There’s a little piece of me that feels the following true story is justice for the quality wedding suppliers (like me) who get overlooked for the sake of a few quid saved using an inferior service….
I was provisionally booked for a wedding reception for this coming Saturday (26th July) way back in November 2013. The clients were clearly not working to a tight budget as the venue is a notoriously expensive one. From the outset, we discussed everything I was to provide, and the total price for my services which they agreed in principle. I forwarded the contract but heard nothing for a month. When I followed it up at the start of this year, they insisted they still wanted me but hadn’t gotten around to filling any forms, paying deposits, etc. So I gave them another month…and still nothing. Once again they fed me the same lines about not being quite organised, and I had no reason to doubt them so I kept the date free.
By the end of May, I had received no signed contracts, no deposit, not even an email. Being quite concerned that the date would now remain empty in peak Summer season, I wrote informing them the date was no longer available to them. I received an immediate reply, strongly worded, but letting me know that they had found a ‘much better’ mobile DJ for £125 less. Unless I matched his price, they weren’t going forward with the booking. Now I’m not particularly expensive for a high class DJ, so £125 less than my originally-quoted fee didn’t leave enough to inspire confidence that they’d found someone of equal abilities. Oh well, I graciously said my farewells and re-opened the date for new clients.
Yesterday an email popped into the box with a familiar name…….the bride-to-be for this Saturday. She and her husband-to-be had witnessed their ‘much better’ mobile DJ at a local event the previous weekend…..and now she was prepared to suddenly pay me whatever I wanted to play at her reception. Unfortunately, I had already taken a booking in the interim and sadly I couldn’t help her. It’s naughty, but I did smirk a bit…..
So, I guess the moral to this story is don’t go skimping on the biggest parts of your wedding day…..cheap means exactly that. I’m not an expensive service at all, I provide value for money by using the very best technical equipment and by utilising over 25 years of fantastic experience in hosting and DJing. Ladies & Gentlemen, the following quote says it all….
