If you want to sweep your guests off their feet, you will find a long list of brilliant entertainment options. Some options are expensive, while some others are affordable. But, as you keep adding them to your checklist, the budget keeps going up. So, you must find the sweet spot where your guests have a great time and you do not break the bank in the process.
So, let’s look at some expenses where you can save money. Let’s go!
Wedding DJs / wedding entertainment
A skilled Wedding DJ is your best choice for music on your wedding day. Good music is the life of weddings, in fact, professional DJs can offer much more than music for your special day. They can MC the night and even team up with live performers which makes for a great show.
You can also ask your DJ to add lighting enhancements such as moving heads, lasers, strobes, wash lighting / up-lighting, special effects, cold sparks, dancing on the clouds, and much more. You can almost see an epic night in the making, can’t you?
That is why you cannot scrimp on this entertainment expense.
A professional Wedding DJ should cost around $2500 +. The actual figure can vary depending upon the location and any special requests you may have. For instance, if you want the DJ to cover the wedding ceremony and the cocktail hour, the price will increase.
A good tip is to not pick the first DJ your venue offers. Shop around, and find the best Wedding DJ that fits your budget. It would be prudent to approach a DJ well in advance. Most professional DJs are booked in advance and can range anywhere from 1 to 2 years. Yes, you read it right – years!
Estimated Average Wedding DJ Cost: $2500 +
Photo booths & 360 Video Booths
Photo booths and 360o video booths have become wedding essentials and for good reason. Who doesn’t want wonderful, candid pictures and videos of their wedding day? After all, these photo booth rentals capture some of the best moments of the day.
Photo booths offer unending options in terms of backgrounds, styles, and quality of pictures. The average cost of a photo booth rental can vary from $800 to $3500. As the photo booth designs become more complex and the picture quality increases, photo booth, and 360 video booth rentals costs can easily go over $5000. Pricing also depends on vendor expertise, the location of the wedding, and the guest count.
Photo booths and 360 video booths are a sensible addition to any wedding reception. But, if you want to save, don’t order unlimited printing; book fewer hours, and get your own props. Another money saver is the background. First of all, don’t get complex backgrounds, in fact, you can completely do away with the background and use a lovely wall in the venue or your dance floor as the photo booth background.
If you have the budget, sit with your photo booth rental vendor to understand how you can judiciously use your budget to plan the best experience for your guests.
Estimated Average Cost: $800 to $5000
Events enhancements Cold Sparks, Dancing on the Clouds, CO2, and More!
Bells and whistles are a part of every wedding reception. Visually stunning elements like cold sparks, CO2 guns, and “clouds” are small details that can differentiate an upscale wedding from a weekend party. These relatively inexpensive wedding enhancement additions can level up your wedding celebrations production.
Don’t forget that these small elements will also get you stunning event photographs. Your wedding guests will leave with unforgettable moments that they’ll cherish forever.
These little things will marginally add to your entertainment budget, but they will elevate your wedding to another level and give you a lifetime’s worth of memories to cherish.
Estimated Average Cost of wedding enhancement: Variable
Live Performances / wedding entertainment
If you have ever been to a concert, you know the magic of a live performance. A wedding reception is a live performance with the couple as the star of the show. While your guests may enjoy the energy of a live band, it won’t be as thrilling as a concert.
Then comes the reality of costs. Live bands are expensive. You should be ready to shell out thousands of dollars if you plan to dance to the limited tunes of a live band. Of course, the figures may vary wildly depending on the band you book for your special day.
While a great addition to your wedding reception, a live band is an expense you can probably do without. You can replace them with a skilled Wedding DJ, who can frankly play a broader playlist; play with a drummer or another artist to incorporate that live element, and offer event enhancements like intelligent lighting to keep the dance floor thumping.
Estimated Average Cost: $4,500 to $10K
Interactive Food
You must have seen viral videos of Turkish ice cream hawkers playing with their customers with a cone and a scoop of ice cream. If you are a foodie couple, you want such interactive food at your wedding. Your other options can be a make-your-own-sundae station or build-your-own-dessert bars.
An uber exciting addition to any wedding is a food truck. It adds a different flair and flavor to an outdoor wedding. Many Bostonians have a core memory of vendors selling delicious sausages at Fenway Park and they can make that a part of their wedding day too. Many modern couples are even replacing their wedding cakes with incredibly delicious donut cakes.
Interactive food counters can be a source of great fun to guests and make your wedding quite memorable. Given the customization and effort that goes into creating interactive experiences, they are on the expensive side of wedding add-ons.
Estimated Average Cost: Variable
Honorable Mention
Event Co-ordinator or Chief-In-Entertainment
This is not exactly an entertainment expense but is certainly entertainment adjacent. Unlike the venue event coordinator, you can hire an outsourced event co-coordinator, whose primary focus will be to enhance your wedding experience. They are constantly in touch with entertainment professionals, go after small details, and stay on the job till the last dance. They manage everything including the DJ, florist, live band, caterer, baker, limo services, hotel reservations, and any other last-minute addition.
This is a worthy expense that will reduce your stress and keep your wedding on track.
Making Smart Choices Creates Memorable Weddings
There is no upper limit to what you can do on your wedding day. A more attractive, unique, and expensive entertainment option will always be available. However, as a couple, you have to prioritize your wants. Include entertainment options that your guests will thoroughly enjoy, enhance the wedding experience, and will not burn a hole in your pocket.
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