Do a bridal show 1/28 - input please

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5 am is hard. Earliest I have woke up in the last 2 years is like 6:35 a.m. :djsleeping:

Then, The drive there is 2 hours 45/50 minutes assuming I do not stop along the way. I know I would have to stop at a half way point. I COULD get there by 11 am for load in/set up, but it's a long drive. Then to drive all the way back later in the day. I assume I would want to get a early dinner down there before I drive back. Get home likely around 10 pm at night. COULD do it. Do I want to go through that hassle for the day...not really.
Give it a shot .. : I used to get up at 3am to leave by 3:30 to make the 6:00am flight from Hartford to Denver just about monthly for many years in the 90s (my groups HQ was north of Denver). I actually find it easier to get going then than waiting until 6-7am .. not every day, but on occasion.
 
5 am is hard. Earliest I have woke up in the last 2 years is like 6:35 a.m. :djsleeping:
.

No offense intended but, are you serious? If you don't want gigs 2-3 hours from home I can understand. If you want to go after those gigs, get yourself up early this one time.
 
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Give it a shot .. : I used to get up at 3am to leave by 3:30 to make the 6:00am flight from Hartford to Denver just about monthly for many years in the 90s (my groups HQ was north of Denver). I actually find it easier to get going then than waiting until 6-7am .. not every day, but on occasion.

I used to have a client in East TN and would travel there monthly for several years. The drive was 5.5 hours. I'd work a (most of) full day then turn around and drive back home that night. Had to leave around 4am.
 
I used to have a client in East TN and would travel there monthly for several years. The drive was 5.5 hours. I'd work a (most of) full day then turn around and drive back home that night. Had to leave around 4am.


Yeah...No you would not catch me driving 5.5 hours to do a gig. If I did, I would require a hotel room paid for by the client. Not doing that in one day. No way Jose.

...Yeah, I'm not waking up early enough to drive out to OC in time. Plus if I wake up that early, I'm going to be standing there at the show with circles under my eyes, and probably hyped up on Coffee. I'd rather look normal, in normal attitude/energy level, and be caffeine free at a bridal show.

If I do this show, I'm either getting a hotel room the night before, or sleeping at my parents house on the couch. They live 18 miles from the hotel. Downside to the couch is I have a crappy night's sleep, BUT at least I wouldn't have to pay for a hotel room for the night.

I don't mind doing Ocean City weddings. I can make a weekend out of doing them, and make a little fun trip out of it.
 
5 am is hard. Earliest I have woke up in the last 2 years is like 6:35 a.m. :djsleeping:

Then, The drive there is 2 hours 45/50 minutes assuming I do not stop along the way. I know I would have to stop at a half way point. I COULD get there by 11 am for load in/set up, but it's a long drive. Then to drive all the way back later in the day. I assume I would want to get a early dinner down there before I drive back. Get home likely around 10 pm at night. COULD do it. Do I want to go through that hassle for the day...not really.
You always seem to have a lack of ambition
 
You always seem to have a lack of ambition

Ambitious...Just much prefer the easy, more comfortable way to doing things.. If I had no ambition, we wouldn't be talking about me considering doing a bridal show that is 150 miles away, and it start's at Noon.
 
Ambitious...Just much prefer the easy, more comfortable way to doing things.. If I had no ambition, we wouldn't be talking about me considering doing a bridal show that is 150 miles away, and it start's at Noon.
But you won’t do Wedding 5 hours away, common for me, once you become in demand money is less of an issue clients become willing to pay what it costs to have you perform
 
But you won’t do Wedding 5 hours away, common for me, once you become in demand money is less of an issue clients become willing to pay what it costs to have you perform

I just quoted a wedding 5.5 hours from home this morning for 4/28. You take the work where you can get it.
 
Yeah...No you would not catch me driving 5.5 hours to do a gig. If I did, I would require a hotel room paid for by the client. Not doing that in one day. No way Jose.

...Yeah, I'm not waking up early enough to drive out to OC in time. Plus if I wake up that early, I'm going to be standing there at the show with circles under my eyes, and probably hyped up on Coffee. I'd rather look normal, in normal attitude/energy level, and be caffeine free at a bridal show.

If I do this show, I'm either getting a hotel room the night before, or sleeping at my parents house on the couch. They live 18 miles from the hotel. Downside to the couch is I have a crappy night's sleep, BUT at least I wouldn't have to pay for a hotel room for the night.

I don't mind doing Ocean City weddings. I can make a weekend out of doing them, and make a little fun trip out of it.

