Hiring dj help!

Typically, wedding DJs play all of the music for your ceremony and reception. My dad is a wedding DJ of 30 years and he starts playing music 30 minutes before the ceremony starts and continues until the end of the night. His base price is for 6 hours and he charges $_ per hour every hour after that. Most brides end up paying for 7-8 hours.

I guess you could get away with playing your own music for cocktail hour, but what about the ceremony music and pre-ceremony? I would just do the 6 hours.

I agree with PP. You will need music and mics for your ceremony unless those are otherwise provided. You will also need music for cocktail hour and it would be really annoying and awkward to have you DJ show up half way through cocktail hour and start bringing in all sorts of equipment and setting up, testing the mics and sound, feedback, etc. while your guests are trying to enjoy themselves.