How to ensure a full dance floor all night

How to ensure a full dance floor all night?

Our most asked question is always… How can you ensure that our guests have an unforgettable party? And how can you ensure that we will have a packed dance floor all night?

How to ensure a full dance floor all nightphoto by The Roots

Fantastic question… and please allow us to drop some knowledge for a moment that is sure to help any prospective client achieve a night full of dancing.

First thing first, you need to ensure that you have selected a Band or DJ Entertainment team that you mesh well with. This means you need to feel comfortable that they can provide you with the music style that you are anticipating you and your guests to dance to for the evening (yes, you want to make sure of a few other things when shopping for vendors but that’s a different blog post…lol).

Once you feel like you have just the right guy or girl… Here are a few tips and tricks of the trade to ensure a great evening to achieve a high energy dance floor.

How to ensure a full dance floor all nightphoto by Rudy and Marta – How to ensure a full dance floor all night

You want to ensure that the distance between your DJ/Band and the dance floor is as minimal as possible. If you could setup up their gear in the middle of the dance floor and it still be acceptable, I would do it. What this does… is it puts your performer’s energy as close to the crowd as possible. Your guests will automatically vibe off the energy of your DJ/Band just like you would at a concert venue. With this theory in mind, “the closer you are to the stage, the better your experience will be…”, its just one move you can make when trying to achieve a fun dance party.

Next thing, would be to limit the size of the dance floor to the most logical size possible. What in the world does that mean, you ask? If you’re expecting 300 guests at your wedding or event, please understand that you do not necessarily need to have a floor that accommodates that many people.

Think about it this way FIRST, when its time for all 300 people to put on their dancing shoes, not everyone is going to jump out there all at once. You will find people are socializing at their tables, hitting the bar for another cocktail, or lighting a cigar with old friends on the patio. So, lets plan for at least a 250 person dance floor, just to start with so that this way you are ensuring even more probability of having a great dance party.

Consider this SECONDLY, if you’re in a room that has a huge dance floor for 300 people, and at the end of the night you are expecting only 100 of your closest family and friends to hang around and jam with you to the bitter end… Then a smaller dance floor is perfect for you!

Honestly, if I’m choosing, a good rule of thumb is to plan for a dance floor for 150-200 guests for this size of event. I always tell clients at a minimum plan for 2/3rd’s of your guest-list. This way you minimize the dead space on the floor and it encourages that raging dance party you have always dreamed about for your big day.

The LAST thing you want to ensure you do, which will increase your chances of having a night you never want to end… is to make sure you are selecting music that you know your guests want to dance to. Yes! This day is about you and celebrating your love for your fiancé, however you are buying dinner for your friends and family and wanting to show them a good time… So please keep them in mind as well. Numerous times we receive client’s that have exceptional music taste that is completely different from what you would expect to hear at a wedding.

Genre’s that are including Punk, Aggressive Rock, Polka, Etc… Even though there are many tunes in these genre’s that most people can appreciate, the people on your dance floor most likely won’t want to tap their toe’s to it that evening. Make sure to pick a good range of upbeat songs, or tunes that you think all of your friends will know. Not to say that imputing some of your favorite high school jam’s won’t keep the party going. I’m just saying make sure to keep your guests music taste at the forefront as well, to ensure a fun filled evening of dancing.

Giving your DJ the free range to pick what everyone is vibing with will also help with this.  Handcuffing them to a specific ONLY PLAY THESE songs will only make it more difficult to keep the party going.

How to ensure a full dance floor all nightBella Collina Wedding

Once again… to ensure a jam packed dance floor all night, make sure you have an entertainment company that represents your style. Put them as close to the dance floor as humanly possible, using discretion for guests, when planning your layout of the reception space.

Make sure that you can limit the size of dance floor to comfortably hold 2/3rd’s of your expected guest count. Finally, and I think maybe the most obvious, would be to make sure you’re catering to your GUEST’s music taste and not just own.

“May the transitions be smooth, and the song choice be flawless”-DJFyerFly

How to ensure a full dance floor all night by Fyerfly Productions. 

Modern or Traditional Ceremony Music | Which bride are you?

Modern or Traditional Ceremony Music?

Bella Collina Wedding

Have you always wanted the classic wedding experience, or are you more of a modernist? We’re here for you either way. Hear our favorite ceremony picks for both the classy, traditional couple and the contemporary duo below.

Traditional Ceremony

 

Butterfly Waltz – Brian Crain

Canon in D Major – Johann Pachelbel, Music Lab Collective

Bridal Chorus (“Here Comes the Bride”) – APM Wedding Players

Trumpet Voluntary – John Stanley, Wynton Marsalis

A Walk in the Forest – Brian Crain

The Prayer – Andrea Bocelli, Céline Dion

Clair de Lune from Suite Bergamasque – Claude Debussy, Philadelphia Orchestra,  Eugene Ormandy

 

 

Modern Ceremony

 

A Thousand Years – The Piano Guys

Marry Me (Train) – Timothy Espinosa

Marry You (Instrumental Version) – The O’Neill Brothers Group

Chasing Cars – Vitamin String Quartet

Just the Way You Are – The Piano Guys

Who You Love (Instrumental Version) – The O’Neill Brothers Group

Waterfall – The Piano Guys, Jon Schmidt

 

Cocktail Hour Songs for your Wedding

Cocktail Hour Songs for your Wedding

Need some help setting a mood for your cocktail hour? Here’s a taste of some great tunes to get your sip on…….. whether you’re looking for a traditional night or a more modern vibe!

