wedding prep time
- Thread starter tunes4046
- Start date
every day is a new day?
Pictures, videos, etc - put them in one place and name them - easy to pick the ones you want to show on the fly, at the meeting.
emails...time consuming for me to. Phone call? NOBODY wants to chat more than 20 minutes.
meeting - they come to me. If they come at all - 80% of my DJ clients don't want to make the time to meet.
site preview? never. No time, no need really. Most sites i've been to anyway.
emails back on forth on song lists, hour maybe?
final meeting - usually a phone call and 1/2 hour.
I give/send them a list of song suggestions for each part of the wedding day, a timeline to fill out (bridal party names, etc).
I review this and then finalize pronunciations at the final call/meeting.
time to fetch music, setup plalist/folder of 'their' songs, make a backup copy on a second device - an hour to 3 hours.
time lines.. hour maybe.
clothing, yep, takes time.
custom color...google 'rgb persimmon' and put that into the dmx in the computer - 2 minutes.
wedding prep- reboot laptops, check everyhing is good to go and load up - 30 minutes, drive (45?) setup 45 min. Packup and drive home 1:15. Unload 15 min next morning.
I think 62, or even 40 is a big stretch, but yes, it's a lot more than the 6 we book for or 10 we figure the day takes.
62 hours...if you paid someone $15/hour you're cost for labor alone would be $930.
You have overhead costs (music, marketing, bank, books, insurance, gear, gas, etc), business expansion (new gear, etc), training/education, time for book keeping, marketing, meetings that don't book. toss in taxes and other misc costs (office supplies/postage, legal, etc) and unless you're getting $2k a wedding your working for min wage.
You need to get a lot more efficient.
Pictures, videos, etc - put them in one place and name them - easy to pick the ones you want to show on the fly, at the meeting.
emails...time consuming for me to. Phone call? NOBODY wants to chat more than 20 minutes.
meeting - they come to me. If they come at all - 80% of my DJ clients don't want to make the time to meet.
site preview? never. No time, no need really. Most sites i've been to anyway.
emails back on forth on song lists, hour maybe?
final meeting - usually a phone call and 1/2 hour.
I give/send them a list of song suggestions for each part of the wedding day, a timeline to fill out (bridal party names, etc).
I review this and then finalize pronunciations at the final call/meeting.
time to fetch music, setup plalist/folder of 'their' songs, make a backup copy on a second device - an hour to 3 hours.
time lines.. hour maybe.
clothing, yep, takes time.
custom color...google 'rgb persimmon' and put that into the dmx in the computer - 2 minutes.
wedding prep- reboot laptops, check everyhing is good to go and load up - 30 minutes, drive (45?) setup 45 min. Packup and drive home 1:15. Unload 15 min next morning.
I think 62, or even 40 is a big stretch, but yes, it's a lot more than the 6 we book for or 10 we figure the day takes.
62 hours...if you paid someone $15/hour you're cost for labor alone would be $930.
You have overhead costs (music, marketing, bank, books, insurance, gear, gas, etc), business expansion (new gear, etc), training/education, time for book keeping, marketing, meetings that don't book. toss in taxes and other misc costs (office supplies/postage, legal, etc) and unless you're getting $2k a wedding your working for min wage.
You need to get a lot more efficient.
This is Brain Redd, nice guy I agree he is exaggerating a bit I usually have around 15 - 20 hours of prep into a wedding, but it s a good good example that explains everything that most people don't understand about a wedding DJ at least the ones who take this job seriously
I think there was significant padding, but the fact is people tend to forget all the upfront AND post gig work.
I know for me, a typical 4 hr party probably has 6 hrs of prep getting gear in order, cleaning up playlists, packing SUV, travel, setup and waiting and maybe another 3 hours taking down, packing/unpacking SUV and putting things away, so not counting marketing and sales activity, there's a good 2x as much effort pre/post as there is at the event .. weddings are probably 50% more effort than that.
So with that simple 4hr party, my guess is, after taking out for insurance, taxes, etc, the $100+ an hour I charge probably nets about $25/hr .. I'm just glad it's mad money for me.
I know for me, a typical 4 hr party probably has 6 hrs of prep getting gear in order, cleaning up playlists, packing SUV, travel, setup and waiting and maybe another 3 hours taking down, packing/unpacking SUV and putting things away, so not counting marketing and sales activity, there's a good 2x as much effort pre/post as there is at the event .. weddings are probably 50% more effort than that.
