And the award for most obvious statement in wedding industry history goes to Nice Entertainment for the following: Dancing and wedding receptions go hand-in-hand.
We know, we know. It’s pretty obvious that’s the case, but there are some instances (we don’t know of any weddings that we’ve done) where people don’t dance… and if they don’t dance, well, they’re no friends of mine. We’re into making and keeping friends, so we say it’s pretty easy to get people to dance at your wedding reception if you plan ahead a little bit.
Here’s how to get folks to cut a rug at your reception:
Open Bar
Let’s just get this one out of the way, because it’s runner up for most obvious statement of the year. Yes, a little liquid courage helps to get people onto the dance floor. But let’s dig a little more. We’re not saying to have shots lined up for all your guests, but by placing the bar in close proximity to the dance floor, you have a better chance of keeping people getting down. If the bar is in the next room, you may lose people if they feel the need to help keep the bar propped up.
Not too big… not too small
The size of the dance floor makes a big difference. Hear us out. If the dance floor is too big, it could look empty and no one likes the feeling of being alone on a dance floor (unless your old college buddy takes full advantage of aforementioned open bar). But if the dance floor is on the small side, it may seem too crowded and potentially deter people from jumping out there. General guidance here is three square feet of dance floor for every two guests.
Don’t have an iPod party
You may think you know what kind of jams you want at your reception, but when your parents are slow dancing and it’s super cute, do you want “Baby Got Back” to come on? Unless your parents' first song was from Sir Mix A Lot, they’ll probably want an appropriate song. Wedding DJs come in handy here. Good DJs will be experienced in reading the crowd and knowing what songs to play and when. You can also request songs from your wedding DJ.
Plug alert! Check out our request portal here.
Lead by example
If you’re not dancing at your own wedding, why would you expect anyone else to? If you want your dance floor bumping all night, you’d best be out there showing off your best lawnmower or sprinkler. If you want the party started immediately, think about having the MC invite people onto the dance floor halfway through your first dance, then amp of the tunes and kick off the party!
Seating chart secret
If your reception has a seating chart, there are ways to fill it in that helps keep your dance floor filled. Here’s a hint: keep your dancers close to the dance floor. If you know people who are guaranteed to hit the dance floor, put them as close as possible. Inversely, put the people who are more likely to have conversations during the reception away from the floor and the music. It’s best for everyone this way and your dance floor has a recipe for success.
At Nice Entertainment, we’ve DJ’d hundreds of weddings and know what it takes to keep that dance floor going. We’ll talk with you up front, take requests and engage with your guests throughout the party. We love seeing a full dance floor and we love seeing happy couples! Drop us a line for more info.
