How Much Does a Wedding DJ Cost in 2024? | Here's the Average Cost of a DJ for Weddings

Cheap/Budget-Friendly DJ’s (saves money, but not recommended)

Cheap DJs $300 – $400 for 4-hour weddings (or about $600 with “upgrades”). Yes, you can save money on fees or their hourly rate, but the main issue is that they are usually inexperienced and bring cheap speakers, microphones, and sound & lighting equipment (and no backup equipment or liability insurance), too. We have never heard anyone say, “we’re so happy we found the cheapest, least experienced DJ!”

Want an empty dance floor, poor sound & lighting, and a DJ who doesn’t care about fulfilling your wedding day vision? Hire these cheap DJs with no experience for your big day! The old saying “you get what you pay for, is often the case with DJ’s, too. If you want to have a great, memorable time, skip the lowest price DJs.

Part-Time/Hobbyist Wedding DJs (may work for a wedding – costs range)

Part-time wedding DJs can be a great choice if you’re on a budget and want to lower costs. Their budget-friendly rates are usually around $400 – $800 (or around $1200 with upgrades) for a 4 or 5-hour wedding or event. These DJs offer more audio equipment and lighting options, and usually have more experience than the cheap guys! Be sure to check their recent reviews and photos, and always ask for a contract.

Full-Time Professional DJs (perfect for a wedding – pricing rates vary)

In general, the national average DJ and emcee cost is around $1500 – $3500+ for a true, professional wedding DJ and Master of Ceremonies. Full time DJs are truly masters of their craft. You should be able to hire these DJs for their expertise. These pros know exactly what to do to make sure you have an amazing time at your wedding!

They’ll work seamlessly with all of your wedding vendors to make sure everything from the first dance to the last song of the night goes exactly the way you want it to!

What you will pay for wedding DJ packages will depend on your needs. Hiring a DJ for just the wedding ceremony music is going to be less than hiring a DJ for the ceremony and reception, since you’ll likely need 2 sound systems. If you also want additional options, like lighting/uplighting for the venue, monogram lighting, lawn games, lighted marquee letters, custom first dance mix, cocktail hour music, special effects, etc., adding these items will increase the cost for your wedding entertainment.

Our price quote depends on the customer’s needs, location, date, wedding venue size, number of guests (or crowd size), type of sound system we need to bring (for the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception), wedding reception lighting needs, etc. (Overall, our DJ price ranges from $795 – $3995, depending on your needs, and additional services like a lighting package, a photo booth, additional equipment, travel expenses, etc. Most clients spend about $2300).

Can You Haggle With Wedding DJ’s for Your Wedding?

Yes, you can certainly ask about discounts. You never know, you just may get a better deal. Depending on your event details, your vendors may be flexible with pricing and additional charges, so yes, you can certainly try!

Many couples who begin planning their wedding get overwhelmed with the wedding planning process and are often surprised at the costs. A couple may consider cutting unnecessary expenses, and may wonder if it is worth having a DJ at their wedding. Our unbiased answer is, it depends. Let’s discuss this further.

Is it Okay to Not Have a DJ at a Wedding?

If you want to take on the task of making sure things go according to plan (if you don’t have a wedding planner or coordinator), making announcements for guests to keep them informed about things, and just having background basic wedding music, then sure, it is completely okay. If dancing isn’t your focus, and you just want a backyard BBQ vibe, you really don’t need a DJ.

If you want a fun dance party, a DJ/MC who will make announcements about what’s happening throughout the wedding, a variety of music that all of your friends and family will love and enjoy, sound for your ceremony and reception, lighting services, etc., then it’s hard to have this without having a wedding DJ.

When couples consider cutting costs, they may look for disadvantages of hiring a wedding DJ. Some disadvantages could be that the cost is expensive, the DJ may not be the right fit for your musical taste, the DJ may not have experience with weddings, or that he/she/they may be new and may not be able to handle the pressure of making sure everything goes exactly as you want it to. Weddings are a lot of work, so you definitely want a DJ who is very experienced to ensure everything goes just the way you want it to!

Is it Cheaper to Have a Band or a DJ?

Lastly, you may be wondering if it is cheaper to have a wedding band or a DJ. The simple answer is usually, it’s cheaper to hire a DJ. Bands are often more expensive because they have higher operational costs – there are multiple members involved that will be getting paid, which increases the band cost.

The main issue with bands is that you often may not be able to create your own wedding playlist, or make song requests on the spot, since you have to choose songs and play music from their catalog. You may also need a separate MC to do announcements such as introducing the wedding party and announcing other key moments.

There are some DJs who charge just as much as a live band, but they usually include a lot more upgrades, such as photo booth rentals, dancefloor lighting, etc., and cover the entire wedding day, which means you’ll get more for your money versus a band. Read our article on a Band vs DJ for more info!