Some future brides don’t find hiring a DJ an essential part of their wedding day, but depending on what kind of wedding you’re planning – having the extra help might come in handy. Plus, because your wedding is one of the biggest events of your life, you might find that as you get closer to your big day, your mind might change.  How do you know you need a wedding DJ? Where do you find one? What does a DJ cost? Read on: we’ll help you sort it all out.

Do you need a wedding DJ?

“When you use a wedding DJ you can feel assured that you will have the songs that you picked played at the correct time,” said wedding planner Stacie Baines.

This is the question a lot of future brides mull over as they plan. Do you have someone in the family that you can trust with your big strut down the aisle? If the answer is yes, then you might be able to DIY your music with an iPod and a pair of speakers. On the other hand, if you don’t have a professional running your lights and sound, things may get messy when you’re not dealing with a licensed professional. DIY is a great budgeting alternative, but there is something to be said about maintaining “low stress” on a day as big as your wedding, said Baines. “And for all of the future grooms reading this blog, remember, a happy wife is a happy life.”  

Where can you find a wedding DJ?

Nowadays, you can Google just about anything, but one of the tricks to DJ hunting is making sure they’re a member of the ADJA (American Disk Jockey Association) and attend conferences to continue improving their skill. Most professional DJ’s have heavy (and expensive) lighting and sound equipment, so some venues will require that they have insurance to cover them and their guests in case something goes wrong. The ADJA actually has a tool to help you find your DJ by specialty and location. This is super helpful when you don’t know where to start searching. DJ tip for the wise: Before booking your DJ, make sure to have a sit-down meeting with them and feel them out. You want to make sure you feel completely comfortable with them before purchasing their services.

How much does a wedding DJ cost?

According to ADJA.com, “Rates for the DJ industry vary greatly, ranging from $350.00 to over $5,000.00 with an average of $1,200.00 for a 4-hour booking. The best price is not always the best deal, especially if you are planning a wedding. As a matter of fact, surveys conclude that nearly 100% of brides would have spent more money on their entertainment and made it their #1 priority in hindsight.” And mssoundworks.com tells us that most professional trained full-time DJs charge $1,000 – $2,500. Keep these prices in mind if finding a wedding DJ for your big day is a priority so you can plan and budget accordingly.

Research and booking

If you don’t research carefully, the worst can happen. And when it comes to your wedding, you want to vet the DJ sooner than later. “In the past, I worked with a DJ that my clients were not 100% confident with. Not because of his reputation, but because of his unresponsiveness and lack of participation when it came to rehearsals and pre- coordination,” says Peachy Keen’s wedding planner, Victoria Baggett. “He didn’t arrive to the walk through, but assured our bride and her family that it was going to be fine because he was experienced.” Long story short –  he didn’t come prepared and ended up taking some of the rental items on site and put them in his vehicle because no one had “claimed them” and then proceeded to take a nap in a nearby restroom right before the reception started. “We looked for him for a while, but the bride’s mother found him and freaked,” said Baggett. “He started the reception late. Not to mention the reception took place in a nice hotel and he started a smoke machine that nearly set off the smoke that could have costs the bride and groom up to $20,000 in fines alone. Do your research. Even if they come recommended. Follow your gut feeling.”

If you’re a 2018-2019 bride-to-be and you need a little help calculating the cost of your wedding, TheKnot.com has a fantastic wedding budget calculator to help.

If you’ve done what you can with negotiating wedding costs and you still find yourself with a gap between budget and price tag, check out how a LendingPoint personal loan can help with your plans. We’ll quickly tell you how much you qualify for, and you can choose the loan option that suits you best. Applying is simple and easy. Your loan could be deposited in your account in as little as one business day. Apply now and see!

When she’s not blogging about financial matters for LendingPoint, Brianna Shelko can often be found on weekends working as a certified DJ herself.