Feature | Dude Walker https://dudewalker.org Wedding DJ Near Me Sun, 04 Nov 2018 13:36:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 Wedding Cost Checklist https://dudewalker.org/average-wedding-cost-and-wedding-budget-checklist-calculator/ https://dudewalker.org/average-wedding-cost-and-wedding-budget-checklist-calculator/#comments Wed, 06 Dec 2017 16:19:53 +0000 http://dudewalker.org/?p=17982 Being frugal doesn’t mean you have to be cheap. It simply means that your budget and priorities need to compliment each other.

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]]> Wedding Budget Crossword

Not long after the excitement of the proposal takes place the sobering question of reality sinks in – “how much does a wedding cost”? (read more…)

The real cost of a wedding is always based on the desired services and anticipated guest count.

Being frugal doesn’t mean you have to be cheap. It simply means that your budget and priorities need to compliment each other to offer you and your guests a party that can be enjoyed.

Adopt a “less is more” philosophy! Rather than hiring 20 things that fail, hire 10 things that really stand out. Many Brides and Grooms get lost in a wedding that is cluttered. Take time, enjoy your guests and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Two simple ways to enjoy your special day and control the costs of your wedding is to:

1: maintain control over your guest list.
2: focus on quality and experience, rather than the lowest price and inferior quality.

How To Properly Build Your Guest list:

Wedding Budget Checklist

Click to Access Budget Calculator

1st: Family

2nd: Friends

3rd: Co-Workers

4th: Acquaintances (if budget and space allows)

Use this simple and handy wedding checklist budget calculator to reference wedding costs and stay on top and in control of your wedding budget.

These forms require Adobe Reader:
Download Free Adobe Reader


Click HERE TO DOWNLOAD
2018 Average Wedding Cost and Wedding Budget Checklist Calculator

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]]> https://dudewalker.org/average-wedding-cost-and-wedding-budget-checklist-calculator/feed/ 1 How Much Do You Charge? https://dudewalker.org/how-much-do-you-charge/ https://dudewalker.org/how-much-do-you-charge/#comments Sun, 01 Oct 2017 09:11:11 +0000 http://dudewalker.org/?p=786 Investing a little bit of time and asking your potential vendors the right questions and basing your decisions on the things that truly matter will go a long way in assuring you that WOW wedding most couples dream of!

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]]> How Much Do You Charge

How Much Do You Charge

How Much Do You Charge?
By Dude Walker

How Much Do You Charge? Perhaps the 5 most dangerous words you can ask any vendor as your initial question, especially entertainment. Date availability, areas of expertise and event length can play a significant role in determining the investment.

How Much Do You Charge has become the question that traps many of those planning a wedding, and setting them up for buyer’s remorse after the hysteria around the wedding subsides. Planning your wedding today is fraught with seemingly endless options. You may find yourself long on want, but short on means. Finding qualified and experienced wedding vendors is very important and needs to be a priority when starting your wedding planning process. There are few areas of your reception that are as important as entertainment, being as music is absolutely vital to the overall success of your reception.

There are some very simple steps that you can take to help turn the wedding bell whoa and woes into WOW’s.

Step 1: Put yourself into the right frame of mind. When it comes to quality, it can’t be the best if it’s cheaper than the rest. No matter how long you polish a penny you can’t turn it into gold.

 

Step 2: Set two budgets.

Budget #1: The Ballpark Budget: Generally speaking around 30% of the bride and groom’s total annual income or around $100 per guest.

Budget #2: The Commitment Budget: Generally speaking your comfort zone. Pick an amount within reason, in reference to your ballpark budget, that you and your fiance can feel good about as you plan your special day. Don’t be scared, but be cautious about exceeding your commitment budget.

 

Step 3: Get your priorities straight. Prioritize your wedding plans by importance. If a wedding dance is not a number one priority to you, go without and consider using that portion of your wedding budget elsewhere. However, if you recognize that entertainment is the lifeblood of your reception, consider prioritizing your budget to reflect your needs. Keep in mind that a hasty decision to hire an under-qualified low priced mobile DJ, in reality, ends up costing you more when they fail to connect with your guests and your guests end up wandering off or leaving early.

