The short answer
Wedding DJ add-ons are items priced outside the base package, such as uplighting, a separate ceremony or cocktail-hour sound system, extra microphones, dance floor lighting or effects. For each one, check the quantity, what setup and removal it includes, the power it needs, and whether the venue allows it or already supplies it. Then add the lines you want to the base price to see the total.
What is in a wedding DJ package, and what is an add-on?
Start with the base package description and list what it names: reception speakers, a mixer, a wireless microphone, the performance hours. Anything not named is either an add-on or not provided. A phrase such as "full sound and lighting package" is a label; ask what equipment and quantities it contains, and have the list attached to the contract.
Then list each add-on line with its price and unit. An add-on may be priced per item, per fixture, per hour or as a flat fee. Some proposals mark items "optional" or "recommended"; decide on each one rather than accepting them as a group, and check that the proposal total includes only the ones you chose.
- Equipment named in the base package
- Performance hours in the base price
- Each add-on, its unit and price
- Lines marked optional or recommended
- Proposal total with only your choices
What is DJ uplighting, and what should the quote say?
Uplighting is a set of lights placed along walls or columns to wash them in color. Check how many fixtures the price includes, whether they are battery-powered or need outlets, whether color is fixed or can change during the evening, and whether they are placed by the DJ or another vendor. A count matters: the effect in a long room depends on how many fixtures cover it.
For example, a hypothetical quote lists uplighting at $30 per fixture with a $100 setup fee. For 16 fixtures, that is 16 x $30 = $480, plus $100, for $580. If the venue already includes uplighting, ask whether the DJ’s version adds anything, so you do not pay two vendors for the same wall.
What sound equipment do I need for a wedding ceremony?
If the ceremony or cocktail hour is in a different room or outdoors, the reception speakers may not reach it, and moving them takes time. Some DJs price a second system for these spaces. Check whether it includes a microphone for the officiant, a lapel microphone if you want vows amplified, and a person to run it while the DJ sets up the reception.
Ask how long it takes to move equipment between spaces, and match that against your timeline. For an outdoor ceremony, ask about power, weather cover for the equipment, and what happens if the ceremony moves indoors. Record each answer next to the add-on price, so the worksheet shows both what it costs and what it needs.
- Separate system or moved equipment
- Officiant and vow microphones
- Who runs sound during reception setup
- Power and weather cover outdoors
- Plan if the ceremony moves indoors
Will the venue allow haze, sparklers or special effects?
Effects such as haze, low fog, cold-spark machines, confetti or a projected monogram may be add-ons. Before you choose one, ask the venue in writing whether it is permitted, whether it can set off smoke detectors, whether a fire watch or permit is required, and whether cleanup fees apply. Venue rules decide this, and some effects need approval in advance.
Ask the DJ what the effect needs: floor space, power, a clear zone around it, and how long it runs. Ask what happens to the charge if the venue refuses it on the day. Put the venue’s answer and the DJ’s answer side by side before you sign.
How much power and setup time do DJ add-ons need?
Each powered add-on draws on the venue’s circuits. Ask the DJ for the number of outlets or dedicated circuits the full order needs, and send that to the venue to confirm. Uplighting on batteries needs no outlet but may need charging time between spaces. If the venue cannot supply the power, ask the DJ what they would change.
Add-ons also lengthen setup. For example, if a hypothetical base setup takes 60 minutes and uplighting adds 45, the DJ needs 105 minutes before guests arrive. Check that the venue’s access hours allow for it, and whether setup time counts toward the performance hours in the contract.
How do I compare DJ quotes with different add-ons?
Put the quotes in the same rows: base package, hours, each add-on, travel, overtime rate and tax if shown. Where one DJ includes an item and another prices it separately, add the separate price to that second quote so the totals compare like with like. Leave a row blank when a DJ does not offer the item, rather than entering zero.
For example, a hypothetical DJ A charges $1,800 with ceremony sound included, and DJ B charges $1,600 plus $250 for ceremony sound. With ceremony sound, DJ B is $1,600 + $250 = $1,850. The comparison changes once the add-on is counted. Ask each DJ to confirm the add-on list in writing so the totals rest on the same items.
DJ add-on worksheet
Use one row for a decision or deliverable. Keep unanswered items visible. Download the blank worksheet to open in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets.
On a small screen, swipe the worksheet sideways to see the remaining columns.
| Add-on | Quantity and unit price | Venue allows or supplies | Power and setup time | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uplighting | — | — | — | — |
| Dance floor lighting | — | — | — | — |
| Ceremony sound system | — | — | — | — |
| Cocktail hour sound | — | — | — | — |
| Extra wireless or lapel microphones | — | — | — | — |
| Monogram or projection | — | — | — | — |
| Haze, cold spark or other effects | — | — | — | — |
| Extra performance hours | — | — | — | — |
A message you can make your own
Change the wording to suit you, fill in anything in brackets and keep the questions that apply. You decide what to send and send it yourself.
Thank you for the proposal. Before we decide on add-ons, could you send a list of the equipment in the base package, with quantities? For the uplighting, how many fixtures are included and do they need outlets? For ceremony sound, does the price include microphones for the officiant and vows, and someone to run it while you set up the reception? Could you also tell us the power and setup time the full order needs, so we can confirm with the venue? Thank you.
Common questions
Do wedding DJs provide lighting?
A wedding DJ may provide lighting as part of the base package, as a priced add-on, or not at all, so read the package list rather than assuming. Check which lights are named, such as dance floor lights or uplighting, how many fixtures come with each, and whether the venue already supplies lighting you could use instead.
How much does DJ uplighting cost?
DJ uplighting cost has no single figure you can rely on, because quotes price it per fixture, per room or as a package, sometimes with a setup fee. Ask for the fixture count, the unit price and any setup line. For example, a hypothetical 12 fixtures at $25 each plus a $75 setup fee is 12 x $25 + $75 = $375.
Is uplighting from the DJ or the venue better?
Uplighting from a DJ and uplighting from a venue can each suit a wedding, so compare them on the same points. Check the fixture count, the colors, who places the lights and the price, and ask the venue whether uplighting is already included before you pay a second vendor for the same walls.
Do I need a microphone for the wedding officiant?
A microphone for the wedding officiant is worth arranging if you want guests to hear the ceremony clearly. Ask whether the DJ, the venue or the officiant provides one, whether a lapel microphone is available for the vows, and who runs the sound. Ask for a sound check before guests arrive, and write the time on your timeline.
Can I remove add-ons after signing the DJ contract?
Removing add-ons after signing a DJ contract depends on its change or reduction clause, and the DJ decides whether to allow it. Any change should appear in a revised contract or a signed addendum that lists the new total. Ask whether a deposit already paid covers the removed items, and how it is applied.
Does the DJ need the venue’s permission for a haze machine?
A haze machine needs the venue’s answer in writing before you book it from the DJ. Haze and fog can affect smoke detectors, and the venue may prohibit them, require approval, or charge a fee. Share the venue’s answer with the DJ before you sign, and ask what happens to the charge if the venue says no.
Are DJ add-ons subject to sales tax?
Sales tax on DJ add-ons depends on the state and on how each charge is described, so there is no single answer. Ask the DJ to show any tax as its own line on the proposal and invoice and to state the basis in writing. A qualified tax professional in your state can answer questions about how it applies.