Los Angeles Wedding DJ Prices: What exactly are you paying for anyway
Posted by Jason | Filed under Wedding DJ Advice, Wedding Planning
If you’re planning a Wedding or other Special Event I’m sure you’re interested in how much it’s going to cost. And if you’re hiring a DJ in the Los Angeles area, we know you are certainly concerned with your budget, but we all know that old saying “you get what you pay for.”
In this article, I want to point out some of the factors that influence DJ pricing so you will have a better understanding of how we determine our prices and you’ll realize that we truly can work with almost any budget. We believe having some kind of entertainment is better than none at all, but great entertainment and hiring a great DJ is paramount to the overall success of your event.
First I’ll list the “5 Most Important Questions” a Professional DJ should ask you to help determine your needs. If you can answer some of these questions for us, we’ll know exactly how to price and plan for your event.
5 Main Factors that influence Wedding DJ Pricing:
1. Q: What is the date, time, and location of your Event?
By Knowing these details, we determine which of our DJ’s are available, what type of equipment you’ll need, the level of difficulty of set-up/tear-down, and if we’ll need to asses any other fee’s.
2. Q: How Many Hours of DJ Services do you require?
We build our prices first by determining the number of hours of Entertainment you need. As a rule, Most Receptions are 4-6 hours, Ceremony & Receptions are 5-7 hours.
3. Q: Do you need the DJ for the Ceremony & Reception?
If you require Music and/or microphones for the Ceremony and the Wedding Ceremony is in a different area than your Reception, we will generally need to provide an additional sound system.
4. Q: What is your overall vision for the Event?
Your Event is unique, and we want your vision and personalities to shine through! By knowing the “feel” you’re trying to achieve for the event we can pair you with the perfect DJ to meet those needs. In addition, our Event Planning/Coordination staff can help you locate other vendors and offer great tips to help you achieve your dream of a perfect event.
5. Q: What is your overall Budget for Entertainment?
We believe Great Entertainment is Priceless, but we can custom tailor a package to suit most budgets. Being up front about your budget will save you a lot of shopping hassle.
Read the rest of this entry »
“The Vitamin String Quartet” is thinking outside the “Bach’s” for Wedding Ceremony Music.
Posted by Jason | Filed under Wedding Planning
Wedding DJs are often asked to play music for the Wedding Ceremony when the budget isn’t there to hire live musicians, so of course, if a DJ is playing the ceremony music, Brides and Grooms can pick absolutely any music they want.
So, let’s say you love the idea of having classical music or an elegant feel to your ceremony and you would love to hire a string quartet but simply don’t have it in your budget. Hire the next best thing! Hire your DJ to play music recorded by a string quartet, the cost is roughly 25% of the cost of live musicians. Now please, don’t get me wrong, I am a trained classical singer and I love live music, nothing compares to it, and when you have the budget, I absolutely encourage you to hire one of our preferred string quartets. But, Brides on a budget can do really well by allowing their DJ to play the pre-seating, processional and recessional music. We can also provide a microphone for the minister, rabbi, or officiant or an extra microphone for readers/performers if the venue doesn’t already do so.
Our DJs build the playlist based on the Bride and Groom’s requests. The DJs cue and play the correct songs at the right time for the processional and recessional. But it’s also our job to help guide a client musically in the direction that best suits their style while maintaining at least some components of the integrity and reverence of a Wedding Ceremony.
SO…You like classical music but you don’t know the difference between Bach and Beethoven, and you thought Yo Yo Ma was something you did with that child’s toy on a string. Well, Bach is one of my all time favorite composers and his “Jesu’ Joy Of Man’s Desiring” or “Air on a G Sting” are famously used in Wedding Ceremonies all the time…Beethoven’s music might be too intense for most Weddings, however, I think I’ve heard “Ode to Joy” at a few Ceremonies, though it likely belongs at the Olympics instead. And of course, Yo Yo Ma is widely considered the finest cellist to ever live, he’s certainly the most popular and best selling recording artist in his field, heck he even played at Obama’s Inauguration, even though that was a pre-recorded studio performance, no they aren’t really playing that well on the steps of the capital in January!
Do you need to know any of this? No! Not unless classical music really interests you. But, let your DJ help you make some interesting choices without playing the same 12 songs on “The Classical Wedding Sampler CD” he bought 10 years ago. Does every DJ know classical music? NO! Which is why if you hire one to play your ceremony and you want classical music, you should ask him if he or someone in his company REALLY knows classical music…I happen to be that person in our company and our DJs call on me for questions, and I invite you to as well!
So now, I can finally get to my point. You like the classical feel, you don’t know classical music, you love popular music too, but you don’t know how to incorporate the two in your Wedding Ceremony without the two styles clashing. Four Words: The Vitamin String Quartet. Read the rest of this entry »
The Importance of Making Your Wedding Unique and Memorable
Posted by Chris | Filed under Wedding Planning
This blog is for all those brides and grooms trying to plan a wedding and dealing with all the stress of making it unique. I came across an informative article that I think will help some of you. Below is a quote from this article with a link to the original – hit the link if you’re interested in the rest of the story.
“Each and every wedding is unique in its very own way. Thus, every single detail related to it must carry a persona that truly reflects this sense of uniqueness and exclusivity that will contribute to the whole blissful wedding experience. Having personalized wedding items and novelties is definitely one of the best ways to achieve this. Not only these items depict the distinctiveness of your wedding reception, they also act as meaningful mementos for you and your guests as a remembrance of a beautiful wedding.” -Rene Lacape
Here’s the link to the excellent article: The Best Wedding To Remember
A Backyard Wedding, Executed Perfectly!