 

Traditional Cocktail Hour

 

Fly Me to the Moon – Frank Sinatra, Count Basie

Dream a Little Dream of Me – Dean Martin

Cheek to Cheek – Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong

The Way You Look Tonight – Tony Bennett

A Wink and a Smile – Harry Connick, Jr.

Love Me or Leave Me: My Baby Just Cares for Me – Nina Simone

All of Me – Michael Bublé

 

 

Modern Cocktail Hour

 

Valerie (Live at BBC Radio 1 Live) – Amy Winehouse

Just the Way You Are – Boyce Avenue

Collide (Acoustic Version) – Howie Day

Come on Get Higher – Matt Nathanson

Budapest (Live from Spotify Stockholm) – George Ezra

Tenerife Sea – Ed Sheeran

Boyfriend (Acoustic Version) – Justin Bieber

Crazy in Love (BBC Session) – Oh Wonder

I Wanna Dance with Somebody – Rachel Brown

Ignition (Remix) – The Wind and the Wave

Closing Songs for Your Reception

Dance it 4Closing Songs for Your Reception

The best day of your life deserves to end on a high note. These songs are sure to have everyone on their feet and leaving feelin’ goooood. Here’s our list of killer closers:

 

Drink You Away – Justin Timberlake

Super Bass – Nicki Minaj

Friends in Low Places – Brooks Jefferson

Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond

Piano Man – Billy Joel

Take Me Home Tonight – Eddie Money

Good Riddance – Green Day

I Would Walk 500 Miles – Kenny and the Scots

Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison

The Impression That I Get – The Mighty Might Boss Tones

Vivir Mi Vida – Marc A

We Found Love – Calvin Harris

Letting Go (Dutty Love) – Sean Kingston

Lucky – Jason Mraz

On Top of the World – Imagine Dragons

Specialty Songs for Your Wedding Reception

Specialty Songs for Your Wedding ReceptionSpecialty Songs for Your Wedding Reception

Want to make your reception one no one will ever forget? It’s all in the moments. Songs make moments. Check out these playlists we’ve created for all of your reception essentials.

 

Songs for Your Bouquet Toss

Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) – Beyoncé

Girls Just Want to Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper

Girls – Beastie Boys

Wannabe – Spice Girls

It’s Raining Men – The Weather Girls

Ladies Night – Kool & the Gang

Man! I Feel Like a Woman! – Shania Twain

Dancing Queen – ABBA

 

 

Songs for Your Cake Cutting

Sugar – Maroon 5

Pour Some Sugar on Me – Def Leppard

Eat It – “Weird Al” Yankovic

I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) – Four Tops

How Sweet It Is – Michael Bublé

Candyman – Christina Aguilera

I Want Candy – The Strangeloves

Cake By the Ocean – DNCE

Sweetest Thing – U2

 

 

Songs for the Garter Removal

I’m Too Sexy for My Shirt – Dragstei

Pony – Ginuwine

SexyBack – Justin Timberlake

Bump n’ Grind – R. Kelly

Hot In Herre – Nelly

Candy Shop – 50 Cent

Milkshake – Kelis

Drop It Like It’s Hot – Snoop Dogg

Jaws: Theme – Williams

Mission Impossible – The Session

 

Songs for Marriage Appreciation

Make You Feel My Love  – Adele

Unforgettable – Nat King Cole

Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers

From This Moment On – Shania Twain

Through the Years – Kenny Rogers

Here and Now – Luther Vandross

Always and Forever – Heatwave

More Than Words – Extreme

Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran

Opening Songs for Your Wedding Reception

Dance itOpening Songs for Your Wedding Reception

Ever wanted to start a conversation but didn’t know how? Ooh… that’s awkward. Ever tried to start a party but didn’t know how? Ooh… that’s really awkward. No sweat, we’ve done all the work for you. Here are our top picks to break the ice  so you can break it down at your reception.

Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake

You Shook Me All Night Long – AD/DC

Hey Ya! – OutKast

Shut Up and Dance – WALK THE MOON

Danza Kuduro – Don Omar

Me Too – Meghan Trainor

Love on Top – Beyoncé

I Gotta Feeling – The Black Eyed Peas

Cake by the Ocean – DNCE

Moves Like Jagger – Maroon 5

Don’t Stop the Music – Rihanna

How Deep Is Your Love – Calvin Harris

Fireball – Pitbull

Wobble – V.I.C.

Raise Your Glass – P!nk

Party Rock Anthem – LMFAO

Can’t Hold Us – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson

Bang Bang – Jessie J

Timber – Pitbull