The venue has been reserved and the caterer booked with a fabulous menu. The flowers have been ordered and the centerpieces are going to be incredible. The photographer and videographer have been booked (wow, didn't know they were so expensive). The dress has been ordered, the invitations too. Need to get a limo, how about a honeymoon in Cancun? Let's see, what else? Oh yeah, we're going to need a DJ. Gosh, we've already spent so much. Maybe we can find someone for a few hundred dollars.
More often than not, this seems to be the order of importance when planning for a reception. However, the one vendor who will have the biggest impact on your reception has been pushed to the end of the line. Here's the reality. You could have your reception at the fanciest hotel in town, serve filet mignon and lobster tail and have orchids on every table. But, if your DJ is boring, unprofessional or downright terrible, THAT is what your guests will remember. On the flip side, you could have your reception at a community center, serve chicken and potatoes and have carnations on every table. Hire a great DJ Service with an interactive and entertaining DJ/MC that throws a great party, and your guests will say it was one of the best receptions they've ever been to. People are conditioned to evaluate social situations with how well their attention is kept. Boring entertainment, long gaps in action and lack of energy will have a much more lasting impression than anything else you do at your reception.
The moral is, if you need to cut corners, that's fine. However, do it in the areas that will have the least impact on your guest's experience. Flowers, invitations and just serving beer and wine at the bar are just a few areas that money can be saved. Every bride wants to have a memorable reception. Just make sure those memories are going to be good ones. Do your research, ask questions, check references. Find the DJ that is going to have a big impact on your guests. Sure, there are plenty of DJ services in Vancouver that will do your reception for $400 or less. However, as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.
