Want to enjoy a dinner dance – here’s some great tips to do so.

1. Make your itinerary

An itinerary or timeline is the roadmap to your wedding reception. It’s essentially the culmination of all of your wedding planning. This timeline will essentially keep all of your guests and vendors on the same page. One key role of your coordinator is making sure everything you dreamt of for your wedding day actually happens.

For most couples, one of the most important things is having everything they dreamed of doing in a way that builds up to an epic party. While it might seem like a small difference on paper, it adds up to a huge difference in practice. Won’t you be more likely to dance when you’re in a happy and celebratory mood? Your coordinator should ideally do everything possible to lead your guests right into the dance party.

Minimize interruptions

When you and your new spouse are introduced into the room, it’s time for a first dance, dinner, a welcome from parents, or anything else. Otherwise, you and your guests will just be standing around with nothing to do. As such, when your guests are sat down for dinner, let them eat first. Having them trying to chow down on their meal while also watching a cake cutting or a first dance from across the room can be frustrating to them.

When the dance floor opens, let them dance. Have all the formal stuff done early enough so as to avoid stopping every now and then for cake cutting, toasts, bouquet tosses, or group pictures. Fortunately, with a little bit of planning, you can structure a timeline around the critical elements without everything feeling choppy.

Keep the guests informed

Everyone likes knowing what’s going on. We live in a time where anything can be looked up on a phone in seconds – extend your guests the same courtesy. They will certainly appreciate a general knowledge of the timeline. You could have a sign showing the approximate times at the bar or get the MC to announce the upcoming events. Alternatively, your coordinator could arrange to have someone walk around during dinner and share with your guests what they can expect during the evening. This is something that’s always well received.

Make the timeline flexible

Even the best laid-out plans can and may go awry. For this reason, when creating the plan for the day, it’s easy to assign timelines for every small element. However, things like trying to force a room full of people to follow a tight schedule are almost impossible. People who have worked in the wedding industry can attest to the fact that no weddings ever follow the times outlines in the itinerary perfectly.

Some crowds will eat faster, and it makes perfect sense to move everything up 10 minutes. In other cases, the opposite happens. You might want to catch up with an uncle or aunt you haven’t talked to in a while for a few minutes longer, and the cake-cutting can reasonably be pushed back. All this is alright, and your timeline should allow it.

Let someone else manage the timeline on your behalf: Get a planner, a great MC, a day-off coordinator, or enlist an assertive friend. You need someone for this, so long as it’s not you. You deserve to enjoy your day without a watch on.

2. Open up the bar

If there’s something that every wedding should have, it’s alcohol. These days, most guests will be expecting some form of libation at the wedding reception. Plus, we all know someone who needs to imbibe a few before they are comfortable enough to get up and dance. Of course, the decision, including the ratio of wine to beer to liquor is all up to you. If you have concerns about your guests overindulging, there are many creative ways to naturally limit alcohol consumption.

3. Choose the right venue

There are many reasons to choose a venue. Whether it’s something that looks like a setup you saw on Pinterest, a farm, a convenient place for your guest, or a farm setting that fits your guest list; there’s nothing wrong with any of the reasons you choose a venue. However, many people miss one of the larger considerations – how well your venue will function when it’s time for the dance party – take a look here for the ideal dinner dance https://www.myhotelbreak.com/dinner-dance.

Some of the most conducive venues will help keep your guests in the same place for the dinner and dance party. Of course, it’s nice to have an outdoor patio with an upstairs bar, rocking chairs, or a Photo Booth in a separate room, but anything that takes your guests away from the dance floor could easily be an obstacle.

Choose a venue where your guest count is on the higher end of the space’s capacity. It might feel full, but it will be more intimate, and it will be awesome for the guests. Consider a space that has a rectangular-ish layout to accommodate both dining and dancing. There are many venues that fit this description that will have lots of charm and personality. Keep the guests close and everyone will be dancing till they drop.

4. Make the Entertainment Engaging

Having a DJ might be the best choice for you, but a live band will be perfect for others. Just pick the one that suits you and the vibe you want. Not all entertainers are  created equal, and they are not interchangeable. So do your homework well, and interview a few choices, preferably in person. There are many amazing bands and DJs, as well as terrible ones, not to mention a whole lot in the middle. When it comes to entertainment, choose one that can bring the dance floor fire with a friendly, outgoing, and professional personality you can trust. Great entertainers will often trump the previous items on this list by inspiring and engaging the crowd to dance.

5. Get out there!

Do you love dancing? How about your new spouse, friends, and family? Be honest with yourself. Fun people make the party fun. If you aren’t ready to hit the dance floor all night, you can’t expect your guest to do so without you. So, wear your comfy shoes and get out there. Most of your guests will follow your lead. If you and your fiancé are getting down, so will everyone else. The best dance floors are those focused on having fun and celebrating together.

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