By Laura Cave, “The Knot Knows”
It may seem like a no-brainer, but one of the keys to business success is knowing your client. You might think you already know brides, and some things never change. But new brides come into the market every day with new expectations and tastes shaped by the ever-changing music, technology and social media landscape.
So what’s new with brides today? We pulled five key insights every DJ needs to know from our recently released Real Weddings Study—a look at the choices and spending habits of over 17,000 American brides who got married in 2012. Here’s what we found out!
- Today’s average bride is now 29-years-old, so couples are slightly older on average than in years past. 74% of today’s brides are college grads working full time (read: she may be planning her wedding from the office!).
- A DJ is still the most popular choice for wedding music. 75% of brides hire a DJ for their wedding, and most (63%) are professional DJ’s. The remaining 12% are family, friends, or other nonprofessionals.
- Brides spend 6-7 weeks researching DJs before they book. They begin looking for a DJ about 8 months before the wedding, and commit to one about 6.7 months before the wedding.
- Brides who married in 2012 spent 11% more on DJ services than in 2009. So spending is on the rise!
- 85% of brides own smartphones! So she’s looking for you via her phone or tablet. That means making your website and emails mobile friendly is no longer an option. Not sure if you’re mobile friendly or need help getting started? Check out our mobile checklist to find out!
Bonus! They are a mix of classics and recent hits from a variety of genres—here are the top 10 first dance songs from 2012!
- “At Last” by Etta James
- “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz
- “God Gave Me You” by Blake Shelton
- “Then” by Brad Paisley
- “Marry Me” by Train
- “You Are the Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne
- “Lucky” by Jason Mraz
- “A Thousand Years,” by Christina Perri
- “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis
- “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele
