Planning for your BIG day is an exiting time in your life. If you are reading this article we guess you have already decided to get hitched… and one of the first and most important things you should do after you decide to get married is to book a venue (selecting the venue is the first step you should take before you book your key vendors such as the Toronto Wedding Disc Jockey, Photographer, Florist, Wedding Day Coordinator Etc.,)
Selecting the ideal Toronto Wedding venue that meets your exact requirements sometime can turn out be more challenging that you every anticipated… apart from the obvious such as ‘location / convenience’, ‘look and feel’, ‘food’ it is also very important to consider the service, parking availability, number of events the venue manages on a given day as well as assigning a coordinator etc.,
When it comes to the decision of hiring the vendors including the Wedding DJ; most couples tend to check with the Venue if there are any preferred or recommended vendors / DJ Services…in most cases this can be tricky as the venue staff may not have your best interest in making a recommendation of vendors.
We decided to write this article so that it will become a useful resource to engaged couples when making the decision about vendors (especially the entertainment)
In-house Sound / Lighting Systems
In the recent past some Toronto Wedding Venues have decided to add sound / lighting system to their portfolio of services and also add the DJ as part of the venue package. At the outset it looks as a convenient service offered by the venue to the couples… however; most often this decision is driven by commercial interest and not as a value addition to the Couple.
Most venues have installed sub-standard sound (which are mainly designed for background music & speeches and not geared for the dance party) & basic lighting systems. One of the important factors of having a great sound system for your event is to have sufficient ‘Bass’ for which you require sub-woofers. However, if you check, most in-house sound systems have ignored this import aspect of adding sufficient sub-woofers to their venues.
Venue Provided In-House DJ Services
Addition to the in-house sound systems, you would also notice that certain venues would offer an in-house DJ to be assigned for your event. Apart from paying a very high premium to hire these DJ’s you would be surprised to hear that majority of these in-house DJ’s are mostly inexperienced or are not specialized in Weddings. Most venue provided DJ are newcomers to the scene and are taking on a minimum wage assignments with the venues to gain experience.
Just think for a second… if you are a good DJ then what is the justification of working for the venue for minimum wage when you can start your own business since entry cost to staring a DJ service is fairly low these days!
In-house Sound System / DJ vs Hiring a Professional Mobile DJ Company
Pros (In-House PA Systems)
If the venue has invested on premium lighting & sound equipment then they would have got a custom design to suite the venue / location (Example Ceiling mounted Lighting Truss). In most cases the Venue lighting that is custom designed is superior to the equipment provided by Mobile DJ’s
Cons (In-house PA system & DJ)
Providing Music & Entertainment is not the core-business of most banquet venues in Toronto. It is common knowledge in the Toronto DJ Community that most venues are merely offering DJ & audio services as they have recognized it as an additional source of income for them and not in the best interest of the clients!
Majority of the Banquet Venues in Toronto have not installed premium audio / lighting systems that are custom designed for their banquet halls. Their main focus in installing the PA systems is mostly for pipe music which is not suitable if you want to have great dance music. Most venues either have basic sub-woofers systems or none installed which will be obvious when you start the dance party
If the Venue is providing a DJ for your event (in most cases) the DJ is either a beginner or some one who is not experience in providing professional DJ Services. He or she would most probably not have a comprehensive music collection to cater to your requests as well.
Follow the Money…..
Most of the money you pay for the PA / Lighting & DJ will be retained by the venue and the DJ who is performing for your event would only be paid a fraction of the money you pay to the venue. Therefore the DJ him / herself would most likely be less motivated to make your special day a grand success!
DJs Commitment to your Success
If the venue is providing the DJ then in most cases you would only meet the DJ a few weeks before the wedding or in most cases not meet at all. Meeting the DJ before you finalize the contract is of paramount importance. The DJ music would be the main source of entertainment for your Special Day; therefore it’s important that you meet and interview him or her upfront and ensure that you are comfortable with the assigned DJ
How about venue recommended external DJ’s / Vendors
In some cases the venue may recommend an external DJ service for you. If the Venue is recommending an external Wedding DJ Services, then in most cases it’s not for the benefit of the host or engaged couple. Most venues have a back to back financial agreement with the service providers they recommend and not based on merit!
How to avoid the pitfall of Venue provided PA system or DJs?
- Make sure you check your contract and ensure that you are not tied to a venue provided PA system or DJ
- If you are opting for the Venue provided PA system by choice then have your DJ review the sound system and make sure he or she is comfortable with what is available and to supplement the system with their own equipment
- Make sure there is a dedicated PA technician available in the banquet hall you decide to use the Venue Sound / Lighting System
- If you decide to have a DJ from then venue then make sure you interview him / her to make sure they can cater to you requirements before you sign the contract with the banquet hall. In most cases it might be too late if you interview the Toronto DJ after you sign the contract with the venue
- It’s always a safer choice to select a professional mobile DJ service which has no ties with the venue. You can always have a meeting with the DJ at the venue and make sure he / she understands your requirements, logistics etc.,
- Keep in mind that there is no Major Benefit if the DJ has performed at the venue or Not. If you meet with the Toronto Wedding DJ at the venue then he / she will agree on the floor plan and lighting set-up with you….after all most banquet halls have a standard set-up / floor plan anyways!
If you are looking for the best Professional Toronto Wedding DJ service with excellent value and very competitive pricing. Contact Us today and we will be happy to discuss your wedding music requirements to ensure your special day is fund and super memorable!
