Tips to Get Your Guests Dancing


Tips to Get Your Guests Dancing (4 Pages, Microsoft Word)



I think the best weddings have romantic and beautiful ceremonies, and receptions that feel like great all-out parties. Wedding music is perhaps the most important element of making your guests go home saying, "Man, that was a fun wedding." If you want to ensure that your guests are dancing and having fun all night long, here are my tips for great wedding music.

Variety is Key in Wedding Music
What appeals to your high school friends is not going to be exactly the same as what appeals to your business colleagues. So mix things up and play some of each. If you do it right, the guests who come to the floor for KC & the Sunshine Band will stick around for Beyonce.

Know Your Audience
In some circles, line dances like "Electric Slide" are hugely popular. In others, it is not. You know your friends and family better than any DJ or bandleader. If there's a song that will really get your guests dancing, or keep them from dancing, don't hesitate to make that known.

Ask Your Guests About Their Favorite Wedding Music
On your reply card, ask guests to name a song that will be sure to get them up and dancing. It will help guests get excited for dancing, and ensure that the wedding music appeals to a wide variety of people.

Taking Care of Older Guests
Sure, you want your friends to have a good time, but don't ignore Grandma and Grandpa. Older guests will tend to be among the first to leave, so tailor your music selections accordingly. From experience, I find that “Moonlight Serenade” works wonders to the the older generation dancing. Towards the beginning of your reception, play more 40's, 50's and 60's hits, mixed with current selections. In the last hour, you can stick to current music. Some oldies that appeal to many generations: Elvis – "Teddy Bear" or "Hound Dog", Supremes – "You Can't Hurry Love", Jerry Lee Lewis – "Great Balls of Fire."

Get the Dancing Started a Little Early
Traditionally, dancing wouldn't start until after the cake is served. But today's brides and grooms want to have more lively and fun wedding receptions. Don’t postpone the dancing until the last 30 minutes of the reception. I’ve had brides and grooms who have delayed the formalities, such as toasts and cake cutting, thus delaying the fun. Their guests sat there bored, waiting and waiting for the fun to start. So don’t delay. Get the formalities done quickly and proceed to the party!

Stack the Dance Floor
Hey, you're the bride (or groom). You get to boss the bridal party around, at least a little bit. Careful scientific observation tells me that guests are more apt to dance when there are already people dancing. So tell the bridal party that part of their job is to dance, and to ask other people to dance. Plus, the pictures of your 20-something-year-old roommate dancing with your 80-something-year-old great uncle will be priceless.

Play the Good Wedding Music, Not the Bad Wedding Music
Put together a do not play list, and a list of songs you definitely want to hear. Then throw in some ideas that you think will get your guests on their feet. Here are some suggestions for great wedding music:

Current Hits
Beyonce -- "Crazy in love"
Black Eyed Peas – “I’ve Got A Feelin’”
Black Eyed Peas – “Boom Boom Pow”
Christina Aguilera -- "Ain't No Other Man"
Christina Aguilera -- "Beautiful"
Ciara -- "One Two Step"
Emotions -- "Best of My Love"
Gretchen Wilson -- "Redneck Woman"
Jennifer Lopez – “Let’s Get Loud”
Justin Timberlake -- "Summer Love"
Justin Timberlake – “Sexy Back”
Mary J Blidge -- "Family Affair"
Outkast -- "The Way You Move"
Pink – “Let’s Get It Started”
Shakira – “Whenever, Wherever”
Shakira – “Hips Don’t Lie”

80s
Billy Idol -- "Dancing With Myself"
Commodores -- "Celebration"
Commodores -- "Easy"
Earth Wind & Fire -- "Shining Star"
John Cougar -- "Rockin In The USA"
Kool & The Gang -- "Get Down On It"
Kool and the Gang -- "Jungle Boogie"
Madonna -- "Burning Up"
Madonna -- "Material Girl"
Madness -- "Our House"
Michael Jackson -- "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough"
Modern English -- "Melt With You"
Pet Shop Boys -- "West End Girls"
Romantics -- "What I Like About You"
The Clash -- "Should I Stay or Should I Go"
The Cure -- "Love Cats"
The Weather Girls -- "It's Raining Men"
Tommy Tutone -- "Jenny (867-5309)"
Violent Femmes -- "Blister In The Sun"

70s
Chic -- "Good Times"
Commodores -- "Brick House"
Grand Funk Railroad -- "Some Kind Of Wonderful"
Jackson 5 -- "ABC"
KC & The Sunshine Band -- "Get Down Tonight"
KC & The Sunshine Band -- "Shake Your Booty"
Lynyrd Skynyrd -- "Sweet Home Alabama"
Ramones -- "I Wanna Be Sedated"
Rolling Stones -- "Miss You"
Sly and the Family Stone -- "Dance to the Music"
Sister Sledge -- "We Are Family"
The Isley Bros -- "It's Your Thing"

60s
Al Green -- "Lets Stay Together"
Aretha Franklin -- "Respect"
Beatles -- "I Saw Her Standing There"
Beatles -- "Twist & Shout"
Blues Brothers -- "Soul Man"
Credance Clearwater Revival -- "Proud Mary"
Four Seasons -- "Oh What A Night"
James Brown -- "I Feel Good"
Mitch Ryder -- "Devil With A Blue Dress"
Mitch Ryder -- "Good Golly Miss Molly"
Otis Redding -- "Hard to Handle"
Rolling Stones -- "Jumping Jack Flash"
Rolling Stones -- "Satisfaction"
Supremes -- "You Can't Hurry Love"
The Archies -- "Sugar"
Van Morrison -- "Into the Mystic"
Young Rascals -- "Good Lovin'"

50s
Chubby Checker -- "The Twist"
Chuck Berry -- "Johnny B. Goode"
Contours -- "Do You Love Me"
Elvis Presley -- "Blue Suede Shoes"
Elvis Presley -- "Can't Help Falling In Love"
Elvis Presley -- "Teddy Bear"
Platters -- "Only You"
Sam Cook -- "You Send Me"
The Angels -- "My Boyfriend's Back"
The Kingsmen -- "Louie Louie"
Wilson Picket -- "Mustang Sally"

40s
Frank Sinatra -- "It Had To Be You"
Frank Sinatra -- "The Way You Look Tonight"
Glen Miller – “Moonlight Serenade”
Henry Mancini – “Moon River”


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Tuesday, February 7, 2012  1:27:53 PM     © 2011 BallroomLife, LLC