The PRICING

ARE YOU IN MY BUDGET?

One of the most frequent requests I get from engaged couples is to e-mail them my prices before scheduling an initial complimentary consultation. “We don’t want to waste your time” or “We don’t want to get our hopes up if we can’t afford you” are the common reasons presented for why learning my prices is of primary concern. I get it, no one wants to spend more than necessary for anything these days. So the real question is, how “necessary” are services like mine? Some might say, “Not very necessary at all. We can create our own playlists on our iPad.” That is certainly true. But any couple who thinks music playing on their iPad will be ALL they will need for their Reception, isn’t going to choose to afford my services anyway. Others might say, “Very necessary, but we are on a tight budget.” And I get that too. Interestingly, even though my prices are probably the highest you will find for a Wedding DJ & MC in the Kansas City, Missouri region (and also among the highest in the United States), most of the couples who choose to afford my services are not wealthy or setting records with their total wedding budgets. Rather, most of them are middle income people from middle income families who have determined that finding the best qualified DJ & MC for their once-in-a-lifetime celebration will garner them the RESULTS they value most (i.e. their guests laughing, dancing and enjoying a smooth-flowing and memorable event), even if that means trimming back in other areas of their budget that won’t necessarily help them achieve their goals. But the best way to make sure you are getting the best value, is to compare more than just prices to make sure you are not mistakenly comparing Apples to Oranges.

APPLES VS. ORANGES

“We do the same thing, but we’re cheaper.” …said no quality service provider ever!

Only the person competing on price alone would make such a statement. Hopefully, my pricing pages make it pretty clear that everything I do (and how I do it) for my couples is DRAMATICALLY different than the approach most DJs & MCs take when it comes to weddings. My services completely rely on being able to build a personal relationship with my couples in order to help them create the most personalized celebration they (and/or their friends and families) have ever experienced. Your wedding celebration will not feel like a cookie cutter, run-of-the-mill, “same way it’s always been done” celebration. To help you sift through the differences among your choices for wedding entertainment, I have compiled some very important questions you should ask each and every person you are considering trusting with making your reception a huge success. These questions should help you spot the differences between the services that are Apples and the services that are Oranges.

22 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

• Who will help us plan our schedule of traditional events and activities?
• Will that person be able to plan our timeline so that it will be an entertaining experience?
• Can we see an example of a detailed timeline created for one of your previous couples?
• How will you keep our schedule flowing smoothly when there are so many things that can cause unexpected delays?
• How will you (the DJ/MC) keep our guests properly informed without being obnoxious?
• Can we see video footage to verify your skills in communicating effectively on the mic?
• What kind of advanced performance training have you taken to improve your skills as a polished, personable, and professional MC?
• Will you be ready to help us create some unique surprises for our friends and family?
• Can you share a few recent examples of surprises you created with/for recent couples?
• Will your speakers hurt our guests’ ears?
• Will you bring professional grade PA equipment, so all our guests can clearly hear each of the introductions and formal toasts?
• And what about our vows during ceremony?
• Are you willing to attend and possibly assist us with our wedding rehearsal?
• Do you have music suggestions to help us personalize our reception’s special moments?
• And ceremony music suggestions too?
• Can you create a custom mix or a short edit of our First Dance song, if needed?
• What creative ideas can you share for making our celebration more memorable?
• How will you help us make our celebration completely different from (and more fun than) the last 5 weddings we have attended?
• What methods will you use to get our guests participating in our celebration and dancing?
• Can you share an example from a recent wedding where something went wrong and what you did to correct, fix, and/or resolve it?
• Will the person we are booking (you) be the same person who shows up at our wedding?
• Do you offer a 100% money-back guarantee if we are not completely satisfied?

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THE BEST ANSWERS

If the questions above seem both eye-opening and daunting at the same time, that was the point. During our free initial consultation, we will explore my answers to those questions while also discussing how to discern the best answers for you. Because, regardless of whether I wind up being your final choice, I want every engaged couple I meet with to walk away knowing HOW to make the best choice for their needs.