Ten years into the new millenium, a decade into the new century.
And a year into the latest recession at the hands of yet another liberal, socialist who has sent this country spiralling into recession, historic debt and private sector take overs.
Amid all this, I was ten years into working for the DJ company on the weekends and three years into being there full time.
All the talk of a recovering economy aside, unemployment is at an historic high.
And that said, the owner of my company tells us that while the outlook is grim and the future is iffy, nobody will lose their jobs or have their pay cut.
Within a week my pay is cut 30%, my hours are reduced to 3/5 and a few weeks after that talk, I’m laid off with the notice that the company’s outlook is foggy at best.
Now I’m reduced to record unemployment lines in Colorado, benefits that don’t even cover my studio apartment rent and promises of part time pay that aren’t panning out.
So as I look for work, whether as a burger jockey at McDonalds or day labourer on the freeway offramp - I have to consider my availability to my next employer.
I’d always been loyal to my DJ employer, giving him 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
But as I’m worked out of the gig rotation, I have to decide whether I’m going to be DJing in 2010.
Not just for the DJ company but for my friends and associates in the biz as well.
I don’t want to have my own biz, be my own boss, run insurance, taxes, sales, meetings, advertising, etc etc etc.
I just want to DJ for Brides on their wedding days.
So do I contact these industry friends and make myself available to them if/when they need me?
Do I stay on with the current DJ company, hanging on by tooth and nail until my fingers are peeled from the railing and I’m tossed overboard like yesterday’s tripe?
As much as I love DJing, as much as I love weddings and as much as I love the industry, I’m actually relieved to not be full time in it anymore.
In the last three years my hair went from dark brown to gray from all the emotional & mental abuse, harassment and torture I endured because of my love and loyalty to the owner.
I’m actualy starting to sleep at night again and (let’s hear the shock & awe folks!) I actually lost ten pounds in the last two weeks!
I know, right?
LOL
So even though I never made enough to save a quarter so the possibility is very real and likely that I’ll not make rent and be evicted and living in my truck with my cat by February 1st - I’m actually relaxing.
Breathing more easily.
While I want to DJ in 2010 and beyond, I’d wanted to DJ until I was too old, too blind, too deaf and too crippled.
But being laid off, the number one DJ in the company, the second longest DJ in the company and the least expensive employee, cut from the roster….
Makes me wonder if I’m over DJing or if it’s just time to rethink my place, reapply what I’ve learned and take back the State!
This summer has been a completely new and different wedding season for me.
That’s both exciting and challenging at the same time.
This summer, the majority of Weddings I’ve DJ’d have been couples around the 20 to 25 range.
They’re old enough (or young enough) to be my kids!
Younger weddings have as many pros and cons as older couples (yes I said it - I’m part of that “older” crowd!)
The number one similarity and challenge is the music selection.
Just because you’re younger doesn’t mean that you have to or should play nothing but newer and younger music.
This is of course just a general rule as everybody’s event is unique and you actually may only want to hear newer or older music.
But as a rule, you should mix it up.
And not just for the older or younger guests.
Old farts like me sometimes like to hear the newer stuff and you young whippersnappers enjoy the classics as well.
A traditional “rule” is to start with the older style music and gradually work our way into the pop 40 style music during the last hour of the night.
This gives the older guests and family time to slow dance with the Bride and Groom and also each other.
But they tire out earlier and get their grooves on and off more quickly, leaving the younger folks behind to party like rock stars.
On the other hand, I’ve had Brides and Grooms ask me to start the night off with current hits and I’ve watched grandma and grandpa get out there and shake their tooshes!
Don’t be afraid to tell me (or your DJ - would you really want anybody else but me? ) what you like, as many songs as you want to list out.
You really can’t over do it and there is no such thing as over kill.
And no, this cannot backfire on you.
If you pick some less than spectacular dance songs, we can still enjoy your favourites but give me the freedom to pick the occasional song that I’m pretty sure will bring your guests back out onto the dance floor - but still keeps it in the same style and genre you like.
And the more selections you give me, the more choices I have to keep you AND your guests, both young and old dancing their backsides off.
