How To Hire A DJ (Zimbabwe)

The music on your wedding day will help set the mood for the event. It creates memories and moods that help shape how you and your guests enjoy and remember your wedding day. Here are 5 questions to ask before you hire any DJ.

How do you dress for the event?It’s amazing how many people miss this simple detail, only to regret it later. DJs often see themselves as ‘not apart of the presentation’ on the event. As a result they tend to dress in old jeans and t-shirt, even if the wedding is a very formal event. This winds up messing with the excellence and beauty and professional environment you’ve worked so hard to create for your wedding day. Be sure to communicate your expectations when you hire him. At the very least he can come in a smart shirt and trousers, and look smart.

What’s your play list?Because He’s done it before, a DJ will often have a list of favourites he pulls out for weddings. Make sure they match the style or flavour you’re after. For instance If you have your pastor and lots of children at the event, you’ll want to avoid profanity in the song list. Also, you and your new partner may have songs that have meaning for the two of you, get them on the list. A good DJ will also have great ideas for songs that you probably haven’t thought of. Work together to ensure the music adds as much as possible to the fun. Ultimately you’ll want to be sure that the music is tailoured to match the style of the event, the preferences of the married couple and the invited audience. Also you’ll want to ensure he knows the program. That way he knows which music is appropriate when and can plan accordingly. For instance, for you’re eating, you’ll want ‘background music, so as not to interrupt the flow of natuaral conversation. Then you’ll probably want more lively music when it’s party time, cut the cake time, and so on.

Do you take requests?Some don’t. If you know you or your guest may be making random requests let him know in advance. This will encorage him to bring a wide selection of music in his ‘just in case’ bag.

What equipment will you bring?Make sure he knows in advance what the venue is like. Open air, big halls or a small indoor – all these settings will usually require different equipment. Knowing this will also help him to charge you appropriately. You don’t want to pay for stuff you don’t need or pay and not get what you need. Planning is key! In some cases, you may also want him to be responsible for the microphone or any extras the Emcee may need.

Will you outsource this job or do it personally?It pays to speak to the actual DJ whose coming. That way you can be sure he knows all the above. Also, whilst the original DJ may have a good reputation, you don’t know anything about the outsourced one.

Do you drink?If you’re providing alcohol at the event, be sure you discuss your expectations before hand with the DJ. You don’t want him drunk. It’s not uncommon in Harare weddings to have a DJ completely sloshed and causing trouble amougst guests. You can avoid this by discussing it all upfront. That said, your DJ will probably perform nest if he’s also havning a good time. So it’s generally expected that he and his crew (if he has one) will be fed adequately.

Do you have references?Speak to people he’s worked with before. If he’s good, then there shouldn’t be any problem with getting references. Insist, even if you don’t end up calling them.

Do you know how to have fun!These questions are meant for planning purposes, so don’t use them to interrogate the guy. Last thing you want is to have your own DJ put off about your event. Like I said before, he’ll likely perform best when having a good time in a relaxed atmosphere.

Zimbabwe Wedding: 10 Money Saving Tips

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Are you getting married in Zimbabwe? Don’t do it without these super money saving tips. They can slash a significant amount off your wedding budget

 1) First and most obvious tip – more guests, more money, less guests, less money.

 2) Book weddings venues for off-season times. January, February, March or November. Avoid Get married on during the week rather than the weekend. If you do this, you can often negotiate much better rates with venue managers and some service providers. The reason is of course because they are less busy and therefore less fussy at these times.

 3) Plan on having lots of flowers for your wedding? Go for a clever blend of fresh (real) flowers with silk flowers. Silk flowers can save you a lot of money. Aside from the bride, no one else really needs fresh ones. Also these can sometimes be rented for the day instead of bought.

4) Save on expensive wedding cakes. Instead of doing both, a wedding cake and a dessert, serve everyone a piece of cake after the main meal. This calls for careful planning for meal times & cake cutting but it’s a huge saver. If you’re already having a separate dessert, don’t waste on an expensive cake…get a decent sized one and decorate it yourself with flowers.

5) Save on hair and makeup. Go for a person or company that will do both for you. Going to separate places will cost more.

6) Only pay for what you need. Some wedding packages from wedding planners or wedding venues will charge you for services and extras you wont use. For example, if your venue is already decorated, that limits how much décor the planner needs to do.

7) Book a venue that allows you to buy your own drinks. It will often save you a lot, even if it slightly more work.

Depending on your culture, it’s perfectly acceptable to provide one or two drinks and a cash bar for those who want more. Actually, you can provide a cash bar, even if you bought your own drinks!

9) Wedding music. A DJ is just one person, he is cheaper than a band if you hire your DJ wisely. A band of course is cheaper than multiple performers. The less people providing a service, the less you’ll spend. That goes for the number of musicians, camera men, photographers and so on.

10) Hire a good wedding planner. They often know how to maximize your budget whatever it may be. Look for someone who has experience with weddings in your budget range.

Get more More money saving tips

Tips on hiring a DJ

Top 3 Ways To Save Money On Your Wedding

Believe or not, but getting married cheaply your wedding need not be expensive. Nor does a ‘cheap wedding’ need to look and feel cheap. The number one financial strategy for weddings? Invite rich, generous people! Aside from that, there are a few less devious things you can do too.

