Your wedding is about the biggest you’ll ever throw as parties go. This is the day that you’ll tell your grandkids about and is sure to go down in history as one of the most meaningful celebrations of your life.
That’s why you’ll want to go all out with wedding entertainment that will, most likely, include a dance floor for at least your evening set-up.
After all, is a party even a party if you don’t all make fools of yourselves on the dancefloor? Or, more importantly, is a wedding even a wedding if the bride doesn’t end up quite literally on the bottom of the dancefloor at the end of the night?
The answer to both questions is a definite no. As well as playing host to the all-important first dance, your wedding dance floor is where the true memories of this once-in-a-lifetime party take place.
That’s why it can be disappointing if your guests just don’t play ball where your dance floor is concerned. After all, if the only moves pulled here are your dodgy first dance, the rest of your wedding atmosphere will quickly fall flat as a pancake.
Luckily, there are some foolproof ways to draw even reluctant guests into dancing, and we’ve listed them here!
Think about your dance floor itself
You have so much to think about in terms of wedding decor for the big day, that you may be totally out of inspiration when it comes to making the most of your dance floor.
In reality, a dance floor that doesn’t make a big deal of itself will inevitably fail to attract attention. To overcome this, think about everything from what material your dance floor is made out of to its positioning and overall setup.
For one thing, hiring clearly defined wood dance floors like those supplied by Yes Hire can ensure that this is the first thing people set eyes on when they walk into your reception room.
Equally, a centralised dance floor keeps dancing in everyone’s minds for the whole night long. You may also want to go all out with extra touches like balloons, bunting, and other fun dance floor decorations to really draw the eye, and your guests’ bodies, to this all-important dancing focus.
Choose the right tunes
Few things make more of a difference in getting guests on the dancefloor than the songs you choose. Odd, beatless hits that no one knows aren’t great for getting people going, no matter how much they might mean to you as a couple. Instead, you want to prepare a playlist that’s guaranteed to get people moving. The best crowd-pleasers worth considering include –
- Mr. Brightside by The Killers
- Sweet Caroline by Niel Diamond
- Jump Around by House of Pain
- We will Rock you by Queen
- Dancing Queen by Abba
As well as pulling out all the best hits, wedding trends like taking a request from each guest in advance can get everyone moving at least once.
Equally, don’t underestimate the power of a good choreographed group dance to songs like Hey Macarena or Cotton Eyed Joe. While you might want to save these until a little later in the evening, you can bet everyone will enjoy them.
Lead by example
Often, filling the dancefloor is just about breaking the ice. After all, no one wants to be the first up there, swaying along on their own.
No one, that is, apart from the bride who’s trying to get things moving! Of course, your first dance gives the ideal opportunity to break that ice in a major way, but you’ll want to go even further than that one solitary event.
By getting out on the dancefloor yourself, and encouraging your groom, bridesmaids, and family members to do the same, you can create a fun, filled-looking dancefloor from the off. And, you’d be surprised how much that leads to other guests joining you up there. It might seem daunting, but remember that you’re doing this for the good of a good time. And, if in doubt, you could always sway along with your partner.
Lower the lights
It’s unlikely that you’ll have full lights blaring for your evening do, but if you were thinking about going down that route, we advise that you don’t. Even the most confident dancers are unlikely to lose all of their inhibitions under the gaze of stark bright lights. There’s a reason we wait until after dark to start moving, after all!
To keep everyone feeling as comfortable and free on the dancefloor as possible, keep lighting low.
As well as adding a fun party atmosphere, such as strobing dance floor lighting can also help keep everyone disguised, confident, and dancing with reckless abandon.
Turn it into a photo opp.
If there’s one thing that gives you leverage on your wedding day, it’s the need for great photos. You can get your guests into all kinds of wacky poses and setups with the power of a picture behind you. And, you can certainly get everyone on the dancefloor, albeit temporarily, for a fun action shot.
A little precision planning and making sure that one of those smash dance floor hits is playing, should be all it takes to ensure that, after hitting the dance floor for the sake of a picture, the majority of your guests stay there all night long.
Don’t leave your dance floor empty
An empty dance floor is a bad sign, but it doesn’t need to be an issue at your wedding. Simply buckle up, get your playlist right, and implement the rest of these pointers to make sure that your wedding party is moving and shaking from dawn until dusk.
Or, at least until you all run out of energy. After all, the best memories are made on the dance floor, and the fuller your wedding dance floor is, the more likely your guests will remember their time with smiles.