And you really do want your guests dancing.
After all, you just stuffed them with meals that run from $50 a plate and up.
And that super sweet, super moist super expensive cake - your guests have to work that off as well!
So please, don’t be afraid to talk to your DJ in great detail about your music needs BEFORE and during your wedding.
While it’s nice to say, “We trust you, you’re the professional,” it’s also nice to say, “We heard all our favourites and we all danced so hard that we can’t walk and I think we left a few guests passed out back on the dance floor!”
It’s not always about tossing out the old just to be new and different but a little bit of both goes a very long way with your friends and family.
To all of you new Brides and Grooms - may you come together in His name and walk all of your days with Him.
May He lift you up and make your fruitful.
Rejoice in the Lord, Friends - Rejoice ALWAYS and congratulations to all of you this year!
Billy Idol called it a White Wedding.
Today Brides are going Green.
What does that mean and can it be done without sacrifice?
Simple and little things matter.
For instance:
Are you wearing your mother’s dress?
Most Brides today do not.
With that in mind, use the “Green” method and recycle.
My favourite Wedding dress designer is Maggie Sottero.
She’s also one of the more expensive.
Two of my friends have gotten married recently and we found nearly new “Maggies” on eBay for under $150.
And both friends sold their dresses after their wedding and got their money back!
Some other Brides are enjoying the cost cut and we’ve all “recycled”.
Flowers:
Many Brides are using day old flowers.
They don’t look day old, the cost is half.
Once the wedding is over, donate the flowers to Church for the service the next morning.
Or if your wedding is after the service, use their flowers as yours and your center pieces.
Then give them back to the Church.
Many Churches donate the used flowers (after you’ve used them and they’ve used them) to families for funerals, for women in half way homes and for many other uses.
Photos:
This one is easy and obvious.
DIGITAL!
I have many friends who are photogs so I’m never going to say, “save money by not hiring a professional” for your day.
That said, I will say that use them only where you need them.
Your engagement photos need to be a document and be professional.
These costs are minimal.
For the Day Of, don’t have the photogs there all day, only just before the ceremony and up to the cake cutting.
A few hours, the photog gets paid, you get professional photos and you’ve just cut costs down by at least 50%.
Everybody you know has a digital camera, video camera and will be at your wedding taking about a bazillion hours of everything from every angle.
Set up a site where folks can send you their files after the wedding and you can share the videos with everybody.
And the music.
Like the photog, you can’t say no to a DJ, there are just too many things a professional can do for you that an iPod or a digital camera cannot.
That said, you don’t need to hire a DJ from New York to play your Colorado Wedding.
When you hire a local DJ, photog, caterer, Pastor, etc - you cut gas costs, drive times, carbon emissions, etc.
Being a DJ I get paid more when a Bride hires me to play her ceremony AND reception.
But you can save money if you only hire me for your reception (Cocktails, dinner, formals and dancing!)
Invitations:
C’mon, really, everybody we know these days is online.
And for the one or two of our grandparents, parents or friends and family members who still don’t have indoor plumbing, electricity and an email address, we can call them on the phone.
Their land lines ‘cuz they obviously don’t have cell phones yet either!
eInvites can cut the costs of paper invitations, are more environmentally friendly and don’t suffer from ten trillion postage stamps and all that licking, sealing, sticking - folding, matching, stuffing and worry, “Did it get there yet?”
With eInvites, you can see who’s responded, who’s received and who hasn’t.
You can add pesonal messages, ask for two song requests from each guest, remind folks to bring their cameras, etc etc etc.
With paper invites, you’re charged per line so you say as little as you can afford.
Dress To Impress?
While I appreciate it when folks dress out of respect, respect for the family of and the Bride - let’s admit it; it’s usually only the guys who have to change what they’re wearing.< br>
Most guys have a tie in the closet and they simply throw it on then take it off right after the first dance.
But the ladies….
That’s a whole other ball of wax.
To us guys who have to wear ties, jackets, dress shoes with black socks and we’re all uncomfortable, sweaty and grumpy - women and their simple skimpy little dresses with flip flops - really seem to be under dressed.
