$200 DJ on Craigslist
By: Daniel Seny
Update: May 20, 2011 First, Let me say, my heart goes out to the bridegroom in the following story. I post this story as a forewarning to others.
Today at 2:00 pm, I received a call from a frantic bridegroom looking for a wedding DJ for his wedding reception today at 5:30 pm. He stated that the DJ he hired had just called and said he couldn’t make the wedding as his equipment was not working!?!?!? I asked how much did he pay the DJ and was there a contract. The DJ was hired for $200.00 and no contract!!
My guess is that the $200 DJ booked another gig that paid more and simply cancelled on the bride and groom looking to pay only $200 for a wedding DJ on a Friday night. I don’t know how this story ended, hopefully it ended well, but party planners please know that “good entertainment is not cheap and cheap entertainment is not good.”
All the best,
Daniel Seny
This is not my service this is an example of what low quality DJ's do. Would you want this at your event?
The lack of preparation, horrible microphone etiquette, this is just painful to watch.
I saw this story on a DJ forum and just had to post it here. We get calls EVERYDAY from event planners, party hosts and party hostesses who found a “$200.00 DJ” on Craigslist or somewhere and want to know if our professional DJ and emcee services are available for the same $200.00! For those who have yet to learn “you get what you pay for”, keep reading and find out what you can expect when you hire a DJ on the cheap for your graduation, retirement party, charity fundraiser, birthday party, Christmas party, or wedding.
Here’s how to get into the wedding DJ business on the cheap so you can undercut the expensive guys and get all the gigs. (Brides and grooms, this is the kind of DJ you’ll get for under $300)
First, buy the cheapest speakers you can get your hands on, real PA speakers are really expensive so go to value village and pick up a pair of home stereo speakers and a receiver. People don’t need the music to sound good, it just needs to be loud right? Computer speakers will work too, just get like 6 of them and crank them up really loud. Don’t rent a sound system, it costs at least $300 just to rent a pair of small PA speakers and a few mics and a little mixer.
Skip the insurance and contracts, that way if you get a gig the same day that pays a few bucks more you don’t need to worry about getting sued when you don’t show up. (getting a lawyer to write up a solid contract isn’t free). If you blow one of your speakers you don’t really need two, just use one at the next few gigs while you save up to buy another.
Just download your music, not a big deal since on a cheap sound system you won’t be able to tell the difference between an mp3 at 128k vs one at 320k. Who’s got the time to listen to all their music, nobody will mind if there’s a horrible noise in the middle of a song. Paying for music is for chumps and it’s too expensive, you need at least 5,000 songs to start with, 20,000 is better but who can afford that? Better yet just download the Mobile Beat top 200, nobody will request anything since you have the 200 best songs right there.
No lights, those are expensive. if you really need them Spencers sells some really cheap ones, they’re not very bright but they blink and stuff. Light controllers are really expensive, don’t buy one, people won’t care if that strobe light flashes the whole time. Get a cheap fog machine too, it’ll make the lights look better and since you don’t have a contract you won’t have to worry about messing up the photos, just blame it on the cheap photographer that doesn’t have a good enough camera that they don’t need to use a flash.
No turntables or CD decks, just get the cheapest laptop you can, nobody will mind if it the music stops for 10 minutes if the laptop crashes or overheats, people need a break from dancing now and then. Good turntables are a few hundred bucks each and a good mixer is over $1,000. The built-in soundcard on a cheap laptop will sound good enough on those cheap speakers anyway. Get mixmeister fusion, I know it’s $300, just download a pirated copy. It’ll automatically mix your songs for you (kinda), just throw them all in a big playlist so you can spend your time hitting on girls and partaking of all that free food and booze. Or you could just get an ipod.
Get the cheapest mics you can buy. High quality wireless mics can easily cost over $1,300 each but guitar center has a pair of them for $50, they cut out all the time and you can’t get more than a few feet away but nobody will mind that. Some people like the sound of feedback. If you get wired mics don’t get 100 foot cables, those are expensive. A 6 foot cable is fine. Your guests can leave their seat to come over and make that toast.
