Depending on the type of event you are having, you may find yourself wondering if it’s worth it to spend the extra money on a premium DJ service. What’s the difference? I am here to help clear the air.

Let’s face it, the chances of any DJ actually ruining your wedding day are super duper low. Think about it, you’re most likely going to be spending the day with your favorite person in the world, looking your best, surrounded by your closest friends and family members and having a blast. If a DJ mispronounces a name, plays the wrong song, while unfortunate, will most likely be overshadowed in your memory years down the road by all of the positive highlights from the day.

So, is it the gear? Will high end speakers and lights make that big of a difference? Obviously you want your DJ to have reliable equipment so maybe this could account for a small percentage of the difference.

The truth is that the real difference lies in the how and not the what. Let me explain . . . if you were to write the things down that a low cost and a premium Tucson wedding DJ were to do on your wedding day, the list would be very similar. They are both going to show up (hopefully) early, be ready on time at the very latest, play the songs you’ve chosen, make the necessary announcements and keep the dancefloor alive. There is however, a HUGE DIFFERENCE between a DJ that makes announcements, and a true Master of Ceremonies. An actual professional has training, practices, rehearses etc. while the other guy probably does this in his/her spare time. Just like the difference between a professional and amateur in any other field. This makes all of the difference in the world. Look at it like this, if hired 2 people to precisely throw a football and 1 of those people is your next door neighbor and the other is Patrick Mahomes, you can be certain that the results would certainly be different even though they are “doing the same thing”.

Now the ball is in your court. Does your day matter enough to you to make sure you hire a true professional, or will average be good enough? Only you can decide but just remember there are no do-overs. Contact us to help you make the right decision for your Tucson wedding DJ service needs.

One of the first things newly engaged couples consider is how to allocate their wedding budget. We can’t tell you what your budget is but we can help clear the air about what your wedding “DJ” could and should be doing for you. Once you decide what you want out of the DJ, you’ll have an idea as to what a fair rate is.

Your DJ will probably wear many hats, and the one that impacts your wedding day experience more than any other is that of the Master of Ceremonies, or MC (if your DJ claims to be an “emcee”, run). Your Master of Ceremonies is responsible for planning and executing each transition from one part of your reception to the next. If you fail to plan, you might as well plan to fail. It isn’t just making announcements that is so important. Timing, inflection, cadence, staging, all play a role in the outcome of each structured part of the day and these transitions should be thought out with a clear goal in mind. This sort of planning takes time. In fact, did you know that we spend an average of 50 – 80 hours planning each of our events?

So here is the breakdown; although there are many different styles of DJ out there, for a Wedding (or Mitzvah, Sweet 16 etc.) you can break it up into 2 categories:

The first is just the music guy. and is most likely a hobbiest, or someone that has another source of income as their main source You expect him to show upon time, be set up and ready to go no later than the event start time, play the songs you requested, and don’t mess it up. This DJ has a bit of behind the scenes work to do like loading up their gear according to what you have hired them to bring, travel etc. but for the most part, aside from a few messages back and forth about the music, the work they do for you is all done on the day of and mostly revolves around playing music with an occasional announcement here or there. He or she will also probably be bringing several thousands of dollars worth of equipment with them and is most likely the first person to show up at the venue and the last to leave. If looking to hire this sort of DJ, the ever popular “what do you charge per hour” question is close to fair, as long as you keep in mind that they have at least a few hours of work to do before and after your event. This fee should account for the skilled service they provide and wear and tear on their vehicle and gear. $500 – $800 is usually a fair middle ground for this sort of DJ as long as they are professional and punctual. It is honestly hard to find equipment rentals for much less than that.

The second type is the one who will function as a true Master of Ceremonies. This is the guy that asks you for tons of information so they can craft your celebration around you. They spend time exchanging ideas with you, learning your preferences and priorities and helping you with the things you didn’t even think of because it isn’t your job to know what you don’t know. This is probably their only, or main source of income and it will show in how responsive and knowledgeable they are. They also have most likely attended training specific to the various hats they will wear for you that include structuring your event, lighting design, public speaking, and many others. They have tens and thousands of dollars invested in equipment, backup equipment, and knowledge. This person will invest a ton of time and energy both physically and mentally into the success of your event. This persons fee should be in the neighborhood of a week or two’s pay at a fair rate for a professionally trained and skilled position, a fair rate for the full day they are devoting to your event, plus wear and tear on the tens of thousands of dollars in gear they bring along equal to roughly 5% – 10% of the value of their equipment. This adds up fast but can be a very rewarding investment for the client. Expect to see a starting fee in the neighborhood of $1,500 – $2,000 for this scope of services,

While we still take great pride and joy in being a leading Tucson wedding and quinceañera DJ and lighting services provider, schools have quietly become a large part of our client base. Our approach to schools is unique, and this is why we are the number one option for Homecoming, Formal, and Prom DJ music and lighting services. For one, we are still “small”. Not in terms of the level of fun and excitement we can bring, but small in the sense that the person coming to your meetings and communicating with you is the same person that shows up to rock the party for you on the day of your event so you never have to worry about your DJ not being aware of your playlist, or knowing who’s who etc. Another reason is that our DJ has a clean background and can show proof upon request. Combine all of that with a working knowledge of school finance and business procedures and flexibility and eagerness to please both the administration and student body; and you get a company that is ready willing and able to put on a safe fun and friendly show!

We have done school dances with as few as 30 students and others with as many as 1,000 students. We keep up with the latest trends in music, but keep those throwback bangers in our library to drop at just the right time! If you would like to know more about how we can help your school have the most fun and exciting homecoming, formal and prom it’s ever had, contact us at (520) 668-6600 or find us on social media @thomasdeanthedj