But you ladies know that is just not true.
You’ve gone out of your way to get into shape, whether you’re the Bride or not.
You worked out and dieted for three months at least.
You hit the tanning salons and the hair/nail salon just before the event.
You browsed tons of shoppes for just the right dress, the right shoes and the right ear rings - spending an insane amount of time and money to look so effortlessly stunning.
As the Bride, while you really want a classy affair and you want everybody dressed to the nines, think how much more comfortable your guests will be if you ask all the men to not wear ties but to wear slacks and a dress shirt, no coats?
Women, ask them to wear black flip flops and a sun dress from their closet.
After all, if they save a few bucks on themselves, they just may spend a few more on your wedding gifts.
But of course that’s not the goal.
They’ll be more comfortable, more relaxxed and have more fun, dance more, laugh more, etc.
And the real goal, saving money and being more green - will be realized.
Your dress, the flowers, the photographer and DJ, the invites, the guests….
You’ve just cut literally thousands of dollars from your budget and haven’t sacrificed a dime’s worth of class or memory.
You’ve recycled and reused and done your effort to be environmentally conscious.
These are just a few ideas out of many possible.
Some folks go to the extreme.
That may be good for them, or you but you need to consider your guests.
If they’re not having fun, they’re uncomfortable or feeling awkward you may have sabotaged your own wedding.
You don’t have to agree with those who believe in “Global Warming” - most don’t.
But most also agree that it is the mark of a good Steward of the Lord to be wise about what and how we use our resources.
And if we save a few bucks in the process…
That’s wisdom well spent!
It’s the best day of your life.
Absolute bliss.
Your dress fit perfectly and everything stayed in its place.
The man of your dreams is now your husband.
Nobody tripped, all the words came out in the right order and at the right time.
Both families got along, nobody got too drunk.
The food was perfect, all the photos were taken, the flowers looked perfect.
All of your requests were played and all your guests danced their butts off.
Even your grandparents dance and had a good time.
Nothing more to say other than everything was so perfect, you and your new husband are pinching yourselves as the lights come up at the end of the night and all your guests are hugging you, congratulating you and kissing you both goodnight.
It’s not alcohol but the absolute bliss of the whole night which is leaving your head spinning and you intoxicated.
Suddenly there is a fat bald guy asking you for money.
Money?
Of all the nerve; of all things on this of all days!
Why is this creep asking you for money?
I recommend to all my Brides that either you pay before your Day or that you elect somebody to take care of your vendors the day of.
Have your Father, Maid/Matron or Best Man take care of this.
The very last thing I want to have to do is come to you on your Day and ruin it by asking you for money.
The company for whom I work does not require payment, partial payments or down payment - you sign a contract and can pay as late as at the end of The Night.
Please either pay early or make arrangements for somebody to do it for you on your Day.
The only thing I want to say to you and your new Husband at the end of the night is, “Congratulations!”
If anything, that “Do Not Play” list is more important than telling me what you want to hear.
I can always stumble across your favourite song but let me stumble across THAT ONE song that is like nails on a chalk board to you and oh Lord…
Forget a woman scorned - they got nothing on a ticked off Bride!
So what IS a “Do Not Play” list?
It’s not just a bunch of songs that you don’t like.
It’s not just all the Disco, Group or Rap songs that make your skin crawl.
Don’t just tell me, “My mother in law will ask for the Chicken Dance - DO NOT PLAY IT!
I mean, that’s important but really think about what you don’t want to hear and what you do.
And nearly as important as what you do or don’t want to hear, what will your guests want to hear and not want to hear.
Yes, they’re all there because they love you and want to celebrate with you.
That obligates you to entertain them and really CELEBRATE with them.
I met with a future Bride this afternoon.
I did her Matron of Honour’s Wedding years back.
During our meeting I recalled another wedding I did a few years back.
The Bride KNEW her new Husband’s family was all from back East and all absolutely loved polka.
His family had a tradition of polka and the Chicken Dance.