It's been a while since I did one that far away but 2-4 hours isn't uncommon....Most times I come back that night. One morning last year I made it home just in time to go to work
 
It's been a while since I did one that far away but 2-4 hours isn't uncommon....Most times I come back that night. One morning last year I made it home just in time to go to work
Ya, but Ricky is soooo old that it takes its toll on him ...
 
Ya, but Ricky is soooo old that it takes its toll on him ...
I’m 48 I have 4 weddings this summer that have a 5 hour drive or longer all at well over $2500 by the time you add in all the travel time, time away from family and hotel costs they get expensive for the client
 
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I'm curious on your opinion. If you're booking a gig that's 5 hours out, 2 people going, is $250 too little for travel expenses? We've got a lead on 4/28 (photo only) and would drive my wife's car (Altima). I'm thinking to drive over Friday evening, hotel, work Saturday, hotel, then drive home Sunday. Would you have quoted more money for travel expenses? Keep in mind this is on a $2.6k-$3.5k gig that's only 7 weeks away. Not likely anything else will come in for that date.
 
I’m 48 I have 4 weddings this summer that have a 5 hour drive or longer all at well over $2500 by the time you add in all the travel time, time away from family and hotel costs they get expensive for the client
I guess I meant mentally ... ;)
 
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I'm curious on your opinion. If you're booking a gig that's 5 hours out, 2 people going, is $250 too little for travel expenses? We've got a lead on 4/28 (photo only) and would drive my wife's car (Altima). I'm thinking to drive over Friday evening, hotel, work Saturday, hotel, then drive home Sunday. Would you have quoted more money for travel expenses? Keep in mind this is on a $2.6k-$3.5k gig that's only 7 weeks away. Not likely anything else will come in for that date.

I would be closer to $500-$600 but we pay a lot more or hotels up here than you guys do
 
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I would be closer to $500-$600 but we pay a lot more or hotels up here than you guys do

My wife was busting my chops for not quoting $500. That's why I posed the question. A decent hotel room will run $100/night so even at the cheaper prices here in TN, she/you are correct.
 
My wife was busting my chops for not quoting $500. That's why I posed the question. A decent hotel room will run $100/night so even at the cheaper prices here in TN, she/you are correct.

You should have thrown in the travel, and paid for the hotel yourselves! The customer will highly appreciate it, notice your incredible value, and write a great review about it! ...:cheers:
 
I’m 48 I have 4 weddings this summer that have a 5 hour drive or longer all at well over $2500 by the time you add in all the travel time, time away from family and hotel costs they get expensive for the client

Pics/Video or FAKE!

When can we expect to see pictures, and video in the gig logs section of your $2,500 productions?
 
My wife was busting my chops for not quoting $500. That's why I posed the question. A decent hotel room will run $100/night so even at the cheaper prices here in TN, she/you are correct.
Distance events have a number of factors involved. If you're giving up the ability of booking other events, you need to charge for more than just travel. When they are more than 3hrs away I typically require a hotel room at least for the night of the event, plus travel fee. If I want to show up the night before because I have no other event, that's on me. If the event is far enough away that I can't book an event the night before and/or the day after, then I charge $2000, plus hotel and travel.
Your 5 hour event would probably be a situation where I tell the client I need a hotel from the night before plus a few hundred for travel, but I would probably be willing to drive home after the event. Depends whats on the schedule... the fact that its so close means I probably wouldn't book another event that weekend, so I probably wouldn't charge extra for losing out on other events. Also around here I am always cautious of traffic and how it can really screw things up. A 5 hr trip can become 7 or more hours, which is why I push for the client getting hotels for me, even if that requires a premium of losing out on an event the night before.
 
Distance events have a number of factors involved. If you're giving up the ability of booking other events, you need to charge for more than just travel. When they are more than 3hrs away I typically require a hotel room at least for the night of the event, plus travel fee. If I want to show up the night before because I have no other event, that's on me. If the event is far enough away that I can't book an event the night before and/or the day after, then I charge $2000, plus hotel and travel.
Your 5 hour event would probably be a situation where I tell the client I need a hotel from the night before plus a few hundred for travel, but I would probably be willing to drive home after the event. Depends whats on the schedule... the fact that its so close means I probably wouldn't book another event that weekend, so I probably wouldn't charge extra for losing out on other events. Also around here I am always cautious of traffic and how it can really screw things up. A 5 hr trip can become 7 or more hours, which is why I push for the client getting hotels for me, even if that requires a premium of losing out on an event the night before.

Keep in mind also that it's only 7 weeks out and we don't have any other prospects for that weekend. I really was shaving travel to the bare minimum in order to hopefully pickup a date at full rate. A lot of guys will discount this situation, just to try and win the booking.