At $200 you’ll get tons of gigs, so many that you’ll be double-booked most weekends. It’s not a big deal if you’re late because your previous gig went over by an hour or two, it’s not like they can sue you or anything since you don’t have a contract. You’ll need to double-book to make enough to live on since even if you’re booked for two gigs a week (Nobody gets married on a weekday) you’re only bringing in $1,600 a month which is kinda hard to live on if you have a car and phone and don’t live with your parents.
The guys who buy the giant speakers, tons of lights and other stuff are stupid, hauling all that is like moving a one-bedroom apartment twice in one day by yourself. And it takes hours to set all that stuff up and tear it all down, not to mention loading and unloading it all. if you’re wasting all that time you could only do one gig in a day because it’s at least 12 hours of work when you count in the time you’re actually at the wedding. Don’t spend more than an hour or two on putting together a playlist, you’re just going to use that top 200 list anyway and you don’t need to talk to the bride and groom about music. You’re the DJ and you have an awesome playlist and they’re not going to pick out good music anyhow. If you waste all that time that $200 gig ends up being less than minimum wage, you make more just flipping burgers.
Buyer Beware
Call me first, 24/7 for an IMMEDIATE custom price quote for your wedding, party or event. Dan The DJ Man at 661.860.6856. Call Now!
Thank you for considering us for your very special event. We look forward to helping make your party and/ event the most entertaining and the most enjoyable celebration.
Wedding DJ Tips for Brides & Grooms Pt. 2 - Music Selection - Video
Worst Wedding DJ Ever! (Original) Video
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Last Updated on Sunday, 04 September 2011 10:35 |
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Wedding Reception Music on a Budget- Money Saving Entertainment Tips |
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Wedding Reception Music on a Budget- Money Saving Entertainment Tips
May 03, 2011
So you’re on a limited budget. You think you can’t afford live musicians for your wedding ceremony? But you would like to have some fabulous sounding special music, a great PA system and a state-of-the-art wireless microphone so that every word of your wedding vows can be clearly heard, yet you don’t want to break the bank? Fortunately you do have some options for wedding ceremony music and there are a couple of steps you can take to reduce costs while still creating a special and unique atmosphere for your wedding ceremony. Here are a couple of tips that can help improve your Big Day and save you some money.
Find Your Own DJ/MC Wedding Reception Entertainment Event Coordinator
While it may offer you peace of mind to book your DJ/MC entertainer through an entertainment agency, you will almost always pay less if you remove the middle man and book your DJ directly. When booking your own DJ/MC, research is critical. While some sites are great resources to find and compare wedding DJ/MC entertainment, be aware that many websites like All Time Favorites Event Planning.com, Gigmasters.com, Wedj.com, Eventective.com and 800dj.com charge or take a cut from the DJ/MC and this may increase your total cost. While the price a client pays for their wedding reception vendors is often directly proportional to the quality of service they receive (which is also directly proportional to the success of their event) paying more for your DJ/MC, than you would otherwise have to, is never a good investment or a sound entertainment choice.
Add the Cocktail Hour
This tip may seem counter intuitive, but you can often get more value for your money (and a discounted rate) if you have your DJ/MC entertainment company provide a PA system, wireless mics and music for your wedding ceremony and cocktail hour. Great sounding wedding ceremony music adds that special something to make your Special Day more memorable. By applying these two tips you may be surprised how affordable hiring a wedding reception DJ/MC for your ceremony, cocktail hour and reception can be! |
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 May 2011 01:18 |
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What is a (DJ) Disc Jockey? - Disc Jockeys (DJs) defined:
American Heritage - Answers.com | Disc Jockey
According to some recent social bookmarking wedding website polls, many wedding reception vendors, including Disc Jockeys, quickly assume that during tough economic times that a Disc Jockey or DJ's prices are the only factor brides take into consideration when planning their wedding reception. While pricing is important, there are several other pertinent factors that need to be considered. Brides value experiences that are expressions or extensions of their personality. They also value shared experiences with family and friends. Finally, they place a high value on experiences that transform them. One of the best ways to determine these factors is to ask a bride questions about what she personally envisions for her dream wedding. It is only through this type of analysis, dialogue and dedication to personalized service that a wedding disc jockey vendor can make the special and unique details of a bride’s vision for her dream wedding come to life.
