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D.I.WHY? – DIY Weddings – Hiring a professional costs less in the end.

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Mason jars, candy bars, grandma’s sewing machine, and cookies.

Sounds like fun doesn’t it? For the every day crafter, it sure does. But for the rest of us, it’s a whole lotta work. So why is it more and more couples are turning to DIY weddings? The answer is simple. It all boils down to money. A proper budget is one of the hardest things to overcome when planning weddings. In the days of old, the bride’s parents would foot the bill for their little girl’s wedding and at times even re-finance their house just to give their daughter the wedding of her dreams. No expense was spared and she had the best of everything at her fingertips.

Today in 2014, jobs are scarce and money is tight. REAL TIGHT. So DIY weddings naturally become a popular option on the guise of saving money. But think about this for a moment… How many people do you know fix their own car, build their home from the ground up,  do their own plumbing, or god for bid, perform their own surgery? There’s just some things that are best left in the hands of a professional. Now I’m not saying that DIY weddings aren’t possible and that they are all bad. The truth is, there are some really great weddings that we have been a part of that were 90% DIY. But that’s just it. It’s 90%. There are still some things that even the most crafty and thrifty couples saw the value in hiring a professional.

We’ll start with the venue. Why is having your wedding at a venue a great idea? Think about it! You need to do NOTHING except ENJOY your wedding. All of the food is taken care of and is cooked to perfection. The climate, furniture, restrooms, parking, and reception space are plentiful, tidy, and perfect. Some if not all venues have countless referrals for photographers, videographers, DJs and more on speed dial that are proven to be the best option and the wide variety of these vendors gives you, the couple, the ability to choose the right vendor based on your personal preferences.

And while we’re on the topic of photographers, let’s dive into that a bit. Why are good photographers so expensive? There’s a reason for that. Supply and demand. Your wedding photos are going to be on your wall and the walls of your family’s house for decades. You’ve spent a ton of time, effort, and in most instances money, on making sure that you, your bridal party, the ceremony, reception, and everything that comes with it looks it’s absolute best for your wedding day. Why wouldn’t you want to preserve that beauty in the perfect photo to remember for years to come? As tempting as it is to have your friends, snap away with out of focus with quick enhanced valencia or xx pro coloring on instagram for free, wouldn’t it be nice when you’re holding hands with your spouse at 83 years old to look at your wedding photo in your hands and just smile because he still takes your breath away? You can’t put a price on that feeling. It’s the best feeling in the world.

Let’s talk about music for a second. You might be able to make one hell of an itunes playlist but, not everyone enjoys the same music you do. Not every song was made with the intention of facilitating dancing. Music has a purpose. It’s meant to create an emotional response and picking the right song at the right moment could be the difference between celebration and awkward silence. A good DJ will be able to honor your musical tastes and keep your guests happy and entertained. And since we’re talking about DJs, almost everyone knows a DJ these days. The fraternity brother from college who still spins for fun at the local bar, your 13 year old cousin who’s parents bought him consumer grade equipment at Wal-Mart who listens to nothing but EDM and hip-hop, your brother Steve who is in a classic rock band that owns some PA gear and has a MacBook pro with lots of Steve Miller, Eagles, and Frank Zappa for those epic 20 minute orchestral oddities that everyone loves. Yes, they’re all out there and you know at least one of them. But why chance the day you’ve been dreaming about for 25 years to half working equipment and unpolished emcee skills? This is your wedding. There is no UNDO button. It’s a one shot deal and it’s gotta be PERFECT.

Now with all of this considered, there are some things that are great for DIY. Centerpieces and Invitations for example. Flowers will grow and flowers will die. Candles will be formed and they will melt. Invitations will be printed and will be discarded. Neither you or your guests will EVER remember your invitations or centerpieces as the star of your wedding. What they will remember are the memories that were created that will live on forever. Your beautiful smile, how happy you and your spouse were that day, the dancing, and of course, those beautiful photos.

Ask yourself, what is most important to you. And then decide if DIY is the right choice.

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9 Reasons Why Hiring an Amateur Wedding DJ Is a HUGE Mistake

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Written by Stephanie Padovani

What most couples who are planning a wedding don’t know is that saving money by hiring an amateur DJ for your wedding comes with a high price tag.  Before you make a decision you regret, here are some things you need to know.