Of course she hated it and made very clear the instruction that under no circumstance was I to play that song at her Reception.
Of course I complied and made every excuse during the night, “I forgot the disc, I don’t have the song, the disc is scratched, my dog ate it…”
At the end of the night, Grandma and Grandpa of the Groom walked up to my table and Grandma said, “I’m really disappointed, we practiced for two weeks and you never played the Chicken Dance.”
It’s my job to make me look like the bad guy, the DJ who sucks because I didn’t bring a song or just plain don’t have it - rather than make the Bride look bad by explaining that SHE said not to play something.
But when Grandma said that to me, I felt about two inches tall.
So be considerate of your guests.
I understand that it’s your night, that it ALL ABOUT YOU - that’s who the night is for.
YOU
So I always recommend a “safety” amoung the Wedding Party.
You have a Maid/Matron of Honour and a Best Man.
Use them.
If there is something you want that you’re not hearing me play, send em over.
I don’t get upset if a Maid of Honour tells me the Bride hates a song and wants me to play another RIGHT NOW - that’s my job.
No matter how thorough you are making your lists, something is bound to get missed and I’m sure to find that one song you forgot - so simply send over your MoH or the BM.
And also give them the power to decide for you but make them very clear about what you want.
If I get a ton of requests for a style or a song that you banned, I’ll ask your MoH or the BM about possibly fulfilling a few requests.
Hopefully they will come to you and ask.
Don’t be afraid to say NO.
I’m a professional, I’ve done a Wedding or two and it’s my job to read your guests, to see when things are beginning to slump or guests are getting bored with the music and not hearing their requests.
I’ll come to you or your MoH/BM and let them know what I’m reading.
It’s my job to keep you, your guests and family happy but above all else, keep YOU happy!
Do your do not play list first, then suggest and choose the songs you do want to hear.
Make sure (I) your DJ gets both lists and make sure we understand everything for which you’ve asked.
The more details you give us up front, the less about which you have to worry on the day of your Wedding when you shouldn’t worry about anything except how freakin stunning you look in the moment.
No, We’re not talking about the Tabacco Info & Prevention program or Treasury Inflation Protection Services.
I mean Tips; gratuities given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for above average services.
Let me give you an example, from a guy who lives on tips.
I go to a restaurant.
Place my order, eat my food, pay my bill and go home.
I paid a price for that food, built within which is the salary and cost of the food and those who prepared and served it.
Along with that charge are a certain level of basic expectaions of service and quality.
If I come in, the server takes my order, is polite, the food is good and my needs are met then everything went as it should, as expected.
Should I be expected to leave a tip?
Nope.
But if everything went better than expected, if my needs were anticipated and service was extra ordinary, by all means - you’re getting a tip baby!
The exact same goes for us DJs.
We should not expect a tip.
We should not demand a tip and we don’t treat you any less or think of you any differently if you don’t tip.
Tips are never assumed or expected but always appreciated and loved.
DJs do not go out of their way to make your day special just for that tip.
We go out of our way because that’s what you pay us to do.
At least the good DJs do!
That all said…
Make certain to reward the good DJs - reward that good behaviour, that bending over backwards to make sure your event went perfectly.
Reward the DJ who goes above and beyond your expectations.
You are reinforcing that behaviour and encouraging him to do even better for the next Bride.
There is no set amount or figure for tipping DJs as in the wait staff industry.
I will say that my tips have ranged from $5 to $500 and average around $150 a gig.
Does that mean I expect it?
Nope, in fact sometimes I know I could have done much better and even when the Bride or her Father disagree and try to tip me, I’ve politely refused without explaination.
I honestly believe that I’ve turned more down than I’ve accepted.
Please don’t hire me under the impression that I’ll turn down your tips though!
LOL
And don’t feel obligated to give us all your money.
We can tell when $20 is to you what $200 is to the next Bride.
Some families can’t afford to tip, others have money falling out of their pockets.
I’ve had Brides so embarassingly gracious (I’m easily embarassed - hey! I’m humble dangit) for my contribution to their Wedding Day that I’ve caught them digging into their Money Dance or Wedding Gift Envelopes to scrounge up tips.
