By Derald Gray
To put it plainly your wedding is going to be one of the most important days of your life. Creating a magical wedding experience involves a lot of planning, coordination, and resources. The vendors that you select play a vital role in that experience and I can’t stress enough how important it is to hire the best professionals your budget will allow. There are many options available when it comes to hiring a DJ but our team at DG Visionaries know all too well why you shouldn’t hire the cheapest DJ in your area. The old adage “you get what you pay for” is cliché but absolutely rings true! The DJ you select should first and foremost match the style and vision you have for your big day. Not only this, but they should have a passion for what they do and the professionalism to back up what they say. Being budget-conscious is an essential part of wedding planning and I encourage you to rethink the importance of high-quality entertainment. I’ve compiled 10 reasons why you shouldn’t hire a cheap wedding DJ to save you from future embarrassment.
1. They Might Be Out of Business by The Time Your Wedding Day Arrives
Most couples book their vendors well in advance, around six months before the wedding date on average. As a result, being in this industry requires a lot of future planning. A cheap wedding DJ with no long-term goals or strategy could find themselves out of business by the time your wedding day arrives! The operating costs it takes to sustain a mobile DJ business can’t be underestimated, and if the DJ isn’t truly invested into their work then there’s always the possibility that they may close up shop prematurely. I recommend doing your homework and making sure the DJ you’re reviewing has a proper business structure and proven track record. Scammers are out there, and you can easily spot them by doing a little homework!
2. Lack of Experience & Professionalism
This one should go without saying. A cheap wedding DJ probably doesn’t have a lot of self-worth when it comes to his professional skills. This is more than likely due to a lack of experience in the field. Take a look at the DJ’s online reviews to get an insight into their skillset. If they have none—run! I’m all for giving people opportunities but you deserve to be more reserved on your wedding day. Bad communication, poor taste in music, and terrible planning advice are all risks you take with a cheap DJ. If you know more about weddings than the vendor you’re considering it may be best to steer clear!
3. Low Quality Equipment & Stage Design
A lot of couples overlook this one. A wedding DJ’s setup should be one of their proudest assets. At DG Visionaries we call it stage design, taking it as seriously as stage designers on Broadway. I recommend asking the DJ you’re considering to send a picture of their setup. Are there cables all over the place? Do they need extra tables from the venue to setup? Do they have a giant banner with their name on it? Are they mixing on CDs and Cassette tapes? All great things to consider. A cheap DJ probably doesn’t have the budget for high quality equipment in addition to poor stage design. Poor sound quality and hideous (or lack of) dance floor lights are both traps cheap DJs can catch you in. I’ve heard horror stories of DJs blowing speakers and killing their entire sound system mid wedding. Last thing you wanna do is get caught up in this scenario!
4. They Probably Don’t Have A Backup Plan
A big thing to consider is what’s going to happen if your DJ has an emergency and can’t make it to your wedding. Established companies like DGV have contingency plans in case of illness or equipment failure. Cheap DJs rarely have extra resources and both of you take a loss as a result. Professionals should have backup DJs on their team or know professionals in the area that they can lean on in case of emergency. Ask your DJ if they use failsafe equipment and have extra speakers, computers, and cables on deck in case an issue arises. We do all this and more at DG Visionaries and admittedly it’s saved us from disaster! Going over the “what-ifs” with your DJ will give you confidence!
5. They Probably Don’t Have Insurance
Nobody wants to think about it, but accidents happen and you don’t want to be held responsible if someone hurts themselves on the dance floor. Every wedding DJ should have proper liability insurance to prevent you from being held responsible if things go awry. Check in with your venue and see if they have an insurance plan as well. Most don’t cover dance floor disasters and incidents related to vendor equipment. Therefore, it’s essential to make sure the DJ you’re considering has adequate insurance coverage. This will ensure everyone’s protected. Cheap DJs usually skip this critical component and I highly recommend asking for proof of insurance to give you piece of mind.
6. They’re usually not very talented
Cheap DJ’s are usually “just doing it for fun” and don’t take the extra time to develop and improve their skills. One bad performance for a cheap DJ won’t hold as much weight as a professional with their entire business and livelihood on the line. A wedding DJ’s role involves more than just music and even experienced club DJs can find themselves dumbfounded by the amount of work weddings require. Does the DJ you’re considering know how to develop a wedding timeline, collaborate with other vendors, direct the flow of events, and read the crowd? Not only this, but can they do all of these things well? The cheaper the DJ, the less likely this will be the chase!
7. Your dancefloor will probably die
Keeping a dance floor packed is easy. All you gotta do is play the right songs at the right time. Of course, this is easier said than done. A great wedding DJ knows how to read the crowd and optimize their music selection to keep people dancing. This involves playing music from different genres and decades as well as creatively mixing songs to avoid dead air. Cheap wedding DJs are likely to only play the songs they enjoy— which may or may not be what you want to hear on your wedding day! Some have a “no requests” mindset and this should be an automatic dealbreaker! Contrary to popular belief simply providing your DJ with a list of songs isn’t enough either. The best playlist in the world can’t save a dancefloor if the transitions are terrible and the timing is off!
8. They probably download their music illegally
Professional DJs use many of the same music pools radios stations use. Others purchase songs from Apple Music or related platforms. This factors into the final price of their services. Music artists deserve to be compensated for their work and as a DJ it’s unethical to steal music for personal gain. A lot of DJs are music pirates and I encourage you to inquire about how your DJ collected his music to save yourself from promoting unethical practices.
9. They probably don’t invest into themselves and their business
Businesses cost money to run, and a cheap DJ either breaks even or takes a loss in order to provide their services. Therefore, they don’t have extra funds to invest back into their business. Investment into personal development, business development, training, and other resources require extra funds. If your DJ doesn’t have a growth mindset you won’t be doing anyone any favors by hiring them. At DG Visionaries we have to worry about office space, staffing, insurance, advertising, and other operating costs. If I could make a living DJing weddings for free I absolutely would but that’s simply impossible.
10. They might embarrass you on the microphone
Great wedding DJs are also great MCs! An MC’s role is to keep your guests informed in addition to livening the mood and driving the momentum. A cheap DJ may be an inexperienced MC and this can lead to more harm than good! The last thing you want is for your wedding DJ to crack inappropriate jokes on the microphone or self-promote for 6 hours straight. The DJ you choose for your wedding represents you and your significant other. If they get tonged tied or act like a clown your guests will be thrown off and forever link the DJ’s terrible performance to you!
Cheap DJs aren’t good, and good DJs aren’t cheap. I tell my couples if they play their cards rights this should be their one and only wedding. Therefore, take the extra time to make sure you get a DJ that knows what they’re doing and can provide an incredible experience! If there’s ever any doubt you can count on our team at DG Visionaries to blow your wedding entertainment expectations out of the water! I hope you found this blog post helpful and be sure to follow DG Visionaries on your favorite social media platform to stay up to date with our latest posts and updates.