 

1. There’s a high probability that a cheap (or free) DJ won’t be in business by the time your wedding arrives.

Many low-priced DJs aren’t charging enough to support their own businesses for the long term; you’re just financing their hobby.  Meanwhile, your wedding is 6-12 months away or more.

We’ve received those calls from desperate couples who had a “friend of a friend” DJ cancel on them last minute.  It’s not pretty.

Do you want to risk the possibility that the cheapie DJ is bankrupt and out of business before your big day?

2.  Amateurs are less invested in their performance than a wedding professional.

The amateur DJ is doing it “for fun,” and if something goes wrong, it’s not a big deal.  A wedding professional, on the other hand, risks his entire reputation and livelihood with every performance.  One bad review can destroy his business and he knows it.

At one wedding, the DJ brought along his wife and newborn.  Their table was littered with McDonald’s bags and his wife decided to breastfeed the baby during dinner.

Would you rather have an entertainer who is 100% invested in his business and performance on your wedding day or someone who does it as a hobby?

3.  A wedding is a unique event that require the skills and experience of a wedding specialist for a smooth, flawless ceremony and reception.

It’s about more than just playing music.  Your wedding DJ is responsible for coordinating the timeline, orchestrating the introduction and flow of events, working with your other vendors, managing the guests, reading the crowd and making sure the right song is played at just the right time.

Even a DJ who is quite experienced in the club setting will be at a loss because she simply isn’t familiar with the flow of events and how to prevent disasters when something goes awry.

One inexperienced DJ mistakenly announced a special dance with the bride and her grandfather because he forgot to update his notes.  The entire family started crying because Grandpa had passed away two weeks earlier.

Are you willing to place the outcome of your wedding in the hands of someone who doesn’t “do” weddings for a living?

4.  Your guests won’t dance without an experienced entertainer who can read the crowd and keep the momentum going.

You have to play the right songs at the right time and in the right order to maintain dancing.  Oftentimes, the mood changes and your entertainer needs to change the program to maximize the dancing along the way.

If she can’t mix from one song to another, you’ll have gaps of “dead air” or awkward rhythms that will frustrate your guests and clear the floor.

Many couples think that providing an amateur with a set list of songs they love will be enough to make a fun wedding.  It’s not.  You need someone with experience to work with your requests and what your guests are responding to in order to avoid an empty dance floor.

One bride regrets hiring her DJ because he played “Unforgettable” five times during the wedding because he didn’t know any other slow songs.

Are you willing to sacrifice the fun at your wedding to save money on a cheaper DJ?

5.  The MC (the guy or girl on the microphone) has a huge impact on the mood and outcome of your party, for better or worse.

An obnoxious DJ with an abrasive voice will irritate your guests and dampen the mood of the entire party.  Professional DJs invest in vocal training and practice to optimize their performance.

I personally witnessed one DJ and embarrass everyone by making suggestive comments to the bride over the microphone.

Do you want just anyone acting as your wedding host or do you want a professional speaker you can trust?

6.  Your special events may not happen if you don’t hire a specialist who’s experienced in channeling the flow of events.

Who will direct your bridal party and guests at the ceremony?  Who’s going to line them up for introductions?  Who’s in charge of making sure the toasts, special dances and dedications go without a hitch?

Just having the equipment and knowing how to push play doesn’t guarantee the people wrangling skills you need for a fun, smooth reception.  In most cases, your entertainer is the one who makes sure your special events are executed as you’ve requested.

One inexperienced DJ forgot to bring the couple’s First Dance song; they were forced to dance to Barbra Streisand, who they can’t stand.

Will you risk leaving your special events to chance or do you want to ensure that everything is done according to plan?

7.  An amateur doesn’t have the experience to include your unique requests in a way that truly expresses your personality AND keeps people dancing.

You can’t make your guests dance to the songs you like if they don’t feel the same way.  Your DJ needs to read the crowd and have the experience to build sets of music around your preferences.

An amateur DJ can play the songs you request, but lacks the experience necessary to make it work.

One bride told us her DJ played the unedited version of Sexxy Back during dinner and had five minutes of dead air while he queued up the next song.

Do you want your guests on the dance floor all night or is it acceptable to have large chunks of time with no dancing?

