When speaking to a supplier, has anyone else "forgot to mention" that it's for a wedding??

Great tactic! As a Buyer by profession I'm open for any negotiating technique going :-)

Good work! :-D

I think you are very clever lol ! I was going to have my dress made but thought it would be too expensive so bought one. Went back to the dressmaker for the bridesmaids and she had an almost identical dress for an adult bridesmaid for a quarter of the price ! Make it in white and add a small train and the cost shoots !!!!!!!!!

I wont say who, but one popular wedding band quoted £400 for two 45 minute sets, but then it shot up to £700 (yes, thats a whopping £300 increase) when I mentioned that it was for my wedding day.

I'm waiting for a HIB to tell me what they think!!

Doesn't apply to me as my prices are the same whether it is a wedding or just a party. Same job, decorating a venue is decorating a venue!

I also think it's disgusting that they charge more for weddings personally I wouldn't tell them it's for a party only because I would be too worried about them not playing on the day or demanding more money! x

Well thats how I feel Sherrie, I am a makeup artist and charge for my time rather than for the event. I would have thought everyone was the same, but apparently not!

The only time my price changes is when I do my Charity work and then money doesn't come into it, it is free.

You are doing the same job and I can't understand the difference in price, same venue, same materials etc.

Completely acceptable not to mention the W word. The minute you do suppliers seem to double their prices even if they're offering the same service as any other party.

I was quoted £250 from a limo company for a 'prom' service (pick up, 30 minute ride, drop off) and it went up to £395 for exactly the same for a wedding.

My wedding day rate is exactly the same as my commercial day rate

the effort before, during and after is much higher.. that doesn't mean I rip my commercial customers off, in fact I am well priced in the market. It means our wedding customers get extraordinary value and effort for the money

Oooooo, now this is a difficult one! But I don't think you should stop...

In a studio you get multiple chances to get the perfect shot, at a Wedding you don't. You have to get every single shot timed perfectly with people who aren't used to having their photo taken... In studio you'll be working with a model or people that understand they'll be having their picture taken, at a Wedding you'll be photographing guests that don't want their picture taken (AND have to make them look good!)

I'd like hear the argument a limo driver or band would make to justify their rates though!

It's not something I would do with a photographer, I appreciate that there are special circumstances when taking photos, the same probably stands for hairdressers and makeup but I have no idea how it is different for a band. I'm not asking for any special services, they do the same setting up and lighting as they would any other function, play the same songs, its just that someone in the room is wearing a big white dress.

I'm pleased that no one thinks this is terrible, I feel a bit less guilty now!!

Although we dont charge different amoutns for Weddings i can understand why some entertainment companies do.

There is a lot more pre work involved with a wedding that a "normal" party. multiple client meetings, sourcing particular music. Endless calls and emails which all make the service offered more tailered for your day. Also if you do not tell the person booking that its a Wedidng then they may not ask key points about your wedding day how is a DJ or band supposed to have your first dance if you have not told them its a Wedding.

With something like a 40th its usually a case of we want to book........ see you on the night. But with a Wedding people pay more attention to detail and this involves more time and work from a suppliers side

For Instance today i was at a client meeting for 2 1/2 hours i cant ever remeber doing a client meeting for anything other that a wedding unless they have themes or with lots of our additional services.

I say again that i do not like the idea of charging more for a weddings, and its something we have never done but i can honestley tell you that there is twice if not 3 times as much work involved in wedding service preperation than almost any other type of event.

When I've discussed my first dance with those companies to whom i've disclosed the truth, i've been told to give the DJ a cd on the day. One DJ told me that if I had an iPod I could create a playlist to play through his equipment which would have been a lovely. laid back night for him. I've not been on the phone for longer than ten minutes to anyone. Everyone has basically asked where and when, told us prices and stressed the urgency of a deposit, then told me not to worry about it, an email ahead of schedule with a list of special requests will do.

As for bands.....I don't see how having to co-ordinate a first dance (playing a song already in the bands repertoire, hence why I chose them) can cost me £300 more than their standard package?

In my line of work, there is a hell of a lot of stress on a wedding morning and I constantly take calls from brides, mothers and bm's in the lead up to the big day but that doesn't mean I charge more for what I do. I'm still doing the same thing and, unfortunately, if I don't like the hassle I shouldn't be doing it.

Every wedding is completley different, so each needs to be tailored to the bride and grooms needs.

We may do things differentley to everyone else but they might be the reason we get so much repeat busssiness. Couples are assured that everything will be fine and we know everything that is going on in a day we know a large number of the guests names, w get to knwo the bride and groom, and also the staff at venues which playsa big part in what we do. We work along side all of the other suppliers and try to speak with them before hand. There is no point in us turning up with a large disco only to find that the band have taken up all but a 4' square are which is left for us.

As there tends to be a lot more happening on a wedding day there is more to get prepared for on our side.

As is i said before we do not charge any more for weddings becuase its what we prodimantlet do, but i can see why other companies do charge more if they offer the kind of service that we do.

