Omg

[Thames Valley Discos]

Had someone ask for a wedding disco, approx 7-12. They have been quoted.... wait for it






















































£125:bang: :bang: :bang:

[ross@rds]

LOL most people charge that for a normal function never mind a wedding.

If i got quoted that price you really have to think right £125 the service must be :Censored::Censored::Censored::Censored::Censored::Censored: what extras are they providing ........... none for that price by the sounds of it.

[Danno13]

I had a similar enquiry today. Quoted £100 more than that though but haven't heard back yet.

[magicfm]

Was £125 the deposit?:rolleyes:

What a joke.. that is what I charge for 4 hours in the corner of a smelly pub.:)

[pdarnett]

I've just had a wedding enquiry, that the opening gambit was "can I beat £80?"

yes I said . you can have 1 hour for £75.

[jamesh]

I did a wedding back in september for £145 - didnt have anything else booked in so thought why not... Doesn't mean i gave anyless of a service OR the night was :Censored: - just prefer to earn £145 rather than quote £250+ for them to turn around and say i'll phone someone else.

Must admit generally for weddings it's usually around £250 - £300 but as it was a last minute type thing and i didn't have anything else in it was still better than nothing.

[Paul James Promotions]

The bad thing is that £125 seems to be the average around here. There is a local Karaoke guy going out for £75 on weekends.

Time to move I think :D

[Thames Valley Discos]

But this is hardley last minute July 2007! I actually laughed on the phone and said were you wanting a dj with the equipment, or were you happy to do it yourself! lol

[Thames Valley Discos]

The bad thing is that £125 seems to be the average around here. There is a local Karaoke guy going out for £75 on weekends.

Time to move I think :D

Which is crazy, a disco can make or break the day. They pay more than that to hire a suit, or crash in a bed for the night. It just becomes silly if you have to compete with that price. You think, get your gear loaded, set up, do the gig, pack up, drive home, unload. Best part of 10 hours.
£12.50 an hr to cover your wages and all the gear you provide. Pointless, would rather get a dvd and a beer and stay indoors.

[soundtracker]

I worked a reasonably posh venue on Saturday- 8 am to I pm with a band who did an hour in the middle. Charged my usual which was ok, but Chocolate Fountain in the corner, set up same time as me, and went home at 11.30 charged £495, and to be honest, it was very little used. it seems we are still well down the pecking order when a bride decides how her budget will be spent.

[DJ Frankie]

I worked a reasonably posh venue on Saturday- 8 am to I pm with a band who did an hour in the middle. Charged my usual which was ok, but Chocolate Fountain in the corner, set up same time as me, and went home at 11.30 charged £495, and to be honest, it was very little used. it seems we are still well down the pecking order when a bride decides how her budget will be spent.


I agree we are still way down the list when it comes to weddings for most B&G.
This is why we now offer other services in the wedding industry such as chair covers and table centre pieces etc, it is about time us DJ's all went out for a minimum of £250 for a 4 hour wedding. :D but I guess you will still get the £100 DJ that will do it for them.....

[Corabar Steve]

I fail to see why anyone should charge more or less for any gig? If you are there for the same ammount of hours & the same ammount of work is involved, a gig's a gig.

Isn't it?????

[soundtracker]

Eh?:confused: :confused:

[DJ Frankie]

I fail to see why anyone should charge more or less for any gig? If you are there for the same ammount of hours & the same ammount of work is involved, a gig's a gig.

Isn't it?????


Not at all, why would you quote £100 when you know a standard wedding could be anything from 6-9 hours of work. I dont understand that statement you made????? :confused:

[Paul James Promotions]

I think Steve is referring to the occasion. For example, why should you be charging more for a wedding than a club / bar booking (providing the hours and equipment used are the same).

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I fail to see why anyone should charge more or less for any gig? If you are there for the same ammount of hours & the same ammount of work is involved, a gig's a gig.

Isn't it?????

So, you would charge the same amount of money for a teenage party for example, as you would for an adult function if it was the same amount of hours?

Personally, I don't charge anymore for weddings, but ultimately we are all in business.

If you were selling strawberries in the local market, you probably sell them for say £1 a punnet. However, if you were selling them at Wimbledon, then you'd probably be selling them at £5 a punnet.

Surely your price will reflect the market, amongst other things.

[Corabar Steve]

So, you would charge the same amount of money for a teenage party for example, as you would for an adult function if it was the same amount of hours?
Yes, absolutely. We still have to pay our DJs the same hourly rate, it would be unfair to pay them on a sliding scale just beause the gig wasn't that good an earner.

Can you think of any other trade that would vary their hourly rate?


If you were selling strawberries in the local market, you probably sell them for say £1 a punnet. However, if you were selling them at Wimbledon, then you'd probably be selling them at £5 a punnet.

Surely your price will reflect the market, amongst other things.
The strawberry analogy is Unfair & more a case of supply & demand & also that of a somewhat captive audience so to speak. How many people would complain about the price of the £1 punnet compared to that o the £5 one? The fact remains that the person selling the ones at £5 a pop is probably the sole suppier & can therefore charge (within reason) what they want

Unless there is a lot more work involved (shedloads more kit for example) then any 2 hour gig would cost the same as any other 2 hour gig, as would any 4 hours compared to another 4 hour gig, or 6 to 6 or 8 to another 8.

We charge accordingly by the hour for how much time the job entails. The only reason we would charge more for a wedding than a birthday, is that a wedding gig will (in most instances) be a longer gig.

[theoloyla]

Its the same old story all over again isnt it. I charge per night whatever the function maybe and only add extra fees if the client requires something extra. As for people looking for cheapest dj they are cheapskates and probably chav's and I am not likely to get the gig and would not want to work for them anyway. I would prefer an audience who recognise quality, integrity and presentation and are prepared to pay for it. Am I a snob? When it comes to who I work for - yes!

[Ricesnaps]

I fail to see why anyone should charge more or less for any gig? If you are there for the same ammount of hours & the same ammount of work is involved, a gig's a gig.

Isn't it?????
I'm with you here Steve. I generally get very little childrens party work for that very reason. It takes the same time to get there, to set up and to pack away and I use the same kit, so how an I justify it being any cheaper because it's a 13th birthday? The same goes with a wedding. The only exception to that rule is somply because of what is offered with that package. I think I've mentioned this before, but generally when I do a wedding it involves more work - an early set up and a client visit to discuss the evening at the very least, but generally we tend to over estimate the arrival time to make sure we don't start late, so we do charge a little more for that and the price goes up depending on other "extras"

With a normal "evening" gig, it's generally turn up an hour before start, play, pack up and go home

[Corabar Steve]

I think I've mentioned this before, but generally when I do a wedding it involves more work - an early set up and a client visit to discuss the evening at the very least,If the early setup is required by the client (for example if the evening function is in the same room / marquee as the meal & they don't want you traipsing trough with all your equipment) then fair enough

However........
but generally we tend to over estimate the arrival time to make sure we don't start late, so we do charge a little more for that If it's just your choice to turn up earlier than necessary, then I think charging more is nothing short of outrageous!

[DJ Frankie]

I'm with you here Steve. I generally get very little childrens party work for that very reason. It takes the same time to get there, to set up and to pack away and I use the same kit, so how an I justify it being any cheaper because it's a 13th birthday? The same goes with a wedding

I still cant see how you charge the same price for every gig, It dont make sense. I.e a 2 hour kids disco plus games etc £100??? And a 6-9hour wedding Min £250???


Yes, absolutely. We still have to pay our DJs the same hourly rate, it would be unfair to pay them on a sliding scale just beause the gig wasn't that good an earner

Sorry if I sound dim here but if you pay your DJ's the same hourly rate for every gig then what do you come of with then for passing the work to them??? Are you then charging the clients more?? :rolleyes:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Sorry if I sound dim here but if you pay your DJ's the same hourly rate for every gig then what do you come of with then for passing the work to them??? Are you then charging the clients more?? :rolleyes:

Corabar employ there DJs on a PAYE basis, which is why the arguement is completely different for them than it is for a self employed or sub contract DJ.