 

Step 4: Set up a separate account for your wedding. It will help you keep an eye on costs and assure you that you only use those funds for your wedding purchases.

 

Step 5: Choose your wedding date and reserve your church or reception site immediately. Wedding costs can vary greatly depending on the time of year they occur.

 

Step 6: Get control of your guest list. Build a guest list of family and friends that are closest to you and work your way out to your outer circle friends and co-workers who might not make the guest list cut if cutbacks need to be made. Keep a close eye on your commitment budget. Difficult as it may be, you may find it necessary to trim the guest list or go without to stay on budget. Sacrificing quality for quantity is one of the quickest ways to experience wedding buyer’s remorse.

 

Step 7: Choose wedding entertainment wisely. Make your entertainment selection based on experience and talent first, price second. Be wary of false testimonials and credentials. The wedding industry is filled with impostors that are long on promise and short on delivery. Don’t hire entertainment that is not fully insured and registered with the secretary of state. Insist on meeting in person to interview potential entertainment and require that you get everything in writing.

 

Step 8: Know what you want and why. Wedding vendors want your business, however, there are real costs involved in making your dreams come true. There’s nothing wrong with asking to scale back the services offered by the wedding vendor you want if those services don’t fit you or your wedding day. However, not asking guarantees you’ll make the wrong choice by focusing on price associated with things you don’t want or need.

 

Step 9: Avoid the iPod, iPad, personal laptop or MP3 Player! There has been a recent trend among today’s couples to load an iPod, iPad, personal laptop or MP3 Player with songs and let that be their wedding entertainment. One thing most of them forget until they are in the midst of a failing DIY reception, is that the entertainer, not the equipment, can make or break your wedding reception. Qualified mobile DJs know that there is little margin for error when reading a room, crowd and dance floor. An iPod, iPad, personal laptop or MP3 Player completely ignores the essence of drawing upon experience of knowing what to play and when to play it to keep your dance floor alive. If your reception is a back yard barbecue without any desires for dancing, then maybe an iPod, iPad, personal laptop or MP3 Player would be for you. But, very few have looked back on the DIY route as a good decision for their reception.

 

Step 10: Avoid the friend, friend of a friend, college buddy, roommate, co-worker or relative that thinks they can DJ! Music is subjective, people are judgmental. Trying to save money this way can lead to hard feelings and resentments that can last years, if not a lifetime.

 

Investing a little bit of time and asking your potential vendors the right questions and basing your decisions on the things that truly matter will go a long way in assuring you that WOW wedding most couples dream of!

 

Dude Walker can be reached at :   dudewalker@dudewalker.org

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]]> https://dudewalker.org/how-much-do-you-charge/feed/ 4 Wedding Ceremony Music Resource https://dudewalker.org/wedding-ceremony-music-resource/ Sat, 14 Jan 2017 17:50:04 +0000 http://dudewalker.org/?p=15056 Wedding Ceremony Music has changed over the years. Selections can range from Traditional to Contemporary and can include songs that represent you and your personality. However, it is always important to check with your church or officiant to clarify, and be respectful, of any rules about wedding songs used during your ceremony.Generally speaking wedding song […]

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]]> Outdoor Wedding Ceremony

Wedding Ceremony Music has changed over the years. Selections can range from Traditional to Contemporary and can include songs that represent you and your personality. However, it is always important to check with your church or officiant to clarify, and be respectful, of any rules about wedding songs used during your ceremony.Generally speaking wedding song suggestions can be broken into 5 areas.


Prelude
Processional
Interlude (i.e. Vows – Exchange of Ring)
Unity Candle – Sand Ceremony
Recessional

Choosing your selections doesn’t have to be overwhelming, but there are siginifcant options available to wedding planners. Finding a song that is appropriate for you and your fiance’ could be something deep and meaningful…or flirty and fun. Set aside some time to discuss your options, but remember, it is about your love together…not the songs you choose.


