Everything we do is aimed at getting your guests in the mood to dance
From the moment the cocktail hour begins, we are programming music to help your guests prepare for a good time. People don't actively listen to the cocktail hour music, but they are affected. So if you would like to choose the music here, find music that has a mellow beat, maybe R&B, sometimes smooth jazz, etc. Once dinner hour arrives your guests will definitely be listening, so choose music that people can both enjoy eating to and even dancing to. While you both may be totally into EDM, playing that at dinner may induce a heart attack! Lol. We'd suggest keeping your music upbeat, popular, and still on the lighter side of things. Country, older pop, big band, crooners, etc. are all good possibles.
Do your guests usually enjoy dancing?
It’s no secret, not everyone likes to dance. That doesn't mean they aren't having a good time! We've had people tell us how much they enjoyed the music we played, yet they may have only danced to one or two songs (or maybe not at all). You know your friends and family better than we do, so you probably already have a good idea if they are dancers or not.
It’s no secret, not everyone likes to dance. That doesn't mean they aren't having a good time! We've had people tell us how much they enjoyed the music we played, yet they may have only danced to one or two songs (or maybe not at all). You know your friends and family better than we do, so you probably already have a good idea if they are dancers or not.
Are you (the Bride & Groom) & your wedding party dancing?
This may be the SINGLE BIGGEST FACTOR in having a successful dance party wedding! Simply put, your guests will follow your lead. If you are hanging out at the bar with the wedding party, it’s likely that your guests will do the same. If you are spending most of your time outside, and the dance floor is inside, your guests will head outside with you. On the contrary, if your guests see you on the dance floor shaking your tail feathers, they will probably join you. So get your newlywed butts on the dance floor and show people a good time!
- Note: Your reception will be a long busy evening, so let your bridal party know beforehand how important it is to you that your guests dance, and ask them to lead the movement to the dance floor. That way, if you do get caught up talking with the grandparents, they'll have your back. And one other thing, make sure to get a good nights sleep in the days leading up to your wedding. More than one evening has been cut short because of an exhausted Bride. :)
- Note: Make your dance floor the focal point of the room—don't tuck it in the corner. By highlighting it, you send guests the message that dancing will be a big part of the evening.
- Note: Your wedding is a celebration of your relationship—one that probably involves music—but it's also a time to share with your extended family. Keep them in mind when developing your must-play list. Have your guests RSVP some requests, throw your grandparents a nod with Frank Sinatra and give your aunts and uncles a chance to dance to a little "We Are Family." Seeing them enjoy the night will be well worth it!
Is there a lot of light in the room?
Often times, people think they look silly when they dance. When the lights are dimmer, you tend to see more people willing to hit the floor. This is also why you tend to see less dancing at daytime weddings. If it's an evening wedding, and if we feel too much light is making people shy away from the dance floor, we'll find the venue coordinator to dim the lights a bit more.
Often times, people think they look silly when they dance. When the lights are dimmer, you tend to see more people willing to hit the floor. This is also why you tend to see less dancing at daytime weddings. If it's an evening wedding, and if we feel too much light is making people shy away from the dance floor, we'll find the venue coordinator to dim the lights a bit more.
Align your seating chart
Seat friends and family who love to dance closest to the dance floor. They'll be more likely to get up and start grooving early if there's easy access. And once they're out there, others will be sure to follow. As for your more elderly guests, do them a favor and keep them away from the speakers. They'll appreciate it!
Is your room and/or dance floor too big for your party?
Even if you have 300 people at your wedding, the room can feel empty if it's designed to hold twice as many people as you have invited. A packed room makes your wedding feel more like a "party," while a large open room allows people to spread out and takes away from the energy of the reception.
Even if you have 300 people at your wedding, the room can feel empty if it's designed to hold twice as many people as you have invited. A packed room makes your wedding feel more like a "party," while a large open room allows people to spread out and takes away from the energy of the reception.
Are you serving alcohol?
Let's face it, people tend to loosen up a little (or a lot) when they've had some drinks. This will definitely help your guests feel like getting their groove on! On a related note, make sure the Best Man and the Maid of Honor are aware of their responsibilities when it comes to drinking. Have you ever been to a wedding where the Bride or Groom has passed out mid reception? It’s not pretty. Their job is to be responsible to help keep you sober enough to fulfill your obligations throughout the evening.