Posted by Jason | Filed under Event Planning Tips
There’s something about having a wedding on your own property that can be really special and unique. But, don’t assume that any old backyard will do. If you’re planning to have a backyard wedding, I hope you’ll get a few ideas from the following story about a wedding that our Ventura County DJs were hired to perform for Susan and Thad’s big day in Ojai California in mid-August.
A few tips for pulling off a successful Backyard Wedding:
1. Have the catering done professionally.
Our clients used Green Acres Catering in Simi Valley, CA and had a variety of gorgeous fruit and cheese trays beautifully displayed on the back porch as well as passed appetizers during the cocktail hour. The main buffet line was set-up under very nice tents on the driveway, BBQ style, and the caterer even grilled the food on-site! It smelled and tasted wonderful.
2. Hire a Professional Mobile Bar or Bartenders.
Catered Cocktails of Ventura were hired to provide Bar service, and they did a great job. The family didn’t have to tend to any food or drinks all night, and the beverage cleanup was done by the professionals as well!
3. Make the Ceremony Unique and Sentimental
The couple asked their friend Sonya Shelton, founder of “Being Present To Win” to officiate their wedding ceremony. Sonya is a leadership and spiritual guide as well as an ordained, non-traditional minister. She incorporated Buddhist traditions in this truly beautiful ceremony. Read the rest of this entry »
Macy’s Cosmetic Department Giveway at Westfield Topanga Mall
Posted by Jason | Filed under Announcement
On May 2, 2009 the cosmetic and fragrance department at Macy’s Department store in the Westfield Topanga Mall will be hosting an event for all customers, featuring new product lines for Spring and Summer as well as great raffle giveaways to shoppers. Elegant Event Entertainment will be there with DJ Lucid spinning tight grooves and Los Angeles DJ Jason Jones will be the MC for the event. You can find us on the main floor of Macy’s Topanga from 12-5pm. Brides and Grooms, this is a great opportunity to try new product lines and find great deals on cosmetics so you can look your best on your big day. You will also find some very nice gifts for your Wedding Party at this event. Enter to win prizes including a Cosmetic gift basket valued at over $500.00! Don’t forget Mother’s Day is right around the corner as well, and mom loves Cosmetics and Fragrances from Macy’s. Bring your fiance, bring your friends, bring your mom, and come by and say hi to DJ Jason Jones and DJ Lucid of Elegant Event Entertainment.
We look forward to seeing you there!
When: May 2, 2009
Where: Macy’s Department Store Westfield Topanga Mall in Woodland Hills/Canoga Park, California
Time: 12-5pm
A Tasty Way To Make Every Penny Work Double-Time
Posted by Chris | Filed under wedding tips
This blog caught my attention. A clever idea!!!! Photo by: Forever Photography by Kylene
A tasty way to make every penny work double-time
Los Angeles DJs to Host a Meet and Greet for Brides and Grooms!
Posted by Jason | Filed under Announcement
Elegant Event Entertainment will be hosting a small, informal, Bride & Groom “Meet and Greet” on Sunday March 22, 2009 by Invitation only. If you are interested in coming and haven’t received an invite, please email or call us today to get on the guest list.
This is a great opportunity for Brides & Grooms to meet one on one with a small selection of Top Wedding Vendors and save on DJ Services, Photography, Cake, and/or Coordination Services!
If you’re a Bride or Groom and you still need to hire vendors for any of the following services for your wedding, look no further. Are you looking to save money, yet, hire top rated Los Angeles and Ventura County wedding professionals? These four select vendors are working with clients individually to provide affordable services during this very tough economy. Come by and let us build a package that works best for your needs and budgets.
We’re confident that you’ll find exactly what your looking for at our “Meet & Greet”
Our Select Vendors include:
*Elegant Event Entertainment (DJ and Music Services) Host of the event.
www.elegantevententertainment.com
*Mi Belle Photography (One of LA’s Top Photography Companies) http://www.mibelleinc.com
*Pastries By Vreeke (Wedding Cakes)
http://www.pastriesbyvreeke.com/
*Planning Elegance, Inc. (Wedding and Event Coordinators)
http://planningelegance.com/
There is no charge for admission.
Feel free to bring a friend or family member.
Book your DJ and receive 1 hour of Service Free, a $250.00 value
Book Photography: receive 1 hour of Service free, a $500.00 value
This is a small, informal event, not a large distracting Bridal Show. Here are some things you can expect:
- * Connect one on one and in person with select wedding vendors
* Intimate Setting, no hard-sell gimmicks, no unnecessary distractions
* Have all of your questions answered by Top Wedding Professionals
* Receive a firm price quote for the services you need
* Meet other Brides and Grooms and discuss unique planning tips
* Sample & view Wedding Cake from a popular local cake designer
* Vendors are offering numerous Pricing and Package options for all budgets
Please R.S.V.P. by March 19th.
Los Angeles Weddings : What’s Your Budget?
Posted by Chris | Filed under wedding tips
A wonderful blog we found about Wedding Budgets. Why Having A Wedding Budget Is Necessary?.
“All of us at Elegant Event Entertainment understand what’s going on with the economy and the cost of a wedding. We can make sure you stay within your budget with our event planning team by creating the right package for your entertainment and budget needs. Hiring a Los Angeles DJ can be expensive, but we want to ease your concerns and prove that our services can be affordable to most clients. We believe clients will find a great value for our experience and highly respected reputation.”
Save A Buck Or Two!!
Posted by Chris | Filed under wedding tips
As I was searching through blogs I came across this. Brides and Grooms are putting money back in to their pockets. The Wedding Lens developed a list of 75 Cheap Wedding Tips that cover all kinds of areas of planning.
“You want your wedding to be classy, smart, and just how you imagined. We’ve created this list of cheap wedding tips to save you money without sacrificing style and grace.”
If you are an experienced wedding DJ who loves working to serve the needs of your clients,