Reception Music Options and Budget

Published on Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Toronto Wedding DJ

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As the owner of a DJ company and the previous owner of a business that booked live bands and musicians, I've had the opportunity to be a part of planning the music for well over 1000 weddings in 12 cities across the country. Choosing the music for your wedding can be a daunting task and over the years, I've come up with several of the most popular options couples regularly choose for their reception entertainment. This article outlines the most popular choices, the pros' and cons of each and a rough idea of what you should budget.

iPod and a Sound System

If you are getting married on a small budget, say $10,000 total or less, you may feel that this is the only option for you. Over the years I've been to many of my friends' weddings and a few have chosen to go this route. The most common mistake is forgetting that you need to rent, pick up and setup the sound system and all the cabling. While this isn't impossible to do, it can be an extra stress on the day of and does leave the possibility that something can go wrong, as with any DIY technology.

Pros:

  • Affordable option
  • You choose the playlist
  • Set it and forget it
  • No chance of having a cheesy or bad DJ

Cons:

  • Your guests WILL takeover the iPod
  • Music doesn't go with the flow of the evening
  • Music doesn't play guest requests
  • Music starts and stops frequently
  • Something can go wrong when you hook it up
  • Rentals can be expensive

What You Should Budget: For 2 speakers on stands, a mixing board, and a wireless mic, about $150-$450 is the going rental rate depending on the equipment and the location you are renting from

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Budget/Student/Friend DJ

One very tempting option if you don't want to use the iPod approach but are still on a budget is to hire a DJ who is a friend, a student or a budget DJ from a site like craigslist. I've been to many weddings like this and I've also been the friend helping with the music, so I know full well what goes on for both parties involved. What you need to remember here is that you still need to rent the equipment and that you are still leaving yourself open to risk. The DJ may not show up, may not take it seriously, may be ill-prepared etc. As with anything in life you get what you pay for, but at the same time, there is always the chance of finding a diamond in the rough.

Pros:

  • You eliminate many of the issues of having solely an iPod
  • You have someone in control of the playlist who can read the crowd or play requests
  • You have someone there to help setup and takedown the equipment
  • All in all, this will definitely be more entertaining to your guests than an iPod
  • The music will have a better flow than the iPod

Cons:

  • The DJ may not have your requests
  • The DJ may not be well-versed in the styles of music you and your guests like
  • The DJ may arrive late, leave early or cancel on short notice since this is not a "real gig"
  • The DJ may behave unprofessionally (distracted by their phone, take breaks to smoke, flirt with guests, be on the microphone too much, play silly songs)
  • Overall, you risk having a DJ that doesn't take it seriously and leaves you wishing you had hired someone
  • You still have to pay for equipment rentals (about 25%-50% of the price of a professional DJ)

What You Should Budget: You will still have to pay for rentals and even if the DJ is a family friend, you will still need to tip them or do something to say thank you. For a friend expect to tip or pay $100-$200, after all they are working for 4-10 hours when they normally would be celebrating with you. Plus equipment rentals at $150-$450. For a student or budget DJ, expect to pay $200-$800 with the gear possibly included. All in all, this will run you $550 for a friend with the equipment up to $800 with a DJ who brings the gear. I find that normally inexperienced DJs typically charge $400-$800 for the night with the average being about $650. They are hoping for about $100 per hour. Again, there are exceptions and you may find a diamond in the rough. I have been to weddings where the $500 DJ from the local college pub night was amazing at the wedding, but that is the exception, not the rule and you won't really know until the night of your wedding.

 

Toronto Wedding DJ

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Professional DJ Company

A professional company is what roughly 70% of all the weddings I've been to have hired. Professionals unfortunately can vary as well. When choosing a professional DJ service, choose one with a back end team if possible. Freelancers (one man operations) can be great, but they are only one step above the budget/friend/student DJ in many cases. Again, there are great freelance DJs but in my experience, they overcharge by nearly double. As well, there is no back up plan if they fall ill on the day of your wedding or get injured. In my own company we have been called in to assist when freelance DJs have been unable to make it to the event. That being said, there are good ones out there. The key here is choosing a DJ company that is responsive to you, enthusiastic and professional. Have a look at their website, speak with them on the phone and make sure they are excited about your wedding. I always prefer to use a company than a freelancer myself, whether it is for designing a website, buying a car, or buying a home simply because organizations with multiple people have more systems, more policies and procedures and to put it simply, they have more rules for their team members and staff to follow. Find a great brand you can trust if possible. If not, the next best thing is a freelancer who has a lot of solid reviews or who has worked with one of your family members or friends in the past.

Pros

  • All equipment is provided and setup
  • You have no stresses on the day of your wedding with regard to the sound equipment, music or the party
  • The DJ is there to read the crowd
  • The DJ will follow all of your instructions
  • If you use a company, the DJ will follow policies and procedures of how to behave before, during and after the event
  • The DJ will play the music you and your guests like
  • The DJ will create an atmosphere of excitement and positive energy that will leave your guests talking about your wedding for months
  • Your guests will spend more time dancing on the night of your wedding

Cons

  • Some freelance DJs will charge nearly double the price
  • Some DJ companies will pretend they are professional, but lack organization and structure-check their reviews, website and look them up online
  • You will pay a little bit more for a good DJ company than you would for a friend/student/budget DJ or an ipod/sound system

What You Should Budget: Expect to pay around 10-15% of your total wedding budget for a professional DJ service. If you are spending $15,000 on your wedding, $1500 is a reasonable rate. Beware of DJ services in the $700-$900 range as most good companies regularly book their services at $1000 or more and completely fill up their calendars. On the high end, beware of DJ companies charging $1800 and up. Many of these services will sell you on their affiliations with DJ societies or clubs, or they will point to the fact that they will be more than a DJ and will act as an "entertainment coordinator". At the end of the day, any good service will act as an entertainment coordinator. Find someone with amazing customer service, a brand you can trust, with great reviews from the $1000-$1800 range, keeping around $1500 as the average and you can sleep well knowing you've paid the right price for a great service without losing quality or overpaying.

Enter "Toronto Wedding List" in our lead form in the "how were you referred section" for a $100 discount when booking at Airwaves.

About the Writer

Airwaves Music is Canada's only national DJ brand, with over 60 DJs operating in 12 cities, performing at thousands of events. The company has been operating for nearly a decade and began with humble roots in the Okanagan with just 2 DJs working together as friends. Seeing that the DJ industry is highly fragmented, they saw the opportunity to create the first Canadian DJ Brand that could offer consistent 5 star service at affordable prices. Airwaves has one of the most extensive DJ recruitment and training processes in the world and each DJ applicant must pass a personal interview with the owner before being hired. After that, each DJ is retrained through apprenticing with other DJs and taking online training courses offered by the company. Airwaves has grown exponentially because they have lived up to their promise of offering amazing service at affordable prices consistently year after year. As well, the company is a business of passion for the owners and the team members within it. At every gig, our mission is to make the world a better place by connecting people to each other through music. Learn more about their services at airwavesmusic.ca.