The first one

Evidently, I'm just the music. That's what a lot of brides think. I know better. How do you get them to know better?

How do you educate a bride? How do you tactfully let them know where their money should go. They often think we are "just the music". Here's a typical conversation.

Vendor: "Thank you for calling A Sharp Entertainment, this is Jim."
Bride: "I need a DJ for this labor day weekend. How much do you charge?"
Vendor: "Let me get some info. Do you ha"
Bride: " Its just the music, I need to know how much. I have $400 for music."
Vendor: "We charge $1000 for an average wedding, however, if you'd like to "

Click.

She'll get her $400 DJ, and it may turn out OK, but most likely it won't. An old cliche comes to mind: you get what you pay for.

Evidently, brides think I'm a boom box. I'm not a boom box. Does a boom box know how to read a crowd, choose the right slow song for the grooms grandparents, coordinate with the photographer on where the bridal party should stand for the first dance? No. Who is the number 1 vendor deciding how fun the wedding is? Its the DJ. But that is usually the first vendor the bride looks to cut corners. After all, I'm just the music.

Now, do the brides really think I'm just "the music"? Unfortunately, yes. A lot of brides think just that. Fortunately, I know better. A much more apt description would be Entertainment Coordinator. Or better yet, STAGE MANAGER. After all, this is a production. The bride is the director, the DJ is the stage manager. On opening night, its the stage manager who makes it all happen.

Again, how do you educate a bride? You're always gonna get the bride who thinks its just music, and $400 is a lot to pay, or its just pictures, and Uncle Merle has a great new camera, or cousin Edna makes a nice cake, why pay a couple hundred dollars for cake?

Here's how you educate the bride. Talk to them, face to face, and explain the process. Any vendor who has a meeting with the bride and it is less then 45 minutes is shortchanging EVERYONE. She needs to know that its not just a cake, its a work of art. Uncle Merle might have a beautiful new Nikon, but that just makes him a picture taker, not a photographer. And your professional DJ is the one who sets the pace, packs the dance floor, coordinates with the bride all the music choices, decides when the best time to throw the bouquet it going to be, and generally guides the day from intros to last dance. Your DJ is the one who will make or break your day, not the photographer or cake maker (though they are VERY inportant), not the officiant, not the flowers, not the food (though bad food can be a bummer), not even the weather.

But, what do I know.

I'm just the music.