8. An amateur DJ has inadequate or non-existent backup equipment, which means that if something fails you have no music at your wedding.

A fully functional backup system on the premises is essential to making sure you have music at your wedding no matter what.  Most amateur DJs won’t have a backup plan if a speaker blows or a laptop crashes.

We were approached at the end of one wedding by a DJ in the next room who asked if he could “borrow our speakers” because his were broken.

Are you willing to takes your chances without a backup on your wedding day?

9.  DJs who charge less invest less into their equipment, which means you have inferior sound and performance at your wedding.

A stereo system that sounds great in your living room doesn’t sound good in a spacious wedding venue.  Professional speakers and equipment are necessary for clear sound that has impact at low volumes, so your guests can speak at the tables even while the dance floor is thumping.

If you want your guests to actually hear your exchange of vows at the ceremony, you’ll need professional equipment and an onsite tech to make sure that happens.

One DJ showed up at a venue for the first time without ANY speakers or mixer because he’s been told that he could, “use the venue’s sound system” and he didn’t call ahead to verify.

Are sound issues like blasting music or impossible to understand audio acceptable on your wedding day?

If you’re not planning to have any formal events at your wedding, and you’d like a cocktail party more than a dance party, it may make sense to save money by hiring a non-professional.  But if you’re investing thousands of dollars on creating the perfect day, please don’t jeopardize it by hiring someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing.

Your wedding day only happens once; make sure you hire a DJ who gets it right.

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THE GREAT DEBATE: Band or Wedding DJ and how much?

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From the WeddingWire Forums Kim Writes:

Band or Wedding DJ and how much?

“So I’m struggling with either having a band or dj. Do bands cost more? Do people think wedding bands are cheesy?
We were originally going to use FH’s co-worker, who does DJ’s on the side, but that fell through. When I started to look in to them, I was pretty bummed to see how much they actually cost and that may just put our entire a wedding a tad over budget now. This is one of the last things I need to book and is causing the most trouble!”Kim,The expression “The early bird gets the worm” is very useful here. When planning your wedding reception, the most important factor of finding vendors is that they are a good fit. Now in terms of the decision to go with live music or a dj… There are several things to consider.If you enjoy live music and you want more of a ‘SHOW’ where your guests can sit and watch a band play, this may be the right choice for you. You know your guests and what they like. Not to say that all bands are incapable of filling a dancefloor but, most people want to hear the original artists in a dancing environment. Also, you’re limited to the set list of songs that the band knows.  You also have to take into account that the band is full of people. And people need breaks. So expect to have 5 or 6 songs followed by a break and then back again.

When you use a DJ, they will have tens of thousands of selections for music covering just about everyone’s tastes and can easily switch things up to get people on the floor. Also, DJs don’t take breaks. If you’re having a 5 hour reception, expect that music will be playing throughout the length of the reception from start to finish.

A seasoned wedding DJ will have plenty of experience as well doing intros where as your bands have more experience with playing in bars and festivals. A DJ can also help to guide you and your guests through the events of the day giving you peace of mind keeping everything running smoothly for the catering, photography, videography, and reception staff.

Prices for DJs and bands and the requirements for each are miles apart. A DJ can comfortably be put into just about any 12×6 space and use a minimum of 2 dedicated circuits where as a band will need much more space and power not to mention food and drink. From a cost factor, DJs are typically more economical. A polished wedding band could cost anywhere between $6-$20K depending on their experience and ability. Wedding DJ prices vary and average between $1000-$3000. Sometimes with lighting included. You could always go with the family friend but, as you found out, sometimes things are best left to a professional.

Which ever way you choose, it’s up to you. It’s your special day. Make it whatever you want it to be.

