Things that make the price go up that are common at weddings: - alcohol - open bar - children - the couple doesn't expect things like "you need a sound system" - They're non-dancers and they either don't wanna dance or jump in the middle, don't know any of the etiquette, etc. - difficult dance floor (non-wood, small, edges that drop off, people spilling drinks on it, etc) - other expectations that they didn't mention that come up later - needing to be there extra early and potentially leave later - they expect you to hire the band and/or sound person / provide sound / do pre-recorded music - they have special requests - they aren't exactly sure when the dancing will be, and, honestly, dancing almost never starts exactly when they say it will
Honestly, even $250 + travel $ isn't worth is unless it's a "I show up, I do my thing, I leave" at a dry wedding where everything's ontime. (Or it's someone I know, in which case, I likely am doing it as the gift to the couple.) And I say this really enjoying non-wedding events where it's all newer dancers. There's just SO many variables at a wedding (or similar event) that make it difficult. Don't undersell yourself. A DJ is charging 3x that for less work. In dance Julian Blechner he/him Western Mass, USA. On Mon, Nov 10, 2025 at 3:13 PM Lisa Sieverts via Contra Callers < [email protected]> wrote: > For a while before COVID, there was an informal “contest” about payment > for wedding dances. > > As I remember, the high bar was someone who received $3,000 as the caller. > > Think about how much DJs and wedding bands charge. > > Having said that, for my last wedding gig, I charged $1250 which included > 2 musicians and us bringing and doing our own sound. The musicians played > for about 2 hours of post-wedding hors d’oeuvres and then we did about 90 > minutes of dancing. > > Lisa Sieverts > Nelson, NH > > On 10 Nov 2025, at 14:31, Joseph Erhard-Hudson via Contra Callers wrote: > > > While I ponder my answer, I'm curious to hear what other callers charge > for > > wedding dances. If there's a range, would you ask differently for > newly-met > > people vs. friends from your dance community vs. close friends and > family? > > What other factors would you consider? > > > _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >
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