When you are planning your wedding, you want it to have that perfect flow, where it goes naturally from one event from another without feeling forced or strained, and without any awkward down time. One way to do this is to plan events that keep guests occupied and entertained even when they are not dancing, so that they keep feeling like they are at a party, even during the natural lulls in the evening.
- Go immediately into the dance set after the first dance. Some receptions will follow up the first dance with other traditional dances like the parent dances or the bridal party dances. We suggest not doing those after the first dance, but instead moving directly into the dance set, to pull the guests immediately into the party.
- Do toasts and speeches once everyone is seated for dinner. Music is going to be turned down to background levels so that people can converse during dinner, making it a great time for people to give speeches and toasts. Having toasts and speeches at a planned time can also allow your DJ to facilitate introductions if necessary, which can be helpful if your bridal party does not have public speaking experience.
- Do parent dances during dinner. Your guests are not going to be dancing during the parent dances anyway and are going to be watching you dance; doing them during dinner is a great opportunity for them to occur without detracting from the party atmosphere.
- Cut the cake right after dinner. Some people like to delay cake cutting for some time after dinner, but the reception just flows better if the cake cutting is done right after dinner and the rest of the reception can just be a dance party. Cutting the cake right after dinner does not mean that guests have to eat cake right after dinner; you should be able to talk to your venue and get them to allow guests to get cake throughout the evening.
Chris Marino (DJ/Owner) knows how to keep a party moving and would be happy to advise you on how to set up your reception to keep your guests happy and dancing. While we pride ourselves on offering high-quality and affordable DJ, photography, and photo booth services for weddings and other events, what drives our reputation and made us one of Wedding Wire’s Couple’s Choice wedding vendors is our commitment to customer service. Call 888-900-0042 or Contact Us Today to find out why couples love to add a little Limelight to their weddings!
Limelight Entertainment is happy to offer our years of experience as wedding and event professionals to anyone planning a wedding, free of charge.
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Happy Planning!
Chris Marino