Please don’t?
I know a sincere thank you and I appreciate that much more.
Don’t get me wrong, I need to make ends meet too but my boss pays me well and I am smart enough not to budget my bills to rely on tips.
Not all DJs are like me and not all DJs should be like me.
Whether you use me, please reward that outstanding service, reward the DJ who provides you with extra ordinary service and went above and beyond.
He’ll thank you and the Bride after you will thank you.
If you tip, tip from the heart and while 15 - 25% is loved, it is NOT expected nor anticipated.
Again, you’re only tipping for extra ordinary services.
You’re only tipping because you want to reward your DJ for his services.
Never tip out of obligation.
If you’re not sure whether to tip, don’t.
If you’re not sure then the service provided wasn’t extra ordinary enough to cause you to be sure.
Have your Groom give a bunch of money to the Best Man.
Or have your Father hang onto it.
At the end of the night, tell them whether you feel they should tip the DJ, or let them be the deciders.
And give them an idea what percentage between none and all of the funds.
Bottom line:
The day is about you.
You’ve prepaid all your balances so you don’t have to worry about anything on your Wedding Day.
You don’t need to be thinking about this on that day unless after all is said and done, you overwhelmingly feel you should.
Then and only then would I recommend you tip not only your DJ but the other vendors as well.
I got an email from a former Bride last night.
Hello Ma’am and thank you for reading and for the emails.
Congratulations by the way, y’all are coming up on three years this summer.
REJOICE!!!
So in her letter she was concerned for me that I talk about my Faith and about Weddings - to future and past Brides - all in the same blog.
She was afraid I may be turning off some Brides.
Does it really matter what my Faith or political beliefs are to a Bride?
NO!
Does she care?
NO!
If it does and she decides not to hire me simply because of my Faith and political beliefs…
Does it matter to me?
Nope!
I’m going to do the same job, give the same effort and my goals are the same for EVERY SINGLE BRIDE:
The Best I Can!
Can I be a Christian and a DJ and blog about it at the same time?
Why not?
As we round the corner of the New Year, more Brides are planning their weddings then are actually celebrating them.
For us DJs this is a chance to recuperate and prepare for the next season.
At my Wedding last night, one of the new guys who had the rare night off decided to come out with me.
I call him new but “newer” is probably more accurate.
He’s been with us for three years and has done more than 200 events.
During his internship and training, he shadowed me a couple of times and has since become one of our better DJs.
Since he had the night off he’d decided that he wanted to take the opportunity to come out with one of the other DJs (me) and see if there were any new tricks, tips or lessons he could learn and apply to his already outstanding performance.
knowing that I’m far from as good as I can be as a DJ, it also gives me a chance to explain out loud what I do - which causes me to either hear how silly something sounds and stop it or realize I can do something better.
It also gives me a fresh set of eyes of another professional who can point out what I’m doing well and what I need to curtail, what I can improve and what I shouldn’t.
It’s good “training” for both of us.
That’s the benefits of a larger, professional and long term company like the one for which I work.
We’ve been around for a very long time.
We train and retrain and the bad seeds get weeded out and left behind.
If you hire a smaller company you risk using a poor DJ who hangs on because there are no better DJs to illustrate his lesser abilities.
He’ll only show you his good reviews and you’ll have no clue he blows chunks until he does your Wedding.
We work at a ton of venues and our vendors do not hesitate to point out our bad DJs/trainees.
That’s good for us because that helps us weed out the bad apples and it’s good for the venues because that keeps them loaded up with only our best professionals and it keeps everybody’s Brides happy.
Overall, the bigger and older a company is, the more training they have and the more DJs they have, those who’ve been around longer to train the younger guys and vice versa, the better the company is.
The better the company the more likely it will be that you, the Bride will have a more successful event.
So last night I DJd a Wedding and little did the Bride know (or really care, right?) that she had two of the better DJs in the Rocky Mountain Region to take care of her.
Both training each other and both making sure that in the process, the Bride benefits from our training.