Also if your DJ wants you to supply an Ipod with your music you might as well have a jukebox or just hire the equipment and plug your Ipod in yourself.

As stated in a previous thread you are paying for the expereince of a proffesional. Weather it be a photographer, DJ or band. They taken there years of knowledge and make your day special, if they dont have all the information that they need it could not only ruin your day but also make them look unprepared.

I knwo that Sandy spends a huge amount of time on the prep work for her functions, probabley even more than we do. But that is why she has such a good reputation becuase people get to know her and the love the service that she provides.

Oh I have no objection to paying more if I'm getting a different service - studio photography is completely different to weddings. But for someone to hike their prices just because you mention 'wedding' and they're providing the same service elsewhere for a lower price is a bit off. I wholeheartedly agree that sometimes it's better to say it's just a party.

I charge almost twice as much for a wedding as i do a party....and i don't mind putting my head above the parapit to say so because I definitely do more than twice as much work for it.

If you want a run of the mill ordinary disco for the biggest day of your life.....well thats fine. I must admit, my brides want more than that.....and they get more too.

Sandy - what more do you do??!

This is an interesting one....I definitely think that photography is on it's own in being quite justified in charging more for weddings but struggle to see how other suppliers can justify it! I make cakes as a side business and charge for my time and supplies...so a cake I did for a 60th birthday recently cost more than a wedding cake I did as it required more work!

I certainly won't be telling the florist that the flowers I am ordering are for my wedding (I am ordering the flowers and we are doing the bouquest and displays ourselves). I know that 'wedding grade' flowers are different, but we have practised with just bog-standard flowers from Interflora and they have been more than fine.

I think charging more just because it is a wedding is right up there with inflating prices just because you think someone is wealthy!

I found it really frustrating that everything cost more if the W word is mentioned... I had heard that a lady went into a bakery to quote for a wedding cake and was quoted £600 for a plain white iced wedding cake and £300 for a plain white iced christening cake... it was exactly the same cake!!!!

I can understand that certain suppliers will need to know that it is a wedding and their services are adapted accordingly - photographers, videographers etc.but there are others that really have no excuse.

I found myself not using the word wedding when googling for certain items like shoes, centrepieces etc... I became a lot better at finding the bargains!

If you are concered why a supplier is charging more becuase its a wedding then ask them.

If they are an honest supplier they will be able to justify the increase in price. If they are not an honest supplier and just say "because its a wedding" then you know to look elsewhere.

This could be long....so best get a cuppa.......

Basically, my service is more than just a DJ....its an entertainment service designed to make your wedding reception totally different from anyone elses, personal to you and ensure that you and every single one of your guests has a totally enjoyable experience (whether they like discos or not!)

To achieve this, it involves meeting with the couple, sometimes more than once. From the moment someone enquires with me they get my undivided attention. I travel to them...even if its a 50 mile journey, and i'll do it as many times as they want.

At the meeting I discuss more than the first dance and the music they want. I find out how they met and proposed....in fact, the more i find out about them the more i can personalise their evening and make it special. I also find out as much as i can about their family and guests. I take note of any guests celebrating a birthday or anniversary and the bride usually gives me a song they want playing for them. I find out if anyone has a party piece that they want including.My wedding last week, they had a guest that does a funny rendition of Elvis, so I brought along my elvis costume and he sang to the bride and had all the guests in stitches (a classic moment that wouldn't have been included or even thought of had i not had an indepth meeting with them). I find out their personalities too. My groom for next week is terribly shy.... something i wouldn't have picked up on had i not met them because the bride had done all the organising. I will make doubly sure that he is not put in any position that would make him feel awkward. I also find out the 'do not do' things..... like 'don't let my step dad get hold of the mic or he'll make a fool of himself'..... or don't let the children dictate the music as it won't be suitable for the majority of guests. I find out if any guests are coming from afar and possibly play a song for them, make them feel welcome.

I also offer ceremony and wedding breakfast service. Even if a couple doesn't book me for those, i will still spend time helping them and advising them.

If a couple say they want to include quirky things...I'll offer suggestions....I've attended so many weddings, i'm bursting with ideas ... and we'll plan some interesting additions for the night. Probably the funniest was the groom riding onto the dance floor on a bicycle as an 'officer and a gentleman' complete with the uniform, and serenading his new wife. I organised all that!

If i'm not familiar with a venue, I do a site visit. Even if i do know a venue well, i still phone up and speak to the function manager for that wedding discussing the arrangements. If the left hand knows what the right is doing, you'd be amazed how much better everything flows.

