A "sponsored" wedding?

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I would ask for the other vendors name and contact numbers to call them and see what the deal is.

I would tell the bride that I wanted their info so I could connect with them to help out with the marketing, but I would be asking the vendors about what their deal is.

I think they are just trying to scam ya, but I would also ask, how many people are they inviting.

I would also ask for props in the wedding booklett or on the dinner menue and so on,,,

Them I would ask for a check for say maybe 1/2 of my normal fees to be returned to them IF all the adrevtizing promo comes out.

And if you are wanting to get your name out there,,, I dunno maybe... but I don't think I would do it, but if you do, let us know how it goes.

Never let others make up your mind for you, above all else, be true to yourself...
 
i think jon had the best idea....give them a credit for every booking they bring you.

they are looking to find someone free and will find people desperate enough to do it... and like cap said, when it doesn't work out, you'll be to blame.

lets say you normally charge $800 for an evening....and they are having 300 guests at their event....how many of these people will need a dj? you'd be better off paying for some more focused advertising.

don't do it!!!
 
RustyKat : Neither article mentions anything related to free entertainment or free photography nor free food.
 
Raskykat, I think you've answered this one yourself. A year from now when this thing hits, you should have more experience and time under your belt. If that gig was going to gaurantee you "X" amount of dollars in outside print/tv/web advertisement then I would consider. To me it sounds like you are going to be entertaining the family and thats about it.

Let time and talent spread the word.
 
They're trying to sucker you into doing an event for free. As it has been suggested ask what other vendors are involved. I bet they won't tell you.
 
RaskyKat said:
The client has suggested signage, goodie bags, and recognition in any printed materials that might go out to the guests.
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If this statement in your original post is correct, then you have all you need to know.

"The client has suggested..." implies that this is not any sort of professional showcase, just a private wedding.
"...that might go out to the guests" tells you who you are 'showcasing' for. Their guests and only their guests.

From a pure business approach you have very little to gain...in fact, your ROI will more than likely be negative. You are only 'advertising' to the guests in attendance...whom you would be 'advertising' to whether you were paid or not. All they are allowing you to do is be more blatant about putting your name out there in front of their guests. Which will get you one of three possible reactions from those in attendance...

-Some (many in fact) will find the whole idea tacky, regardless of whose idea it was, and would never even consider you for anything...ever.
-Some (more than a few) may like your performance, however they will try the exact same ploy to get you to perform for free at their reception. "See, your sponsorship worked because I want you for my wedding. So sponsor my wedding and you'll get even more bookings." OMG, it's a pyramid scam!
-And some (very few) will be so impressed with your performance that they will pay whatever you want for their reception.

This is not to say that you won't impress the hell out of everybody with your performance...it's just that even most of those people that you totally blow away will fall into one of the first two categories.

Additionally...
"The client has suggested signage, goodie bags, and recognition in any printed materials that might go out to the guests."
If you are a DJ that puts a banner on your table or truss, uses request cards with your logo on them, hands out promotional giveaways (pens, keychains, t-shirts, whatever) or even just has business cards available during your show...then you are already doing all the things that they are offering you in trade for your performance.

Unless you are desperate for the experience (and the experience only...not the exposure), there is no good business reason to accept this deal.
 
I once stumbled alone in the valley of darkness. But you all picked me up and put love in my cold, stoney heart, showed me the right path, and taught me the ways of the wise. Hence I have repented from my reckless straying, and have returned to the fold.

Thank you all for your most excellent exhortation! I got not one positive remark about sponsored weddings between the 2 boards where I posted my question. Not only that, but someone from the other board turned me on to 2 other threads about the same thing, with similar comments.

I value your expertise and will reply to the offer with a thanks, but no thanks.

--Will
 
RaskyKat said:
Not only that, but someone from the other board turned me on to 2 other threads about the same thing, with similar comments.

I value your expertise and will reply to the offer with a thanks, but no thanks.

--Will
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We take pride in ( mostly ) being quite civil on these boards. FWIW, I think you are making the right call.
 
The only question I have about this is.......if its such a great idea how come someone hasnt jumped on it already....if they are still looking it has to tell you something.
 
Y'know... when people want something for nothing they'll go to great lengths to get it. They love to lay on the hype and make promises.

All ya hear is "We're gonna do this" and "We're gonna do that."

In the case of the bride show I mentioned earlier, there were a few promises that weren't honored. Bear in mind this was a sponsored wedding. More on that later.

We (vendors) were promised skirted tables. That didn't happen. We got tables. There were no skirts.

We were promised over 400 attendees. That didn't happen.

We were promised a mention in a forthcoming newspaper article. That didn't happen.

We were promised a mention and hyperlink on the sponsor's website. That didn't happen.

We were promised a contact list of every attendee for promotional purposes. That didn't happen.

Most of the DJs and other vendors we chatted with said it was the biggest waste of their time ever. Shirl and I chuckled about it later. Never again, we said.

The following year, the sponsor began emailing vendors for another show. We just ignored it. As far as I am aware, it didn't go through. After the fiasco it was the previous year, I'm not surprised.

The sponsored wedding: There was a wedding ceremony that took the last hour of the show. The B&G had won a dream wedding essay contest to have their wedding performed at no charge to them. There was a great catered dinner, a DJ to do the music and a nice, big wedding cake. There was even a stretch limo to take 'em away afterward.

We got nothing out of it. Neither did several of the vendors we chatted with. Shirl and I know some of the local DJ companies. Shirl knows most of the photogs through her work at Ritz Camera. It was all K-Mart shoppers who had nothing better to do on a Saturday afternoon. We got several leads but no bookings.

Free gigs tend to beget free gigs. If you don't create the monster you won't have to kill it later. :)
 
Fred Stewart said:
Free gigs tend to beget free gigs. If you don't create the monster you won't have to kill it later. :)
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That's all you really need to know right there.




I should have just waited for Fred to post.:sqembarrassed:
 
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