You’re getting married and it seems like there are 800 things for you to be thinking of at once when it comes to preparing everything. There’s the venue (convention halls and other places) — whether it’s going to be the same for the ceremony and the reception or separate — clothing, food, and who could forget … the music. You should be thinking of that last one more than you might think.
That‘s because you need to look at both the person who is playing the music and the equipment they are going to need. That could lead to your needing to add an AV equipment rental to your list of costs. While some wedding DJs will include that cost in their price, there are others that will have you pay extra for that sort of equipment rental. It’s important to think about this in advance so that you don’t bump up against a certain ceiling when it comes to your budget.
What Kind of Equipment Do You Want?
Do you have a vision of having a wedding and reception with top-notch music that blares out of onstage systems or something simpler? If you want to have a truly fantastic event, you want to have the best audio-visual equipment. Also, if you’re streaming your ceremony and reception for those who aren’t able to make it, then you want to have people who are skilled at virtual events.
If you want the best equipment, then you’re going to have to expect to pay more. That means that all the equipment you get will add up. Talk to people who are knowledgeable about equipment rental and event planning and listen to what they have to say. Ultimately, you should usually think about setting aside 10-20% of what you’re going to pay your wedding DJ, but you need to keep these other things in mind.
How Big Is Your Venue?
You have to consider where you’re having the wedding. The cost of AV equipment might be higher in Las Vegas than in other parts of the country. Budget accordingly so that you can hire a DJ who can equip their station with the items that you want to produce the best sound and visuals.
This is a scenario where size matters. You don’t want to get AV equipment that will get dwarfed by a large room. On the other hand, you don’t want the equipment to overwhelm a smaller room. That would make it a memorable event for the wrong reasons.
So, if you’re going to have a wedding in a larger venue, then you’re going to need to have larger speakers. If you have an experienced DJ, they will be able to walk you through all the high-quality equipment you need and even act as de facto technical support. You’ll benefit from their years of work in this field to ensure that you make it a great time for all the attendees.
How Many Guests Are You Going to Have?
When people rent audio-visual equipment for things like corporate events, they know that these things tend to bring in hundreds, if not thousands, of guests. Weddings, for the most part, are more intimate affairs. Yes, there are some that have a lot of attendees and it depends on the budget, but it’s usually better to err on the side of a smaller number than a larger one.
Again, you want to have someone who has done amazing events in the past and has a known track record for doing this. They will be able to gauge how many people will be there and what will work for your wedding. That way, they will be able to have the best sound for the venue and allow everyone there to hear everything perfectly.
What Equipment Should You Get?
Here are the most basic types of audio-visual equipment that you should rent. They include things like speakers and subwoofers, mixers, microphones — whether they are wireless or not —, certain cables and speaker stands. These are the backbone of any good DJ setup for a wedding.
Talk with the DJ that you hire and find out what kind of equipment they need. That way, you won’t run the risk of them being unprepared when the ceremony and reception start. There are a lot of things that can possibly go wrong on your big day, and you don’t want this to be one of them. Otherwise, people are going to be talking about it for the wrong reasons.
Are You Going to Have Any Special Equipment Requests?
Are you having a basic wedding reception or are you looking to have something extra? Do you want to have a video screen to show off particular moments during your relationship? Are you going to have several people speaking which might necessitate more microphones?
Keep those special requests in mind when you’re talking to vendors. It’s good to talk to multiple companies to see about getting the best price. That way, you’ll be able to use any savings for something like your honeymoon.
Another thing is that the equipment has to be in good shape for the next event. So that means your guests can’t go too crazy during the reception. In other words, they should watch where they hold their drinks to avoid any potential spillage.
You need to see how long it takes to get the equipment. Usually, it’s one business day, but some things can come up, like acts of nature such as a hurricane.
That way, you’ll get good equipment, like microphones and other pieces. That will make your AV equipment rental worth it. Then you can focus on partying with your new spouse, your friends, and family.
