This is part 8 in our blog series “How much will your wedding cost?” and this part is about your wedding entertainment. As with all the blogs in this series, I am using CostOfWedding.com as a resource for the facts and figures listed in this blog. As stated in part one of this series, the website listed the Toledo Brides and Grooms spent $443 to $738 for average wedding entertainment and between $885 to $1,180+ for the more experienced professionals. As also stated in previous posts, the website does not list how many brides and grooms responded to the survey. As in all of the posts, for the purposes of this blog series, I am only using the figures for Toledo; suburbs and outlying areas may be higher or lower.
Everyone says the DJ can make or break your wedding reception. If the DJ is boring or doesn’t play the kind of music your guests will want to dance to, many of your guests may leave the reception as soon as all of the formalities are over. With that being said, there are so many DJs out there with varying degrees of experience and types of equipment that they bring with them. There are DJs with basic equipment and music choices and then there are those with lots of equipment including laser lights and dancers and can play any song you want. Because there are so many different types of DJ services, their prices can vary widely. Just as is the case with the photographers, some of the less experienced DJs charge similar prices to those with years of experience but may have less equipment and song choices. The same can be true for DJs with lots of experience and equipment that charge lower rates than some of the more popular DJs. It is therefore very important for you to decide what you want from your DJ prior to searching for them and do your homework on their pricing. Many of the DJs have videos of them in action or will let you come to one of their events so that you can personally check them out while they are working. This can be very helpful to you especially if you do not know anything about them. Knowing that you have the right DJ at the right price can help ease some of your tension for your special day.
So how much does a wedding DJ cost? According the CostOfWedding.com, Toledo brides and grooms spend between $451 and $751 for their local DJ while spending between $902 and $1,202 for the more experienced and more popular DJs. As I stated many times previously, this report does not tell how many brides or grooms responded to their survey, nor does it specify what kind of service or how many hours the DJ provides. For instance, many DJs also provide their services at the ceremony so their fees will probably be higher than those who just provide music for the reception. Another thing that you will want to find out is if there is a travel fee or fees for setting up or tearing down. You will also want to make sure how they price for their hours. Some limit you to only a few hours while others are unlimited. This is very important to know because if they are playing music for the cocktail hour and then through dinner, you may use all of the time prior to your actual party starting and will have to pay extra for them to stay for the duration of your reception. Another thing that you need to find out when it comes to DJs is actually about your reception venue. Some venues make you use their sound system and may also provide their own DJ at an additional fee. If they do require you to use their sound system, make sure the DJ you hire knows this so they can arrive a little earlier if they are unfamiliar with the venue.
The trend of having a live band perform at your wedding seems to be on the rise and there are a number of local bands who are getting into, or back into, the wedding business. According to the Cost of Wedding website, the cost for a live band at your Toledo wedding can range from $995 to $1,658 for the average band while Toledo couples spend between $1,989 and $2,652+ for the more popular bands. Just remember that when hiring a band for your reception, they do take breaks. Make sure that when they are on their breaks, in between their sets, that they play “danceable” music or your guests may get bored or even think that the band is finished playing. Some brides have actually hired a DJ for when the band takes it’s breaks so that the guests will keep dancing. If you do not hire a DJ, you also have to make sure someone is going to be the acting MC for things like announcing the wedding party, the tossing of the garter and bouquet and the cake cutting. Providing a timeline of the reception details to the band and/or MC is always a good idea to help make things run smoothly. Another thing is to make sure that the MC lets the photographer know when things are happening so that no photographs are missed.
Music is an integral part of any wedding. Some churches have their own organist or soloist to provide the ceremony music and you need to find out if that is the case for your wedding and how much it will cost you. If there are no restrictions, some Toledo brides and grooms have hired other musicians such as a string quartet, guitarist or harpist to play at their ceremony or sometimes during the cocktail or dinner hour for a more elegant ambiance. For this type of services, Toledo couples spend on average between $347 and $579 while spending between $695 and $926+ for the more seasoned and popular professionals. The cost for you for this type of services will depend on if it is a required set fee by the church or ceremony site and your taste in musical accompaniment for your wedding ceremony and reception.
As you can see, the overall numbers do not match the specific numbers given in the report for actual items when it comes to your wedding entertainment. This is why it is so important for you to do your own research for your wedding budget. Hopefully, I was able to break down a little bit of the details and help you with your planning. This is the eighth part in a series of several blog posts regarding the cost of a Toledo wedding. Look for the next blog post about invitations coming soon.
For more information on Kurt Nielsen Wedding Photography including pricing, please visit my website at: www.kurtnphoto.com. You can contact me at:
Feel free to post any comment or question you may have to let me know if this is helpful to you for planning your wedding.