Wedding sound, lighting, and DJ hire covers four separate phases of the day with different technical requirements for each. Ceremony sound starts from £150, speech microphone setups from £150, evening party PA from £400. Full wedding packages from £400 for small weddings to £4,500 for large events. Always check for venue noise limiters, confirm what the venue provides, and book early as peak season availability goes fast. Beatz Hire supplies complete wedding AV packages across London and the South East.
June 10, 2026
Planning the sound, lighting, and DJ setup for a wedding is one of the parts most couples leave until last. By the time the venue, caterer, and photographer are booked, the technical side often gets rushed. That is where things go wrong on the day.
This guide explains what sound, lighting, and DJ equipment a wedding actually needs at each stage of the day, what realistic costs look like across the South East, and what to check before booking any supplier.
Written by Jack Bridges, Founder of Beatz Hire and Event Production Specialist, supporting weddings and private events across London and the South East.
At Beatz Hire, we supply wedding sound systems, DJ equipment, microphones, and lighting hire for weddings across London, Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. This guide is based on real experience delivering technical setups for weddings in hotels, barns, marquees, and outdoor venues across the South East.
The sound system at a wedding is not just for the evening disco. It covers the ceremony, the drinks reception, the speeches, and the evening party. Each of these has different technical requirements, and getting any one of them wrong is noticeable to every guest in the room.
A microphone that cuts out during the vows. A speech where half the room cannot hear because the sound system is too small. An evening party where the music sounds thin because there are no subwoofers. These are avoidable problems with the right setup and the right supplier.
Most weddings have three or four distinct phases with different audio requirements.
For outdoor ceremonies or indoor ceremonies in venues without a fixed PA, a ceremony sound system typically includes two active speakers on stands, one or two wireless microphones for the officiant and couple, and a music playback source for the processional and recessional.
For larger ceremonies or outdoor spaces, additional speakers may be needed to ensure guests at the back can hear clearly.
Ceremony sound hire from £150 to £400 depending on size and location.
Background music during the drinks reception usually requires a compact active speaker setup, a music source such as a playlist or live performer, and occasionally a microphone for announcements.
This is often the simplest audio requirement of the day and can be covered by a single quality active speaker in smaller spaces.
Drinks reception sound hire from £80 to £250.
Speeches are the most technically critical moment of a wedding from an audio perspective. A microphone failure, feedback squeal, or system that cuts out during the father of the bride speech is the thing guests remember and talk about.
A speech sound setup includes at minimum one wireless handheld microphone, a mixer, and speakers sized correctly for the room. For longer top tables or venues with difficult acoustics, two microphones and a distributed speaker system may be needed.
Speech sound hire from £150 to £400 depending on room size and number of microphones.
The evening party has the most demanding audio requirements of the day. A DJ set needs a full PA system with subwoofers for bass response, a DJ setup with decks and mixer, dancefloor lighting, and enough volume for 80 to 300 guests depending on the venue.
This is where most of the budget should go for audio and lighting because it is the section guests experience most directly.
Evening party sound and DJ hire from £500 to £2,500 depending on system size, DJ equipment, and lighting.
Lighting transforms a wedding venue more effectively than almost any other element. The right lighting setup makes the room look considered, atmospheric, and on-brand with the wedding's aesthetic.
Wireless LED uplighters placed around the perimeter of a room change the entire atmosphere. They can be set to match the wedding colour scheme, switched to white for speeches and dinner, and shifted to more energetic colours for the evening party. Battery-powered units mean no cable runs across the venue floor.
Uplighting hire from £10 to £25 per unit per day. Most weddings need 8 to 20 units depending on room size.
For the evening party, moving head fixtures, LED bars, and effect lighting create the atmosphere that makes people want to dance. A basic dancefloor lighting package typically includes four to six moving heads or LED fixtures on stands or a truss.
Dancefloor lighting hire from £150 to £500 depending on the number of fixtures.
Festoon lighting and fairy lights are popular for barn weddings, outdoor receptions, and marquee events. These create a warm ambient glow that photographs beautifully and works across most wedding aesthetics.
Festoon lighting hire from £50 to £200 depending on length and quantity.
A gobo projects a pattern, monogram, or logo onto a wall, dancefloor, or ceiling. Personalised gobo lighting with the couple's initials or a floral pattern is an increasingly popular wedding addition.
Gobo hire typically from £75 to £150 per unit.
