Question Of The Week - What Would You Do

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ittigger

ittigger

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Feb 1, 2011
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Here's the scenario

Your brother (sister, mother or father) is getting married and you are a guest at their wedding. As you're getting ready to leave your house to get to the wedding, you get a call from your mom. She's crying and tells you that the DJ has not showed up, they can't contact him / her and are asking you to step up. The wedding starts in less than 3 hours. I understand the DJ may be on the way, stuck in cell hell, whatever. For the sake of arguement, the DJ is NOT showing up. What would you do?

For this exercise to be accurate, you have to put yourself in these shoes as if it were really happening, so business logic may go out the window. You may call your friends - but what if they're booked? You may bring a laptop - again, is that the image you want to leave from this show? Agreed, it WAS NOT your fault the DJ didn't show. You are the person your mom, significant other, important person in your life, are calling to step up. I wonder what kinds of thought processes we shall see.
 
I hope whoever it is brings more than a "laptop".
A laptop alone would do you absolutely no good unless there's a sound system in place with mics.

Question: What time is the DJ contracted to start? If it's within 5 min. of his starting time, I'd offer to help, but I've been down this road & been burned by offering to help only to find that the DJ did show up. The bigger question, why didn't they ask me for a recommendation (since I was a guest) If they ignored my recommendation & hired a fly-by-night low baller, That might be a tough lesson learned.
 
I would tell her to relax and I'll take care of it. I'd put gear in the car, go to the weddings and start calling to see who was available. If no one was available, I'd take care of it. No problem.

I really can't see that happening, as anyone close to me would call me and ask me to get them someone.
 
Sorry Tee Eye Double Guh Er...That scenario could/would never be possible in my family. My family is me and I they. I would already have been either providing my service myself, with one of my trusted associates or one of a few reliable fellow wedding professionals i trust. Therefore, I would know before they of the issue and would have already implemented the/a contingency plan.

If I were so far removed from providing my experience and service for such an important loved one's celebration, I would indicate such a serious relationship problem that I would likely not be on the guest list.
 
I had this exact senerio (sort of) happen. I was a groomsmen in my BIL's wedding. At the reception the Bride comes up and says the DJ isn't here. I tell her that I will see what I can do. If I couldn't figure out where he was, I would run home and get my stuff. She told me the name of the DJ, I called and he said that they didn't pay enough to come before dinner. He said the DJ was on the way. Apparently, the DJ sold their reception to a different DJ. They didn't know this.

He shows up and the owner of the venue won't let him set up during dinner. Which I agreed with. He then sets up with 2 optimus speakers from RS. One on a stand the other on his table. He has 2 sony walkmen CD players and 1 tripod with 2 AJD star lights. (The ones that put a circle of dots on the floor in one spot. He was dressed in a concert Tee to set up and when he was set up, he said he was going to go change and he comes out with a Clean concert tee on.

He didn't have their songs they picked out, he also had the party songs CDs that someone else was singing the songs, not the original artists.

My Brother in law and Sister in law had me do some announcing because the DJ was terrible.

They were so upset that they asked the original DJ they hired for some money back. He said no. They didn't have a contract.
 
Karl Langford said:
I had this exact senerio (sort of) happen. I was a groomsmen in my BIL's wedding. At the reception the Bride comes up and says the DJ isn't here. I tell her that I will see what I can do. If I couldn't figure out where he was, I would run home and get my stuff. She told me the name of the DJ, I called and he said that they didn't pay enough to come before dinner. He said the DJ was on the way. Apparently, the DJ sold their reception to a different DJ. They didn't know this.

He shows up and the owner of the venue won't let him set up during dinner. Which I agreed with. He then sets up with 2 optimus speakers from RS. One on a stand the other on his table. He has 2 sony walkmen CD players and 1 tripod with 2 AJD star lights. (The ones that put a circle of dots on the floor in one spot. He was dressed in a concert Tee to set up and when he was set up, he said he was going to go change and he comes out with a Clean concert tee on.

He didn't have their songs they picked out, he also had the party songs CDs that someone else was singing the songs, not the original artists.

My Brother in law and Sister in law had me do some announcing because the DJ was terrible.

They were so upset that they asked the original DJ they hired for some money back. He said no. They didn't have a contract.
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They got the service and performance exactly equivalent to the value they placed on the reception entertainment, and they deserved it.

You were very kind to provide your MC skills despite their obvious discounting of your abilities and worth.
 
I offered to DJ for them but they wanted me to be in the wedding and not have to worry about working.
 
This was real early in my DJing career and the DJ they hired, she knew from the town she lived in. When I offered, they said they already had someone.

I got a lot of "we should have let you do it" for quite awhile after words.
 
At least you have a room full of witnesses to the effect of hiring cheap-crap wedding entertainment.
 
Karl Langford said:
Apparently, the DJ sold their reception to a different DJ. They didn't know this.
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Unfortunately this CRAP goes on in our industry. I always advise brides that even if they don't hire me, make sure it's in writing that the DJ service will not sell their event/or subcontract someone else to do it. Get it in writing/written guarantee WHO their DJ will be.

As I said before, if they didn't consult me/ ask for my recommendation & they hire some fly-by-night that doesn't use contracts, maybe they deserve to sweat.
 
I would pack my gears and head right over, with the bride on the line for their song selections. Thats is beacause I
Have CD's
Come back toCD's
 
Gear is normally already packed in the trailer. If for some reason it wasn't, I would throw something together and try to help out if at all possible.
 
nextgen1 said:
I would tell my mom to go to hell she knew, I said I would never do free gigs again for her. She should have stepped up and paid me money and I would have done it. There you go pot stirrers. )
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Damn! Throw caution to the wind Dave... :sqerr: :sqlaugh:

Hang on, where's my ladle... :D


I'm on the same page with Scott Hanna here -- it wouldn't happen. Any immediate family members (there's only 4 left), contact me with entertainment needs, and I in turn, contact someone who will handle the gig properly, and have good backup.

I actually love doing free gigs for my family when I can (we're very close, albeit not in proximity). I just don't usually have the time anymore, because we are so far apart.
 
My friends and family know me pretty well. I pretty much will do anything for my first generation family members. If I have some obscure 3rd cousin I have not seen in about 25 years I might give them free lights with the package. Good friends on the other hand if they want it and I have the date open they got it. I know when I'm being taken advantage of and I'm quick to avoid it.

I have done my cousins and my wifes nephews wedding and both well deserved it. I have my mom asking me how much I would charge her to do her 60th anniversary next year. I just laughed at her and told her to get me a solid date and it would be my honor. ) And Papa for the record I would have done the same thing as you. And everyone else could kiss my phat ass. (Said with love and sincerity). :trirolleyes:
 
well I have done weddings for two nephews so far

the other part of the family are 200km away and will use the local (which have all failed)

so I didnt even go......
you get what you paid for!
 
themellowcanary said:
I would pack my gears and head right over, with the bride on the line for their song selections. Thats is beacause I
Have CD's
Come back toCD's
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What does your having CDs have to do with anything? Do you carry every single CD that has ever been released?
 
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