And that DJ and I are only two of many many DJs who’ve been with the company for years and who love Weddings.
Rejoice in the Lord future and past Brides.
May you and your “husbands” walk all your days with the Lord and may He make you fruitful and multiply.
I’ve actually only done one repeat wedding so I don’t have much experience there.
Not being superstitious (I’m a Christian) I can’t say that using the same DJ for both of your receptions is a bad idea.
I may recommend you do EVERYTHING differently the second time around but then again, if the DJ rocked your friends and family the first time, why not have him back?
I mean, he already knows what y’all like and you know you like him, right?
LOL
Yes, I just typed a “LOL” into my blog post but I really did laugh out loud.
Referrals I know something about.
Having been around for as long as I have (In April I begin my 10th year!) I’ve done more than my fair share of referrals.
I fact, this weekend I did the brother of a Bride I did back in 2005.
My owner jokes with me that I don’t do any new gigs these days, only referrals.
On the one hand that’s a dream for an owner, that one of his DJs is simply doing referral after referral weddings.
Oh wait, I need to explain what that is, sorry.
Let’s take what I just told you about me doing the brother of a Bride from 2005 this weekend.
In 2005 I do a wedding.
A few years later, the brother of that Bride decides he wants to get married and he remembers the great time they had at his sister’s wedding.
The brother’s fiancee just happened to be there and agrees so the whole family decides to have me back.
Another case:
The Maid of Honour at a wedding decides to get married and wants me to do her wedding as well.
Even better, I’m at a Corporate Party (Christmas, etc) and an employee comes to me telling me her daughter is getting married in the summer and she’d like me, or some such.
And so my life goes over the years.
I do referrals and referrals and referrals.
Keep in mind that every single wedding is unique.
The music and my “DJ Style” for Jane Bride’s wedding may not resemble what’s played or how I act at your wedding one iota!
Some Brides run a tight reign on the music and on what I say and do at their weddings.
Other Brides just turn me loose.
Some Brides want Country & Western all night and others want Sinatra and the classics.
Some weddings have coordinators and I’m left to stand in my corner and press play when I’m told to.
Other Brides hire me specifically because I double as a coordinator and I can save them a bundle on day of costs, etc.
Let me add here that I can never replace some of the great coordinators but at your event I can run your show for you like a Swiss Clock.
Anywho…
I was saying that no two weddings are alike, even when the families and guests are near identical.
I may play some of the same traditional songs and both families may have the same requests but every Bride has unique requests, needs and desires.
But referrals are great for many reasons:
Somebody has already used me and knows what/who they’re getting.
They know my style and my personality.
Many times I’ve already met you and that takes the mystery out of your entertainment portion of the night.
Another HUGE bonus is that I’ve been around long enough that you know I’m not going anywhere.
My Bride & Groom this weekend first met me almost four years ago and they were able to look me up and request me again.
Many DJs and companies are fly by night, you rarely get to meet the DJ of your event until that day and if you’ve booked him far enough in advance, he may not be around for your wedding.
Some of these characters move between companies, try to start their own or have to flee town so often that it’s embarassing to be associated with them.
I’ve been working for one company, the same company that has been in business since 1985, I’ve been there since 2000.
I average 65 events a year and most of them are weddings.
I’m not going anywhere.
In fact, my first “missed” Wedding was this year (2008).
I broke my tailbone and wasn’t able to get to the event otherwise I would have tried!
So I can say I have a pretty good record of being around, sticking around and showing up.
I’m a good referral.
I wonder if it would be appropriate to follow up with my Brides and congratulate y’all at your one, five and ten (and so on) year anniversaries?
I’d love to know that my Brides are staying married and not needing me again for their own weddings.
As much as I’d love the repeat business, dangit don’t do it Ladies!
ha ha ha
I’ve said this before but it’s a New Year and I want to start out by letting future Brides know again:
Never Feed The DJ!
Ok, so I’ll start off with the perks of a Wedding for the DJ.
We get paid well, Brides and Grooms who are happy tip us really well and we get some rich food that goes above and beyond our normal diets of McDonalds and Ramen noodles.
