Wedding Receptions: What are they supposed to look like?
Ok, so you have your fiance, your ceremony site and wedding reception site. But what about your wedding reception? There are a lot of moving parts and pieces for a wedding reception. And we haven’t even started talking about music lists. Are you going to have a DJ. Are you going to have a band? Should your music be something you like? Or should your music be something everyone can dance to? Will anyone even dance?
That’s a lot of choices to make! Many brides want the reception have a lot of dancing. But how do you get people to dance? You haven’t seen a lot of these people in years. Do they like 60’s disco, 80’s glam-rock, or does everyone love Brittany Spears?
A Married Minute with Eric Cunningham with Debonair Entertainment Inc from Steven Davis on Vimeo.
Well, much of it comes down to picking the right DJ or MC.
Your reception will be a one time live event. So what are some tips for getting it right.
- Find a DJ or MC that listens to you.
- Find one with experience.
- Lighting. Will you hire a lighting company? Since DJ lighting is not ‘action lighting.’ Make sure your professionals are aware of your lighting. Discuss your reception lighting with your photographer, videographer and DJ. Read our important tips on wedding lighting to understand the difference between action lighting and event lighting.
- Your DJ or MC should have modern equipment and a back up plan.
- Closely coordinate your reception with everyone else involved. This includes your photographer, videographer, coordinator etc. Everyone needs to be on the same page.
- Wedding receptions are fluid events. It’s important to have a plan. But be prepared for a change in schedule. You could have weather delays, your limo might run into traffic getting to the reception, your groomsmen may get lost getting to the reception. Be prepared for delays. And explain any delays to your DJ or MC.
- Do you have a final song? We’ve seen many receptions that don’t have a specific ending. It’s important for your wedding day story to have a definite ending. You can do a faux ending for your pictures and video.
Have fun at your reception. Be assured that when you hire a professional DJ or MC, your reception will be more fluid, without unnecessary delays.
Do you need vendor questions to interview DJs and other vendors? You can find them here.
Do you have a tip for having a great wedding reception? We’d love to hear from you. Just leave a comment below.
I’m trying to help my sister find a dj for her wedding.I like what you said about how a dj should have a backup plan. That is such a good idea, in case anything goes wrong.