want to debate the merits or lack thereof, I need to address the "professional" side of the debate.
That word, "professional" has everyone buzzing, especially other DJs. What I mean by the word professional, is a person who looks at their "field" or "profession" as one that will earn a living... paying the bills and continue an existence. A $500 DJ might very well be a professional in his/her own eyes, if the above conditions are met ( A DJ with no children, pets, small apartment, and very little expense).
Let's look at this scenario: Here we have a "20 something" individual, who just moved out from living with mom and dad, and is looking for something to do with their life... maybe a lucrative career. They've been to their college buddy's wedding and watched the DJ, and said to themselves "hey, I could do that, it looks like a lot of fun, and everyone loved it". Now, the question that pops into his/her head is... "what do I have to do, to start this career"?
The very next move, is the critical move... what direction is this person going to go with this mental decision? What follows, determines if this person is going to be a "professional" or a "low ball hack" wanting to make an easy buck (NOTE: The term "Hack" is subjective, and I think most know what I was trying to say [for lack of a better word]. It's like a "dirty joke"... you can't really define it, but you know it when you hear one). What makes the difference, is what he/she conveys to the customer at this moment... "the bride and groom" who are looking to hire a DJ for their wedding (this also applies to each wedding vendor occupation, by the way).
Here's what the "hack" does: He/she buys the cheapest gear they can find, steals some music from the Internet, buys a few business cards, and puts an ad in craigslist for $400 wedding entertainment. Then, sits back and waits for the phone to ring. When it does (and it will), this person quotes the $400 price, and claims to be the "Best DJ money can buy". They have maybe invested a few hundred dollars in this endeavor. They get hired, and ruin the wedding. They don't take any of the funds to upgrade their skills or equipment. The customer walks away from the experience, disappointed, pissed off, and tells their friends about the "cheesy DJ" who ruined their wedding. The "occupation" as a whole, takes a black eye, since we all got lumped into one painful group.
Here's what the "professional" does: He/she starts doing some research on "How - What - Why - Where - When". He/she sits down and studies... joins an Internet networking site with other DJs, and asks a lot of questions... and reads everything everyone has to say about the profession. Then, and only then, does he/she go out and purchase some equipment, and learns how to properly use it. He/she, accompanies a professional to a wedding(s), and watches, and take notes (all this for free, BTW).
He/she purchases an Internet site, and has it properly put together, so customers can find them (at considerable expense). He/she purchases insurance, and joins an association with National backing, networking and skills. He/she attends some training seminars, to learn the craft, and hone their skills. They find out what the current trends are and incorporates their way of thinking into those trends. They practice with their equipment prior to putting it to practical use with a customer... called "rehearsing". Then, they practice some more. They put in 8 to 10 hours a day, studying, and learning.
The next step is to hire an attorney to draft a contract. They purchase a legal music library (which can amount to thousands of dollars). NOTE here: You may not care if your DJ has legal music, but if he/she stole it, then you're stealing it too. Do you want a "thief" working for you? They purchase On-line "planning" and "timeline" programs for their customers (several hundred dollars). They may donate a show or two, to a friend or community event, so they can practice and polish their skills. They make sure their gear is top of the line, and carry "backup" gear in case of a failure. They purchase professional business cards/fliers/handouts/ newspaper ads/phone listings/wedding site ads... and on and on at several more thousands of dollars.
The next step is to write up a "plan" for their business... goals, and wishes. There is a strategy to becoming a professional DJ, that is often overlooked by the "hack". The professional learns how to treat a customer, and puts them ahead of their own wishes. The "plan" is to make the customer so happy, that they will recommend the DJ to their friends, who will then hire them. They continue to give 100%, and understand what hard work is. They actually charge a fee that represents all of the above, and they don't apologise for charging more than the "hack". They have probably taken out a sizable loan to get this off the ground (unless mom & dad are helping).
I have a saying that I really believe: "The fee a professional charges, is a testament as to their real feeling of what they are worth". If they are a true professional, they get what they're worth... or they go out of business. A professional understands that this is a once in a lifetime "fairytale" for most brides... "let's do it right the first time".
Here's another saying that I think puts it all in proper perspective: "The bitterness of poor quality, remains long after the sweetness of a cheap price is forgotten". More couples should be aware of this... but unfortunately, are not.
Here's a statement by a long time trusted and respected national disc jockey, Randy Bartlett:
"$500 DJs have always existed and always will. There are $50 magicians and $500 magicians and $25,000 magicians. That will never change. Anything that people 'love to do' and think is fun will always have a low end. The goal was never to do away with low end DJs, but simply to raise awareness among them that the value of what they do is probably higher than what they thought".
