The Cost Of Entertainment At Your Reception Is Only A Small Portion Of Your Overall Budget
According to Modern Bride Magazine, only 5% of the average wedding/reception budget will be spent on entertainment.
Over twice as many guests will remember the performance and quality of entertainment than anything else at your reception.

When you're spending thousands of dollars on a once-in-a-lifetime event, does it make sense to save a few dollars by hiring second-rate entertainment?

• Some people pay more for a veggie platter than a DJ.  Example: If you have 100 guests and you pay $7.50 per person, then you paid $750 for vegetables that go to waste. Is your entertainment worth more than a veggie platter?

• If you pay $15,000 dollars for a 4-hour reception and your guests leave 1 hour early, you lose $3750.

• The entertainment contributes more than 80% to your event. The food/site is at most 20%. 4% of the reception's cost is a great value for a successful event.

• The #1 fear in America is PUBLIC SPEAKING. Is your DJ an Emcee as well?

• The price you pay for entertainment at your wedding is directly proportional to the success of your event.

• Remember: You can have a great party in a barn with the right DJ, but the wrong DJ can make even the nicest ballroom sour.

The paraphrasings of MARK FARRELL by DJ Nate Callens of Fargo, ND.
Copyright ©2005  Boss DJ Services.  All Rights Reserved.

WEDDINGS…by the numbers
How does your wedding reception stack up?

A Professional DJ provides the positive catalyst for your party. Skillfully selected and played music will add the important "feel good" element that helps everyone interact, rekindle relationships faded by time away and form new friendships. Music is relaxing, exciting, romantic, and inspirational. Dancing keeps everyone at your event longer and contributes greatly to the enjoyment of your guests.

Your choice of entertainer is an insurance policy against bad memories of a disappointing occasion. Unfortunately, the DJ is often the last service chosen, after much of the budget is spent on a venue, food and clothing. This “backward planning” often forces Brides and Party Planners to shop for the cheapest possible price. Many people will pay far more for a cake, flowers, or a veggie platter than they will for the most crucial ingredient of a party – the entertainment. The DJ you select will be taking on the responsibility of over 80% of the success of your party and often gets paid less than 3% of the total budget (based on the average $25,000.00 Wedding, 3% would equal $750.00), yet if the DJ is a poor performer or worse, doesn't show up, your entire investment is wasted, not just that 3%.

$35,000 – average total investment on a wedding in the year 2003

$500-1000 – average cost of hiring a professional reception coordinator

$400 – cost for just the RENTAL of professional DJ equipment (no DJ or music library included)

$500-1000 – average cost of hiring an experienced professional Master of Ceremonies by himself/herself (no music experience)

$175 – average cost to hire professional sound & lighting contractors to set up the equipment and make sure it works

80% – the average amount of responsibility that the entertainer has in making your reception successful

24 – average number of hours a full-time DJ/entertainer will work to research, prepare and perform at your event

18% – typical gratuity you will invest in on top of the price for the meal

$7.50 – average investment per person for just the veggie platter (broccoli sticks, carrots, cauliflower, Ranch dressing). At $7.50 per guest x 200 guests = $1500 you will invest on just the veggie platter, or 8% of the budget!

5 hours in a typical wedding reception, the number of hours you will have to create wonderful memories that last forever

2 people celebrating their special union of love in front of their family and friends

#1 fear in America is public speaking (I am not afraid!)

1 year or more usually taken to put together and plan your special day

"A cheap DJ isn’t good…and a good DJ isn’t cheap!" -- L & M, newlyweds

After The Vows...  

72% of all brides surveyed said they would have spent more time choosing their reception entertainment. Almost 100% said they would have spent more of their budget on the entertainment.

During wedding planning, brides said their highest priority is their attire, followed by the reception site and caterer – reception entertainment is among the least of their priorities...Yet, within one week after their reception, 78% said they would have made the entertainment their highest priority.

When asked, 81% of guests said what they remember most about a wedding is the entertainment.

65% of all couples that chose a band to entertain at their wedding said, if they had it to do over again, would have chosen a disc jockey.

Entertainment is 5% of your Wedding Budget, but TWICE as many guests will remember the entertainment more than anything else.

Amount Budgeted	Percentage Remembered
Reception Hall & Catering 37%	Entertainment 38%
Wedding Ring 23%	Gown 18%
Bridal Attire 10%	Flowers 16%
Photo & Video 9%	Reception Hall & Catering 8%
Gown 6%
Entertainment 5%

Footnotes...

"The entertainment you choose for your wedding is responsible for 80% of the event's success and the memories you will have for the rest of your life," writes Martha Stewart

"Don't just hire the cheapest companies! Insist on references and take the time to call other brides to learn from their experiences. Every year we get complaints from consumers angry over poor services after they hired the "cheapest" company," writes Ken Vander Meeden, reporter, Holland (MI) Sentinel

*Sources: Simmons, 2001; USA Today, 2002; National Bridal Service, 2001; The Knot, 2002; Brides Magazine, 2001;
NAME, St. Louis Bride & Groom.

Final Mark Farrell-Type rumblings by DJ Marino M. Regalado
© 2003-2006 Ninja Entertainment Productions, Honolulu, HI.

Mobile Disc-Jockey Service
"More Than Just About The Music!"

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