 

Invite less people. Close family and friends. You don’t want people you hardly know at your wedding. Sometimes it works to calculate how much each guest will cost you. Invitations, food, hiring of chairs, bigger venue and so on. Once you know how much it person costs, you’re in a better position to determine who and how many you want.

 

Simplifying your menu.

A)    These days, even in Zimbabwe weddings it’s perfectly acceptable to have a cash bar after a certain number of drinks.

B)     Also when it comes to drinks, not serving alcohol will save you massively. Not only are non-alcoholic drinks a lot cheaper, but people generally have less of them!

C)    Choose a money saving yet elegant wedding theme. For instance a garden party wedding allows you to focus more on confectionery, deserts and light meals which can be a real money saver.

D)    Or if you have enough people there coming, buy in bulk. In fact, in Zimbabwe, it’s always a good idea to get your foodstuffs in South Africa or Mozambique. That alone would slash your cost in half.

E)     Buying paper plates and cups will often work out a lot cheaper than breakables. And you eliminate the risk of having to replace anything broken – which almost always happens.

F)     Finally get a real pro to do your catering for you. You want someone who understands your budget and your preferences. A good wedding planner would know how to put all these things together for you.

 

Double up as much as possible.

a)      Can you use the same venue for both the ceremony and reception? A little creativity, change of décor, good DJ and a little creativity can make it happen. Even if you don’t use the same one, you may want to consider a venue close by – especially if you have to transport a lot of people.

b)      Can your DJ also Emcee? Alternatively consider a fast-talking, camera confident friend as your emcee.

c)      Can you use the same décor elements for both ceremony and reception? A good wedding planner or décor artist can often create a very different feel with all the same elements.

d)      What else can you double up?

 

Bonus Budget Saver: Use these free printable wedding invitations.

Planning Checklist

There’s no way you can remember everything by head. That’s why we’ve

Wedding in Zimbabwe? How to hire a Wedding Planner

Getting married in Zimbabwe? Good choice! Hiring a wedding planner can be tricky when you don’t know how. Here are 7 questions to ask before you hire.

How do you structure your charges? There are three ways wedding planners charge you

a) A percentage of the total cost of wedding. Usually about 15 – 25% in Zimbabwe. If you’ve got great ideas on how to save costs on other areas, this is a good method.

b) A flat fee, regardless of specifications (within reason). For planning in advance when you don’t yet have most of the details about what you’re going for.

c) Hourly rate. If you anticipate few necessary meetings, largely because you really know exactly what you want and who you want to do it, this could be a good option for you.

How much will you charge us for the services we need? This is where the negotiation begins. Get a list from the prospective wedding planner on everything that affects your cost. This allows you to negotiate more intelligently.

What don’t you do? This is key. You don’t want something left undone because you thought the wedding planner was doing it. Be as specific as possible.

Can you help plan a wedding within our budget? Don’t try to impress your wedding planner. Be upfront about what you can and cant afford. Find out how much they can and cant do within your budget. Ask for recommendations

Do you have a preferred venues and vendors you like to work with? After years of doing this, your planner is likely to know something about who does what best and which venues best suit your budget and style.

Can you handle last minute changes and emergencies? Some can’t, yet even the best planned wedding have last minute shifts and changes. Make sure you’re dealing with some competent in thinking on their feet.

What references do you have? This is vital. No references means they’re either starting out on you (not good) or they’ve done badly in the past (also not good). Phone the references if possible. Ask for an objective view on this planners services. What could they have done better? What did they do really well?

Zimbabwe Wedding: Benefits Of A Good Wedding Planner

Planning a dream wedding day? Then you may need professional help. Mind you, not every wedding planner in Zimbabwe is any good. When you find one though, it’s like gold. Here’s what you can expect from a real pro.

wHire Right, Save Money: Zimbabwe Wedding Tips

Weddings rarely come cheap. Hiring all those people for instance, I mean you cant do it without them. Here’s how to hire right and save money at the same time.

 

1)      Transport. This is usually factored in at ridiculous rates. For example, you may be charged 50 litres of fuel by someone whose taking an ET 5km to get to you. This is usually easily solved by just getting someone to pic him up and drop him off at home when it’s all done.

 

2)      Feeding. It’s generally expected that everyone involved with the wedding gets a plate of food. That said, make sure he doesn’t feel compelled to make a plan B because you havnt communicated it. He’s plan b may affect your budget.

 

3)      Prior planning. Doing this allows you to avoid unnecessary costs. Maybe you didn’t need that extra speaker, or the third video camera, or 2 extra hours. Knowing and communicating exactly what you want or need can often greatly reduce your costs.

 

4)      Take inflation into account Like everyone else, you’ll want to plan your wedding way in advance to avoid last minute rushing. Be careful however to get a quotation that will still make sense when the day comes. Agree in advance on how you can avoid ridiculous price increases once you’ve been quoted.

 

5)      References. Very simple rule, if some one is unable or unwilling to provide references you can talk to, don’t hire them. Don’t brainstorm, just don’t.

 

6)      Plug his services. Would he be willing to reduce the cost if you allow him to distribute business cards? What if you do a special announcement for his services by the DJ or Emcee. This is usually a very valid and valuable bargaining chip for freelancers.

 

By getting a thorough breakdown of all the factors that affect your cost, you’ll know what to cut out or negotiate on. Happy hunting.