Wedding Ceremony Prelude Song Suggestions:
    Show Me the Wedding Ceremony Prelude Song List »

Wedding Ceremony Processional Song Suggestions:
    Show Me the Wedding Ceremony Processional Song List »

Wedding Ceremony Interlude Song Suggestions:
    Show Me the Wedding Ceremony Interlude Song List »

Wedding Ceremony Unity Candle and Sand Ceremony Song Suggestions:
    Show Me the Wedding Ceremony Unity Candle & Sand Ceremony Song List »

Wedding Ceremony Recessional Song Suggestions:
    Show Me the Wedding Ceremony Recessional Song List »


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]]> Music Charts and Hit Lists https://dudewalker.org/music-charts-and-hit-lists/ https://dudewalker.org/music-charts-and-hit-lists/#respond Sat, 01 Sep 2012 14:51:05 +0000 http://dudewalker.org/?p=16227 Find New Music: Top Music Charts and Song Lists Keep up with New Music Chart Topping Hits and Todays Popular Song List Selections Covering Top 20, Top 30, Top 40, Top 50 Charts, Alternative, Country, CHR, Dance, Pop, Rock & Urban.

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]]> Find More Music Hits in our DJ Jukebox

Click Here for More Great Music Hits

RADIO AIRPLAY CHARTS

Top Music Charts and Song Lists
Keep up with New Music Chart Topping Hits
and Todays Popular Song List Selections

Covering Top 20, Top 30, Top 40, Top 50 Charts

Alternative, Country, CHR, Dance, Pop, Rock & Urban

Music Resources for your
Wedding, Annivesary, Birthday, School,
Corporate or Private Event.

Find the Best New Music Releases by Genre and Create Personalized
Favorite Music Lists for Your Ipod or MP3 Player

Select chart week to view song charts

Top Music Charts Week of: December 30th, 2012
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Top Music Charts Week of: December 9th, 2012
Top Music Charts Week of: December 2nd, 2012

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Top Music Charts Week of: December 25th, 2011
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Top Music Charts Week of: October 23rd, 2011
Top Music Charts Week of: October 16th, 2011
Top Music Charts Week of: October 9th, 2011
Top Music Charts Week of: October 2nd, 2011

Top Music Charts Week of: September 25th, 2011
Top Music Charts Week of: September 18th, 2011
Top Music Charts Week of: September 11th, 2011
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Top Music Charts Week of: December 26th, 2010
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Top Music Charts Week of: November 29, 2010

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]]> https://dudewalker.org/music-charts-and-hit-lists/feed/ 0 Am I being taken advantage of? https://dudewalker.org/am-i-being-taken-advantage-of/ Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:42:23 +0000 http://dudewalker.org/?p=16051 Am I being taken advantage of…? Hint: “Don’t pay their high prices, all you’re paying for is the name”… This is a common ploy used by low priced inferior DJ services to feign the appearance that they care about you and your finances. In reality, it’s just a powerplay gimmick for your wallet and they […]

The post Am I being taken advantage of? first appeared on Dude Walker.

]]> Low Priced DJ Greed = Quantity over Quality

Am I being taken advantage of…?

Hint: “Don’t pay their high prices, all you’re paying for is the name”…

This is a common ploy used by low priced inferior DJ services to feign the appearance that they care about you and your finances.

In reality, it’s just a powerplay gimmick for your wallet and they want your dollars.

There is a misconception among many Disc Jockeys that “quantity” of events is better than “quality” of events. That quantity versus quality mentality that fills the DJ calendar and places mediocre DJs center-stage and unwitting wedding couples as the training ground for inexperienced DJs.

Yet nearly all brides want personal customer service to ensure their wants and needs are met satisfactorily.

Imagine a brides horror if the stitching on her wedding dress started to unravel during the wedding or reception.

The challenge is finding a DJ that doesn’t “unravel”, with the experience to go the distance. This will take time to research and an adequate entertainment budget.

-NOTE-

Brides and Grooms that care about their wedding reception and guests begin selecting entertainment 9-18 months prior to their event.

 
Generally speaking, people aspire for more…not less, in how they earn their living. Yet, there are DJ companies that will go out of their way to prove, by admission in pricing, why they are worth less.

Best defense question to avoid Wedding DJ disappointment:

“Why would someone charge the least..,  for what they are supposed to be best at?”

 

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