So with that simple 4hr party, my guess is, after taking out for insurance, taxes, etc, the $100+ an hour I charge probably nets about $25/hr .. I'm just glad it's mad money for me.
I'm not sure he (Brian Redd) is exaggerating that much... at least for me, I probably spend more time preparing. I have to do a site inspection for almost every gig because I have not been DJing long enough to perform in the same venues multiple times. Also, I make playlists and listen to every song all the way through to make sure the quality is good and the lyrics are not offensive. All new music I've obtained in the last year and a half has been verified, but most of my music was ripped over the last 20 years for my personal use and I was not that concerned about screening it.
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Heck I've done a (very) few last minute (DJ no show) receptions where all I had was 10 minutes before the ceremony.
Would I have preferred more time? Sure! But you gotta make do as best you can.
And they turned out fine luckily.
Would I have preferred more time? Sure! But you gotta make do as best you can.
And they turned out fine luckily.
spend any time in the car? at the computer? play the music then and make notes on songs with issues. Once you've heard your copy of cupid shuffle you never need to listen to it again, new playlist or not.
as for previewing venues...150 guests...you need X sound system. They'll tell you where you'll be setting up and plugging in -rarely do you get a choice. At least I never do.
Hard or soft venue? 8' or 20' ceilings? Does it matter? I mean, preview vs walk in and play? What changes in what you do?
One hotel ballroom is 99% like all others.
For load in/out issues..you can call and ask but again, won't change much. Bring a dolly and strong back and all can be overcome. There a few venues here that you gotta hump things up a flight or 2 of steps..and i'd like to not be surprised by that a new venue. Most brides can tell you a bit "our reception is on the third floor ballroom" - so you know you gotta ask more questions.
Work smart folks, not hard.
I have a worksheet for all meetings - I go down the list and ask all the questions - bride, groom, contact info, parents? bridal party size, time line (cocktails? theme? Dinner? When do you plan to cut the cake, etc). What are your colors?
You've done this before so it shouldn't be a big mystery on what you need to know. Going down a form (in person, over the phone, emailing it, etc) is fast and efficient.
I should probably do more hand holding/contact over time...but I'm too busy to do it. I can photo a wedding with a total of 3 hours prep time - meetings, finalization, gear prep, etc. often in 1/2 that time.
I've done non-wedding gigs with no more 'prep' time than load up and go. Spent the most time on a HS reunion gathering music, or a school dance.
I'm expecting prep time to drop as I get more music and get it more organized. that's the winter's big plan.
I have playlist for cocktail, ceremony seating, dinner (a few of each)- no need to change them other than update teh top 40 one now and then.
I have lsits of slow songs, country, 80s, disco, 'club', 'main dance music' , edm, house, etc. to work form for the dancing part of the evening.
I have a playlist for 'school dance' - all clean - and one for 'todays wedding'.
one for 'starters', closers, 'new songs to try'.
My gear stays packed between gigs, if I do get it out it gets packed back up. One case for lighting, one for sound (mic, cables, mixer, power, etc). EVERYTHING is in there for any rig I need to setup, even 2 of them. No need to 'pack up' (and forget) anything.
Go be a roadie or talk with them - be that for a circus, band, theatre troup, even a plumber, etc. There's a system for it and stick with the system and you don't have issues.
as for previewing venues...150 guests...you need X sound system. They'll tell you where you'll be setting up and plugging in -rarely do you get a choice. At least I never do.
Hard or soft venue? 8' or 20' ceilings? Does it matter? I mean, preview vs walk in and play? What changes in what you do?
One hotel ballroom is 99% like all others.
For load in/out issues..you can call and ask but again, won't change much. Bring a dolly and strong back and all can be overcome. There a few venues here that you gotta hump things up a flight or 2 of steps..and i'd like to not be surprised by that a new venue. Most brides can tell you a bit "our reception is on the third floor ballroom" - so you know you gotta ask more questions.
Work smart folks, not hard.
I have a worksheet for all meetings - I go down the list and ask all the questions - bride, groom, contact info, parents? bridal party size, time line (cocktails? theme? Dinner? When do you plan to cut the cake, etc). What are your colors?
You've done this before so it shouldn't be a big mystery on what you need to know. Going down a form (in person, over the phone, emailing it, etc) is fast and efficient.