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When it comes to hiring the "right" high quality, reliable, reputable, dependable and FUN Wedding disc jockey for your dream wedding or other special event, there are some crucial things you need to take into consideration.
Horizon Entertainment DJ realizes that above all else, a wedding DJ can make or break your wedding reception in a heartbeat. Hire the wrong wedding DJ and your party could flop! Hire the "right" high quality DJ and your guests will be telling you how great the night was every time you run into them for years to come.
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So, how do you know whether or not you have the "Right" Wedding DJ or "High Quality" Special Events DJ?
First, the wedding DJ company you hire should be fun to talk to, put you at ease, make you feel comfortable and make you "feel like your special" right out of the gate! You want to feel as though you are bringing someone in who cares not only about your image of the perfect wedding, but understands how to incorporate your guests into the activities of the evening, to the level you desire.
(Note the following testimonial)
Dear Daryl,
Even though it's been a few weeks now since our daughter's wedding, we are STILL hearing how much fun our guests had at the dance! You are an EXCELLENT DJ and your personality, paired with your professionalism, helped make that day one of the happiest in our family's memory. If you ever need a word of recommendation, I would be honored to give that. Thank you for everything you did for us. I feel as if we had a friend playing the tunes instead of someone whom we just hired.
Most Sincerely,
Kathleen Holly
Reedsburg, Wisconsin
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Not every bride or groom wants a wedding Disc Jockey that is obnoxious and puts on a show all night, dresses in costumes, plays games and talks about everything under the sun to try and keep your guests attention. Some couples actually like to be made the stars of the evening themselves (NOT the DJ) and hope their wedding is a more laid back, cocktail style function that allows people to dance or mingle at their own speed.
Others may want more interaction and look for an interactive DJ who works hard to get everyone involved and out on the dance floor. A wedding DJ who will start the party if it takes a few songs to get your guests into the swing of things, who can get your guests to participate in special events such as line dances, as well as other interactive activities and more.
(Testimonial)
Daryl,
Chris & I would like to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude for the outstanding job that you did for our wedding dance. We had numerous people compliment us on your outstanding dj performance, quality sound equipment and light show. They also appreciated the dinner music and your play list. We feel that you helped make our day extra special. You have our recommendation in the future and thank you for everything! We could tell you were having a good time also.
P.S. Thank you for introducing us and the bridal party [Grand Entrance] before dinner. We also thought you might like to know, since you and my brother were friends while attending UW-Platteville, Chad broke his foot that night, apparently when he jumped off a table. Chad broke his foot somewhere around 12:30 a.m., but continued to dance and put pressure on it until the hall shut us down at bar time. Chad thought he had sprained his foot. However, when he woke up the next morning, he couldn't walk on it!
Please feel free to use us as references, anytime!
Brad and Chris Hougaard
4230 Hickory Lane #333
Sioux City, IA 51106
Outstanding Job!
Weddingdjwisconsin.com - What you need, when you need it!
Horizon Entertainment (HEDJ) is a high quality, reliable, reputable, dependable, experienced and FUN professional mobile DJ, Deejay, Disc Jockey, Disk Jockey, KJ, Karaoke Jockey, MC, Emcee, Entertainer and Master of Ceremonies service that provides all types and genres of high quality music for weddings, wedding receptions, wedding dances, wedding anniversaries, class reunions, birthday parties, school dances, sweet sixteen birthday parties, high-school proms, frat parties, college dances, karaoke parties, company parties, corporate events and parties of all kinds. Horizon Entertainment offers a massive music library of over 200,000 MP3/CD song titles which includes a vast variety, wide array and massive assortment of music from every era and genre.
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If you're looking for estimates, prices, pricing, rates, quotes, or rate quotes on a high quality, reliable, reputable, dependable, established, experienced and FUN DJ in the Wisconsin Dells, Appleton, Baraboo, Beaver Dam, Caledonia, Chippewa Falls, De Pere, Eau Claire, Elkhorn, Fitchburg, Fon du lac, Fort Atkinson, Franklin, Germantown, Glendale, Green Bay, Hartford, Hartland, Janesville, Jefferson, Kaukana, La Crosse, Lake Delton, Lake Geneva, Lodi, Madison, Mauston, Marshfield, McFarland, Middleton, Monona, Monroe, New Lisbon, Onalaska, Oregon, Platteville, Plover, Portage, Port Washington, Prairie Du Chien, Prairie Du Sac, Reedsburg, Ripon, Sauk City, Sheboygan, Sparta, Stevens Point, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Tomah, Verona, Watertown, Waunakee, Waupun, Wausau, Wauwatosa, West Bend, Whitewater, or Wisconsin Rapids area, you've come to the right place! Your special event which could be a wedding, corporate event, private party, anniversary, holiday party, birthday party or themed party of any kind should have fantastic, high quality entertainment that is actually FUN!
