And It’s Costing Customers More Than They Realize
In recent months, there’s been a growing trend that vendors—and customers—need to be aware of: venues increasingly restricting setup and strike times. On the surface, it might seem like a simple logistics policy. But behind the scenes, this trend is reshaping how events are executed—and how much they ultimately cost.
What’s Happening?
More and more, venues are giving vendors as little as one hour to set up, and sometimes even less time to tear down. While this may work for some lightweight, plug-and-play vendors, it’s nowhere near enough for professionals bringing in larger-scale or immersive setups. For DJs and production teams like ours—who provide more than just a speaker on a stick—this limitation often means rushing, cutting corners, or being forced to have the customer pay the venue extra for additional time.
In short: it’s a tactic. These shortened windows allow the venue to monetize the build and strike process by charging additional hourly fees if your vendors need more time—which, by design, they almost always do.
Why This Matters for Professional Entertainment (And Any Production-Based Vendor)
A standard DJ with minimal gear might be able to slide in and out within an hour. But that’s not us. None of our wedding setups (for example) can be built and dialed in with the level of quality we promise in just 60 minutes. We bring atmosphere, elevated sound, dynamic lighting, and clean visuals. That takes time, care, and precision.
When venues restrict setup time, it puts pressure on us to either:
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Rush the setup and compromise quality (which we won’t do),
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Staff the event with extra crew (which increases cost),
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And/Or pay the venue’s additional setup fees to get in earlier (again, increasing cost).
What You Can Do
1. Ask Early.
Before you book a venue—or as soon as you’re considering one—ask about vendor access times. Not just when your rental starts, but when vendors can begin loading in and how long they have to load out.
2. Get It in Writing.
Even if you’re told verbally that vendors will “have plenty of time,” make sure that contractually, your vendors can access the venue with a timeline that works for your event. Otherwise, you may be stuck renegotiating or paying extra later.
3. Work With Your Vendors.
We’re here to help. If you’re unsure whether a venue’s policy is realistic for what we’re planning, let us review the timeline with you. We’ve worked in nearly every kind of space and can often tell immediately if there’s a red flag.
4. Check Your Location Contract.
Locations may tell you one thing, but it may actually be written differently in the agreement, or not written at all. You can challenge them or even seek legal assistance.
5. At A Last Resort.
We can sometimes add more cooks to the kitchen / add more of a team for build and/or strike, to adhere to the strict location. You should first check with the location to see if their hourly rate is cheaper than adding more to your service team.
Final Thoughts
Limiting setup time doesn’t just affect us—it impacts the quality and flow of your event. When we don’t have time to properly soundcheck, level lighting, or run clean cabling, it shows. And while we’re always adaptable, it’s frustrating to see venues prioritize quick turnover over guest experience.
The best events are built by collaborative vendor teams who are given the time to do their jobs well. If your venue’s policy gets in the way of that, it’s worth thinking twice—or at the very least, budgeting for what the added limitations might cost.
Have a venue in mind? Let us take a look at their load-in policy before you book. You might save yourself a few hundred dollars—or a major headache down the line.
