Weddings How I Lost $850...

· The CLIENT agrees that the Bride & Groom shall have complete control over the planning of and the music selections for their wedding ceremony and reception.

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If the Bride and Groom are the clients and they are the ones signing the contract this article is pointless. Anyone who signs the contract in responsible for the event, period. And since I insist on the B&G signing the contract then they have total control over everything relating to it as well as the responsibility of honoring it.

If the parents insist on signing and the couple agrees then they give up all legal rights to the event. Time to grow up and learn some responsibility.

Of course this is just my way, yours may vary.

Ron Auger said:

If the Bride and Groom are the clients and they are the ones signing the contract this article is pointless. Anyone who signs the contract in responsible for the event, period. And since I insist on the B&G signing the contract then they have total control over everything relating to it as well as the responsibility of honoring it.

If the parents insist on signing and the couple agrees then they give up all legal rights to the event. Time to grow up and learn some responsibility.

Of course this is just my way, yours may vary.

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sorry for the hijack.

For a young couple it is typical for the parents to be the people that pay, and sometimes they also want to be the ones signing, or the "kids" are off at college or whatever. But I've had the parents and B&G fighting over the music selections before, and it's not a good place to be, so I added this.

3 pages and this all boils down to everyone has a way they like to run their business and nobody is wrong.

There is no right or wrong answer, only a WWYD.

MBM said:

sorry for the hijack.

For a young couple it is typical for the parents to be the people that pay, and sometimes they also want to be the ones signing, or the "kids" are off at college or whatever. But I've had the parents and B&G fighting over the music selections before, and it's not a good place to be, so I added this.

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I understand and respect that. I just have never had parents sign my contracts. Unless the couple is underage (which is illegal except in Maine and Kentucky unless you are marrying a relative) they are responsible enough. It doesn't matter who pays for the wedding, it does matter who signed the contract.

I will say, I've learned this from none other than Cap himself. And I am the better for it.

Chuck The DJ said:

3 pages and this all boils down to everyone has a way they like to run their business and nobody is wrong.

There is no right or wrong answer, only a WWYD.

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Hey, we're just talking here. It's a slow day.

Ron Auger said:

I will say, I've learned this from none other than Cap himself. And I am the better for it.

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Same place I think I got the line in the contract..

No slam Ron, just my 2 cents... I'm barely awake from my gig last night! LOL

MBM said:

Same place I think I got the line in the contract..

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I'm not saying your wrong, but I've never seen anything like that. But Cap would be the one to answer.

Paging Cap, Paging Dr. Cap.


Mine is written a bit different which says basically if the clients agree to allow someone else (parents) to select music, they can't blame me when it sucks. But the clients (the bride and groom) must agree and inform me. Other than that the parents can just sit in a corner and be miserable. Remember, the key is to be paid before hand and be paid early. Another great lesson I learned.

I stand corrected on what I said!

I'll definitely eat those words.



No biggy!

I think this thread is titled wrong. "How I lost xxx money" implies to me that you would have taken it, but lost the opportunity. But that's not the case. You were asked to accept that amount to have you as their DJ and said no. You offered to have one of your DJs do their event. As a multi, I assume you would have to share that amount. If you did it yourself, no sharing of the money.

If this economy was good, your argument about not accepting lower rates for your personal service because you're married and expecting kids might make sense. As someone who has raised a child, who has gotten up at 2am to feed and change a diaper, who has bought new baby clothes every other month, who has bought diapers by the van load, who has taken a baby to the doctor when ever it was sick, who has looked down at that child and realized that this child depends on me 100% for it's very life and survival and vowed to do whatever it takes to make sure it does, I'm saying when that happens, xxx amount of money might look pretty damn good no matter what I think my own "worth" is.

Tim,

Just a tire kicker. You stayed true to you and that's the most important thing. There will always be someone to ruin a day if you let them.

Dave

Is this situation new to you? It happens all the time to me, if it's a Saturday I will book it anyway so no deals for Saturday. I love it when they try to deal me down and I say no then they call me back a week later and I get to say sorry I booked that date.

I agree and disagree with everyone!
:sqconfused:
I have my prices, and lord knows I'd like to stick to them ALL the time.
but my mobile biz is not full time...
and I really do enjoy the work, regardless of the profit.
while I have no intention of whoring myself out...
(I have my limits)
I have set my price list higher than I really want...
so there is always room for negotiating.
I would much rather work for a little less money
than not work at all.
most of my biz is from word-of-mouth...
so each gig I do is a pitch to a hundred potential customers.
I know what I am worth,
but EVERY customer is counting the costs
and is more concerned with their bottom line
than with my reputation

You didn't LOSE $850.... you chose NOT to ACCEPT $850, IMO.

But that is your choice, and I say it really isn't my opinion that matters.

Papa Deuce said:

You didn't LOSE $850.... you chose NOT to ACCEPT $850, IMO.

But that is your choice, and I say it really isn't my opinion that matters.

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What the sauce man said!

Tim - I guess if I was running the small multi-op, I would book MYSELF first, THEN book my guys second. I would personally push for more than 30 weddings per year, and leave the parties and easier (lower paying) events for "the guys..."

As far the Bose goes, yes, it carries SOME weight with those who put importance on names they know. I've said it over and over again, say what you will about Bose products for pro sound, the public at large sees them as a quality name. Their marketing team is unparalleled. I've never seen the Bose as an upsell. For me it's always been a reason to charge more on EVERY show.

As for the DJ Power system, my guess would be that the public opinion on that is "ho-hum... another computer DJ..." The general public has no basis to say that this is better than the guy with the Wal-Mart Dell laptop that he paid $500.00 for

So to take a long way to a short answer, in YOUR shoes, knowing that I am counting on filling that date in order to make my bills, I might have tried to see what I could do to get closer to her number. Maybe drop any lighting, or even discuss doing a shorter event (5 hours) with a discount on the OT IF the party is completely off-the-hook, and everyone wants the show to go on...

You'll notice I'm not saying I would have given in, but I would have tried to find something "value-added" to help her justify my price, or found a way to do a bit less work to help ME justify lowering my price...

As a sales technique, you can also ask the prospect "If price were equal, would you hire me or the other guy?" If the answer is you, the next question is "Why? What makes you want my services over the other guy for the same price?" Let them tell YOU why you are better. Then ask if those reasons (and their peace of mind) are worth the difference in the money. Get them to tell YOU why you are better!

Of course, I could be COMPLETELY wrong... (It's kinda late, and I've taken sinus meds taht are kinda messing with my head... Your mileage may in fact, vary!

AlbanyAMS said:

Zac - The reason (among many) the guys who work for us is becasue I do my damnest to keep them busy. We've always had the philsophy, book the guys first., book you last...UNLESS the client wants you and or has seen you at a function or wom..Different story.

Hey I told her one of my guys would be happy to do it for $850. SHE declined.

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Tim - That may very well be one of the reasons I couldn't be a multi-op... I'm too selfish! (Hell, when I had a partner, it broke my heart to split the money with HIM!!)