 

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Those Sucky Wedding Vendors (thoughts from a real bride)

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Those Sucky Wedding Vendors (thoughts from a real bride)

I was browsing the Weddingwire Forums today when I came across an interesting post from a bride entitled ‘SUCKY WEDDING VENDORS‘

Here’s what the bride had to say…
“Sucky vendors

Good lord I think I attract the crappiest vendors. Let’s see: Venue: switched 4 months in because the woman would take over a month to respond to a question and messed up our cake tasting 3 times. Photographer: just fired her last week via email but I have no idea if she even knows because she NEVER checks her email, facebook or texts and stranded me after I gave her a deposit back in November. Seamstress: made an appt last Saturday for my first fitting at 11am. They booked another appt at the same time and the woman wasn’t even there so I waited til 12:30 to see some woman who was just there to man the shop. Spoke to her yesterday and made an appt for today at 12:30 to go on my lunch break, I get there and another woman tells me “oh no, she never works on Fridays”. I took my dress n left n it’s now behind the door in my office-how special. WTF. Any one else have a-holes they are dealing with?? Did you leave them or juts stick it out??”

Good question. What should you do if you have a vendor that’s not communicating with you? It is after all one of the most important days of your life and a large life investment both emotionally and financially. Here’s what we had to tell her.

“Although I am a vendor, I can understand your frustrations.
This is what I tell every bride that comes our way….
The most important factor when finding vendors for your wedding is that they are a good fit. Are they the right personality? Do they conduct business professionally? Do they have any references? Are they isnured, etc…

If you do have a vendor that you are happy with, ask them for referrals. If they’re like me, they will want to make sure that they are only referring QUALITY vendors and not just a guy they’ve heard of on google.

Though you are not a client of mine, I would be happy to help you. Your wedding day is supposed to be a fun and enjoyable experience. Depending on what your tastes are, I might be able to steer you in the right direction to help you find some folks that would be a good fit. Best wishes!”

Now that may seem a little cliche but, it’s true. Most brides automatically go to price first and service second. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Being a good fit for the bride is so very important. The right personality means everything. So brides, take the time to get to know your vendors. Meet with them over a cup of coffee. If it sounds too good to be true,  it probably is. When your vendor talks to you, they should be honest, helpful, and accommodating. Because it’s all about you.

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5 Things that Every Bride Books but noone remembers.

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5 Things that Every Bride Books but noone remembers.

So, you’ve just got engaged and immediately start planning out in your head of what your perfect wedding would be like. You drive quickly to the supermarket to grab several bridal magazines and begin calling friends to ask them to be a part of your bridal party. In the magazines, you see pictures of beautiful dresses, regal looking venues, and an ambiance fit for royalty. This is your wedding. It’s all about you. There are so many choices that you really would love to have them all but, your budget quickly dwindles to pennies and you haven’t even chosen your DJ, Photographer, or Videographer yet.

You’ve never planned a wedding before. So how do you know what services and options to book for your wedding? Here are the 5 things that EVERY bride books but noone remembers.

1. The Chocolate Fountain.

Who doesn’t like chocolate? People in formal attire. This sticky sweet treat is a great addition to sweet 16’s and house parties but for weddings, it’s a costly addition and very messy.

2. The overdone tables, centerpieces, & upholstered chairs with matching bows.

Choosing the right decor is a difficult task. There are so many choices. Pick one. After the 4 ft centerpieces, pleated luxurious fabric table and chair covers with matching bows, and enough candles to stay warm on a cold winters night. Where will you eat your dinner? This is one of the most common conundrums of wedding planning. Remember, sometimes less is more.

3. The abomidable cheese display.

It’s not secret. Cheese is just about everyone’s favorite food. Most people like what they like and are less likely to try an artisan cheese that only Andrew Zimmer from Bizarre Foods would try. If you’re going to have this option, keep it simple. You’ll get what you pay for and your guests will enjoy their favorite cheeses.

4. Parting gifts.

How tasty was that trendy baggie of cookies you got at the last wedding you attended? I bet they’re still in your car’s backseat cup holder waiting to be eaten for when you’re stranded in traffic.
It’s normal to send your guests home with something as a thank you for being a part of your special day. They’ve already enjoyed a meal fit for a king, the open bar, and a night out. Now I’m not saying to be cheap but, think about it. Cookies, candles, fridge magnets, and nippers typically end up in the kitchen junk drawer. Be practical.

5. Last but not least is the disposable camera.

In the interest of being budget friendly, we’ve left the duty of getting quality wedding photography to your wedding guests. We’ve all seen them. The picture with the finger half over the lense, the over exposed group shot that turns even the most tanned guests into albinos. You get the idea.

By being smart with your wedding budget, you can all that you want and none of what you don’t.