How Much To Tip Wedding DJ?
The bride and groom may have numerous concerns as they plan their wedding. Do you know how much to tip wedding DJ? It is one of the most typical of these questions. When determining whether to tip the DJ at a wedding, there are a number of things to consider.
First, carefully review your contract to verify if the price that was agreed upon already includes the expense of a tip. Since most wedding DJs do not include a tip in their contracts, you will probably discover that it is not the case (Coastal DJ & Video does not include gratuity in contracts). Instead, they let the bride and groom decide whether to tip the DJ at a wedding as well as how much to give. Your tip is an indication of how satisfied you are. Your tip is a reflection of how delighted you were with the DJ’s services; skipping the tip altogether suggests that you were dissatisfied or thought the DJ did a poor job.
Was Your Wedding Reception Rocked by the DJ?
The DJ’s performance at your wedding reception is the next thing to consider. A good master of ceremonies, was the DJ? Did he or she make announcements for significant occasions like the bride and groom’s entry into the reception, toasts, and special dances like their first dance as husband and wife and their dances with their parents? Was the DJ successful in generating interest among the guests so they would compete to snag the bride’s bouquet or garter and witness the cake cutting?
Speaking of excitement, did your visitors stay seated or did they get up and dance all night? A fantastic wedding DJ selects a selection of tunes that will get your guests dancing and having a blast. He or she should also cooperate with you if you have a list of genres, musicians, or songs that are “must-haves” for your wedding as well as a list of songs that you absolutely refuse to play, regardless of whether a guest asks them.
Expectations and gratitude
If the DJ at your wedding met your expectations, you and your new spouse should surely give him or her a tip at the end of the celebration. The typical DJ tip range for weddings is between 10 and 20 percent of the total cost. Consider tipping closer to the 20% end of the scale if your DJ was professional, got along well with you and your wedding planner, and performed both the MC and DJ duties at your wedding. This will demonstrate your gratitude for their assistance in making your wedding day enjoyable, joyful, and full of memories that will last a lifetime.
Built-in Tips for Wedding DJs
Some wedding providers’ contracts, it’s true, include a clause about tips. Some vendor contracts stipulate that a 15%–25% gratuity for the waiters or other staff members would be added to the final cost. Numerous venues, catering services, bartending businesses, and yes, even wedding DJ services, have all demonstrated similar behavior.
We understand that leaving a tip is a wonderful way to reward employees for a job well done, but in our opinion, the vendor benefits more from it than you do. Why? Well, companies may offer their own employees this money without having to pay it out of their own purses or profits. The gratuity is paid in full by you, the client. Is it just?
Is it fair to require a DJ tip?
Yes, it’s reasonable since, well, the contract will state that this is necessary, and ideally you read the document in its entirety! No, since suppliers should want to pay their employees well and not pressure customers to spend more money in order to appease the personnel. This is how we operate.
We don’t expect you to leave a gratuity for your wedding DJ because we think the client should be wholly responsible for doing so. Great if the customer wishes to tip us or our DJ! It’s quite fine if they don’t, too! We always appreciate “thank you” notes and fantastic, 5-star reviews from satisfied customers.
Our Tip Policy for DJs
To keep our DJs satisfied, we compensate them well and provide our own bonus systems and incentives. None of which are dependent on client payment. We’re not criticizing anyone for including mandated tipping. Simply put, we’ve decided to act differently.
The major reason, in our opinion, is that tipping ought to never be required. Being obliged to tip your wedding DJ for a service you weren’t happy with doesn’t seem fair if you weren’t happy with the service.
Our greatest recommendation is to carefully read the contracts, and if tipping isn’t covered, make sure to find out about it. Ask about what happens if you’re not completely satisfied with the service if you’re expected to tip your wedding DJ. Are tips for subpar service still required? Let’s hope not!
When Should You Tip the Wedding DJ?
The bottom line is that your wedding DJ would definitely welcome a 10%–20% tip if you’re completely satisfied with your service and think it would be a terrific idea (assuming it’s not required in the vendor contract)! Clients frequently tip the wedding DJ $100 to $150, and this is very normal.
We are aware that certain wedding DJ services might bill upwards of $2000 to $4000, which translates to a $200 to $400 tip (for 10%), which is a lot! We comprehend. Do you even need to tip 10% to 20% of the total bill? Not unless it’s specifically stated in the contract, of course.
How Much Should I Tippe?
The typical tip we’ve observed ranges from $100 to $150, as was already mentioned. If you’d prefer, you can tip your wedding DJ more or even less. Keep in mind that wedding DJs are paid a reasonable wage and not $2.14 per hour like some waitstaff may be in a restaurant. Your wedding DJ should expect a tip if they are not paid what they want to be paid, and the DJ company should handle that issue instead of you.
