Anyone been told porkies to get a cheaper quote?

[PureWeddingDJs]

Had a bride and groom meet me at my house for a chat, seemed really interested, thought this ones in the bag. they told me 300 people, in a huge venue so priced accordingly, for bigger setup and pa.

I find out they then have been looking around for a quotes, and saying only 150 people! as they knew a few hundred pounds could be saved.

Its a shame really, as some guy may turn up with a small system and be totally drowned out by all those people, and a light show which will be inadequate.

[sweetie]

Had a bride and groom meet me at my house for a chat, seemed really interested, thought this ones in the bag. they told me 300 people, in a huge venue so priced accordingly, for bigger setup and pa.

I find out they then have been looking around for a quotes, and saying only 150 people! as they knew a few hundred pounds could be saved.

Its a shame really, as some guy may turn up with a small system and be totally drowned out by all those people, and a light show which will be inadequate.

so they told you the truth then? Have they booked anyone?

[funkymook]

So far the number of guests at my gigs has matched what my clients have said - but I do put 'approx 120 guests' (or whatever I've been told) in the contract alongside venue details, times, occasion etc. So if I ever did turn up for a birthday for 50 people and find it's a wedding for 300 I'd have a signed contract stating what I was booked for (a very unlikely scenario though with client meetings, venue visits etc).

[dj foureyes]

This week. A woman rang me last week and first thing she asked me was, "How much for a disco?" After I explained about how it depended on location, length of time, if there were stairs involved, etc. she gave me the details and I gave her a price. She said she would get back to me.
She rang me last night to confirm and give me the final details. After getting off the phone to her I went online to look at the venue and noticed that the function room was upstairs. I rang her back and asked where the room was that her party was being held.
She said that it was upstairs but she didn't feel that it was worth mentioning

I told her that I will go and have a look at the venue, just to see if I need a Roadie or not but the price might need adjusting.

- - - Updated - - -

This week. A woman rang me last week and first thing she asked me was, "How much for a disco?" After I explained about how it depended on location, length of time, if there were stairs involved, etc. she gave me the details and I gave her a price. She said she would get back to me.
She rang me last night to confirm and give me the final details. After getting off the phone to her I went online to look at the venue and noticed that the function room was upstairs. I rang her back and asked where the room was that her party was being held.
She said that it was upstairs but she didn't feel that it was worth mentioning

I told her that I will go and have a look at the venue, just to see if I need a Roadie or not but the price might need adjusting.

[DazzyD]

so they told you the truth then? Have they booked anyone?

This is a good point. Maybe they were "bigging up" their event to make it sound better to you. So, you don't really know what the truth is either way.

And the problem with requesting the number of guests (something I do, though) is that they can't possibly know how many will turn up. Take my own engagement party, for example. 150 people were invited, over 110 confirmed but only about 70 actually turned up on the night. You just don't know what's going to happen until the event.

[lazersounds]

And the problem with requesting the number of guests (something I do, though) is that they can't possible know how many will turn up. Take my own engagement party, for example. 150 people were invited, over 110 confirmed but only about 70 actually turned up on the night. You just don't know what's going to happen until the event.

This is very true, espically with 18th and 21st Birthdays, the amount of times i've been told 120 have been invited..... then 15 turn up

[PureWeddingDJs]

It doesnt really matter if only 70 turn up out of 150, it wont effect you, but you try doing a 300 person gig with 2 x 500watt speakers in a large high ceiling room. you will have people coming up saying why is it so quiet? turn it up! you will look like a fool.

[Retrodisco]

It's all the time recently. Wedding for 120, only 40 turned up. Birthday for 80, only 30. Birthday for 40, only 25.

Rarely do the correct amount, or anywhere near it, of people turn up.

[funkymook]

It's all the time recently. Wedding for 120, only 40 turned up. Birthday for 80, only 30. Birthday for 40, only 25.

Rarely do the correct amount, or anywhere near it, of people turn up.

The point was clients booking for a low number where the reality is a large number are coming to save money on hiring a bigger PA (if that's how the DJ quotes his gigs) - it makes no odds if less turn up than you were told.

[CRAZY K]

Had a bride and groom meet me at my house for a chat, seemed really interested, thought this ones in the bag. they told me 300 people, in a huge venue so priced accordingly, for bigger setup and pa.

I find out they then have been looking around for a quotes, and saying only 150 people! as they knew a few hundred pounds could be saved.

Its a shame really, as some guy may turn up with a small system and be totally drowned out by all those people, and a light show which will be inadequate.

I do understand how annoying this can be---probably had delusions of grandeur---ie BULL

The size and type of venue would be the deciding factor for me in your position if you charge different rates for different set ups at Weddings . (I dont do that for Weddings see below)

These days its not hard to check venues with the Internet and our very helpful friend Google earth.

Anyway IMHO Weddings never fail to be more difficult than other events (another thread) whether its early set up --the impossibly quick turnround---the stairs that got conveniently left out---no parking--the long trek round the back of the venue, or of course the impossible play list to educate the client over--- in MY work there has always been SOMETHING which is time consuming, tiring and usually not mentioned or deliberately left out.

All part of my job and assumed to be par for the course here.

So unless people have a fixed figure to work on in which case I WILL scale down kit if I actually want to do the job---on normal price I turn up with my biggest set up and work from there---ok up to around 300 --after all you can leave the bins in the vehicle together with lights you dont need and on that basis I charge the same price irrespective of the venue size or type. (If I see from the Internet /GE its a complete nightmare I dont quote)

I once left the bins in the vehicle because you could not physically get them up a spiral stair case--

Not a perfect science but works for me and there usually a sting in the tail--I could reel off a load--but no point as I get paid what I think im worth so why worry.

Just my personal take.