For weddings where a DJ is bringing their own music and skills but needs equipment provided, or where someone in the wedding party is DJing from a playlist, the right DJ setup makes a significant difference.
Most professional DJs prefer Pioneer CDJs and a DJM mixer. Arriving at a wedding to find incompatible or unfamiliar equipment wastes time during setup and can cause problems during the set.
A professional DJ setup for a wedding typically includes Pioneer CDJ-3000s or CDJ-2000NXS2s, a DJM-900NXS2 or DJM-A9 mixer, a DJ booth, and DJ monitors. Always confirm what equipment your DJ needs before booking.
Professional DJ equipment hire from £200 to £500 depending on setup.
If the evening party is playlist-led rather than DJ-led, a simpler controller or mixer connected to the PA system works well. An all-in-one controller with Bluetooth connectivity is the easiest option.
Simple DJ controller hire from £75 to £150.
Every wedding is different, but realistic starting ranges help with budgeting.
From £400 to £900
Usually covers ceremony speakers and microphone, speech microphone setup, evening party PA system with one subwoofer, basic DJ setup, and dancefloor lighting package.
From £900 to £2,000
Usually covers full ceremony sound, speech microphone system, evening PA system with subwoofers, professional DJ equipment, full dancefloor lighting, and uplighting around the room.
From £2,000 to £4,500
Often includes ceremony sound across multiple areas, speech system with multiple microphones, large evening PA system, professional CDJ and mixer setup, full lighting rig with moving heads, uplighting, and a dedicated technical crew managing the evening.
Does the venue have a noise limiter?Many UK wedding venues, particularly hotels, barns, and converted spaces, have automatic noise limiting systems. These cut the sound if the volume exceeds a set decibel level. This directly affects what sound system is suitable and must be confirmed before booking.
What does the venue already provide?Some venues have a basic house PA for speeches. Others provide nothing at all. Always ask specifically what is included, because "we have AV facilities" can mean anything from a full PA system to a single Bluetooth speaker in the corner.
Is delivery and setup included?Some hire companies show equipment-only prices. Always confirm whether delivery, setup, and collection are included before comparing quotes.
What time can suppliers access the venue?Wedding venues often have tight access windows. A DJ and AV supplier arriving at 5pm for a 6pm evening start will rush the setup. Confirm the access window with the venue and share it with your supplier early.
Is the supplier insured and PAT tested?All professional hire equipment should be PAT tested and the supplier should carry public liability insurance. Ask for confirmation of both before booking.
Leaving the sound system until last. The DJ and AV setup is often booked after the venue, photographer, caterer, and florist. By that point, good suppliers in peak season are often unavailable. Book early.
Assuming the venue PA is enough for the evening party. Venue house systems are designed for background music and basic speeches. They are rarely powerful or flexible enough for a full evening party with a DJ.
Not telling the DJ what equipment they need. Many couples book a DJ without confirming what equipment is required. If the DJ arrives expecting Pioneer CDJs and finds a laptop and Bluetooth speaker, the evening suffers.
Forgetting the ceremony microphone. The ceremony is the most emotionally significant moment of the day. A microphone that cuts out or feeds back during the vows is one of the most common complaints at weddings. It is also completely avoidable.
Not asking about the noise limiter. Covered above. This is one of the most common causes of a disrupted wedding evening party in UK venues.
A basic ceremony and speech setup starts from around £150. A full evening party PA system with subwoofers typically costs £400 to £1,000. A complete wedding AV package covering all elements of the day ranges from £400 for smaller weddings to £4,500 or more for larger events.
For a professional DJ, Pioneer CDJs and a DJM mixer are the standard expectation. Always confirm what your DJ needs before booking equipment. For a playlist setup, a simple controller or mixer is sufficient.
Some venues include a basic PA system. Others provide nothing. Always confirm specifically what is included before assuming the venue covers your audio needs.
Uplighting is not essential but makes a significant difference to how the room looks and feels. Wireless battery-powered units are versatile, cable-free, and can be set to any colour to match the wedding scheme.
Yes. Beatz Hire covers London and the South East including Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire.
Yes. We provide ceremony sound, speech microphones, evening PA systems, DJ equipment, dancefloor lighting, and uplighting as a single package. One supplier, one crew, one point of contact for the day.
Tell us your venue, guest numbers, and what you need for each part of the day. We will advise on the right setup, confirm availability, and quote quickly.
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