It's the greatest day of your life so you want an party to match right?
But what if my friends and family don't dance?! It's a common worry among couples getting married. Nobody wants the wedding that goes flat by the evening and guests slowly sneak away from.
Here are some sure fire tips to maximize your evening entertainment, fill that dancefloor and have a party your friends and family will talk about for years.
Don't start the party too early
It's tempting to get your party underway early doors as soon as the reception room is ready. You've done the formal bit and now you want to party!
The truth is that unless they've been on it and smashing down the Prosecco and Tequila Rose all day your guests probably won't be ready just yet. And your evening guests will be only just getting started.
Consider having your bands first set around 8pm. That way your evening guests have time to get settled in, grab a drink and a catch up with friends. All the while your band or DJ can slowly start increasing the atmosphere and ramping up the energy of the music before your first dance and the start of the party.
Have a couple of rally songs up your sleeve
Stag and Hen do songs are great rally songs. If a dancefloor is threatening to go flat unleash one and your people will come flooding back.
Another option is to agree a couple of songs with your partner before the big day. If you get split up while chatting to your guests as soon as you hear one of them you make your excuses and head straight back to the dancefloor to reconnect as a couple.
Lastly father-daughter, mother-son or other special dances are great dancefloor gatherers. Your DJ can announce and get those guests off seats and on the dancefloor to join you.
Bar and dancefloor proximity
The best parties all have one thing in common. The bar is close to the dancefloor action. Some people just love to prop up a bar and if it is another room at the other end of the building one a guest has left the floor there's a good chance you won't see them again for a while. Having the bar, stage and dancefloor close to each other creates its own 'party hub' that everyone will gather round during your night.
Be where you want the party to be
It's your big day and everyone is there for you. For that reason you will be followed round like some kind of wedding day pied piper. If you want a great party lead from the front and be on that dancefloor and your people will be there surrounding you.
Avoid clashes
Some evening activities compliment each other but others really don't. Two things that don't mix well are food and a band playing their live set. It works well to have evening food out once your band has finished playing and taking a break, especially if it's a buffet, if it is nowhere near the dancefloor, there is a queue or involves food you need to be sitting down to eat. We would normally suggest to leave an hour from food being served before getting the band back on, usually around 10pm works great at 90% of weddings we perform at.
First dance/Cake cut/bouquet toss
A cake cut, bouquet toss and first dance are what we refer to in the industry as 'gatherers'. They are traditional events that guests recognize and if you decide to have them we can announce on the mic to get all your guests in one place at the same time for a reason. We generally suggest having a cake cut immediately followed by a first dance then a band set. That way all your guests are on the dancefloor from the off and it's our job to keep them on there.
Dancefloor Props
Can't dance, won't dance. Whether they are embarrassed, too cool or don't know how to unfortunately some people are just allergic to dancing. Dancefloor props can help out in these situations. It doesn't take much rhythm to wave a glowstick about or hold an inflatable sax or guitar. That way your guests can still have fun without having to know how to two-step in time.
Finish time
Similar to the start time we suggest you don't finish the party too late. Most weddings finish around 12am but we would suggest having a live band finish around 11.30pm. The reason is that some guests may have to leave early, whether that is due to a pre booked taxi, commitments the next day or simply not fully knowing the entertainment schedule for your day.
Imagine this: Your guests are preparing to leave, and your wedding band is dropping some absolute bangers. It's not ideal to be saying goodbye to everyone while you're in the middle of dancing to your favorite tunes, right?
We recommend your band finishes on a high note at 11.30pm. This way it still gives time for your friends and family to say their goodbyes, grab a final drink at last orders and head back onto the dancefloor for the final few singalongs on the DJ.
We hope you have found this guide useful. See you on the dancefloor!
Much love,
SBW
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