Our DJ Booth Just Got a Major Upgrade — Here's What Changed (and What It Means for Your Budget)
If you toured La Fête in the last year, you've seen our DIY DJ booth. It's always been one of our most-used features — built-in iPad, Spotify and Apple Music hookup, a dance lighting system, no MC fee required. But we just put real money into making it better, and we wanted to walk you through exactly what's new and why it matters for your wedding budget.
What's New
A built-in wired microphone. We've always had wireless JBL mics available for toasts and speeches, and those are still there if you want someone to move freely around the room. But now there's also a wired mic built right into the booth — no charging, no pairing, no worrying about where it ended up between toasts. It just stays put and works. Use the wired mic for a simple, no-fuss setup, or grab a wireless JBL if your toast-giver wants to walk around. It’s about options.
Two massive new Alto speakers, mounted at eye level. This is the upgrade most couples will actually feel. Sound that's aimed at your dance floor from multiple directions - the Bass hits where it should. Vocals stay clear even when 150 people are talking and dancing at the same time. You don't need a professional system to fill the room — you need the right speakers in the right place, and that's what we built.
Updated dance lighting. The lighting that syncs with your party vibe and now more of it. It's still simple to run — no lighting tech required on your end — but it now does a lot more to set the mood once dinner wraps and the dance floor opens up.
None of this requires a manual and it's still the same DIY setup our brides love — we just made the hardware even better.
So... Do You Still Need to Hire a DJ?
Here's the honest answer: it depends on what you want from your reception.
What a hired DJ brings that a DIY booth can't: A professional wedding DJ isn't just pressing play. A good one reads the room, manages your timeline, transitions smoothly between dinner, toasts, first dance, and open dancing, and acts as your MC — making announcements, calling up the wedding party, keeping things on schedule without you lifting a finger. If you want someone actively running the show and you'd rather not think about music at all on your wedding day, that's worth paying for. We have several DJs on our preferred vendor list.
But speaking of Budget - What it actually costs in Utah right now: Reception-only DJ bookings in Utah County typically run $1,000–$2,000, with bare-bones options starting around $800 and experienced MCs offering full lighting packages pushing toward $2,500+. We love having DJs onsite - they next-level it - and it’s an important upgrade if your budget allows it. If not, use our booth and put the money into your dress, flowers, or those lovely macrons from our favorite cookie vendor.
What our upgraded DIY booth gives you instead: Built-in wired mic for toasts (plus wireless JBL mics if you'd rather move around). Four big speakers that actually fill our ballroom properly. Updated dance lighting. Full control of your own playlist via Spotify, Apple Music, or your phone. No MC fee. No vendor coordination. No tip jar. You and your wedding party can run it, or honestly, nobody has to — just queue the playlist and let it go.
The Numbers Talk
At La Fête, roughly 60% of our couples already choose the DIY route over hiring outside DJ services — and that was before this upgrade. With eye-level sound and a built-in mic now in place, we expect that number to climb.
If you do want a hired DJ, we're not precious about it — La Fête is an open-vendor venue, and we've got a list of preferred DJs who know our space and run a great show. You're free to bring in whoever you want.
But if you've been on the fence about whether the DIY booth can really carry a full wedding reception, come see it in person. Book a tour, stand in the ballroom, and hear the new speakers for yourself. That's usually all it takes.
