How to start the reception if you are not doing intros or spotlight dances

CrazyCatLady3

My fiance is on the shy side so I am planning to forgo bridal party/B&G intros and any first dance or spotlight dance.  We are just going to attend the cocktail hour when we are done with pics and go into the reception with the rest of the guests.  I am just concerned people might be confused since we are not doing these things and might be hesitant to dance.  Should we just have our DJ start things off by announcing that the B&G would like to invite everyone on to the dance floor?

GlassButton

CrazyCatLady3 said:

My fiance is on the shy side so I am planning to forgo bridal party/B&G intros and any first dance or spotlight dance.  We are just going to attend the cocktail hour when we are done with pics and go into the reception with the rest of the guests.  I am just concerned people might be confused since we are not doing these things and might be hesitant to dance.  Should we just have our DJ start things off by announcing that the B&G would like to invite everyone on to the dance floor?

I think it'd be find to just have your DJ tell everyone that.

mmmiler346

I think it would be nice to be introduced as Mr and Mrs in front of everyone.If people are already dancing when you walk in there will be less pressure on you two.

CrazyCatLady3

mmmiler346 said:

I think it would be nice to be introduced as Mr and Mrs in front of everyone.If people are already dancing when you walk in there will be less pressure on you two.

Well, I'm also keeping my name, so I would really only have the DJ announce us by our first names if we were announced.  Does that change your answer?

emmyg65

I like your original idea. We don't have a DJ and won't be announced and are just doing the first dance to get the party started. I'm sure just having the DJ announce that dancing is starting will work well! If you wanted to be extra careful, you could get a group together (parents, wedding party or close friends) to start dancing with you.

allispain

I think PPs idea of alerting your VIPs that you would like their help (requested, but not required) to get the dancing started when the DJ announces if would be a great way to make this work - hopefully you'll have some that love to dance!

jessyk1065

I'll co-sign all of the above. I think having your DJ announce the dance floor is open along with letting your parents, bridal party, etc. know that you'd like their help getting people on the dance floor will work well.

snoopycac

I agree, if you do go the route of just having the DJ announce that the dance floor is open, make sure you have some people that will get out on the dance floor RIGHT away. I feel like it could be horribly awkward if it is announced the dance floor is open, and everyone is waiting for someone else to make the first move. Which might happen if half of the guests are on the shy side.

melb2013

We were SOOO not into doing introductions.  We did do a first dance, which started our first dance.  The musicians simply announced that we would be doing a first dance.  We only did the first verse alone and then the singer invited everyone to join us in the dance.  It worked beautifully and is a more old-fashioned way of doing a first dance.

If you don't do a first dance, just have your DJ announce that everyone should be invited to dance.  I see no reason why anyone needs to announce you or say your names- everyone knows who you are or they wouldn't' have been invited to the wedding!

kipnus

Everybody is dancing before dinner?

CrazyCatLady3

kipnus said:

Everybody is dancing before dinner?

It would be everyone dancing, then appetizer course, then everyone dancing, then dinner, and so forth to the end of the evening.

melb2013

We had dancing before dinner too.  

CrazyCatLady3

melb2013 said:

We had dancing before dinner too.  

This is how it has been at almost all the weddings I have been to.  It helps the caterer have time to plate so many dishes with the longer time in between, and then guests aren't bored waiting for the next course to come out.

southernbelle0915

CrazyCatLady3 said:

mmmiler346 said:

I think it would be nice to be introduced as Mr and Mrs in front of everyone.If people are already dancing when you walk in there will be less pressure on you two.

Well, I'm also keeping my name, so I would really only have the DJ announce us by our first names if we were announced.  Does that change your answer?

I'm also keeping my name and not into the big announcements and spotlight. We were announce this way by the DJ "please welcome the newly married couple!" and then my dad (my parents hosted along with us) made a toast welcoming people/thanking them for coming, a few words about my H and I, and then explaining the flow of the evening. It shifted the attention to my dad right away so we only had the spotlight for a second when we were announced. We also had the DJ announce the segments of the evening "first dances" "cake cutting" etc...

It worked really well for us and I'm really glad we did it that way.

ashleyep

You could be announced by first names, "please welcome the newly married couple, name and name!" while everyone's dancing, or if you don't do dancing before, you could sneak in and the DJ could tell everyone to take their seats for the toasts and start that way.