When organising a wedding, some costs are obvious to us. The venue, the cake and, of course, the music. Whether we hire a wedding DJ or a band, the question arises of how the people responsible for the music at our party respect copyright.
If the wedding takes place at home, there is no problem. When playing music there, we rely on the so-called private use exception under copyright law. The matter is more complicated when the party is held at a wedding venue.
Who pays ZAiKS at a wedding?
ZAiKS, the Polish Society of Authors and Composers, is an organisation that brings together various creators and protects their economic copyrights. Who pays the ZAiKS fee at a wedding is quite simple: the organisers, i.e. the couple. The only question is whether directly or indirectly.
Many wedding venues already have a licence agreement with ZAiKS, and this is a cost we bear when renting the venue. It may also be that the DJ or band we hire includes this cost in their price. In each case it is worth asking whether such a licence has already been included in the quote (and also making sure the contract covers it). As you can see, the cost of ZAiKS for a wedding is borne by the couple, even if it is already included in the venue hire or the DJ's fee.
How to pay ZAiKS for a wedding?
Now that we know legal music at a wedding matters, the question is where to pay the ZAiKS fee. It can be paid in two ways. The first is paying in person at one of its branches, while the second is making a bank transfer via the society's website. The licence agreement is signed before the celebration, and afterwards we send ZAiKS the list of songs performed at the wedding.
How much does ZAiKS cost for a wedding?
Does ZAiKS have a price list for wedding music? Not exactly. The fee is calculated on the basis of the information provided. Both in person and in the online calculator, you are asked about the number of guests, the town where the wedding takes place, the type of venue and music (recorded or live), and the performer's fee. The ZAiKS fee for a wedding is usually around 10% of the amount paid to the DJ or band.
And what if… we didn't pay?
ZAiKS and weddings is quite a controversial topic. On the one hand, the fee does not immediately come to mind when we list wedding costs; on the other, the venue owner or musicians do not always have such a licence and the problem only appears during an inspection. Yes, a ZAiKS official may check whether a given party used music legally. So if anyone thinks of not paying ZAiKS because it is too much hassle, it is worth considering the possible penalty, which can be as much as three times the ZAiKS fee.
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