Planning a wedding causes lots of excitement and stress. Once the research for vendors starts, it can be difficult to understand why a specific services costs what they do. The average wedding cost in the US is $26,645, which leads to the average cost of wedding DJ services in the US which is about $2,100, but where does that price come from? Well, turns out it’s more than meets the eye.
Staffing and Labor
When it comes to hiring a DJ, one word jumps out…PERSONALITY! After that, you want to look for a team who you genuinely like and trust. DJ companies expect a lot from their own DJs, from the initial consultations to all of the communication with you (answering every email in a timely fashion, for example) and prep work in advance of your wedding and on the day of. The chunk of a DJ’s pricing may also cover the salary for other staff members who make sure the business runs smoothly and there are no hiccups in your communication, scheduling, or billing. Think of it this way, if you meet, like and book a DJ, then as you get closer cancel or reschedule, that DJ missed out on booking with another awesome couple. It has to be fair for all!
Time
This one should be obvious—you’re paying for your DJ’s time. You’ll probably meet with your DJ at least once in advance of your wedding, and he or she will likely create a script and playlist specifically for your wedding in advance—that takes several hours of time, too. And on your wedding day, your DJ has to travel, set up, perform at your wedding, and break down. So even if you’re technically paying for your DJ to perform for four hours during your reception, there are many hours of work beyond that that you may not even see!
Equipment and Upkeep
You want your DJ to have the most up-to-date, modern equipment to best serve your wedding—to make sure that everyone can hear the music, and that you aren’t left with “dead air” due to failing technology. It definitely costs money (thousands of dollars) to not only purchase the most state-of-the-art equipment, but also to make sure that everything, from computers to sound equipment and more, is working properly and to fix anything that isn’t. If lighting is part of your DJ’s package, this can be an added expense.
Music
Yes, your DJ has to pay for his or her own music and they certainly need to have a lot of it! You’ll want to make sure that your DJ has access to the many thousands of songs that you or your guests might request, either in advance of your wedding or on the day of—and that costs money. And if your DJ is creating remixes or editing songs specifically for your wedding, that’s more time and cost.
Operational Costs
There are lots of costs that go into running a business, both big and small. There are obvious costs like paying rent on office space, maintaining a website, business licenses, and utilities. But there’s also the cost of advertising and marketing materials.
There’s also insurance, which is super-important for businesses, especially those handling events, meaning you’ll definitely want to make sure the wedding DJ you ultimately hire is insured. For example, if your DJ’s equipment gets damaged during your wedding or if someone is injured because of your DJ’s equipment, you or your venue might be held responsible. There are some venues that won’t allow uninsured DJs to work at their location—so it’s definitely important.
We hope all these points made sense and were easy to understand! If not, please feel free to contact us! We love meeting and talking with potential clients, or as we like to think, family!
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