Preparation is key....and some weddings can take me two or three days to prepare for. For the first dance I often have brides that can't decide between two songs....so i do a special mix for them, emailing several times until i get it exactly how they want it. I've had some where the bride wants the middle instrumental taken out of the song, or a verse repeated. This can take the best part of a day to do, get right, email off to the bride, make adjustments and email it through again. I've also done special mixes for other parts of the evening. I source any music that the bride wants...even if its really obscure. I had one bride that had heard a tune on youtube and desperately wanted it. It wasn't available so i actually got in touch with the artist in America and got it directly off him...its all part of the service. Preparing the music can take several hours of prep time. All special dances are backed up on a separate music source. There is no margin for error with a wedding. The day is too special to wing it on any element. Prep also includes checking all my equipment and the back up equipment.

On the day i arrive mega early. Once set up, i greet and meet guests, getting to know names and identifying the guests that the B&G had told me about. I make guests feel comfortable and included. I liaise with my couple to ensure that everything is exactly how they want it and to put their mind at rest. I do a lot more than DJ. I liaise with the staff, tog, videographer etc....its all behind the scenes and noone is aware of half of what i do but its these small things that go to make a seamless reception. If i'm doing something during the evening, or there's something special happening for the first dance or the entrance of the B&G, i make sure that the tog and videographer are aware so that they get the best angle....and the end result is an amazing picture for the B&G to treasure.

If there is other entertainment arranged for the evening such as Irish dancers or a band etc, I liaise with them before hand to make arrangements with equipment, lighting and timings. For example, a swing singer was organised for an hour during the evening, instead of him having to disrupt the evening by putting in his own equipment i arranged with him that he would walk in and plumb his mic straight into my mixer and i would play his music for him and provide the lighting. The result was that the evening didn't lose any momentum and the organisation was flawless....it all takes time and effort to arrange.I invariably provide the lighting for bands to cut down on the equipment they have to put in and the disruption it causes. At one wedding i had a famous after dinner speaker. By contacting him and liaising with him, i got his theme tune and he walked into it. I knew exactly what he was going to be doing and was able to punctuate parts of his speach with musical excertps......it resulted in a magical performance, far more interesting than him just speaking (he was writer and producer for a famous TV series so the music was from the programme).

Having got to know my couple so well, i include little things during the evening to create those special moments. I'm doing a wedding later this year for a bride who attended her sisters wedding two years ago. Her remit to me was 'make my wedding reception as special to me as you did for my sister'. This doesn't happen by accident. It takes a lot of time, effort and dedication. Thats why my first ten weddings this year are all from people that either attended one of my weddings as a guest, or knew someone that did....referrals!

Having had years of experience of weddings (all my bookings this year are weddings!) I understand what is important, I not only have a wealth of advice, i have the experience to deal with almost any situation that arrises. For example, the poor bride that started throwing up just before her first dance. I found her in the loo in floods of tears, got her to a room in the hotel where the staff took care of her, and then took care of the evening getting everyone up for some ceilidh so that they were blissfully unaware that anything was wrong.

During the evening I take photos. These then get edited and put in a gallery for the bride and groom to share with their guests. The editing can take up to 3 or 4 hours for me to upload a gallery of 30 or more piccies. This isn't charged, its all part of the service. In fact, I don't charge any extra for the little things that i do....its all part of the service, even if your timings are a little off and i end up providing 5 hours of music instead of 4.... its all part of the no stress no hassle service that you are paying for.

I could go on, as the list is endless, and obviously its different for each wedding. For example I've got a wedding in September where i've offered to organise getting guests on the coach to travel from the ceremony to the reception. If there is something i can do that will put my brides mind at rest and make her day stress and worry free.... i will. You get what you pay for and wedding entertainment is no different.

For a party i have a quick telephone conversation, turn up, set up, play for allotted time and thats it......hence the difference in price for a party and a wedding. Unfortunately, a lot of what I do is behind the scenes. The bride is often aware of the effort I've made, but guests just see me turn up, perform and go home again. What they don't realise when they are raving about so and sos wedding weeks afterwards is the amount of time that has gone into it to make it like that.

I'm sure i've missed some bits, but that will give you a little insight into why specialist wedding DJs do charge more than a general DJ doing a party.

Sandy - your service sounds like an absolute gem.

My OH works with a fella thats in a band from GH entertainment so we got sorted with them as soon as we set our date. Weve seen them play a few times & are doing us 'mates rates'.

Apologies for this, but I had never heard of yourself - but that all sounds absolutely wonderful.

Sandy - Ah I see, you offer far more than just DJ services!!

Me - I just want a bloke who'll turn up and play music we like! Some DJs I contacted made me cringe a bit with all their suggestions for what to do in the evening!

Interesting to see how this thread has turned out!

I totally understand after reading some HIBs opinions why someone might charge more for a wedding, but i'm not convinced that any of the suppliers I spoke to where prepared to put in even half of the effort that Sandy does, I actually just feel like they were trying to rip me off. So i'm going to continue "forgetting to mention" that i'm querying a wedding service and see where I get.

I've eventually booked a DJ based on his extensive knowledge of music. I dont really want him to do anything on the night other than turn up and play, we will be providing him with a playlist based on guests requests ahead of the day, so that should give him a good idea of what we all enjoy.