I should probably do more hand holding/contact over time...but I'm too busy to do it. I can photo a wedding with a total of 3 hours prep time - meetings, finalization, gear prep, etc. often in 1/2 that time.
I've done non-wedding gigs with no more 'prep' time than load up and go. Spent the most time on a HS reunion gathering music, or a school dance.
I'm expecting prep time to drop as I get more music and get it more organized. that's the winter's big plan.
I have playlist for cocktail, ceremony seating, dinner (a few of each)- no need to change them other than update teh top 40 one now and then.
I have lsits of slow songs, country, 80s, disco, 'club', 'main dance music' , edm, house, etc. to work form for the dancing part of the evening.
I have a playlist for 'school dance' - all clean - and one for 'todays wedding'.
one for 'starters', closers, 'new songs to try'.
My gear stays packed between gigs, if I do get it out it gets packed back up. One case for lighting, one for sound (mic, cables, mixer, power, etc). EVERYTHING is in there for any rig I need to setup, even 2 of them. No need to 'pack up' (and forget) anything.
Go be a roadie or talk with them - be that for a circus, band, theatre troup, even a plumber, etc. There's a system for it and stick with the system and you don't have issues.
I used to poo-poo site surveys, but not any more. First, they are excellent sales opportunities. Every single time I've suggested (and done) a site survey with the prospect, they booked. Next, it does make for an easier setup as I get the chance to think through logistics. Finally, it gives me face time with a new venue. When they see you taking time to do prep work, they take you a lot more seriously. I do limit them to local venues only. No driving an hour for a site survey.
Your views remind me of all of the cookie cutter DJ's I see around here who can't envision how I get $1500 plus for my weddings when all they can command is five or 6 hundred, I try to create events not DJ weddings
bombdhell89
P.S. The Name's Jason!
Brian Redd knows his stuff. He's a huge advocate for the legitimization of the mobile DJ. He might take longer than you or I, but he might not either.
I always do site inspections- especially if it's a venue I've never played. I like to envision what the client wants while walking through with them.. plus, I don't like logistic surprises!
I always do site inspections- especially if it's a venue I've never played. I like to envision what the client wants while walking through with them.. plus, I don't like logistic surprises!
Well if you can count all that let's go with this
1 Haircut a month 2 hours times 12 months before your event is another 24 hours
Load dishwasher 10 minutes a day X 365 days roughly 61 hours
Shave roughly 61 hours
Take a crap roughly 61 hours a year
Now that's the outer limits but it's as realistic as most of what he's proposing. In 30 years I've NEVER had a couple want to spend an hour and a half in a meeting TWICE. Almost every venue I do I have been at at least once and most dozens of times...I think I can find the loading ramp. Counting car repair time? Dry cleaning time? Really?
If I was hiring a DJ and they told me it would be 62.5 hours they work on the event the first thing I would thing is either this guy is a complete idiot or he thinks I am
I've seen these guys come to the boards with this BS time and time again. They claim 50 hours to do an event and then claim doing 4 or 5 in some weeks.
If it was being claimed 20-25 on a hard event I could buy it in reality it's more like 10-20 on average
1 Haircut a month 2 hours times 12 months before your event is another 24 hours
Load dishwasher 10 minutes a day X 365 days roughly 61 hours
Shave roughly 61 hours
Take a crap roughly 61 hours a year
Now that's the outer limits but it's as realistic as most of what he's proposing. In 30 years I've NEVER had a couple want to spend an hour and a half in a meeting TWICE. Almost every venue I do I have been at at least once and most dozens of times...I think I can find the loading ramp. Counting car repair time? Dry cleaning time? Really?
If I was hiring a DJ and they told me it would be 62.5 hours they work on the event the first thing I would thing is either this guy is a complete idiot or he thinks I am
I've seen these guys come to the boards with this BS time and time again. They claim 50 hours to do an event and then claim doing 4 or 5 in some weeks.
If it was being claimed 20-25 on a hard event I could buy it in reality it's more like 10-20 on average
Maybe I'm lazy..or efficient...or just have other things i'd like to do.
Or call it experience - "THIS" is the plan..and then the day of the plan has changed...all too often.