You charge an hourly rate Steve, I do not. I charge for 5 hours up to 12 and then £50 an hour after and before.

As for the comments about kids and teenage parties - I'm sure Angela has told me before that the prices are different.

Steve, just because you charge what you charge, it doesn't mean everyone else who doesn't work the same way as you is ripping people off, because this is the way you are coming across.

People work in different ways - it's called business.

[LastMinuteDJs.net]

Always confused me when I was starting up and researching disco prices. Some companies were advertising for example, £150 midweek, £250 weekend, £500 weddings. I couldn't for the life of me figure out why they would go so high just for a wedding. Are they charging £250 more just because they're putting on a suit or a tux. Are they buying the suit or tux new and charging it to the bride and groom?

I had done several weddings and charged exactly what I would have charged for any other gig.

From reading this forum over the past year or so, i now understand a bit better why some people choose to charge more for a wedding:

Client meeting once or more before the event to plan the running order.

Extra planning on playlist for the event, particularly first and last dances.

If there are earlier setup and start times. PA for the ceremony.

Music during the meal which tends to start a lot earlier than a normal function.

Microphone provisions for speaches.

Acting as Master of Ceremonies coordinating the reception, if the venue doesn't provide one.

Projector and screen showing photos/messages.

I use a couple of Optikenetics Solar 250's at weddings. I get a gobo slide customised with the Bride and Groom's name on it. Really nice touch.

If a lot of extra time, effort and services are put into a wedding then I agree - it would be acceptable to charge a fee. However, it still seems to me that many charge more for a wedding JUST because it's a wedding, regardless of whether they offer extra time, effort or services.

There seems to be a 'If the photographer's getting £500 I should be getting £500...' mentality out there with some discos...

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

There seems to be a 'If the photographer's getting £500 I should be getting £500...' mentality out there with some discos...

And why not?

We should be getting as much if not more than other wedding suppliers who are there for less time and have a lot less work and expense involved.

[DJ Frankie]

Thats correct LastMinute although Im sure not every DJ has provides the above effort before a wedding disco but hey thats up to the individual.

I believe that every body that runs a buisness has prices that fluctuate depending on the job for example I got married about 9 weeks ago and we booked 3 classic cars for about an hours work which cost us £600 where as in the week the guy will charge £100 for them!!!!!! :(

[Dragonfly]

There seems to be a 'If the photographer's getting £500 I should be getting £500...' mentality out there with some discos...

try 1k - 3k for a photographer! mine was £500 at my wedding young girl just finished college and i mean just finished .... got married july 24th

she did a superb job mind much better than my sisters 2k photographer who managed to get mother of the bride on 2 pictures well 1 and a nice top view of her hat on the other lol.

[Danno13]

I've been thinking about this recently, and have decided that what i do is not necessarily charging MORE for weddings, its charging LESS for other events.

This is generally because people will not want to spend the same kind of money on a disco for say a 30th than they would for a wedding. Sure, i could quote the same for everything but i would probably end up with far less non-wedding events.

This isn't too much of a bad thing really, ideally I'd like to be doing weddings every weekend, fortunatley I seem to be getting enquiries much further in advance this year, and mainly for weddings, so i may just be a bit tougher and quote top rates no matter what the function, at least for saturday nights next summer.

I have toughened up on kids parties, now - i won't quote much less than normal rate, even if the party is 2 hours i'd rather be doing a 4 hour party and earning more.

[CRAZY K]

I did a wedding back in september for £145 - didnt have anything else booked in so thought why not... Doesn't mean i gave anyless of a service OR the night was :Censored: - just prefer to earn £145 rather than quote £250+ for them to turn around and say i'll phone someone else.

Must admit generally for weddings it's usually around £250 - £300 but as it was a last minute type thing and i didn't have anything else in it was still better than nothing.

