https://sites.google.com/site/weddingdjsinchicago/  The​ ​Truth​ ​About​ ​Chicago​ ​Wedding​ ​DJ​ ​Prices What​ ​should​ ​a​ ​Chicago​ ​wedding​ ​DJ​ ​cost?​ ​If​ ​you’re​ ​at​ ​the​ ​early​ ​stages​ ​of​ ​planning​ ​your​ ​wedding, you​ ​may​ ​not​ ​have​ ​a​ ​clue.​ ​Most​ ​DJs​ ​don’t​ ​list​ ​their​ ​prices​ ​online​ ​–​ ​they’re​ ​afraid​ ​of​ ​you​ ​comparing their​ ​services​ ​based​ ​on​ ​price​ ​alone,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​a​ ​sure​ ​way​ ​to​ ​pick​ ​a​ ​loser.​ ​But​ ​it’s​ ​also​ ​not​ ​cool​ ​to expect​ ​you​ ​to​ ​call​ ​5​ ​DJ​ ​companies​ ​and​ ​chat​ ​about​ ​your​ ​feelings​ ​for​ ​an​ ​hour​ ​just​ ​to​ ​get​ ​a​ ​price list.

So,​ ​if​ ​you​ ​want​ ​the​ ​straight​ ​scoop​ ​on​ ​DJ​ ​pricing​ ​–​ ​here​ ​it​ ​is.

I’ve​ ​broken​ ​Chicago​ ​wedding​ ​DJ​ ​rates​ ​into​ ​six​ ​common​ ​price​ ​points.​ ​In​ ​my​ ​experience,​ ​this​ ​is what​ ​you​ ​can​ ​expect​ ​at​ ​each.​ ​Of​ ​course,​ ​I’ve​ ​got​ ​an​ ​ulterior​ ​motive​ ​–​ ​I’d​ ​like​ ​you​ ​to​ ​hire​ ​my​ ​DJs! So​ ​I’ve​ ​included​ ​links​ ​to​ ​my​ ​competitors,​ ​as​ ​well,​ ​so​ ​you​ ​won’t​ ​have​ ​to​ ​take​ ​my​ ​word​ ​for​ ​it. These​ ​rates​ ​are​ ​for​ ​an​ ​average​ ​six-hour​ ​reception:​ ​cocktail​ ​hour,​ ​dinner​ ​and​ ​dancing,​ ​all​ ​in​ ​one room​ ​with​ ​a​ ​single​ ​DJ​ ​system.​ ​(Some​ ​DJ​ ​companies​ ​advertise​ ​prices​ ​for​ ​four-hour​ ​packages, then​ ​tack​ ​on​ ​your​ ​cocktail​ ​or​ ​dinner​ ​times​ ​as​ ​an​ ​“upgrade”​ ​once​ ​they’ve​ ​got​ ​you​ ​in​ ​the​ ​door. Don’t​ ​let​ ​‘em​ ​confuse​ ​you.) Want​ ​your​ ​exact​ ​wedding​ ​price?​ ​Try​ ​the​ ​5-minute​ ​Wedding​ ​DJ​ ​Cost​ ​Calculator! $400:​ ​The​ ​“buddy​ ​rate.” No​ ​DJ​ ​can​ ​afford​ ​to​ ​work​ ​this​ ​cheap,​ ​but​ ​you​ ​might​ ​get​ ​the​ ​offer​ ​from​ ​a​ ​friend​ ​or​ ​someone​ ​who DJs​ ​“just​ ​for​ ​fun.”​ ​Expect​ ​consumer-grade​ ​rather​ ​than​ ​pro-grade​ ​equipment​ ​(toasts​ ​and speeches​ ​are​ ​difficult​ ​to​ ​hear;​ ​dance​ ​music​ ​is​ ​loud​ ​but​ ​makes​ ​your​ ​ears​ ​tired​ ​after​ ​an​ ​hour​ ​or two).​ ​No​ ​backup​ ​equipment​ ​(in​ ​case​ ​of​ ​failure)​ ​or​ ​backup​ ​DJs​ ​(in​ ​case​ ​of​ ​illness).​ ​Music​ ​is​ ​either limited​ ​to​ ​your​ ​friend’s​ ​personal​ ​collection​ ​or​ ​illegally​ ​copied.​ ​Planning​ ​help​ ​will​ ​be​ ​minimal​ ​(your DJ​ ​works​ ​a​ ​day​ ​job,​ ​so​ ​do​ ​not​ ​expect​ ​to​ ​call​ ​for​ ​help​ ​or​ ​work​ ​out​ ​requests​ ​in​ ​advance).​ ​MC​ ​skills and​ ​cooperation​ ​with​ ​other​ ​vendors​ ​will​ ​be​ ​poor​ ​(expect​ ​some​ ​hiccups​ ​in​ ​the​ ​schedule​ ​and moments​ ​where​ ​your​ ​guests​ ​don’t​ ​know​ ​what’s​ ​going​ ​on).​ ​Music​ ​skills​ ​and​ ​knowledge​ ​may​ ​vary. $600:​ ​The​ ​“scary​ ​rate.” Companies​ ​at​ ​this​ ​price​ ​point​ ​are​ ​volume​ ​businesses​ ​that​ ​survive​ ​by​ ​booking​ ​a​ ​huge​ ​number​ ​of jobs​ ​and​ ​paying​ ​their​ ​DJs​ ​very​ ​little.​ ​Staff​ ​turnover​ ​is​ ​high​ ​(you​ ​don’t​ ​know​ ​which​ ​DJ​ ​will​ ​show​ ​up at​ ​your​ ​wedding)​ ​and​ ​reliability​ ​is​ ​low​ ​(sometimes,​ ​no​ ​one​ ​shows​ ​up).​ ​Equipment​ ​is consumer-grade​ ​and​ ​out​ ​of​ ​date.​ ​No​ ​backup​ ​equipment​ ​or​ ​backup​ ​DJs.​ ​Music​ ​is​ ​illegally​ ​copied. No​ ​planning​ ​help.​ ​DJs​ ​are​ ​poorly​ ​trained,​ ​so​ ​MC​ ​skills,​ ​music​ ​skills​ ​and​ ​vendor​ ​cooperation​ ​will all​ ​be​ ​poor.​ ​Expect​ ​a​ ​stressful​ ​evening. The​ ​Truth​ ​About​ ​Chicago​ ​Wedding​ ​DJ​ ​Prices $800:​ ​The​ ​“hobby​ ​rate.” Music​ ​and​ ​equipment​ ​lovers​ ​who​ ​DJ​ ​on​ ​the​ ​weekends​ ​to​ ​support​ ​the​ ​habit.​ ​Usually​ ​one-man operations​ ​that​ ​do​ ​not​ ​work​ ​full-time.​ ​Moderate​ ​equipment.​ ​Backup​ ​equipment​ ​and​ ​DJs​ ​are​ ​rare. Song​ ​collection​ ​is​ ​limited​ ​to​ ​DJ’s​ ​personal​ ​collection​ ​–​ ​but​ ​that’s​ ​probably​ ​large.​ ​Legal​ ​music files.​ ​Some​ ​planning​ ​help,​ ​but​ ​minimal​ ​DJ​ ​availability​ ​(he​ ​works​ ​a​ ​day​ ​job).​ ​DJ​ ​is​ ​self-trained. Reliability,​ ​MC​ ​skills,​ ​music​ ​skills​ ​and​ ​vendor​ ​cooperation​ ​could​ ​all​ ​be​ ​terrible​ ​-​ ​or​ ​they​ ​could​ ​be great!​ ​No​ ​DJ​ ​assistant.​ ​No​ ​insurance.​ ​Ask​ ​for​ ​references. $1300:​ ​The​ ​“pro​ ​rate."

