Celebrate People

The 3 jobs of a Chicago wedding MC

Ever seen an orchestra without a conductor? The pieces are there – the violins, the flutes, the tubas. The sheet music tells them what to do. All that’s needed is for several dozen players to stick with that plan and play exactly what’s in front of them.

It’s a big fat mess.

So is your wedding without an MC. The pieces are there – friends, food, photography. Your vendors have schedules. But what you need is a conductor: someone to keep them – and, much more importantly, your guests – in the loop at all times. That’s your MC’s job.

An orchestra conductor has at least three jobs. He sets the tempo of the music, he tells players when to come and go in the piece, and he makes small adjustments on the fly. At a wedding reception, those tasks fall to your MC. 

1.    Setting the tempo. Near the start of your reception, your MC should introduce himself, welcome your guests and introduce the wedding party. This is more than a formality – it lets your guests know that they’re in good hands. They can relax, because tonight someone else is thinking about their needs and taking care of them.

Your MC’s personality is key – his attitude here lets guests know what kind of evening to expect. Is he excited? Formal? Genuine or fake? Is he including everyone – or mumbling into his collar? Your guests’ response to your MC will set the speed for the rest of your reception.

2.    Telling players when to come and go. Your MC must work closely with your other vendors – but it’s just as crucial to keep your guests informed. I was at a friend’s wedding a few months ago and looked up during dinner to discover the bride and groom cutting the cake on the far side of the room. There’d been no announcement, and I’d almost missed it. The subtle effect was to make me feel excluded as a guest, like I was a step behind on their big day. I wondered what else I was missing. 

I teach my DJs that their job as MC is to direct attention, not to be the focus of it. When it’s time for your best man to give a toast, I need your guests to stop what they’re doing and pay attention to me only for as long as it takes to introduce best man. If no one is listening when I hand him that microphone, I haven’t done my job. An MC gets attention – but only in order to give it away.

3.    Making adjustments on the fly. Does your father suddenly want to make a thank-you speech? No problem – but let’s wait until soup has been served, so guests don’t resort to eating their shoes as your Dad gets eloquent. Great things often happen spontaneously, and a good MC must always make adjustments on the fly to ensure they happen in the best possible way.

We also learn to spot small problems as we go. I trained Chris Rayford as a DJ and MC, but the day I knew he was ready to work on his own was the day he kept a bride from dancing on her own cake. Chris approached me during a cocktail hour and said, “I noticed the cake was set up on the dance floor – but the bride and groom are having their first dance before they cut the cake. So I let the banquet director know and we’re making some adjustments.” These kinds of things happen all the time – but if you’ve got the right MC, you’ll never need to know about them.

The truth about Chicago wedding DJ prices

What can you expect a wedding DJ to cost in the Chicago area? If you’re at the early stages of planning your wedding, you may not have a clue. Most DJs don’t list their prices online – they’re afraid of you comparing their services based on price alone, which is a sure way to pick a loser. But it’s also not cool to expect you to call 5 DJ companies and chat about your feelings for an hour just to get a price list. That’s manipulative.

So, if you want the straight scoop on DJ pricing – here it is.

I’ve broken Chicago wedding DJ rates into six common price points. In my experience, this is what you can expect at each. Of course, I’ve got an ulterior motive – I’d like you to hire my DJs. So I’ve included links to my competitors, as well, so you won’t have to take my word for it.

These rates are for an average six-hour reception: cocktail hour, dinner and dancing. Many DJ companies advertise prices for four-hour packages, then tack on your cocktail or dinner times as an “upgrade” once they’ve got you in the door. Don’t let ‘em confuse you.

• $400: The “buddy rate.” No DJ can afford to work this cheap, but you might get the offer from a friend or someone who DJs “just for fun.” Equipment is consumer-grade rather than pro-grade (toasts and speeches are difficult to hear; dance music is loud but makes your ears tired after an hour or two). No backup equipment (in case of failure) or backup DJs (in case of illness). Music is either limited to your friend’s personal collection or illegally copied. Planning help will be minimal (your DJ works a day job, so do not expect to call for help or work out requests in advance). MC skills and cooperation with other vendors will be poor (expect some hiccups in the schedule and moments where your guests don’t know what’s going on). Music skills and knowledge may vary.

• $600: The “scary rate.” Companies at this price point are volume businesses that survive by booking a huge number of jobs and paying their DJs very little. Staff turnover is high (you don’t know which DJ will show up at your wedding) and reliability is low (sometimes, no one shows up). Equipment is consumer-grade and out of date. No backup equipment or backup DJs. Music is illegally copied. No planning help. DJs are poorly trained, so MC skills, music skills and vendor cooperation will all be poor. Expect a stressful evening.

• $800: The “hobby rate.” Music and equipment lovers who DJ on the weekends to support the habit. Usually one-man operations that do not work full-time. Moderate equipment. Backup equipment and DJs are rare. Song collection is limited to DJ’s personal collection – but that’s probably large. Legal music files. Some planning help, but minimal DJ availability (he works a day job). DJ is self-trained. Reliability, MC skills, music skills and vendor cooperation could all be terrible - or they could be great! No DJ assistant. No insurance. Ask for references.

• $1200: The “pro rate.” Companies that do events full-time and rely on their good reputation to keep food on the table. Reliable. Pro-grade equipment gets regular maintenance checks. Backup equipment for anything that could fail (hard drives, computers and wireless mics are the biggest culprits). Legal music with unlimited song requests. You pick your DJ in advance. DJs are trained. DJ assistant can mind the music while DJ takes requests or coordinates with your other vendors. Insurance. Advance planning help including online planning tools and full-time office staff. Professional MC skills, music skills and vendor cooperation. My company is in this price range – so are these guys and these guys.

• $2000: The “something extra rate.” The “hybrid” DJ who offers something unusual or quirky in addition to planning, MC services and dance music. Perhaps he plays live music for part of the reception, or plays music videos or offers video games or other “interactive” services. Services should be comparable to the “hobby” or “pro” rates above.

• $3500 and up: The “celebrity rate.” DJs with a lot of experience who have made a name for themselves. Exceptional MC and coordination skills and highly customized introductions. These guys have years of improv classes under their belts and fancy websites. They get more work than they need and only take the weddings they really want. You pay them to charm the socks off of you and everyone you know.

4 Rules to Keep Your Wedding Planning Simple

The Internet rules! In the time it takes to drink a latte, you’ve got every wedding vendor in Chicago at your fingertips. You’ve got great planning tools, blog after blog of brilliant style ideas – and you’re just getting started.

The Internet blows! You can drink lattes ‘til your hands shake and still not know whether to get married in a church or in a garden – or in outer space. You’ve got all the ideas in the world to pick from, and every wedding business in Chicago begging for your attention. And the truth is, that’s a few too many.

Experiencing information overload? Here are my 4 rules to keep your wedding planning simple.

1.       Compartmentalize. Set up a separate e-mail address for corresponding with wedding vendors. Set aside times to work on wedding planning – and other times to relax and just be you. Let potential vendors know when you do and do not want to be contacted – and see if they listen!

2.       Identify your priorities before you start doing research. Is location important to you? A certain décor? A certain kind of band? Close your eyes and do some dreaming. Envision your perfect wedding day before you start looking at your options – it’s a lot easier to look for what you want than to look at everything.

3.       Hire vendors you trust – and then trust them. Did you choose your fiancé from a web profile and a list of stats? Chances are, you won’t find your favorite vendors that way either. Meet the people that want to do your wedding, and ask yourself one question: Do you trust them? If you do, you’ll find great vendors want to do the lion’s share of work for you, from creating schedules to recommending other great vendors. Book people that are worthy of your trust – then let them carry the ball.

4.       Make a decision! Before you trust your vendors, you’ll have to trust yourself. Whether it’s settling on a dress or taking a stance on the “band vs DJ” question, the toughest part for some brides is making a choice at all. But here’s a secret: there are no wrong choices. It’s your wedding; go with your gut and you will have a great time. Believe it!

3 things to know before you book wedding entertainment

Here’s the thing about your wedding: It will only happen once. It’s one night of extravagance, of over-the-top partying or intimate reflection or whatever it is you most value, with all the people you most value. You’ll have an amazing time, but when it’s done – it’s done. That’s part of what makes this so special.

But it also makes this weird, because there’s no time to become an expert. We’ve all got the friend we call before we buy a new computer – that geek who knows the real story about every brand in the store, because he’s built a dozen computers himself. But how many of us have a wedding geek friend who’s got the inside story on every Chicago-area band and DJ? He’d have to get married a dozen times – or be a DJ or bandleader himself.

3 things most brides don’t know about hiring Chicago-area bands and DJs:

1.       1. You are not looking for music. You're looking for entertainment - music is just a part of that package. A great-sounding band is a great-sounding band, and any DJ can play any song you want them to (if they won’t, move on!). But your DJ or bandleader also needs to make announcements, select the order of the songs they play, deal face-to-face with your guests and work with your vendors to ensure that everyone has a successful night. Anyone with a microphone in their hands is going to represent you the minute they open their mouth.

      Find someone who not only sounds great, but who you feel comfortable hanging out with and introducing to your family and friends. The personality and work ethic of your entertainers will set the mood for the entire reception. Only one person – you! – has a stronger influence.

      2. You're hiring a service, not buying a product. Remember my computer example? Well, hiring a band or DJ is nothing like buying a computer. That’s because wedding entertainers are people, and people are unique. You might find the same computer at another store for less, but if you find a band or DJ you like you’ll never find the same band or DJ by going to a different entertainment company.

      Shop for entertainers the way you would shop for a plumber or a doctor – look for experience and professionalism, and check references. As we say at our recording studio, music is people. Find people you like – and then book them or lose them!

3.      3. You can judge a service by its price. Even though no two performers are the same, you can learn a lot by comparing their rates. Usually, you’ll learn the value they place on quality.

      Would you believe it costs a company more to do a great wedding than a mediocre wedding? It does! Great companies bring better-sounding gear, hire better talent, and spend more time preparing for your party. So if you’re wondering why Company B charges more than Company A, there are really only two choices: Either they’re using that extra money to make your wedding better, or they’re deceiving you and pocketing the extra cash. 

      That means you need to ask yourself two questions when you meet your entertainment company: Do you trust the folks you’re hiring for your wedding? And, if you do – how great do you want your wedding to be?