Wedding Entertainment
The Ultimate Guide To Wedding DJ Hire in Australia
Congratulations; he has popped the 4-word question. And of course, you shouted, yes!
So, wedding planning is now in order – yes?
But we hope you are planning EXTRA for entertainment, especially the wedding DJ hire. If not, you should immediately. Here is why:
A professional DJ can be the difference between GOOD and POOR wedding entertainment. S/he could make guests leave midway through your reception or stay till after the “after-party.”
In other words, you must choose your wedding DJ wisely.
Nevertheless, we understand that hiring a wedding DJ might not be your area of expertise. Maybe you prefer planning floral arrangements and bridal parties.
Either way, it is okay; we can guide you.
In this article, we shall walk you through how to plan, find, choose, and hire the RIGHT DJ for your wedding.
Let’s delve in!
Planning Your Wedding DJ Hire
What Is Your Budget?
As much as you want the best wedding in Australia, you should also consider your purse. What are you (and your groom) capable of? How much can you spend on entertainment?
Keep pondering on that!
Now, let’s see the cost of the average wedding DJ hire in Australia:
DJ hiring costs generally vary depending on the professionalism of the hire, the services offered, the city, and the time of hire.
For example, a freelance DJ (the cheapest hire) will charge you around $100 per hour. So, say your wedding runs for 5 hours; you’ll spend roughly $500.
However, we won’t recommend a freelance DJ. What if they don’t show up?
That leaves us with a professional DJ, probably an agency.
A professional DJ who offers BASIC services will cost you around $750 to $1200 for 4-5hours. However, if your wedding is in a city like Sydney, the price will inflate to about $1,888.
Furthermore, if you want additional services (like a photo booth), you might be looking at an outlay of over $3000.
However, there is good news: you can get deductions on DJ hiring costs if you book early.
Pro tip: book your DJ in off-seasons (away from spring and autumn) .That way, you can get a 10-20% discount.
Summarily, premium DJs are the best [link to the previous article]. So, we’ll advise you to factor that into your wedding planning.
What Are Your Preferences?
Your preferences are just as crucial to your big day as your budget. So, ask yourself, what do you want?
What are your expectations? Do you prefer a DJ who specializes in a unique kind of music? Perhaps you fancy country music, and want your wedding to feature lots of Don Williams and Dolly Parton classics!
More importantly, do you want your DJ to function as the emcee? Or will you hire another for the job? How much do you want the DJ involved?
You probably have other questions on your mind; ponder on them. Above all, find how your DJ fits into your preferences.
Once you know what you want for your wedding, finding the right DJ will be straightforward.
Finding Your Wedding DJ
Recommendations From Friends & Relatives
The chances are that you enjoyed the DJ’s performance at your friend’s or niece’s wedding. Well, that’s one place to start. Ask for the contact of the DJ!
Outside the DJ you witnessed in action and enjoyed, your friends and relatives have probably raved about some “wiz on disc.” Now is the time to ask for the contact.
Note: you can’t ask all your friends and relatives for DJ recommendations. Streamline your referrers; ensure they understand your needs. If possible, ask people who only share the same preferences as you.
And while you are at it, consider your wedding guests too. Are they cowgirls and “ole ole” like you? Or are they “rock and pop”?
If the latter is the case, you might need to seek recommendations from friends with such taste. A combination of multiple genres will be perfect.
Online Directories
Don’t limit your list of candidates to your friends’ and relatives’ recommendations. The chances are that they’ll base their selection on friendship and not expertise.
In that case, you need referrers that can give you a neutral view of who the best DJs are, why they are, and how they can help you.
You need wedding entertainment directories. But just any kind won’t suffice; ensure you streamline your choice to the one in your location.
In this case, search for a directory in Australia. Reach out to them, or just browse their collections. You’ll find an unbiased list of the top wedding DJs to consult.
To narrow your Australian wedding directory search, check “Entertainment Now.” We are a one-stop destination for booking entertainers for all kinds of parties.
