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Costs displayed in graph are based on spend from thousands of couples who recently reported pricing for this service within their WeddingWire review. Pricing varies based on factors including, but not limited to, vendor’s experience, level of expertise, event guest count, date, and geographic region.
Wedding DJ prices can vary greatly depending on many factors including your wedding’s location, the type of package you’re looking for, and your chosen DJ’s experience and level of expertise. If you’re considering hiring a DJ to play music at your wedding, keep in mind that the average wedding DJ cost in the U.S. is around $1,000 with most couples spending between $780 to $1,495. Couples are spending more on their wedding DJ nowadays than in past years as they are devoting more of their wedding budget to their guests’ experience, focusing more on music, food and more.
A wedding DJ plays recorded music throughout your wedding reception (and perhaps your ceremony if you aren’t hiring live ceremony musicians), and may also serve as the emcee for the event. This mean that he or she will make announcements at appropriate times, introduce those who are giving toasts, and basically “run the show.” A great DJ not only has an outgoing and energetic personality, but also can “read a crowd” and play the appropriate music to ensure your dance floor is packed all night long. DJs usually provide their own audio/visual equipment and some DJ companies also provide services such as lighting, photo booths, video screens, and more.
If you’re feeling some sticker shock at wedding DJ prices, remember there’s a lot more to a wedding DJ’s role in your wedding day than simply showing up to your reception and playing music. Here’s a list of what a wedding DJ’s cost includes:
Wedding DJs are among the first vendors a couple books. We recommend hiring your music pro at least eight months before your wedding day. You will likely meet with your wedding DJ at least once before your wedding date, probably two to six weeks beforehand, to discuss your playlist, your timeline, and any other important details.
87 percent of wedding DJs offer lighting services as well as music, with the starting price for uplighting averaging around $250. If you’d like to have your wedding DJ provide lighting, there are a few questions you should ask before adding this service to your package:
Your wedding DJ can provide a variety of equipment, depending on your needs. A typical sound system for a wedding DJ includes a DJ deck or controller, speakers, microphones, and headphones. As mentioned, some DJs can provide lighting as well as video screen and projection equipment in case you want to show a video during your reception (hello baby photo montage!). There are also some fun extras your DJ may offer including photo booths and karaoke machines.
If you’re on a tight budget, you’re probably looking for some ways to save money on your wedding music. Here are a few budget tips:
Don’t forget to factor tips into your wedding DJ budget. We recommend tipping your DJ between 10 to 15 percent of the total bill.
A big part of finding the right DJ for your wedding is personality—you want to find a professional who you actually like and trust (and of course, is available on your wedding date and within budget). However, there are several important questions you’ll need to ask a wedding DJ before booking, including: