The Cheese Factor

The cheesy wedding Disc Jockey.

I’ve heard the stories from wedding vendors and I have
spoken to hundreds of people who have attended weddings
as a guest, but until the YouTube sensation I did not fully
realize how many cheesy wedding Disc jockey’s there really
are out there.
I don’t ever get a chance to be a guest at a wedding myself
simply because I’m always working them, but today because
of YouTube and other on-line resources you can find an endless
amount of what used to be private wedding receptions videos.

I constantly study the wedding industry, and keep up with the latest
trends. One trend I have noticed in the past year is that more & more
brides are choosing a band over a DJ for their wedding. If a band is
out of the budget, brides & grooms will provide their own music using
an Ipod or computer. When I ask why? The number one answer is…
“I don’t want some cheesy DJ at my wedding.”
For the most part I don’t blame them.
I would rather have a band or use an Ipod at my own reception than
have some cheesy DJ embarrassing me on my wedding day.

What do you mean by cheesy?

When I talk about a cheesy DJ, it’s just that, the DJ himself, not so
much the music the DJ plays. Sure there are numerous songs you
may consider cheesy. YMCA, Chicken Dance etc.. Keep in mind
there are also Brides & Grooms that like cheesy music.
After all it is their wedding and I don’t think you would want to deny
them of the music they want for their reception.
I will play whatever type of music the Bride & Groom wants, and if it’s
cheesy music so be it. But does that make me a cheesy DJ? If a DJ plays
the same common cheesy reception songs for every wedding, you could
label that DJ “cheesy”, but in all reality, that is someone who really isn’t
professional and someone who does not know music, know how to read
a crowd, and had never learned music programming & formatting.

When I speak of a cheesy DJ I mean the DJ’s mannerisms, personality,
and the way they present themselves on the microphone in front of guests.

The Cheese Factor

Why are so many cheesy wedding DJ’s?
There are a few factors why wedding DJ’s are cheesy. Going by what
I have seen in over 20 years in the business, DJ’s would rather spend
money on new gear and lighting than on education and training.
Most DJ’s do not have the time or take the time to get proper training &
education they need. (I’m talking real education & training, you know
the kind you have to pay for and not mimicking what other DJ’s do).
The biggest problem is DJ’s do not take the time necessary to get to
know the couple that they are representing on their wedding day.
A DJ should know much more than the couples name, favorite songs
and the date of the wedding.
How can a DJ represent a Bride & Groom on the mic without
getting to really know them first? i.e. their style, hobbies, interests,
how they met, etc..
Nearly 80% of all mobile DJ’s have full time day jobs.
They don’t have the time to get proper education, properly plan,
and prepare for the weddings they perform at on the weekends.
Therefore the average wedding DJ will perform the same cheesy schtik
and play the same cheesy music for every wedding. These DJ’s may
seem to appear very normal in meetings. But when they pull that
microphone up to their face at a reception in front of a hundred plus
guests (strangers) for the first time, the DJ turns into DJ Super Cheese
with the Weekly Top 40 Countdown radio voice. Even worse, possibly
wearing some silly costume.
In some scenarios the Best Man would make a better MC than the DJ
simply because the Best Man knows the couple well.
Most importantly people tend to forget that DJ/MC entertainment is
a talent based business, where most should just stick to what they
know best and not attempt to be the weekend wedding warrior.

How do you find a DJ won’t bring the cheese factor to your wedding?

You need to find a real professional Disc Jockey / Master of Ceremonies.
This can be somewhat difficult but they are out there.

1. Ask for referrals from other experienced knowledgeable wedding
professionals, coordinators, photographers, videographers, the vendors
who work directly with DJ’s.
2. Ask for proof from a potential DJ. Video of a wedding performance,
mainly MC performance of the introductions, toast, 1st dance, cake cut.
Be aware of repetitive phrases like “At this time” or screaming on the mic.
Look for appearance how their dressed and how their sound system looks.
Ask for credentials of paid education & training as a Master of Ceremonies
and other DJ education.
3. Ask a DJ if this is their full-time career or just a weekend hobby.
4. Ask for the names, dates, locations, and emails of the last 10 weddings
they performed for, not just a select few from a potential DJ.

Bands can play live music well and bring a lot of energy, but a fantastic
professional DJ / MC can add personalization, direction, custom craft your
wedding to your style and add so much more to a reception than just music.

By all means, leave the cheese for the crackers.

Mark Sanchez
PME DJ Service

Mark has performed over 1,200 weddings since 1990 and has attended
numerous educational seminars and workshops on DJ / MC performance.
He is currently the President of the American DJ Association in Phoenix,
and also serves on the advisory committee for the fist ever DJ degree
(Disc Jockey 101) at Scottsdale Community College.

Low Priced DJ’s Are Ripping You Off

Low priced Disc Jockey’s are ripping you off.   A  wedding DJ I know called to tell me that he lost business to another DJ that charges less then half his price, and that is DJ also told this couple that he basically does the same thing  he does. Really?

I have heard of this DJ business before, I’ve seen their paid ads everywhere. It’s a husband & wife team that spends a great sum of money on advertising. So how can they make a livable wage charging clients much less an the average rate? It’s simple, one, they also do videography, second, because of all the commercial ads, and low prices they are able to  book more weddings per week based on low price.

Sounds like a great deal for the client, or is it really?

The cheaper DJ is the better value, or is it? Sounds good, so what’s the problem?
Paying less is always better, only if your getting the same value for you’re your
money. Do you really love a low price? or do you love getting great value for
the price?

The problem is, this DJ is not pricing his service enough, and therefore he has to book
more weddings to stay in business and on top of that has to also run a second business
in videography to stay afloat. This means this DJ cannot give his clients the full time
attention and quality service they deserve for their wedding. This is a disservice to their
clients and to themselves.

These DJ’s are no better than part-time or hobbyist DJ’s because they simply cannot or
do not have the time to…

A. meet with their clients at their convenience.
B. properly plan their clients wedding and custom craft each wedding to fit their clients
style. This means they more then likely will perform the same worn-out routine for
every wedding. I call this cookie-cutter weddings, they play the same songs, do the
performance etc.. for every wedding.
C. receive the proper education & training they need to be professional because of the
lack of time & money. Every profession needs proper education & training, most
mobile DJ’s don’t think they need it. This is more than connecting wires & pressing play.
D. upgrade or even maintain old audio equipment because of the lack of money. This
means that there is the possibility of bring shoddy equipment or equipment failure at
the next event.

Over the years I’ve seen these DJ’s price themselves right out of the business, because
they are afraid to raise their rates. They don’t understand that in the long run, it’s the
quality of service that will ultimately keep you in business for a long time, even through
a recession. What clients really want is value and quality for their money.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten”

Benjamin Franklin

Mark Sanchez

www.ProfessionalMobileEnt.com