Don’t be concerned if you don’t have enough money set aside to tip 10% to 20% of the total bill because there aren’t any DJs who are paid less than minimum wage for their labor. Again, any tip you do give will make your DJ pleased because, at the end of the day, wedding DJs want their clientele to be satisfied (at least they should want this).
Alternatives to Tipping
A wonderful gesture if you decide against tipping your wedding DJ is to offer a 5-star review instead. The DJ will be pleased, as well as the business! Bonus: leaving a fantastic, frank review is absolutely free. A simple “thank you for a job well done” from a satisfied customer is always appreciated, tip or no tip!
All the Information Your Wedding DJ Wants You to Know
Learn to recognize a fraud
Everyone is familiar with the guy who spins top 40 music at frat parties and calls himself a DJ. Lastly, there is the person who believes that a DJ can only play EDM and house music. Everybody can now identify themselves as a DJ thanks to technology, claims Scott Siegel of Purple Parrot Entertainment. Don’t only choose someone based on price after finding them on Craigslist or a social media platform. You have to cross your fingers and hope the person will show up if the fee is too low.
Never depend on WiFi
Additionally, Siegel advises avoiding publishing your party playlist online. Many DJs these days are beginning to claim that they have 50,000 songs stored in the cloud, he notes. You are fully aware of how frequently you have attempted to make a phone call and been unable to do so. There’s a possibility that the barn, the vineyard, or the catering hall won’t have a signal for you. Or suppose you visit a catering facility and the host refuses to divulge the password. Rather, choose a DJ who has a backup drive in case of emergency in addition to having all of their tracks downloaded.
Discover your DJ’s preferred method of contact
You just heard a Justin Bieber remix on Pandora, and now you can’t get it out of your head. If you wish to add it to your wedding repertoire, Siegel requests that you send him an email right away. “I always tell would-be brides that my phone is available. Email or call me. Call right away if you enjoyed a song you heard on the radio, he advises. “It’s no great thing for me to record it in my notes, but you might forget about it in five hours.” I prefer to have open lines of communication.
Inform your DJ of the attendees in advance.
Please let the DJ know whether the audience at your reception will be primarily friends, your parents’ friends, or family members of all ages so they may provide music that will appeal to that particular group. When I DJ for senior adults, I always hear that, claims Siegel. They approach me and say, “I attended my niece’s wedding, but they didn’t play any music [I like], so I sat there all night. Also, it was really loud. I enjoy getting to know the entire space. I’m curious to know how many guests you anticipate. Who makes up the population? There are more DJs here than you might think, so don’t assume they know everything.
Try not to make too many music requests.
Couples don’t need to specify too many details, though giving feedback like “We adore ’80s rock!” or “Our friends go nuts about Rihanna!” or “Throw some Barry Manilow in there for my stepmom” helps your DJ in the right way. You have to believe in their judgment, says Groh. Give them ten or twenty of your favorite tracks, and then let them handle the rest. Additionally, make sure the tunes can be danced to if you want to see dancing. The DJ is aware that sometimes what listeners hear on the radio isn’t appropriate for dancing.
Be flexible when it comes to tunes that are off-limits
In a similar spirit, be willing to comply with your visitors’ requests, even if they don’t match your preferences. According to Siegel, when it comes to songs like “Cupid Shuffle” and “Macarena,” brides and grooms frequently request that no line dancing be performed. What do you want me to say if your aunt or uncle approaches and requests to hear the “Cotton Eye Joe”? You may possibly state, “No line dances, but if someone requests, you can play it.” Because most songs are three minutes long in actuality. We won’t go out and play twenty of them.
Give the DJ and their crew food
Groh advises, “Ask how many staff members are coming, and have a lunch ready for them.” A hungry person cannot perform. You become cranky. There is no good in it. Offer to let the entertainment company and other vendors eat during cocktail hour if you are unable to budget meals for them. Before they eat, it can take the DJ six, seven, or eight hours to play the ceremony, the cocktail hour, the four-hour event, and the after-party, according to Siegel. It is polite to provide food for the entertainment, or at the very least to offer to do so.
Feel no obligation to leave tips
However, couples shouldn’t feel obligated to leave a bigger tip at the end of the night. But they ought to confirm whether their signed contract calls for one. According to Groh, “it’s entirely up to the client’s judgment.” “We provide between 10 and 20 percent for exceptional service, but we leave it up to their discretion. It’s not necessary.
Conclusion How Much To Tip Wedding DJ
Wedding DJs appreciate any gratuity, but it’s best to contact your DJ in advance to find out what is customary. Many couples choose to give a percentage of the overall wedding budget rather than a set dollar amount. If you’re still unsure of how much to tip your wedding DJ, don’t hesitate to reach out for advice. Your DJ will be more than happy to help make sure your big day goes off without a hitch!
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