Ask yourself the level of priority you place on the entertainment for your wedding reception? How much value are you placing in the person with the microphone and music? How important is a packed dance floor, guests celebrating, laughing and staying to the very end of your event? Well, let’s do a small test to really see where you stand?
DJ vs Mac N Cheese: Yes, I said Mac N Cheese.
At a wedding Music In Motion entertained at recently the caterer had us announce the “Late night snack” was now being served. Mac N Cheese! This after 6 hours of appetizers, 4 course dinner and wedding cake. It’s a growing trend I see more and more at weddings here in Connecticut. Late snacks often consisting of hamburgers, fries, pizza,hot dogs or Mac N Cheese. And it’s NOT free either folks! It’s actually at crazy prices! You pay for everything at a wedding. Sometimes over-pay.
I had to find out about the Mac N Cheese so I politely asked the groom what exactly they got tagged for all that glorious golden goop? What he told me knocked me off my feet. $1500 for Mac N Cheese!!!! That’s right, the late night snack which almost no-one even touched was a $1500 add-on bill. Now that really got me thinking. The national average rate for a professional DJ is just under $1200, so I guess Mac N Cheese is now more valuable than the wedding entertainment? The person who professionally announces you into the ballroom, expertly handles all of your critical music transitions and represents you as Master of Ceremonies. This couldn’t be right….. right?????
Truth be told, many couples are dropping the BIG portion of their wedding budget right out of the gate when they visit the caterer. Chair covers, cigar rollers, venetian tables, and the infamous LATE night snack all fetch more money than the average priced wedding DJ/Entertainer. It’s all about frill for the thrill with little or no attention to the substance or foundation.
Next, you have to consider what will provide more of a memory? The flowers, the wedding dress, the limo, the prime rib or the packed dance floor? What do your wedding guests really care about after the food is served? Ego alert ladies….. the guests care less about your wedding dress. FACT! They care about having fun and being entertained. They are moved by emotion which is drawn out by a skilled Master of Ceremonies and will remain to the end of the reception ONLY if motivated to do so. And it won’t be the Mac N Cheese that makes them stay. Why pay all this money if the guests leave early?
Finally, Cheap DJ vs True Professional. I was reading around Facebook the other day and came across this sad and disturbing review on a DJ page from a competitor of mine. What could possibly be worse than this scenario?
The bride writes……. ” If I could give zero stars, I would. He messed up my wedding day so bad that I had the publicist from Judge Judy contact me requesting
Would that bride have been so disturbed by bad wedding flowers, a bad photo booth or even cold Mac N Cheese? Probably not. You often need to understand the value of a service is the amount you would probably sue them for if they did not show up to your wedding. Will the wedding go on without a photo booth? Without flowers? Without chair covers? Without the pastries? Sure, it will go on but can it go on without the wedding DJ/Entertainer? No way!
So, bottom line is you need to decide what your wedding priorities are and stop to think what will really make the difference vs cost you extra money? The extra fluff just takes up space at your wedding while the memories last a lifetime. Priorities!!! What will make those memories the best they can be?