Now, you must have compiled a list of the top wedding DJs. Let’s trim the list.
Follow the these steps:
Choosing The Right Wedding DJ Hire
Services Offered
The first way to weed out incompatible DJs for your wedding is to check their services. What can you get from your hire?
Does the DJ offer emcee services? Will the DJ bring band and solo singers to your wedding? If not, can they manage them for you? Is that part of their package?
Furthermore, will the DJ manage the lighting systems? How about the photo booth?
While you might not need all the services offered, hire a DJ who can do it all. You never know, there might be emergencies, and you will need an expert at the dying minute.
Besides, having one hire that can organize the entire wedding entertainment is better than 5 hires. The overall cost will be more affordable.
More importantly, the event will be well-coordinated and less crowded.
Expertise
It is one thing for a DJ to list their services; can they ACTUALLY do it?
If your prospect enlists a service, ask for the when and where? Can you see the pictures? Whose wedding?
Note: we are not saying you should question the professionalism of your potential hires. Nevertheless, if you will be spending $1200 on a DJ, you should scrutinize them to get the most value for your money.
So, ask questions!
Specifically, ask questions about experience levels? How many years has the DJ been playing at weddings? What instruments can they use? More importantly, how long have they been in Australia?
Your hire should know what we Aussies like – the music, the theme, and everything in between!
And while you are at it, ask about certification. We’ll advise you to choose a DJ with insurance.
Testimonials
There are no negatives about a DJ preaching his greatness. That’s personal branding. However, you need more than that.
Beyond the branding, what do previous customers think about your potential hires? Are they trustworthy? Will they deliver on what was promised?
Most importantly, will your potential hire keep to time?
Wedding receptions are time-based events. A slight delay might derail your guests’ moods. So, you need a punctual DJ.
If there was a delay on your end, you should be able to trust your DJ to cover for you. S/he should be on the ground to delight the guests with entertaining music.
Now, you are wondering, how can you gauge the testimonials of a prospective DJ hire (especially if they don’t have a website)?
- Ask the Big G; search the name of the DJ or agency on Google. Read away!
- Also, check on Facebook.
- Lastly, ask around. The chances are that a friend or a “friend of a friend” has hired the DJ.
Proximity
Proximity is one of the vital factors to consider for all aspects of a wedding. It is also crucial to your DJ hire.
If you want a DJ that will monitor all aspects of your wedding entertainment, they must be close to your reception venue.
If not close, the DJ should at least be familiar with the area. As such, they will know what works and avoid commotion on D-day.
Furthermore, proximity to the reception area also means the DJ will spend less money to move workers and pieces of equipment. In other words, you’ll pay less for the services rendered.
Now, your list of potential wedding DJ hires should be GREATLY reduced. Let’s proceed to the hiring phase:
Hiring The Right Wedding DJ
Meet The DJ
The chances are that you haven’t seen your potential hire. Perhaps the conversation so far has been online.
Well, it is time to meet up. And here are two crucial reasons why you should:
- Meeting your potential DJ is an opportunity to check their office or workstation. Is it as advertised? Are they TRULY professional?
- If you are working with a DJ agency, it is vital to meet the ACTUAL hire before D-day. You both must establish a relationship.
Ask For A Live Trial
The final step before deciding who to hire is to ask for a mini-performance. Check what you want to pay for!
Note: the trial doesn’t have to be elaborate. However, you must confirm that the DJ knows his way around his equipment and can ACTUALLY deliver.
BTW, we will advise you to go for the live trial with a music expert. The latter is better placed to ascertain the skill of your potential hire.
Final Thoughts
The process of finding and hiring a wedding DJ is undoubtedly tedious. But it is worth it considering you’re spending quite a wad.
Besides, entertainment is a vital part of your wedding reception. So, overlook the stress, and take your time to select the best wedding DJ hire.
Once again, congratulations!
