There is one thing everyone still talks about when it comes to Michael’s and my wedding — it was a good time. Every time I look back at the photos, I can’t help but smile at all the photos of everyone, including our grandparents, busting a move on the dance floor. And as much as I love all the little details of a wedding, that’s not always what your guests will remember or care about. If you want to have a truly fun wedding, here are a couple tips…
1. Make Fun a Priority.
As told to me by fellow bride Jessica Robles, it’s essential to make fun a priority in your wedding. Everyone takes a cue from the bride, so if the bride is stressed, it will affect the groom, which will affect the bridal party, the night’s speeches and whether or not the bridal party gets on the dance floor. And we all know that if the bridal party’s not on the dance floor, no one is. So don’t get so stressed when little things come up; your big day will be better off if you brush them off your shoulders and enjoy the night.
2. Curate the Guest List.
One reason my wedding was so fun was because Michael and I have a lot of fun friends. Wife of 6 years Lisa Chronister told me that her secret to success was to “curate” her guest list. That means they made sure to invite people they knew were a fun, social bunch that would dance, mix, mingle, eat the ethnic food with gusto, and be generally celebratory. Sure, maybe it means a few more dinner plates, but if it’s the difference of a fun wedding v. a boring one, I’d say it’s money well spent!
3. Hire the Right Entertainment.
For my group, a DJ was a necessity…but not just any DJ would do. Michael and I, in addition to many of our friends, have very unique music tastes and wouldn’t have been satisfied by a DJ who played all the cheesiest songs of the past 20 years. Instead, we wanted to find a DJ who would include our favorite music (dubstep) while still mixing it up enough to keep the older attendees happy. We knew our guest list and ourselves enough to know exactly what type of entertainment we would need, and that resulted in everyone being on the dance floor. So whether your crowd is the type to get on the dance floor for a string quartet or get down to a DJ, you need to know it so you can ensure everyone has a good time.
4. Keep the Booze Flowing.
Alright, so maybe some groups don’t need alcohol to have a good time, but I think those groups are few and far between. For a lot of people, alcohol is a requirement to lose the inhibitions and bust a move on the dance floor. So if you’re on a budget, instead of trying to cut costs by loosing alcohol entirely, think of offering simply beer and wine, or maybe a signature cocktail. Either way, make sure there’s enough booze to last the night and keep your guests happy, as fellow bride Melanie McComb says.
5. Get the Guests Involved.
When Marie-Josee Shaar and her hubby sent out their invitations, they included a return card asking each guest/couple to identify their favorite dance song. Then they gave the full list to the DJ in advance. Then, she made sure each couple was on the dance floor when their song was playing. What a great way to get the guests involved in your reception!
Update: As of December 2011, we’ve added 5 more tips to this list via a new post on the topic if you’d like to read on :)
What other tips do you have for ensuring a fun wedding reception?
[Photo by Jennie Andrews.]
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Dubstep. Really?
All these ideas are based around the idea that people are happiest dancing……how about, “Be a good host” “have plenty of food” or “don’t include long boring toasts?”
The only thing I agree on is the booze. I can assure you, if you have a dry wedding, most of the people you know will hate it.
Yes, dubstep. Everyone’s entitled to their own musical choices, and my guests had a wonderful time dancing to dubstep, in addition to a variety of other choices. My point by mentioning that was to know your guests so that you can be sure to host a reception they’ll enjoy.
I agree that my post was perhaps written from the perspective that everyone is happy dancing. However, I never claim to be all-knowing. I write from my perspective, and for this particular article, I polled about 20 other brides, and this was the list we came up with. However, your additions to the list are very valid. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, and I appreciate you sharing yours.
Great post thanks for sharing, I found you via @Bridetide on twitter. Definatley agree the best weddings are when the bride is relaxed and able to let go should anything not go to plan – also agree music choice for ceremony, reception and evening is important to set the mood.
One wedding I’ve had the privilege of attending staged actors as the waiters & waitresses who broke out into song, performed close up magic and comedy/miming. Made for an excellent fun day followed by an excellent DJ and party.
Talked about by all for years to come.
Thanks again for the post.
Neil,
Thanks so much for stopping by! Glad you like the post :) That wedding sounds so unique and very fun! Definitely not something I’ve seen before, but something I would absolutely remember.
Love these tips! It’s important to have fun at your wedding!
Thanks, Naomi!
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