Good luck to you James--Dynorod charge much higher rates for emergencies is what I tell people--best quote last week--£275 for a job where the Punter said the budget was £75--I said you cant even get a really bad Disco for that money---yes you can said Punter £40 in Birmingham for a kids party===book them I said--putting the phone down:D

CRAZY K

[CRAZY K]

If the early setup is required by the client (for example if the evening function is in the same room / marquee as the meal & they don't want you traipsing trough with all your equipment) then fair enough

However........ If it's just your choice to turn up earlier than necessary, then I think charging more is nothing short of outrageous!

I think Rice means (and I agree) that its better to arrive earlier than usual for a set up because it relaxes the Bride and Groom and its vital to have everything set up for an on time start and make everything go smoothly--

After all for a lot of people its THE most important function of their lives---as opposed to a Birthday Party, Football Club Disco etc.

Also often you have to contend with distractions because the Wedding Party
has been going for a while and sometimes you have to fight your way through the guests to get your equipment into the Marquee, Hall etc, I dont find that problem at other functions.

CRAZY K

[Paul James Promotions]

I've been thinking about this recently, and have decided that what i do is not necessarily charging MORE for weddings, its charging LESS for other events.


Agreed

[Corabar Steve]

As for the comments about kids and teenage parties - I'm sure Angela has told me before that the prices are different.No the same hourly rate


Steve, just because you charge what you charge, it doesn't mean everyone else who doesn't work the same way as you is ripping people off, because this is the way you are coming across.

People work in different ways - it's called business. I didn't say that, I was refering to.....


generally we tend to over estimate the arrival time to make sure we don't start late, so we do charge a little more for that Which does sound like he is deliberately ariving to set up earlier than necessary & charging the client for the privilege. It does sound a bit D!ck Turpin to me


I still cant see how you charge the same price for every gig, It dont make sense. I.e a 2 hour kids disco plus games etc £100??? And a 6-9hour wedding Min £250???



Sorry if I sound dim here but if you pay your DJ's the same hourly rate for every gig then what do you come of with then for passing the work to them??? Are you then charging the clients more?? :rolleyes:
We charge the client the same hourly rate whatever the gig & therefore can pay our DJs (who all work exclusivly for us PAYE as Darren rightly says) the same hourly rate per gig. The only exception being any residencies we have that are given a special rate, so they involve a different hourly rate (accordingly) for our DJs. These involve less kit or are walk in jobs therefore less work.


We are fortunate to have a dedicated office staff who deal with all things client related prior to the gig, so no gig involves any extra effort or outlay. Now maybe it's justifyable to charge the client for meetings especially if there is a lot of travel involved, we don't because we feel that once the client has had their initial quote they shouldn't be subject to hidden extra charges.

Those of you that charge for client meetings, at what point do you give them the final price? Before or after the meeting which may or may not happen?

[Candybeatdiscos]

The bad thing is that £125 seems to be the average around here. There is a local Karaoke guy going out for £75 on weekends.

Time to move I think :D

The average in my area is £120 - £140, karaoke guys regulary go out for £40...

But i charge £350 a wedding and more if its outside the area, other events are priced £180+ and i get work, so i wouldn't move, just advise (to steal a phrase from Shuan) I can maybe not compete on price, but i can compete on quality.....

[Candybeatdiscos]

If your organising a birthday for someone, who is gonna have at least another party ten years later for the same thing (A birthday) then you will not pay £350, as birthdays are so regular, so DJ's specially in this area cannot charge £350+ for a 40th birthday, however weddings are usually more expensive as we as DJ's need to make up that shortfall - i do not know about others on here, but i couldn't afford to charge £180 for 50-100 gigs a year, and upgrade my equipment, pay my bills, live comfortably, so i charge more when i do weddings in order to compensate for my losses.



Can you think of any other trade that would vary their hourly rate?


at the end of the day why does a taxi's starting rate vary due to the time of day? Its because of supply and demand, same with holidays, they change their prices as do a lot of seasonal businesses, so why not DJ's?

