Another "What should I charge?" thread.(Wedding-R)
Hotsauce84
8,450 Posts
I hate doing weddings. I mean, I've done plenty of 'em for friends and they've always been fun (though sometimes a bit annoying), but still, I hate 'em.A good friend of mine hit me up 'cause his cousin's getting married in a couple weeks and the DJ backed out. They're in a bind, obviously. I usually charge $100 an hour on the rare occasion that I do play a wedding, party, graduation, etc., but am I shortchanging myself here? (It's a 6 hr gig.) Anybody know what these Yellow Pages DJ's usually charge?And oh, I usually borrow my friend's equipment when I play out (speakers, amp, sometimes cheesy lights) but he's using them the day of the wedding, how does a system rental factor into all of this? Should I be paid for making arrangements too?Either way, I'm desperately hoping I can get by without playing "Electric Slide," "Cha Cha Slide," or "The Chicken Dance" (it's a Black wedding so I *should* be able to manage without that last one).Herm
Comments
So, you are not in the wrong to charge a fair amount. I'm not saying that you should stick it to them, but don't sell yourself short because they've probably set aside money for it. If you are renting gear and doing at least 6 hours than I think $1000 is very reasonable. If you gave them an invoice ahead of time that includes fees for travel, rental equipment, hours of djing, etc. than it probably wouldn't look as bad.
I rented some nice speakers for about $90 with stands. The place I rented them from was super cool. I told them I needed to pick them up early the day before and return them in the afternoon the day after. Basically, I had them the day before the wedding, the day of, and returned them the day after. I was only charged for one day, but I had them for two.
Everyone else at the wedding, photographer, caterer, etc will be charging standard rates, so there is no reason you need to low ball it. Since it's a friend connection you can be fair with them and work with them, but just throw out an amount you feel is fair and see what they are working with. They may have quotes from other people for $1500-2000. If they think your offer is too high then you can tell them the minimum you could do it for.
Black wedding or white wedding (no Billy Idol), the Cha Cha Slide is pretty damn necessary. I did a fundraiser for my wife's school and everybody there was fiending for that, white, black or brown. I don't think you can get away with not playing that.
Also, did the Cupid Shuffle blow up anywhere else besides Chicago? That shit is kind of a must too. I was at a straight-up white boy sports bar on Saturday and after the Chargers/Colts game the DJ was playing a bunch of stuff and worked the Cupid Shuffle in. Unless it never got legs where you are, I would have that one too, just in case.
i told dude he needs to go to a wedding to get that done.
He obviously didn't know who he was fuskin' with.
I never understood the group dance. The reason I dance is so that I can do my own thing, not the same thing as every other fool in the room. I can understand couples dances like the waltz or whatever, at least couple is in control. I ain't trying to follow directions, except for maybe James Brown and the guy singing lead on "Funky 16 Corners."
Then again, I have rhythm, at least when it comes to dancing. I understand that my no-skills-having white brethren need songs to earn them participation points while minimizing the time they have to awkwardly go for self.
ZOMG! I DON'T KNOW ANY BLACK PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING MARRIED!
Were they powered or did you provide your own amp?
I'm coming prepared with - ugh - "Cha Cha Slide." I don't plan on bringing reggaeton, though (equally ugh).