Let's face it, people tend to loosen up a little (or a lot) when they've had some drinks. This will definitely help your guests feel like getting their groove on! On a related note, make sure the Best Man and the Maid of Honor are aware of their responsibilities when it comes to drinking. Have you ever been to a wedding where the Bride or Groom has passed out mid reception? It’s not pretty. Their job is to be responsible to help keep you sober enough to fulfill your obligations throughout the evening.
What is the general age of your guests? Are they older? Do they have young children with them?
Many brides want their wedding reception to be a "big dance party,” yet they don’t realize the impact that age has on getting people out to dance. If the majority of your guests are your parent's friends or older relatives nearing retirement, they may not want to dance every song, but we can entice them with a few sets from their era. On the flip side, parents are (hopefully) not going to let their kids run wild at your wedding, which means they will be keeping an eye on the little ones rather than dancing. The exception is, of course, if the kids are old enough to enjoy dancing too and are on the dance floor most of the night. Let us know if you’re planning on lots of younger children attending, so we can program some music especially for them.
Many brides want their wedding reception to be a "big dance party,” yet they don’t realize the impact that age has on getting people out to dance. If the majority of your guests are your parent's friends or older relatives nearing retirement, they may not want to dance every song, but we can entice them with a few sets from their era. On the flip side, parents are (hopefully) not going to let their kids run wild at your wedding, which means they will be keeping an eye on the little ones rather than dancing. The exception is, of course, if the kids are old enough to enjoy dancing too and are on the dance floor most of the night. Let us know if you’re planning on lots of younger children attending, so we can program some music especially for them.
Are there enough slow songs?
Don't underestimate the power of slow songs. Unless your guests are all young and single, a lot of couples enjoy slow dancing. In fact, some people don't feel comfortable fast dancing, but they are perfectly fine with slow dancing. That doesn't mean we need to play slow music all night. Quite the opposite. We usually keep things uptempo; however, we like to sprinkle in a slow song or two every 20 to 30 minutes when we feel that the people on the floor are getting tired. This gives your guests a chance to rest for a few minutes, refresh their drink, or share a dance with their significant other.
Don't underestimate the power of slow songs. Unless your guests are all young and single, a lot of couples enjoy slow dancing. In fact, some people don't feel comfortable fast dancing, but they are perfectly fine with slow dancing. That doesn't mean we need to play slow music all night. Quite the opposite. We usually keep things uptempo; however, we like to sprinkle in a slow song or two every 20 to 30 minutes when we feel that the people on the floor are getting tired. This gives your guests a chance to rest for a few minutes, refresh their drink, or share a dance with their significant other.
Trust the DJ to do his/her job.
While asking your
guests for song requests and giving your DJ some general guidance is great,
please don't turn them into a human iPod by listing out every single jam under
the sun you'd like played. Even if you both truly love indie rock, there's a
good percentage of your guests who probably don't. A playlist made up entirely
of '80s dance music, rap, or country is the same story. Don't get us wrong: including your favorite genre at your wedding is fine (in fact, you should!), but trying to micromanage every song your DJ plays is
like telling the photographer what film to use and where to stand or telling
the chef what ingredients to use when making your meal. You’d never do that,
right? While this is probably your first wedding, your DJ has played dozens if
not hundreds. Music is the tool we use to get you the result you want. Trust
us!
Final thoughts
Again, we have found that the best motivator is to play songs that work well with the audience we're playing for. At weddings, we usually play a variety of genres and eras of music, because we want to get everyone on the dance floor for at least a song or two, if possible.
What we don't do is anything that your guests would find cheesy, inappropriate or embarrassing. We don't want anyone at your wedding to feel uncomfortable. We can't take people by the hand and pull them onto the dance floor. What we can do is play great music that people will enjoy, whether they dance or not, and follow your input and suggestions for the music you want played at your wedding.
Again, we have found that the best motivator is to play songs that work well with the audience we're playing for. At weddings, we usually play a variety of genres and eras of music, because we want to get everyone on the dance floor for at least a song or two, if possible.
What we don't do is anything that your guests would find cheesy, inappropriate or embarrassing. We don't want anyone at your wedding to feel uncomfortable. We can't take people by the hand and pull them onto the dance floor. What we can do is play great music that people will enjoy, whether they dance or not, and follow your input and suggestions for the music you want played at your wedding.
