What will encourage my guests to dance?

• Dim the lights! People are more likely party down when the lighting level is low. Sometimes, in the case of an afternoon wedding at a country club overlooking the golf course, this obviously is not possible. Daylight will definitely be a part of your big day. Fear not, although an afternoon wedding is sometimes a bit more subdued, they can get just as crazy as the rest! Some of my most memorable receptions have been held in the afternoon.
  Having a dance floor! Any hard surface will do. Using existing carpet will initially make your guests hesitant to get involved.

• Volume! Have you ever wondered why the music at clubs is so loud? People need to hear the beat of the music over the tapping noise of their "dancing feet" against the floor. The same principle applies here: We keep the music at a level so people won't hear their footsteps. This is a great way to encourage people out to the dance floor who feel "they can't dance".

• Using those interactive dances. We know, sometimes folks just don't think "YMCA" is a right fit at a wedding reception. But it WILL get your guests dancing. We hear "YMCA" and all those interactive dances every week. They work. But if they don't fit with your reception, don't fret. If we don't play it at your wedding, I'll hear it again soon!

What about the right music?
What music do YOU want to hear? What about your guests? How can we guarantee everybody will have a good time?

As far as your reception goes, you will probably have a wide age range of folks attending. It is our goal to play a wide variety of proven "good time" music that appeals to everyone. We definitely try to tailor the music to what the Bride and Groom prefer to hear also. So what does all this mean? We have had brides that have submitted over 200 "must play" songs (no joke!) for a reception. But consider this: After cocktails, introductions, dinner, cake cutting, and all the other events, there’s only about 2 or 2 1/2 hours of "dance" time. A DJ can only play 14-16 songs per hour. Do you see where we’re going with this?

What usually works well is for the Bride and Groom to pick about ten songs they really like. That way, we have an excellent idea of what they prefer, and it gives us the latitude of reading the crowd, and accepting song requests from guests. One other note, we play only "family-friendly" lyrics. Sometimes if a questionable song is a very big hit, we will play the edited version, or the version heard on the radio.

THE RECEPTION FACILITY
The ceremony is over and now you are ready to have fun! Most Reception Halls, Country Clubs, and Hotel Banquet Rooms know exactly what they are doing when it comes to Weddings. There are a few tips to make your reception more successful:

• Setup. You should position your DJ right on the dance floor, in full view of everyone. This insures the DJ will have a general overview of the entire reception, and have full lines of communication to the banquet staff, photographer, etc. Try to avoid placing the DJ behind any guests. We don’t want to blast them with a speaker.

• Access. Ask your hall to make sure a large, sturdy skirted banquet table, and electrical outlets are readily available.