At what point did the dancing at your reception really get started or at what point should the danci

peaches85 · October 2010

I've been to several weddings in the last few years that really seemed to drag on for the entire first half (usually two hours) of the reception.

They usually started out with the WP entrance, first dance, and the toasts. Then the first course would be served, the f-d dance would takes place, the second course would be served, the m-s dance would take place, and the main course would be served. All during that time, the guests would just be sitting and talking and there would be mostly background music and a few catchy songs here and there, but nothing really danceable.

Once the dishes from the main course were taken away, that's when the "party" would be getting started, but by that time a lot of the guests would already be feeling kind of sluggish and bloated (from having attended a cocktail hour and then begin served dish after dish of food) and the reception would already be about halfway done.

At least four weddings I've been to in the past five years have been like that or similar and I just feel like it's a waste of a DJ and a waste of a potentially really awesome party. Plus, as a guest, I get bored sitting at my table just eating and/or watching the bride and groom for 2 hours straight before the music starts to kick up and I can start having fun(and this is after sitting through a ceremony and gorging myself on food/drinks at the cocktail hour).

I know that venues probably prefer to have everyone in their seats as food is being served, but is there a way to speed up the process or to encourage dancing throughout the night? Was your reception line-up any different than the weddings I've been to? Did you have people getting up to dance even as food was being served? Did you maybe have fewer courses so guests wouldn't feel obligated to stay in their seats eating as long? Did your DJ do something different to ensure everyone was feeling the party vibes the entire time?

Or, is that just the standard wedding reception line-up and there's really no getting around it?

Danes983 · October 2010

Honestly, this is the exact reason we are having stations instead of a sit down. My vision for the night:
30 minutes passed hors and cocktails
Bridal party entrance (plated salad on table)
Toasts/Blessing
All stations and buffet opens.
All first dancing then everyone dances.

I am really hoping to achieve the goal that there is minimal time to sit at the wedding. I want everyone up mingling dancing eating.

ffbride_0813 · October 2010

People started dancing at mine immediately. We came in and did our first dances and then sat down for salad. My MOH was the first one up and dancing before they took the salad away. I dont know if that is proper but I am so glad she did it (and she knew ahead of time I didnt care). That got everyone up and dancing before dinner was served. When dinner came out they stopped and as soon as they were finished eating dancing started again. There were times when it was only 2 people on the dance floor but that was okay.

My Sil is pregnant and i remember my husband leaning over to me during dinner and saying "isnt it wierd to know that there are 3 people on the dance floor"

felicia220 · October 2010

At our wedding people were dancing basically the entire night. Here is how ours went; Entrance, first dance, brother/sister dance, toasts. Then there was lots of dancing and after the first course, we did the father/daughter and mother/son dance. (These dances were 2 mins each, so not too much interruption) then dancing the rest of the night except for when food was out. The band had people dancing before we even got in there. I think it is more of how you explain what you want to your DJ/Band, we wanted people to be able to dance as much as possible. We wanted to take pictures with all of our tables and ended up not being able to because people were dancing the whole night and the only time they were sitting at their table was when they were eating their entrée. I think it is really up to you when things start.

peaches85 · October 2010

So when the food is served does the DJ announce that each course is being served or did the guests on the dance floor just get the hint or does the DJ change the music to something slower while people are eating and then something more upbeat in between courses?

USER876 · October 2010

We were worried about this as our wedding had more of an older crowd. However, the band started before we were introduced/entered and did our dances, and people were dancing already! As soon as our dances were over, they played a hit and everyone packed up the dance floor until dinner. I think the music makes or breaks the mood...........

akmackay · October 2010

I wanted everyone dancing most of the night- and our dancefloor was packed. We got all the "special dances" done with off the bat. Entrances, B&G dance, everyone sat to eat their salads/bread.. while they sat we had the F/D dance, M/S dance. Everyone started dancing as they finished their salads. Also, the waiters took dinner orders before we came into the room, so that was done with. Dancing occurred until the DJs announced dinner was served. As everyone was finishing dinner, they were getting drinks/mingling with other tables and then dancing continued for the rest of the night (until we did our toasts/cake cutting/garter and bouquet tosses). The dancefloor was packed all night.