At the bridal show toda I bride is using venue i've been to 20 times. she's wanting an outside cocktail hour...never seen that there. I offered to setup a system outside..no, i have no idea where/what that means..not sure the venue does either. 1/2 hour and a long enxtension cord and i'll be good to go - no preview necessary.
how you folks with day jobs manage these previews of sites impresses me - many venues are a PITA to setup a preview, or they want daytime meets or only weekends...no clue how you manage to do it all.
this week i've got 32 hours /5 days doing taxes, plus travel time. All daylight. 2 basketball games for my daughter, a baseball league meeting, a wing bask for basketball friday night - so FOUR nights of 6 the rest of this week are full. Plus the days are full. And next week will be similar i"m sure as last week was like this.
preview? Sure, 3 am i'll meet you there! I'm booked the rest of the time.
Or maybe you'd like to preview teh gathering place..oh wait, you can/t - they're building a newbuilding so there's nothing to preview tillmay when it opens.
Or the lodge or 3 season building at the park..oh, closed till end of may.
Or stonebridge farms- wait, they do all their weddings under tents.
Logistically..a nightmare that's not necessary. For a competent professional.
Or call it experience - "THIS" is the plan..and then the day of the plan has changed...all too often.
At the bridal show toda I bride is using venue i've been to 20 times. she's wanting an outside cocktail hour...never seen that there. I offered to setup a system outside..no, i have no idea where/what that means..not sure the venue does either. 1/2 hour and a long enxtension cord and i'll be good to go - no preview necessary.
how you folks with day jobs manage these previews of sites impresses me - many venues are a PITA to setup a preview, or they want daytime meets or only weekends...no clue how you manage to do it all.
this week i've got 32 hours /5 days doing taxes, plus travel time. All daylight. 2 basketball games for my daughter, a baseball league meeting, a wing bask for basketball friday night - so FOUR nights of 6 the rest of this week are full. Plus the days are full. And next week will be similar i"m sure as last week was like this.
preview? Sure, 3 am i'll meet you there! I'm booked the rest of the time.
Or maybe you'd like to preview teh gathering place..oh wait, you can/t - they're building a newbuilding so there's nothing to preview tillmay when it opens.
Or the lodge or 3 season building at the park..oh, closed till end of may.
Or stonebridge farms- wait, they do all their weddings under tents.
Logistically..a nightmare that's not necessary. For a competent professional.
LMAO!!! You have me laughing with this post!!!
Yes, he had to exaggerate. If a DJ is spending 62.5 hours on a wedding event, then something is seriously wrong. ...Unless a DJ is performing a seriously long ethnic wedding ceremony/cocktail hours/reception with multiple set ups, big lighting display and the event itself is like 10+ hours long OR if said DJ is traveling a very long distance like 1,500+ miles drive each way to do an event...I don't see how any one can claim to pull over 30 hours on a single wedding.
My most in demand weddings I have done required a site visit, and 2 meetings and driving over an hour each way to each meeting plus the venue. Those 2 weddings may have resulted in 26 hours or so total time invested. Very rare.
Most weddings have a total time investment of 13 to 16 hours.
And no, we can't add in the time we spend marketing, and doing business related stuff.
I just spent the last 2 hours updating a page on my web site, and changing a google ad around. Should that be added into the time I spend on events? Absolutely not. ...I did this sitting at my table in my pajamas drinking a Rum and Diet Pepsi (Really 2, but who's counting)
And no, we can't add in the time we spend marketing, and doing business related stuff.
I just spent the last 2 hours updating a page on my web site, and changing a google ad around. Should that be added into the time I spend on events? Absolutely not. ...I did this sitting at my table in my pajamas drinking a Rum and Diet Pepsi (Really 2, but who's counting)
Well in the big scheme of things you need to know how much time you spend on this stuff but when it gets right down to it of you do 60 a year and spend 2 hours on marketing each time you do marketing then you have averaged 2 minutes per event each time you do it. Most don't think in those terms (including myself) but for those that do I still find the 62.5 or even 40 number to be total BS
I usually only suggest a site survey on a lighting job, so it's fairly rare. That said, I give the bride several time slots, always 5pm(ish). They call the venue, ask for a time slot, then I show up. It's easy and quick. The site survey gives me a more relaxed view of the venue and how I should approach the setup, eliminating a lot of stress the day-of. The F2F action gives me a good run at a sales pitch and making a personal connection. Once they see those lights, in their venue, they're as good as booked.
If you are only putting 10 hours into your weddings, the subject of the video, your clients have substantially different, likely less expectations for your management and performance.
Different strokes for different folks.
That's a week and a half spent on just a single event - typical of someone doing this pat time or occasionally. No one can survive at a career level if it takes them 60 hours to do what a professional can do 12.