Sound and lighting – Hagbara V’Teura – הגברה ותאורה
This is a fee you will encounter in almost every venue. It typically ranges from 4000 to 8000 shekels.
A bit of background: in Israel, it used to standard that the DJ would bring the sound (speakers, amplifiers) and lighting with him to the venue, but in recent years this has pretty much stopped completely.
Today, almost all venues have permanent sound and lighting installed that you “rent” from the venue for the duration of your wedding. Someone from the venue’s team will manage the sound and lighting during your wedding, and the price of their labor is included in the fee.
If you are having a Friday daytime wedding you should negotiate a discount for the sound and lighting.
If you are getting married in an outdoor venue, especially one that is physically large, you can expect to pay more for sound and lighting. Some venues have lighting meant to enhance the natural beauty nearby – think seafront venues which can light up the Mediterranean. This will also cost more than the standard range.
If you’re having a wedding somewhere without facilities, for example, a national park or beach that is not part of an established venue, you will need to bring an external team to provide sound and lighting.
What is AKUM אקו”ם ?
Essentially, AKUM is a union for Israeli musical artists that protects their copyrights and ensures that they receive the royalties they are entitled to. AKUM charges a fee for playing music publicly from an artist that’s included in their repertoire – and even though a wedding is a private event, it’s still considered “publicly playing.”
While you may assume that the DJ would be responsible for paying this fee, it’s totally standard in Israel for the bride and groom to pay it.
AKUM should cost 270 shekels, regardless of the size of the event.
You can pay the AKUM fee here.
The Israeli Wedding 