Let me bring it home more personally Brides.
I’ve been DJing in the Denver area for 9 plus years.
I’ve been working these same venues and with the same great group of Vendors for as long.
I have a great relationship with most of them.
Many insist on feeding me.
They know I don’t take the time to sit still long enough to eat and they’ll trip me on the floor, tie me up and force feed me.
So please please please Brides, I truly appreciate it and thank you but don’t pay for a meal for me?
Meals at your receptions are EXPENSIVE and when you pay for a meal for me I feel guilty as all get out.
I usually don’t eat unless I’m force to.
I know I know, to look at me you’d think I eat everything all of the time but it’s not true.
And to add insult to injury, many venues will charge you full price for a meal but serve us what’s called a “vendor meal” and it’s usually a cold cut sandwhich, bag of chips and a bottle of water.
I do not want my Brides to pay $50 for a sliver of a Subway sandwhich and a 50 cent bag of chips.
Thank you Brides but please, cut some corners and keep your Photographer a little while longer with the extra money.
And Overtime…
In my early years of DJing I did a lot of overtime.
As I became a better DJ I’ve been able to cut back on that.
I used to think OT was a sign that the Bride and her guests were having a ball and wanted to keep on going.
Sometimes (vary rarely) that’s still true.
But most of the time that just means one of two things:
Things got off to a late start, things are behind schedule, etc and the Party only just got started and the Bride needs to ask for more time…
Or I did not read the Bride and her guests well enough to wear them out before the end of the night.
Inevitably there’s going to be a few people at the end of the night who after the last dance try to start the “One More Song” chant.
But if I read the crowd right, the last dance brings a sigh of relief (your dogs are barking time to get some rest), and everybody leaves on a high note.
Most of the time when OT is needed, half way through that time, your guests hit that wall.
And when that wall slams into them, they start dropping off the dance floor and then I feel bad for ripping you off for all that OT when your guests are pooped.
No comedian exhausts every last joke and ends the night with folks just silently sitting there.
When they are laughing their hardest, he takes his cue and thanks them for coming.
Same with a Bride and her guests, when they are dancing their hardest, have had the best time possible and you can feel that the rollercoaster has just about reached the top of the ride and is just starting to feel that weightless freefall….it’s time to get that group hug and last dance on.
Most of my Weddings average 5 or 6 hours.
I think the rule to tell a Bride is four hours and then you can add OT if you feel the need.
I’d recommend you contract more time then you need (less expensive and prepaid that way) and that way if you decide to end the night early or if your night goes all the way to the end, you didn’t have to pay for the more expensive OT and I don’t have to come to you after and ask you for money on your Wedding Day.
If you contract more time up front you have a bargaining tool to get the price lower so those extra hours are cheaper than the OT time later at the event.
Cocktails last about an hour.
Dinner is safely an hour but if you have more than 200 guests, budget an extra thirty minutes per 100 for eating and schmoozing.
Formals (Cake, toasts and dances) take less than 30 minutes so with a five to six hour contract you’re left with 2.5 to 3.5 hours of solid dancing which is plenty.
2.5 hours is plenty as I can get in all the dance songs you know or all the requests you have since we get about 20 songs per hour.
3.5 hours if you’re truly serious about dancing and honestly think you’ll have at least 20 to 50 people stick around and do more than drink and try to hook up all night.
Perks - there are a ton for us DJs but they are all free, not counting the pay and tips of course!
Overtime - not needed.
In the heat of the moment, I will never tell a Bride no, you’ll get me to stick around for OT if you ask but I’d like to help you out before hand when you’re sober, level headed and planning: let’s budget your time better and avoid the extra cost of meals and OT.
As many of you know I answer all the emails I get from Brides future and past.
And you can call me in the Office if you want even more involved help.
I don’t know and don’t want to know “prices” - I’ll let you talk to our consultants about that but I can help you with any and every other detail.
And don’t forget to visit the Wedding Page for recommendations and the like. Wedding Page.
REJOICE in the Lord y’all and congrats on past and future nuptials!
) what you like, as many songs as you want to list out.