After reading that statement, I had to follow with some of my own comments. The bridal wedding forums are filled with the DIY mentality... which in and by itself, isn't a bad thing. It keeps us (professional vendors) all on our toes, and cognizant of trends. One of the current trends is to have a low cost "iPod" wedding where the background music originates from an iPod device. While I don't want to debate the merits or lack thereof, I need to address the "professional" side of the debate.
That word, "professional" has everyone buzzing, especially other DJs. What I mean by the word professional, is a person who looks at their "field" or "profession" as one that will earn a living... paying the bills and continue an existence. A $500 DJ might very well be a professional in his/her own eyes, if the above conditions are met ( A DJ with no children, pets, small apartment, and very little expense).
Let's look at this scenario: Here we have a "20 something" individual, who just moved out from living with mom and dad, and is looking for something to do with their life... maybe a lucrative career. They've been to their college buddy's wedding and watched the DJ, and said to themselves "hey, I could do that, it looks like a lot of fun, and everyone loved it". Now, the question that pops into his/her head is... "what do I have to do, to start this career"?
The very next move, is the critical move... what direction is this person going to go with this mental decision? What follows, determines if this person is going to be a "professional" or a "low ball hack" wanting to make an easy buck (NOTE: The term "Hack" is subjective, and I think most know what I was trying to say [for lack of a better word]. It's like a "dirty joke"... you can't really define it, but you know it when you hear one). What makes the difference, is what he/she conveys to the customer at this moment... "the bride and groom" who are looking to hire a DJ for their wedding (this also applies to each wedding vendor occupation, by the way).
Here's what the "hack" does: He/she buys the cheapest gear they can find, steals some music from the Internet, buys a few business cards, and puts an ad in craigslist for $400 wedding entertainment. Then, sits back and waits for the phone to ring. When it does (and it will), this person quotes the $400 price, and claims to be the "Best DJ money can buy". They have maybe invested a few hundred dollars in this endeavor. They get hired, and ruin the wedding. They don't take any of the funds to upgrade their skills or equipment. The customer walks away from the experience, disappointed, pissed off, and tells their friends about the "cheesy DJ" who ruined their wedding. The "occupation" as a whole, takes a black eye, since we all got lumped into one painful group.
Here's what the "professional" does: He/she starts doing some research on "How - What - Why - Where - When". He/she sits down and studies... joins an Internet networking site with other DJs, and asks a lot of questions... and reads everything everyone has to say about the profession. Then, and only then, does he/she go out and purchase some equipment, and learns how to properly use it. He/she, accompanies a professional to a wedding(s), and watches, and take notes (all this for free, BTW).
He/she purchases an Internet site, and has it properly put together, so customers can find them (at considerable expense). He/she purchases insurance, and joins an association with National backing, networking and skills. He/she attends some training seminars, to learn the craft, and hone their skills. They find out what the current trends are and incorporates their way of thinking into those trends. They practice with their equipment prior to putting it to practical use with a customer... called "rehearsing". Then, they practice some more. They put in 8 to 10 hours a day, studying, and learning.
The next step is to hire an attorney to draft a contract. They purchase a legal music library (which can amount to thousands of dollars). NOTE here: You may not care if your DJ has legal music, but if he/she stole it, then you're stealing it too. Do you want a "thief" working for you? They purchase On-line "planning" and "timeline" programs for their customers (several hundred dollars). They may donate a show or two, to a friend or community event, so they can practice and polish their skills. They make sure their gear is top of the line, and carry "backup" gear in case of a failure. They purchase professional business cards/fliers/handouts/ newspaper ads/phone listings/wedding site ads... and on and on at several more thousands of dollars.
The next step is to write up a "plan" for their business... goals, and wishes. There is a strategy to becoming a professional DJ, that is often overlooked by the "hack". The professional learns how to treat a customer, and puts them ahead of their own wishes. The "plan" is to make the customer so happy, that they will recommend the DJ to their friends, who will then hire them. They continue to give 100%, and understand what hard work is. They actually charge a fee that represents all of the above, and they don't apologise for charging more than the "hack". They have probably taken out a sizable loan to get this off the ground (unless mom & dad are helping).
I have a saying that I really believe: "The fee a professional charges, is a testament as to their real feeling of what they are worth". If they are a true professional, they get what they're worth... or they go out of business. A professional understands that this is a once in a lifetime "fairytale" for most brides... "let's do it right the first time".
Here's another saying that I think puts it all in proper perspective: "The bitterness of poor quality, remains long after the sweetness of a cheap price is forgotten". More couples should be aware of this... but unfortunately, are not.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Things to think about when selecting your DJ, Disc Jockey...
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