Reilly626 · October 2010

Ours started immediately! We did our first dance then it got jumping...

uppereastgirl · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_point-did-dancing-reception-really-started?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:9e8d9e52-4238-4649-ac59-9673dd8e5aa3Post:1e4765bd-7e52-4210-bf8a-4c67b174cf5f">Re: At what point did the dancing at your reception really get started or at what point should the dancing get started?</a>:
[QUOTE]So when the food is served does the DJ announce that each course is being served or did the guests on the dance floor just get the hint or does the DJ change the music to something slower while people are eating and then something more upbeat in between courses?
Posted by peaches85[/QUOTE]

<div>No announcement (our DJ spoke like 2 times during the entire night). People got the hint from the music.</div><div>
</div><div>We cut out a lot of the slow music and had the DJ play a lot of more recent music, so people danced a lot between courses. But most of the dancing was after dinner.</div><div>
</div><div>We extended our reception by an hour, so there was plenty of time for everything, generally.</div>

peaches85 · October 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_point-did-dancing-reception-really-started?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:9e8d9e52-4238-4649-ac59-9673dd8e5aa3Post:70762ede-8611-4519-a1df-e1cb4ec0a9ff">Re: At what point did the dancing at your reception really get started or at what point should the dancing get started?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: At what point did the dancing at your reception really get started or at what point should the dancing get started? : No announcement (our DJ spoke like 2 times during the entire night). People got the hint from the music. We cut out a lot of the slow music and had the DJ play a lot of more recent music, so people danced a lot between courses. But most of the dancing was after dinner. We extended our reception by an hour, so there was plenty of time for everything, generally.
Posted by uppereastgirl[/QUOTE]
Yeah, we've been toying with the idea of maybe extending our reception by an hour if we have it in our budget. To be honest, it all depends on how many guests say they'll attend, because the additional hour cost at our venue is a per-person cost. An additional hour for the DJ is minimal, but the venue is the killer.

Peacefield · October 2010

Most of the weddings I've been to have all the "stuff" happen right away: the introductions, F/D and M/S dance, toasts, blessing, etc. Then food starts to happen but those who it the cocktail hour hard are already getting out to the dance floor.

cutiepie12702 · October 2010

The last two weddings that I attended people were really dancing almost the whole time. The DJ would play music that old and young generations liked at first, which got everyone up. At one of the weddings, the DJ made an announcement each time one of the courses was served, which I thought was great because everyone knew when to go sit back down again and afterwards would get back up. The second one I went to did not do that (only announced the entree), and everyone was so wrapped up in dancing they missed their appetizers. I think the announcement thing is def. a plus to do.

We also extended our reception by an hour so we can keep the party and dancing going longer (ours is at a hotel so we don't need to worry about anyone getting shuttled/driving back to their hotel rooms, they can just walk upstairs once the reception is done at 12:30am).

stapletond · October 2010

Our band had everyone up and dancing pretty much all night. Guests entered the ballroom, then we were announced, we had our first dance and then there was a fun, lively dance set. The toasts didn't happen until the first course. We decided not to dance with our parents until after we cut the cake. The band played really fun dance music between all the courses and played mellow music for eating. All in all, people danced throughout the night!

kellybee83 · October 2010

We're going to have our band play Michael Jackson's Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) when the doors open (well curtains in our venue). So hopefully they will get the hint and start dancing immediately! Then the band will ask everyone to stay around the perimeter of the dance floor, do quick intros, we'll start our first dance, and everyone will join in midway. (The owner of the entertainment company we're using also said keeping everyone around the dance floor is great for pictures and video, because you'll see all the people you love around you during your first dance) All the formalities, toasts, parent dances will be attached to or during meals, and hopefully it'll be a "party" the rest of the evening. We'll do a cake cutting off to the side.

At what point did the dancing at your reception really get started or at what point should the danci

Re: At what point did the dancing at your reception really get started or at what point should the danci

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