Weddings Speaking of lights at a wedding...

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What is your thoughts of DJs doing lighting at weddings?

  • I have lights and I think it is great.

    Votes: 76 100.0%

  • I have lights but would rather not use them.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I don't have lights but am getting some to use at weddings.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I don't have lights and am not getting them.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Let those that just do lighting provide the lights.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Do you want a wedding or a disco?

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I see the light.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I am walking toward the light.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Look at the pretty lights.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I could take or leave lights.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • I don't care.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    76
G

Guest

Guest
My personal opinion is that lights detract from my ability to provide DJ services; more gear to carry and more work to do at set up and strike. But, this is just one person's opinion.

I don't have a problem with lights at a wedding, I just don't want to be saddled with them. Also, I have used lights in the past and only used them a few times.

Right now I don't offer lights but do recommend lighting companies.

So, what is youyr opinion?

Poll coming, you'd better duck...
 
Sometimes a separate production company is great (I say this as a guy with a separate production company looking to get into the event design business), but some people want an all in one solution.

For our wedding we wanted an all in one.

Mike
 
Two Operations = Two Services = Two Full Checks

My Buddy gets the referral from me to do Lights when required. He gets full pay and so do I. We are then both there to help each other and have backup manpower.
Lets suppose the Fair Rate for a Gig is $800.00 and Lighting for that Event is $500.00. If one person is doing both it would look lind of pricey for the Client to pay "A DJ Fee" for $1,300.00 and may balk. However with a split of the services they are seeing the two services as two separate ones.
I have a problem with some DJs adding lights just to get the Gig and only charging for the DJ service Fair Price.
To me its:
DJ - Fee
Lighting - Fee
Uplighting - Fee
Video/Projector - Fee.
 
I'm all about the lights....in fact the more the merrier. I'm fine with little lighting during the main dances of a wedding but when it's time to party...it's time to pop on the lights. I include all lighting except for the monogram gobo.
 
It is why I have shortened my footprint with gear and lighti enabling me to provide the best of both with a minimal amount of effort for set and strike, I chose my weapons to enhance this thought with the best of the best in both departments.
 
Steve LeBlanc said:
In my market, my lighting set up sets me apart from the competition...It allows m to charge twice as much as my competition.

Are they a pain? Yes.....but for me an integral part of what I offer
Click to expand...

Twice as much, great! That would be the way to go. :sqbiggrin:
 
Steve LeBlanc said:
In my market, my lighting set up sets me apart from the competition...It allows m to charge twice as much as my competition.

Are they a pain? Yes.....but for me an integral part of what I offer
Click to expand...

Man I hate my market sometimes.....


I offer a small light setup at no extra charge. I am the highest here as it is. if they want to get elaborate it goes up from there.

There is one guy here that offers a full DMX run show including lasers at no extra cost, much nicer than anything I can offer at this time. He averages $150+ less than I do per show.

That's alot of work for not much money
 
Jeff Romard said:
Man I hate my market sometimes.....


I offer a small light setup at no extra charge. I am the highest here as it is. if they want to get elaborate it goes up from there.

There is one guy here that offers a full DMX run show including lasers at no extra cost, much nicer than anything I can offer at this time. He averages $150+ less than I do per show.

That's alot of work for not much money
Click to expand...

Jeff - It's a struggle. When I sell lighting, I show how much different my show is versus the others. the addition of the disco ball was positive.

I'm contemplating a Bliss light or a couple of the ADJ H2o led's....i like the effect. I don't upsell them, but consider a percentage of the overall value of the whole show to paying of the cost of lighting...

as long as i can set up in under 90 min (2 people) and strike in less than 60 min. I'm Ok
 
Like Jon I've designed my basic lighting to be compact and easy to setup and really only adds maybe 10 minutes to my overall setup and strike time... I also include this in every package whether used or not....

I then offer an upgraded light package and small up-light package as well....

By including a basic setup in my base price I've added value to my services and very little added nuisance IMHO... besides it's all in my vehicle anyway... why not use it to my advantage and make for a better party atmosphere...
 
I don't offer any free lights. I had to pay for them and then learn how to use them to my best abilities. It takes a lot of time away from my family and patience.

Also, from my experience people don't appreciate free stuff, free stuff does not create any value because is free, there for I charge fom 200.00 to over 1000.00 just for my light show. It takes (with my friend) from 15 minutes to 2 hours for a proper setup. I'm not planning to change that, except to add more lights, create a better show and charge more.

As for not offering any lights or cut down your light show... no comments...you either grow or shrink :sqerr:
 
Maybe I should amend what I said....

Yes, I include a basic light package in with my DJ package as added value... what I did to arrive there was I took what I was charging for the DJ Fee and what I was chargeing for the Basic Light package and combined them. In a way I'm still charging for the Basic Light package but, as a marketing tool I include it into the price of the DJ package... that's where a "Percieved Value" is added.
 
Around here lighting is pretty much expected as well, now some companies will make you pay more anything beyond basic lighting. Ducky and myself include lights in our price, but we tailor the lights we bring to what the client wants/what kind of atmosphere they're going for/what the venue will accomodate. We offer our clients the following selections:

- mirror ball
- 2 pin spots (colored lens can be used)
- strobes
- blacklights
- bubble machine
- ADJ Hyperbeam
- ADJ Wave
- a barrel scanner (forget it's name off hand)
- set of 4 par 38's

We can have our full sound and our normal lighting setup (normal in red) in under 45 minutes.
 
I include the lights in my set-ups (built into the price), except for the Bliss and Gobos and up-lighting, those will cost ya extra.:sqwink:
 
anzyxx said:
Also, from my experience people don't appreciate free stuff, free stuff does not create any value because is free
Click to expand...

I agree but included can justify a higher price
 
I've always included basic lights, but I'm having second thoughts after all these years. I run the newest LED and no one really cares. No one has commented on the lights or ask for them when booking, except for one school.

I was talking to another DJ in a major city last Saturday who was playing at a wedding I was a guest at. He was in a hall which I've played in with my basic lights. He said he was in the business for almost 14 years and has never used lights and he's always booked. Also, the people that hire him never asked for lights.

I think the trend in my area is for less lights now. It's a cycle and were at a point were lights are not important. Most of the halls around here don't allow fog/haze or turn their lights down low enough for my lights to put on good show.

I'm wondering if this "big light show" is really in our mind. What we think our clients want to see. But really they don't care.

I'm thinking of dropping mine.
 
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