The dreaded price question!

May 17
2011

Most people don’t ask a Florist “how much for flowers for my wedding?” without discussing what it is they actually have in mind. It doesn’t make sense to ask a Lawyer for a rate for his/her service without sitting down and discussing your case. You’d probably not ask a builder for a quote without talking about what it is you want to build. Strangely though, wedding MCs and DJs often get pressed by couples to offer a quote without the benefit of a consultation. Read the rest of this entry »

DJ Hireage Cost 1987 vs 2010

Apr 07
2011

Hiring an average mobile DJ to entertain at your wedding in early 1987 (when I started) typically cost around $400.00. According to the Reserve Bank’s inflation calculator, $400 in wages would be the equivilant of $933.33 in quarter 4 of 2010. This means that based on inflation alone, any mobile DJ providing the same meagre level of service should now be charging over $930. Read the rest of this entry »

Will your DJ have signage at your event?

Feb 26
2011

During a recent thread on a New Zealand wedding forum, contributor Hayhay made the following comment about a DJ in Hawkes Bay;

My SIL used xyz – he was very good, but he did have a very big obvious logo on his booth, which really stuck out to DH and I!

In my opinion this is a big no-no Read the rest of this entry »

Just a DJ or a DJ and MC?

Oct 15
2010

There is a lot of cross over and no clear demarcation point between the DJ and DJ/MC roles. The skills and wedding experience that a good professional mobile DJ has puts them in an ideal position to move into the MC role.

As for my service, I don’t charge out my MC duties as an extra. My fee is my fee and I do all the planning for every wedding as if I were the MC, so even if the MC on the night panics or falls ill and pulls out (as has happened twice now), I can step in seamlessly and nobody is any the wiser.

I know who the VIP guests are, what their names are, where they are sitting and what their relationship is to the couple. I know who will be speaking and in which order and whether there are any important anniversaries or birthdays to honour and acknowledge. I know (and have prepared) the run-sheet for the day, so I know what needs to happen at what time and I know the dynamics of the crowd and the venue. I liaise with the venue and other on-site event vendors. I often assist the MC when I’ve not been booked for the duty.

I am qualified to do this work. I attend international DJ and MC seminars, workshops and trade shows. I am a regular and long-standing contributor to DJ and MC forums and I purchase materials to constantly train and improve my service.

Being a really good MC is a hard, hard job and it takes a lot of practice, rehearsal and training. On top of that it requires a top understanding of wedding reception etiquette, run-sheet preparation, name mastery and pronunciation. It requires the ability to relate to people in a friendly, polite, approachable and competent manner and to control the flow of the reception, eliminating problems before they occur and facilitating the creation of great memories.

It’s a big job. An honourable job. One to not take lightly.

Your venue is stunning but what about the DJ gear?

Dec 31
2009

It’s a sad fact of my industry that there are many operators who don’t seem to place much importance on the appearance of their equipment relative to the celebration and the venue. I attend weddings all over the country (and a few overseas) and I see how much effort Read the rest of this entry »

How to hire a great DJ part 7

Dec 28
2009

Will your DJ have back-up equipment in case of an emergency?

Even professional equipment can fail on occasion, so it is important to know whether your DJ has extra components, or hopefully another entire sound system available to them. Often only the top-end professional DJs invest the extra money to ensure that everything works on your event date and backup systems are in place. Read the rest of this entry »

How to hire a great DJ part 6

Sep 07
2009

What kind of equipment do they use & what is their technical expertise?

Determine if the DJ uses today’s professional technology. You are paying money for a professional and they should have modern, well maintained, quality equipment and know Read the rest of this entry »

Is your DJ Police checked?

Aug 19
2009

It came to my attention recently that there is a DJ operating in the lower North Island who has a conviction (and spent time in prison) for an abhorrent indecent assault on a female guest after an event. Another DJ in New Zealand had a complaint of alleged inappropriate behaviour levelled against him when he was a scout leader.

I realise that these are isolated cases, but it got me thinking about ethics, morals and scruples and it prompted me to get in touch with the Ministry of Justice to get a letter confirming my own clean criminal record. Read the rest of this entry »

Can you make me CDs or a play-list for my party?

Jul 24
2009

I recently received the following email:

“We are paying for our wedding ourselves so have to stick to a tight budget so therefore can’t afford a professional DJ = (. But was wondering if you offer a service where u can create a playlist for me Read the rest of this entry »

How to hire a great DJ part 4

Jun 18
2009

What type of music do they provide and will they play requests?

It’s your party. Will your prospective music entertainer cheerfully accept your musical suggestions? Can they provide a play list with a wide variety of songs that you can choose from? Will they play Read the rest of this entry »

How to hire a great DJ part 3

May 27
2009

Is the DJ you’re considering hiring an experienced professional, or a hobby DJ?
For some parties, all that’s required is someone with DJ equipment to turn up (some of the cheaper ones might not even do that if they get a better offer!) and play music. In this scenario, any reasonably proficient DJ will do for you.

For a corporate event where you’re wanting to reward employees, help them bond or unwind during a conference, or impress clients and say thank you, you’re going to want someone who is a true professional. Weddings and other one-off celebrations are another example where you won’t want to take the risk on a hobby DJ. Read the rest of this entry »

How to hire a great DJ part 2

May 25
2009

How will the DJ you are looking at hiring make YOUR celebration unique? What will they do to ensure that your celebration isn’t just a music playlist variation from every other similar type of event they’ve performed?

If your event is a wedding, this question is all the more important. The couples I’ve spoken with over the last 23 years really don’t want their wedding feeling like a McWedding, or to feel Read the rest of this entry »

How to hire a great DJ part 1

May 24
2009

For most people, hiring a DJ is a new experience. What do you need to ask? What are the differences between a great DJ and an average DJ? How can you be confident that you’ll get the entertainment experience you’re hoping for? How can you be sure that the DJ you choose will even show up?!

This series of comments on my blog will hopefully offer you some guidance to narrow down your choice. Once you’ve got a short list, Read the rest of this entry »

“Can I see the DJ working at an event?”

Apr 28
2009

One of the questions I occasionally get asked by prospective clients is if they can come to one of my events to watch me work. Although I’d love to have my work observed and would love to be able to demonstrate what I can do to help make a wedding or corporate event really special, I obviously can’t invite people to somebody else’s wedding or celebration.

There are other factors too. The entertainment I offer is personally crafted to each client and Read the rest of this entry »

© 2009-2012 DJ Richard Mills, Award Entertainment Ltd All Rights Reserved