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| Beardy McHipster couple deep in thought: "Indy tunes only!" |
The one thing all of the most successful weddings have in common is.......
They were fun!
They weren't ironic. The song-lyrics or music didn't tell some story over the course of the night that guests were supposed to catch... They were simply FUN. They were personalized everywhere my client envisioned, and still they were considerate of the many guests, whether it be 80 or 280 or more!
Reasons your reception fun and dancing can fall flat:
There are in no particular order, and some may have more impact than others...
1. Tying the DJ's hands
Do you have 100 indy tunes that your day won't be complete without. We may not be the right fit for your wedding! If you've ever heard me say- "I'm glad to give you control over most of the music", be assured, it has come after a lengthy conversation where I've determined whether or not you are (1) someone with eclectic taste in music, and (2) have shown some level of consideration for your guests; i.e."I want everyone to dance and have FUN!"
Best practice: Pick a bunch of songs you love, a bunch of songs you think your guests will love, a handful of do-not-play songs... And let your DJ fill in the blanks based on your tastes, the crowd etc. If you don't trust the DJ to do that, don't hire the DJ.
2. No drinking
What's this? The DJ wants people to drink? Yes. The more drinking you have, the more dancing you'll have. I'm not saying people can't have fun without drinking, I'd certainly never tell my kids that, so I won't tell you that... But people most certainly have
more fun,
with drinking! Thankfully, my kids don't read my blog. ;)
3. Room Layout
It's more important than you may think. If the DJ is not placed in front of, or in close proximity to the dance-floor, the
music cannot be in close proximity of the dance-floor! Dumb room layout is often the fault of an over-eager hotel or banquet-hall 'planner' who isn't considering the FUN.
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| Not-so-genius room layout |
4. Proximity of dancing to other important things
Is your bar or photo-booth outside the main reception room? In another room or hallway? This is sure to draw people away from the dancing. Sure, they may still be having fun elsewhere, and there's nothing wrong with that at all... But if dancing is a top priority for you, you may want to consider a layout that keeps guests in the same area as the dancing.
5. Other considerations
Some of these may be out of your control at this point, but....
Have you ever been to a Sunday afternoon wedding? A daytime outdoor wedding? A 12pm-5pm reception in a tent in 95 degree weather? I'm not saying you can't have a successful wedding in these scenarios, but you should realistically manage your expectations for dancing. I could be playing the world's favorite dance-song and handing out puppies on the dance-floor, and if people are sweating standing still, they probably aren't going to dance. Don't beat yourself up about it. The sound-track to the day is still important while people mingle and catch-up... But this day will likely not be about the dancing. If that's an important factor to you, plan accordingly.
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Feel free to reach out with any questions.
Good luck!
-Kirk
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