27/05/2025
Making Informed Vendor Choices for Your Wedding: Why It Matters
With the cost of weddings constantly rising, it’s never been more important to ensure you’re getting true value for every dollar spent. Too often, couples feel pressured into purchasing add-ons or bundled services simply because a vendor pitched it first — not because it was the best fit. As someone who’s been in this industry for over 27 years, I want to share a few insights to help couples make confident, informed decisions.
I’ve performed at over 2900 events across Perth and beyond — weddings, parties, corporate functions, you name it. Along the way, I’ve seen a lot of trends come and go. One of the more recent ones is the “multi-service vendor” — providers offering more than one role on the day. For example:
• Musicians who also DJ later in the night
• Celebrants who offer MC services
• DJs who provide photobooths, sparklers, and even content creation
• Photographers offering videography or vice versa
While bundling services can seem convenient, it’s worth asking: is it the best option for your day?
Celebrants as MCs
Recently, I’ve worked several weddings where celebrants were also hired as the evening’s MC. While this might seem like a natural extension of their role, the MC’s job is very different from conducting a ceremony. Keeping the night flowing, reading the room, working with the DJ, venue staff and photographers — it takes more than a warm voice and a good speech. And unfortunately, I’ve seen this go poorly more than once.
Also, many celebrants charge upwards of $1,000 for MC duties that span just a few short announcements. They often use the DJ’s sound gear (which you’ve already paid for), and don’t always bring anything additional to the table — except another invoice.
Musicians as DJs
Live music during a ceremony or canapés can be absolutely stunning — and there are many incredible musicians I’d happily recommend. But being a great ceremony performer doesn’t always translate to running a high-energy dance floor. DJing requires different gear, different timing, and a completely different skillset. Before committing to a musician who also DJs, ask:
• What kind of sound system and lighting do they use at night?
• Are they using professional equipment or a basic setup from a retail store?
• Do they know how to build and maintain the right vibe for a dance floor?
You deserve to know exactly what you’re paying for — and whether they have the right tools and experience for both roles.
DJs as Content Creators
It’s become trendy for DJs to also offer “content creation” — taking photos or videos during your event. But it’s important to ask: are they using professional equipment? Are they trained in photography or videography? And are they focusing on your guests and music, or on capturing clips to market themselves later?
The main question should always be: is this about enhancing your experience, or about the vendor building their brand?
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So, what’s the point of all this?
I’m not here to tear others down — I’m here to help you make the best decisions for your wedding. I’ve been around long enough to see how quickly trends come and go. My advice:
• Take time to research each vendor and their core strengths
• Compare what’s being offered with what you truly need
• Don’t assume a bundled service is automatically better value
• Ask how each part of the day will be delivered, and with what gear
Weddings are a big investment, and you deserve to know that every person you’re hiring is there to bring their best — not just stretch their services for more income.
If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading — and I hope this helps someone out there avoid overpaying for something they don’t really need.
