Top Tips for a busy dance floor:

If you want a busy dance floor at your wedding reception then these tips should help

So there is nothing you're dreading more than an empty dance floor at your wedding reception, especially when that's something you were really hoping won't happen. After all, what's a wedding reception if none of your friends and family are getting on down on the dance floor enjoying themselves? No one wants to be at party where all the guests are just sitting around looking bored all night.

So what can a bride and groom do to tackle this before it becomes a problem? Well, we have some top tips that should not only help get your guests on the dance floor, but also make them stay there and party until the very end.

Never Ever Try To Do it Yourself Or Use A Friend Of Friend's iPod

Tip #1:
Let's start with the basics. There is no doubt some of you will have been to various weddings, receptions or parties where the DJ is a family member or friend with an iPod. Yes, that's right, an iPod, and it's usually somebody with a terrible playlist of tracks they like to listen to while they are out walking the dog, jogging or just laying on their bed. So the results are obvious - no one wants to dance - and that's never going to be good. The evening reception didn't go well at all because, as soon as the odd track came on that did get some of the guests up on the dance floor, it was quickly followed with a two second gap and a song of a completely different genre. This totally killed the vibe and the guests left as quickly as they came up. You will have also, no doubt, had various people flicking through the list and changing tracks midway thinking they know what's best and so the night was a total disaster.

Always Choose An Experienced Wedding DJ or Band

Tip #2:
Thoroughly vet any wedding DJs or wedding band before you book them. If they are professional full time DJs, their main focus and priority will be on you and your guests, and making sure they do the best possible job for you to ensure they uphold their reputation. However, if they are just hobbyist DJs who like having a dabble on the odd weekend, while their real full time job is the main focus of their attention, your wedding reception will always come second place.

Get recommendations from former brides, friends & family. Even better, ask to see some VIDEO EViDENCE of past wedding receptions that they have DJed at. Ask to see some GENUINE FEEDBACK not just some made up printed text on a website that says the DJ is great. Check out their FACEBOOK PAGES for evidence and see if they really have done many weddings before. Obviously the more weddings they have done, the more experienced they will be and more likely they will be good. Meet them in person to ensure you like their personality.

Ultimately, the reason you're hiring a professional experienced wedding DJ is because they have mastered the art of reading the crowd and understanding what they need to do to make your wedding reception sucessful. They will know if the tempo needs to change, when a different genre of music should be played, if the mood of the room needs to be changed and what lighting effects can be used to achieve this. An experienced DJ will know what does and doesn't work.

Bride and Groom to the Dance Floor

Tip #3:
This is a big one! Some of your wedding guests will feel awkward going onto the dance floor before the bride and groom, often out of sheer respect. They'll probably worry that they may offend you or other guests by jumping the gun before any of the other special wedding day events have had a chance to happen, like the first dance, or perhaps the parent and newlywed dances, the cutting of the cake etc. Your guests usually won't know what your plans are and so, when it's time for the party to get started, be sure to get out there yourself! Your guests will be thrilled to see you out there enjoying yourself, after all, if they see you out on the dance floor enjoying yourself, they will want a piece of the action and won't be able to wait to dance alongside the happy couple.

It's usually always better to get the first dance out of the way earlier on so your guests can relax, let their hair down and party. This applies even more if you're the type of bride or groom that has two left feet and don't want to be on the dance floor yourself. Prime a few family members and friends, bridesmaids and best men to join you on the dance floor at a key point, either announced by the DJ or by your own hand gestures. This can fill the dance floor up in an instant, kicking the party off to a great start, as well as removing you from the centre of attention.

Ask Your Guests To Suggest a Song They Would Dance To On The Night

Tip #4:
This is a very important one that can either make or break the night. When sending out your wedding invitations, leave a slot that asks your guests to name a song that they would dance to if it was played on the night. Add a friendly message that says you would like them to dance with you to their song and this should not be a song they want to just listen to or the type of song you play in the car on the way home from work as these type of songs will ruin the evening. Ask them to choose an actual song that would make them get up and dance. If you can get the guests' names written alongside the songs they have chosen and hand the list to your DJ before the event, the DJ will be able to plan for a much better set. Not only will it help the DJ getting people on the dance floor, but the DJ will also be able to play similar tracks that should work well based on the choices made by your guests.

Don't forget to make a 'do not play' list either. This could be a small list of tracks you don't want played or tracks that are likely to cause upset in some way, just in case someone suggests a song that brings up an unsavoury memory from the past. However, we would advise that you only include songs you could absolutely not bear to have played, as opposed to a enormous list of songs you aren't particularly fond of as they may be some of your guests' favourites.

Create a Wedding Day Timeline!

Tip #5:
It's a very good idea to create a wedding day timeline and stick to it! One of the worst things that can happen is that the guests all start dancing only to be called back to their seats for toasts, the cutting of the cake, or the buffet. This means that when it is the right time for them to take to the dance floor again they'll feel awkward getting out there, so create a solid wedding day timeline indicating every single chunk of the day and share it with the wedding DJ. I can't stress this enough: share the timeline with the DJ so that they can direct the flow of events. An experienced DJ will be able to plan a better set if they know what's coming - they don't want to waste key tracks that they know will get people to the dance floor only to be told as soon as they play one that the buffet is ready, or the photographer would like everyone outside for one last group photo.

The Venue

Tip #6:
If possible, always try and use a venue that has the bar in the same room as the DJ. One of the biggest mistakes venues - as well as bride and grooms - make is choosing a venue for their evening reception that has the bar in a different room. This immediately divides the guests into two groups - those in the bar and those in the main function room - and halves the size of the party.

Getting The Right Lighting Ambience

Tip #7:
Getting the lighting right will certainly help get more people on the dance floor as some of your guess will want to dance but not if they are under bright lights. Try and get the house lights on and around the dance floor either turned off or dimmed down to the minimum. The DJ will have plenty of specialist lighting effects - some costing hundreds of pounds each - and can use these to give the dance floor a welcoming ambience. This will make your guests feel more confident and encourage them to dance.

Never Leave The Dance Floor As Soon As A New Song Starts

Tip #8:
Try not to walk off the dance floor when a new song comes on or because the DJ changed the genre or tempo. Your guests may assume you don't like the song and it could offend a guest who may have requested that track. It will also likely make other guests leave the dance floor too. If you need to have a rest or leave the dance floor, try to wait until partway into the song and then leave. A good DJ can recognise when guests are getting tired or would like a change in genre and will be looking out for what the majority like as opposed to the minority. If your guests have been going crazy for 10-15 minutes the DJ will see some are starting to flag, specifically the older ones, so as much as the DJ could shout: "Scream if you want to go faster" the DJ will know that by changing the tempo or genre will give them a breather without clearing the floor.

Requests On The Night

Tip #9:
Requests from brides, grooms and guests on the night are always welcomed however do not become abusive or make the DJ feel uncomfortable. A professional DJ will always try to work your request in at the most suitable point, so please don't expect it to be immediate. The DJ will have been working hard on keeping the dance floor as busy as possible and the request asked for may simply not be suited to the guests dancing at that exact moment and actually have a negative impact.

The Last Dance

Tip #10:
The last dance should be a big one, so think about what you would like so that your DJ is all ready for it. It should be a song that will finish off the night for which the majority of the guests will all want to join you on the dance floor. These are generally slower songs or songs the guests can sing along to - the type of songs where by they can all gather around you in a circle with you, the bride and groom, in the centre - or perhaps the type of song you leave the venue to via a wedding arch. Traditional songs like Frank Sinatra - New York, New York work well, as do slow romantic songs. You may want to end as you started - with the song played for your first dance.