[funkymike]

I just been speaking to a friend whos sister is getting married next year, he offerd his own sister to do the wedding with me and she turned it down because the wedding in the hotel has a resident dj who is doing it for...














70 quid!!!



TAKES THE P**

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Is the Hotel local to you Mike?

[funkymike]

Is the Hotel local to you Mike?

Its in Windsor!!!!:bang:

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Its in Windsor!!!!:bang:

Not the Castle Hotel?:eek:

[funkymike]

Not the Castle Hotel?:eek:

Trying to find out, do you work there then?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Trying to find out, do you work there then?

Do you seriously think I'd be going out for £70 Mike???:eek: :eek:

I have done a couple of bookings there this year and know of the agent who supplies the DJs there. (Don't get me started on him...:mad: )

[funkymike]

Do you seriously think I'd be going out for £70 Mike???:eek: :eek:

I have done a couple of bookings there this year and know of the agent who supplies the DJs there. (Don't get me started on him...:mad: )

Noooooo:eek: you got the wrong end of the stick, 70 pound an hr maybe:p I meant do you know whoit might be as its your neck of the woods

mike

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

70 pound an hr maybe:p

At least...:D



I meant do you know whoit might be as its your neck of the woods

mike

Well, as we're not sure of the Hotel yet, I don't know!:rolleyes:

[Corabar Entertainment]

Just caught up on this thread and wanted to try and explain a bit more about what Steve was saying about charging more for a wedding than other gigs (as it's something we have spoken about several times and actually agree on for once!!!!)

We are not saying that we cannot understand why someone would charge more for providing a greater / additional service, etc - eg if you go and meet the B&G, but you don't offer this service to someone having a birthday, then that's an additional service; or if the B&G want you for 6 hours, whereas a birthday only wants you for 4 hours, you are providing an additional service; etc...... but what we don't understand is why some DJs offer exactly the same service for a wedding as they do for a birthday party, but just because the event is a wedding, they charge a higher fee.

That's the bit that leaves me a bit confused :confused:

In fact, I have seen 'advice' given to B&Gs to go around getting quotes giving full and accurate details of their event, but telling them to say it's for a birthday party...... then, afterwards to tell whoever they've got to give the quotes that they've decided to get married on that day and so it's now their wedding reception!!!! :eek:

[Candybeatdiscos]

well i suppose i cover myself if that was to happen then as my t&c's state
"The Company, at its discretion, reserves the right to apply additional charges in certain circumstances. These charges will only apply if the conditions of the function differ from that stated in the original Booking Agreement."

it is supposed to cover me for things like extra parking expenses etc or if they state that there are not stairs and suddenly as per magic there they appear lol

but back again to the argument, i charge more for a wedding as i may put a trainee DJ who has done say 10 - 20 gigs into a birthday party but would never do such a thing if it was a wedding.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Just caught up on this thread and wanted to try and explain a bit more about what Steve was saying about charging more for a wedding than other gigs (as it's something we have spoken about several times and actually agree on for once!!!!)

We are not saying that we cannot understand why someone would charge more for providing a greater / additional service, etc - eg if you go and meet the B&G, but you don't offer this service to someone having a birthday, then that's an additional service; or if the B&G want you for 6 hours, whereas a birthday only wants you for 4 hours, you are providing an additional service; etc...... but what we don't understand is why some DJs offer exactly the same service for a wedding as they do for a birthday party, but just because the event is a wedding, they charge a higher fee.

That's the bit that leaves me a bit confused :confused:





I don't understand why really?

There is generally a much bigger budget involved with a wedding.

The same as a corporate function - you could be supplying exactly the same service, but get more money - it depends on the market.

Compare, for example, the price of a pub quiz, to the price of a corporate quiz. Corporate would be 2-3 times more expensive than a pub quiz and yet the work is almost the same.

Personally, as I've said before though, I don't charge any more for a wedding than I do for a birthday, unless there's more hours involved.

[Corabar Steve]

Personally, as I've said before though, I don't charge any more for a wedding than I do for a birthday, unless there's more hours involved.Whch is exatly what I said we do