http://www.costofwedding.com

It places DJs at $1300 for this area, which is low, and only 3.9% of total cost. Most experts say to plan for between 8% and 10% for entertainment.

J Squared Audio is $1500 for all services and no time restrictions, pretty close and a lot more service guaranteed.

I am good at doing this, but my clients know what they like, and what their friends like, much more than I do, which is why I encourage people to have a TRL [Total Request Live] party sometime before their wedding to help. This is a great excuse to have another party, and helps a bride and groom figure out what music their guests might like.

It is pretty simple, gather the giant list of music you like and have people over to listen and vote on what they like and what they do not like. It surprises people how passionate their friends might get over certain songs that bring back memories fro a junior high dance or songs that they can not stand to hear. I have seen some pretty lively …discussions…on songs they I had no real opinion on.

A few simple ground rules:

• each guest gets 1 veto and 1 request for the night
• each guest also votes for what the song is used for
• bride and groom get unlimited veto and requests
• someone needs to keep track of the votes [using excel in an efficient way to do so]
• guest are allowed to debate/argue/sway votes as much as the bride and groom allow

A TRL party can be a fantastic way to hang out with friends and be wedding productive!

I looked at the top few DJs in the Sacramento area (determined by reviews on wedding sites and the area’s “best of” and “tops” lists) and I found that I provide every bit of service and quality they do for about half the price.

I charge $1500 for everything I offer: setup for ceremony & reception, smart lighting, audio editing, client tailored playlist, unlimited client meetings, and no hour limit for an event. The DJs I found start prices around $1600 for their base packages, and for all the items I include it costs well over $3200.

I know that $1500 is a lot of money, but I do believe I offer my clients the best service and best quality that is possible AND that rivals or surpasses the “top” DJs in Sacramento.

It goes back to providing a quality service at a fair price, which to me is what value is.

If you know someone looking for a DJ, please pass them my information, I would love to meet with them and talk about their event.

Joe

Beware of the deejay that only wants to make as much money as possible rather than make the bride and groom happy. Professional DJ services don’t have to be outrageously expensive. At J Squared Audio, the goal is to provide personal, quality service at a fair price.

How do you know if the price is right? Most importantly, you need to set a budget for all the expenses. This includes:

Venue and attire
Food and drink
Invitations and thank you notes
Music and entertainment
Flowers and decorations
Photography and party gifts

Stick to your budget and there will be no surprises! Since the reception entertainment CAN make or break a wedding, it should be taken as a priority in setting the budget. Unfortunately, often after the wedding is over brides regret not having given it higher priority.

Experience shows that approximately 30% – 40% of the entire budget should be dedicated to the music for a wedding reception and the entertainment.

How does one know if they have chosen the right wedding DJ? Meet with them beforehand as many times as it takes to feel comfortable, and ask for client reviews.

If you need a venue, check them out at www.oakridgewinery.com/

Joe

There is a major difference between J Squared Audio and Trinity Entertainment though. Where J Squared Audio focuses on event management and the strength of pre-programing events, Trinity Entertainment focuses on the art of mixing. While one is not better than the other, the two are very different and it is up to the client and what they want to decide which is best for them.

I will refer anyone who wants a more turntablist style DJ to Trinity Entertainment.

Joe

Buy a smaller cake, two layers, the one you cut at the event and then the layer you save for your 1st anniversary.  Then go to your neighbor big box store, Sam’s, Costco, etc., and purchase as many sheet cakes as you need.  The wait staff will be able to precut your cake, meaning your guests get cake sooner, and it will cost a fraction of the cost.  I know you might be thinking what about the taste? It is cake, no one is going to complain. So you can save some money to spend on your honeymoon or to use to upgrade some other portion of your event.