Companies​ ​that​ ​do​ ​events​ ​full-time​ ​and​ ​rely​ ​on​ ​their​ ​good​ ​reputation​ ​to​ ​keep​ ​food​ ​on​ ​the​ ​table. Reliable.​ ​Pro-grade​ ​equipment​ ​gets​ ​regular​ ​maintenance​ ​checks.​ ​Backup​ ​equipment​ ​for anything​ ​that​ ​could​ ​fail​ ​(hard​ ​drives,​ ​computers​ ​and​ ​wireless​ ​mics​ ​are​ ​the​ ​biggest​ ​culprits). Legal​ ​music​ ​with​ ​unlimited​ ​song​ ​requests.​ ​You​ ​pick​ ​your​ ​DJ​ ​in​ ​advance.​ ​DJs​ ​are​ ​trained.​ ​DJ assistant​ ​can​ ​mind​ ​the​ ​music​ ​while​ ​DJ​ ​takes​ ​requests​ ​or​ ​coordinates​ ​with​ ​your​ ​other​ ​vendors. Insurance.​ ​Advance​ ​planning​ ​help​ ​including​ ​online​ ​planning​ ​tools​ ​and​ ​full-time​ ​office​ ​staff​ ​to​ ​help with​ ​the​ ​little​ ​things​ ​if​ ​your​ ​DJ's​ ​not​ ​available.​ ​Professional​ ​MC​ ​skills,​ ​music​ ​skills​ ​and​ ​vendor cooperation.​ ​My​ ​company​ ​is​ ​in​ ​this​ ​price​ ​range​ ​–​ ​so​ ​are​ ​these​ ​guys​ ​and​ ​these​ ​guys. For​ ​a​ ​precise​ ​breakdown​ ​of​ ​what​ ​your​ ​money​ ​goes​ ​to​ ​at​ ​this​ ​cost​ ​level,​ ​take​ ​a​ ​look​ ​at​ ​this​ ​post. $2500:​ ​The​ ​“something​ ​extra​ ​rate.” The​ ​“hybrid”​ ​DJ​ ​who​ ​offers​ ​something​ ​unusual​ ​or​ ​quirky​ ​in​ ​addition​ ​to​ ​planning,​ ​MC​ ​services and​ ​dance​ ​music.​ ​Perhaps​ ​he​ ​plays​ ​live​ ​music​ ​for​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​reception,​ ​or​ ​plays​ ​music​ ​videos​ ​or offers​ ​video​ ​games​ ​or​ ​other​ ​“interactive”​ ​services.​ ​Services​ ​should​ ​be​ ​comparable​ ​to​ ​the​ ​“hobby” or​ ​“pro”​ ​rates​ ​above. $3500​ ​and​ ​up:​ ​The​ ​“celebrity​ ​rate.” DJs​ ​with​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​experience​ ​who​ ​have​ ​made​ ​a​ ​name​ ​for​ ​themselves.​ ​Exceptional​ ​MC​ ​and coordination​ ​skills​ ​and​ ​highly​ ​customized​ ​introductions.​ ​These​ ​guys​ ​have​ ​years​ ​of​ ​improv classes​ ​under​ ​their​ ​belts​ ​and​ ​fancy​ ​websites.​ ​They​ ​get​ ​more​ ​work​ ​than​ ​they​ ​need​ ​and​ ​only​ ​take the​ ​weddings​ ​they​ ​really​ ​want.​ ​You​ ​pay​ ​them​ ​to​ ​charm​ ​the​ ​socks​ ​off​ ​of​ ​you​ ​and​ ​everyone​ ​you know. Contact​ ​Details: