If you are planning an upcoming wedding, chances are that you have begun mapping out the different dances that you may want to work into your reception. The good thing about dances in wedding receptions is that there are a few hard and fast rules these days about the right and wrong way to do them. The bad thing about wedding reception dances is that it is a time where everyone is looking at you and you certainly want to be prepared!
Today we have compiled some of our best advice for wedding receptions and the dances that can come with them. We’ve seen our fair share of wedding dances and we want to share with you the tips of the trade!
Give the songs you choose some thought.
The first dance song that you choose should be reflective of your relationship with your partner and evoke emotion from both of you when you hear it. The same goes for mother/son dance songs or father/daughter dance songs. It’s easy to choose a cliché song that ‘everyone’ seems to do, but it may not stand the test of time when you watch your wedding video back years from now. Choose something that you both genuinely love and reflects how you feel about your parents or your spouse-to-be. You can’t go wrong with a song that makes you all feel the love!
Practice makes progress.
Now we are not here to tell you that if you get up in front of everybody and sway back-and-forth like a middle schooler that you’re wrong necessarily, but what better time to show off some new dance moves then on your wedding day? The best way to not get up in front of friends and family and feel clumsy and awkward with your spouse is to practice! Practice dancing alone. Practice dancing together. You don’t have to choreograph an extravagant dance-off for YouTube for your dances to be memorable.
Plan your outfit according to the type of dancing you’ll be doing.
It’s not uncommon for brides to switch shoes for the reception when they know they will be on their feet a lot more. Consider comfort when you think about the types of shoes both the bride and groom will be wearing for the rest of the night. Also, brides: make sure you have someone to bustle your train on your dress before you get out there and try to bust a move. Or some brides preferred to switch dresses entirely so they have something more loose and easier to move around in. Whatever your style, just to make sure your clothes don’t put a damper on you being able to dance the night away!
Consider spreading your dances out, but not too much!
This can be tricky, but a general rule of thumb is to make sure your major reception “events” are finished at a reasonable enough hour for those who may need to slip out to catch everything important (ie: grandparents, parents who brought young children, etc.)
However, you don’t want all of your dances to be so close together that your guests are sitting and watching only a handful of people get up and dance for several minutes in a row. That could be a little boring. Instead, space out your dances so that they fall after events that involve your entire crowd. Cutting the cake, a champagne toast, dinner… these are all things that your entire guest list will participate in and taking a break to watch you dance won’t feel boring with a piece of cake or glass of champagne in hand!
Get to know your DJ!
We obviously recommend hiring a live DJ for your wedding reception. Our professional DJs make it easy to curate a playlist that all of your guests will love, and can choose the timing of your important dances so that they flow with your evening. The nice thing about having a live person managing your playlist is that you can alter things and make changes as you need to in the moment. A curated playlist, no matter how great it may be, doesn’t have that flexibility. Also, take the time to get to know your DJ before the big day so you have the rapport that you need to ask for changes in the moment. Our DJs are great about getting to know the bride and groom before the big day so they have a sense of the musical tastes and style of the wedding that they are walking into!