Wedding guests dancing the night away!

The knot.com recently shared fun tips for wedding receptions, so I thought I would adapt a few of theirs and add our own Something 2 Dance 2 spin on how you can have a fun wedding reception.

Be Creative with your First Dance! Your first dance is a great opportunity to “set the tone” for your wedding reception.  Don’t feel that you have to dance to a traditional slow song.  If you love to swing dance, select a jazzy version of a classic.  Or feel free to bust a move after you have danced to a few minutes of a slow song.  This will be a fun and welcome surprise for your guests.

Plan Interactive Food Stations! Great food makes great celebrations, but customizable and creative food choices are even better. A mashed potato bar, made to order pasta, or grilled cheese stations where people can choose their own toppings and sauces will leave you with happy, well-fed guests ready to have a good time.

Play Danceable Music! If you want to keep the dance floor packed, plan a playlist of songs that will please the crowd, not just you two. Remember, you will have guests at your wedding ranging from age 8 to 89!  You may love obscure rap music, but now isn’t the time to show off your discerning taste in music. People love dancing to Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, and Madonna–so let them!

Give out Party Favors! Don’t forget that a reception is a party!  Let your guests know that is ok to let loose after a formal ceremony by handing out fun party favors at your reception.  Our clients enjoy glow necklaces, hats for the guys and feather boas for the girls.  It also makes for great photos on the dance floor!

Late Night Snacks! If you want to ensure an all-night crowd arrange for your caterer to bring out trays of late-night snacks like Gene & Jude’s Hot Dogs, cheeseburgers and fries, mini pizzas, mac & cheese or warm donuts.  If you stick with yummy comfort foods your guests will wish the party would never end!  One of our favorite events had a Cupcake Truck waiting outside as guests were leaving..a perfect way to end a party!  I recently ran into a bride who was married in 2009, and she told me her friends still comment on how much they enjoyed having cheeseburgers and fries at her reception!