DJs- Why oh why must they be soooo expensive?

I'm sorry to hear this...I'm no help my brother is a dj so he'll be doing it for free... But Good luck on this...good thing you still have some time...

I was comfortable hiring mine based off of phone, email, and other reviews with the DJ. Have you tried looking at wedding DJs for music only and going else where for the uplighting/GOBO? It will probably give you more options to look into when comparing prices and value

Where are you getting married?

I know that with our djs, we are getting 8 bours with full light package and speciality first dances for $800. If you are in the southern michigan/ northern ohio area I can send you a link.

I dunno, around here the price varies. My sister wants me to use my cousin, so offered to help with up to $500, but when I was engaged before when I was younger his cost was $2000 for family! FOR FAMILY! And not his business has increased and he is one of the best so...yeah. $500 help or not, I still can't afford him.

My cousin in law is doing mine - it will be the 6th wedding he has done for the family. He calls it the wedding gift and that's it - which is amazing! Even so - I think DJs in my area are about $600. No idea why yours cost so much!!!

My DJ was $900 for six hours.

This did not include ceremony music, or any uplighting or GOBO lighting. Also, this was in West Virginia and the DJ was local. I think you are probably getting a fair price for what you want. Especially if you live in a pricey part of of the country.

My ceremony musicians were $800 by themselves.

I know it's a big expense but the DJ will be worth it.

I did all of my planning via email/phone. They got EVERYTHING perfect. However, they had a good reputation and great reviews. Thus the higher cost but I didn't want to take a gamble.

I don't know where the DJ ranks in order of importance to you and your groom, but for us a DJ is one of the most important vendors you will book. We used to cater weddings and have been to over 50 wedding together and let me tell you- your DJ will make or break the atmosphere and party at your wedding. I have heard too many bad DJs and not enough good ones out there. I am not saying this to scare you, but to let you know that it's not all about price. I personally would never go with a DJ without meeting him in person. Also, for all the extras that you want (Gobo, lighting etc.) $1,800 is not a bad price. If your budget is limited than I say cut the extras- not the quality of the DJ. The first DJ we met with quoted us $2,800 and we didn't really like him, we kept looking and found a DJ that we absolutely love and is doing everything we want for $1,400.

Yeah our DJ will be nearly $900 for 3 hours in Grand Cayman. But he's the best on the island and everyone raves about him. This is in addition to the $450 I am paying the steel drum player to do my ceremony and cocktail time for one hour!

I am getting married in North Florida. A DJ is important to us but even with that I still didn't expect it to run around $2k and originally I had never even thought about lighting but what's a party if we can't turn the lights down and have some party lights?

@Labake- Where in WV are you from? I am from WV born and raised but lived in N FL for 3 years, met DH and now live in Germany with him. I am a WV girl at heart.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I def needed the help justifying the cost. So if I do pick out my top 2 to meet in person what sorts of things should I be looking for with them?

I think your planner is under charging for their service. Id question a planner working for 11 months and charging so little. Why would someone work 11 moths for that? Would any of you work for less than minimum wage? Pay taxes and insurance on less than minimum wage?

You have to remember you pay for all their time not just the day of. A wedding vendors job is not just your day. Also pay for experience and skill. A 6.5 hour ceremony is really at least 10 hours and you want lighting. This does not include consultations, emails, phone calls, and working on your play list. The DJ probably has back up. The $500 DJ more than likely does not. What if the equipment fails during your ceremony? Equipment failures happen..even with top of the line equipment. This is why I bring 3/4 cameras to shoot a wedding. I will rent if I have to, ensure I can provide the service I was hired to do.

Also depends on where you live. Seems fair to me for what you want.

If you are comfortable hiring with no in person meet, thats fine too. You can get feel for a vendor with reviews and some phone/email consults. Ive been hired that way. They may even Skype, I would if needed. Many brides plan from out of town. I am. Vegas baby! Im not just talking as a vendor, Im a bride to be too so I feel the pain of budgets and such. Hopefully you understand the points I made as well.

Good luck!

The dj's I recommend are all ****. There is equipment, insurance, the experience to NOT look and sound like a dweeb, the work they put into meeting with you, putting together a playlist and running the evening.

I agree with Kelly. The planner is charging way too little.

I think it's a fair price for what you're asking for. We paid 1,100 for the basics - no lights of any sort.

I totally agree with Celia and Kelly. Brides often forget the cost of equipment, buying music, and time other than what vendors spend on the event itself.

@ Gin I'm not from WV, DH is. We visit a lot. He's from summerville, rafting area. I think we'll be going down the Gauley this October.

This DJ did weddings at the Greenbrier so we knew we would be paying a premium.

I was just thinking about this last night. I am using my laptop itunes and whole house surrond to play music for our reception/ dinner party for 30 guests. I see all of these DJ's ranting on the internet about why brides should not do this, yet I have never once seen a DJ volunteer their time to help out a budget bride. I wish all of those DJ's would just back off of brides that can't afford a DJ and gives some help tips instead. Sorry for th rant but this made me really mad. I was watching a video by a bridal blogger that was sharing tips for pulling of such a task and still look and sound good and all of these people just slammed her but I personally thought it was very heplful.

People often think that vendors hear the word wedding and jack up the price. This is so far from true. It is the amount of work that goes into the day, planning playlist, BUYING music, paying fees for the music, buying the lighting, planning play lists, set up and take down, usually having an assistant. There is a lot of work done, besides just the day, which is the hard part because we as brides don't see that work that goes into it, we just see the final product. And because we generally only get married once, we don't no what to expect for prices and are blown away. They are there to create an atmospher not just turn on an ipod and sit back and relax. yes you can do it yourself, do i recommend it? no.

Read the dj reviews, interview with him, talk to brides and grooms who worked with him. Your wedding planner should have some to recommend, and should have worked with some. She should also have a list of questions for you to ask the dj to make sure he is the right one for you

Iam the owner of Dj company in miami ,and i just want to put my view down so it could help you understand a lil bit that price,6 hour dj in miami for a dj service PROFESIONAL for a wedding will be around 500.00 to 600.00 including DJ and sound equipment thats approximatly price could be up-down,if M.C is needit ad 200.00 more if GOBO LIGHT CUSTOM NAME DESIGN ad like 200. or 300.00 ,if you need uplighting thats another 300.00 with GOOD L.E.D LIGHTS and if the pace is big it requires mor SPEACKER SYSTEM TO FIT THE PLACE THAT REQUIRES MAYBe ANOTHEr CO-DJ OR HELP FOR SETUP these sound equipments and uplighting and DJ lights,it may includes LIABILITY THAT THE VENUE OR PLACE REQUIRES ,and that bill,the dj has to pay it every year it cost money to have insurance for DJ SERVICE .the dj needs time to work on your playlist and time line so everything comes perfect and DONT FORGET THE DJ BUYS MUSIC ONLINE IT COUST MONEY ,[NO MORE NAPSTER ] the most important part at a weeding is ENTERTAINMENT

I know Pyramid DJs is $650 for up to 5 hours. Their website is www.pyramiddiscjockeys.com - They service all of Florida and are located just South of Jacksonville.