Why are wedding DJ’s so expensive?
The main reason that wedding DJs are expensive on an hourly basis is because of all the time that is put into each event. On average, I spend 8 hours on your event before I play the first note, starting with the initial consultation, follow up emails and phone calls to make sure that you get everything you expect. From there it’s hours searching for, downloading and organizing your music requests. The day of the event entails of getting myself ready, packing my gear, traveling to the venue, setting up the equipment, performing, breaking down and traveling back home. The average reception is 4 hours, but actually takes 12-14 hours of work. For both ceremony & reception packages it can take up to 20 hours.
Equipment is also a big factor, as every piece of equipment I use is top-of-the-line and I’m constantly upgrading as technology improves, which as you can imagine, gets pretty expensive. I want to make sure that I offer my clients the very best equipment (with back-ups) to avoid any “technical difficulties”. The last factor is my 23 years of DJ & MC experience, which is priceless since there are no “do-overs”.
What makes you better than the other wedding DJs on Maui?
I don’t believe that it’s about one DJ being better than the others, it’s about your personal preference and what energy you want from your entertainer. Some guys are really quiet and prefer to be in the background, while other guys are on the microphone way too much and make it about them, instead of focusing on you. There are real DJs who can actually mix tracks together, while there are guys that seem to play one song at a time straight from iTunes. There are also guys who think they need a ton of equipment, with lots of bells and whistles and a huge set up to make the party happen while others guys come with just a computer and one tower speaker. So… what makes me stand out from the “other guys”?
I believe that I have a great balance in all of those factors. My skills as a true DJ have been perfected over the last 23 years, recently being voted “Maui’s Best Club DJ” by Maui Time Magazine for the third year in a row. You can expect that your music program will flow seamlessly from one song to the next… and when it comes to the dancing portion you can be sure that I will make the dance floor ROCK without all that “typical” or “cheesy” wedding stuff… but above all, I truly LOVE what I do and it really shows. When it comes to Master of Ceremony (MC) work, I cater to your style. I am very confident on a microphone and can easily take charge of a crowd, or I can keep it casual and make announcements and introductions only as needed. I also take the time to know everyone’s names that I will introduce throughout the night, to make your wedding experience much more personal and intimate.
Equipment wise, I have done tons of research and have invested lots of money in order to have a great looking DJ set up that is compact, yet highly effective. I understand that looks are just as important to you as how good it sounds, and I am proud to boast the nicest DJ set up on the island… hands down!
Do you have any reviews from past couples?
Why…yes I do! As a matter of fact I have many! Please feel free to click on the Wedding Wire box on the right hand side of every page on my website to see what my past clients are saying about me and my services.
What services do you offer and how much do you charge?
I am not the most expensive DJ/Entertainer on the island, but I am also not the cheapest… but overall, I am well worth my prices. Each event is unique so please fill out the booking request form for a complimentary quote. As for services, I offer everything you need for your event including Ceremony P.A. & Music, Reception DJ & MC service, Satellite Sound Systems, Projector & Screens for movies or slideshows, and up lighting packages. You can event rent one of my high quality sound systems if you are opting for an iPod wedding. For a detailed description of my services and starting prices please go to my services page.
My venue requires liability insurance… can you provide proof?
Of course! Any legitimate vendor on the island needs to have liability insurance in order to work at certain venues such as hotels or private properties. I have a $2,000,000 policy and can send a copy of my Certificate Of Insurance (C.O.I.) to your coordinator or venue upon request.
What is the booking process?
The first step is to fill out the booking request form on the contact page. Please allow at least 24 hours for a response, specially during the busy seasons and weekends. We will then have a phone consultation so that we may come to an agreement on the terms for a service contract. Once I draft the contract it will be signed by both parties digitally via EchoSign (It’s really simple), which in turn will send both parties a copy of the signed contract via email. The last piece of the puzzle is to leave your deposit (typically 50%) and that’s it! Your date is reserved!
Can we make music requests?
Absolutely! Once we complete the booking process we will stay in touch via email, phone or video chat so that we can go over your music program. I will send you a music planner via email that you can fill out. This will give me a good idea of what you expect to hear throughout your entire event. I will be there for you if you need a little help selecting your songs.
Do you have a music list that we can choose from?
No. I find that it only confuses my clients and it takes lots of time to update on a regular basis. Currently I have a library of over 80,000 songs and counting! Instead, I prefer to know what YOU want based on our phone consultations and build a music program around that. I will be there for you if you need a little guidance.
Can our guests make music requests the day of the wedding?
Of course! Now… I have tons of music, but no one DJ will have every song in the world. Fortunately, with today’s technology I can download music on the spot (granted that your venue has wi-fi available, which not all of them do). If your guests have a song they want to hear on their phone or iPod I can simply plug it in to my system and voila! I also encourage couples to ask their friends and family for music requests ahead of time so that I may have those songs for sure prior to your event.
How will you be dressed at our wedding?
It all depends on the look you are having for your event. For most weddings I wear a black long sleeve shirt with a black bow tie and black pants. If you are booking me directly I take the time to match my tie with your color(s)… I know, that’s pretty metro of me, but it’s the little details right? Lots of weddings have the “island casual” look as well, specially for outdoor events. For those I wear a nice white Tommy Bahama shirt with tan or black slacks…again, it all depends on your style.
What’s the best way to get a hold of you?
For initial contact, it is best to fill out the booking request form so I have a good idea of what services you need. Once we are in constant contact, I find that texting is the best way to get a hold of me, since I may be performing at a wedding and I can’t answer the phone at that time. Emails are great too, but again… I have weeks where I’m working several days in a row (not including my nightlife gigs) and I don’t get a chance to catch up on emails for a couple of days. Weekends are specially busy, so I generally catch up with my emails on Mondays and Tuesdays.