Daryl Beier | Create Your Badge
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Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 May 2011 01:20 |
Melissa Maggiore is a professional cake designer for the Alessi Bakeries. Maggiore has been working with brides to design some of the most beautiful wedding cakes in the Tampa Bay, Florida area.
Getting married is one of the most important steps a couple can take together, and the wedding day is often filled with joyous, special moments for the bride and groom, including the wedding cake ceremony. This traditional event occurs at the wedding reception, as the groom invites his bride to cut the cake with him. Wedding cakes are traditionally layered cakes, commonly with five or six layer designs. They often have hard marzipan frosting and are decorated in white and other wedding colors. Ordering the wedding cake by choosing from a wealth of options and samples is often a day trip for the bride and her mother or fiancé. In this free wedding cake design video series, professional cake designer Melissa Maggiore teaches explains how to design a wedding cake. Maggiore discusses different wedding themes and how they change cake options. She offers suggestions for garden, classical and polka dot wedding cake themes, including choosing flavors, design elements and final details. Maggiore also explores the process of designing a wedding cake, including whom to bring to the appointment, what steps to follow and how to order and pay for the cake.
Tina K Cakes - Wedding Cakes - Tina Kanable, Spring Green, Wisconsin
How To Choose Your Wedding Cake
One of my favorite parts about the wedding, is the cake. Over time many things have changed with weddings, but one thing that stays the same, there is always a beautiful cake. The wedding cake is a big part of the wedding, and something 'everyone" remembers. So when deciding on which cake is right for your perfect day, there are many factors to take into consideration.
When is your wedding?
The date and location of your wedding is crucial when choosing the cake. For example if you plan on having your wedding in the summer at a hot location, things like mousse, or even ice cream cake might be out of the question Ask your baker what types of cake are in "season"
How big will the cake be?
Wedding cakes can come in all shapes and sizes. Traditional cakes which have several tiers are normally a great choice, and one your guests will remember. Depending on how many guests you have your options are limitless. Of course the biggest factor in deciding how large your wedding cake should be, is knowing how man guests you will have. The following website gives a great reference on how large your cake should be.
http://www.topweddingsites.com/wedding_cakes.html
What's your flavor?
Depending on the style of the cake, you have many different options. If the cake is multiple tiers, many people are choosing to have several different kinds of cake. Each level can be different, offering something for everyone. With wedding almost anything goes when it comes to the cake.
What kind of Icing?
Traditionally icing has been white or a light cream color. However today, many are matching their icing color with the overall theme of the wedding.. The actually icing can be a simple sugar and flour recipe, or even a rich cream cheese icing. There are many great icing ideas online which are sure to please even the most picky guests.
Decorations
Decorating a cake is only limited by your imagination. Some couples design the cake around the décor or theme of the wedding. While others give the cake a unique look, with crazy and outrageous decorations which define who they are. Most Depend on what you need, bakers decorate cakes with the look of lace, embroidery appliqué or elegant drapes or swag.
Your wedding cake should be as individual as you. The worst thing you can do when choosing a cake is just "settling." Shop around a bit, decided on the cake, style and decorations, and find a baker who is willing to accommodate you. Many couples even order their cakes as much as 6 months ahead of time to insure they get what they want.
This is the perfect place to talk with other brides, share tips and get some ideas or advice reguarding your big day. Or check out Ron's Article Blog [http://ronswerdfiger.blogspot.com] for more great reading.
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This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call (608) 647-7187, (608) 604-4899 or Toll Free (877) 647-6203 for wedding deejay information, entertainment and a dj service that gives your event that festive feeling!
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Last Updated on Saturday, 02 April 2011 19:45 |
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