Wedding Lines Dances to Get Everyone in on The Action!

All the official moments of the day are done, the vows are exchanged, the speeches given, the cake cut, now it’s time to get to the party! After all, your wedding reception is a chance for you and your guests to cut loose and celebrate this joyous union! But how can you get your guests up and moving together? Maybe a wedding line dance is in order!

Asking your DJ to put on a well-known dance track is a genius and time tested way to get guests up and out of their seats and onto the dance floor! There are choices from classic country hits to modern-day pop sensations. Truly there’s a wedding line dance for every taste, and they have become hugely popular in recent years. Let’s take a quick look at some of the most popular wedding line dances of all time! Which ones would you like to see at your reception?

Wobble by V.I.C

The Wobble is a somewhat more recent line dance (as the song debuted in 2008), but since then has become a staple at weddings. With easy-to-follow moves and a solid R&B beat, your guests will fill the dance floor as soon as they hear the opening lyric “Oh!”

Conga by Miami Sound Machine and Gloria Estefan

Looking for a way to get every guest onto the dance floor? Then the Conga is just the song for you. This wedding dance is all about following the leader; so make a train of people and keep on adding to it as you move around the room. Soon you’ll have all your guests up, just be sure to end the song with everyone on the dance floor!

Cha-Cha Slide by DJ Casper

A couple of decades ago, Mr. C The Slide Man changed dance floors forever with the release of the Cha-Cha Slide. The routine has since turned into one of the most popular wedding line dances of all time! The simple moves and upbeat tempo is a winning combination.

Macarena by Los Del Rio

Love it or hate it, the Macarena is here to stay! And it remains one of the most popular wedding line dances, complete with a quick tempo, simple moves and jumping to boot, as well as opportunities for your guests to sing along, this track is a proven crowd-pleaser. 

Old Town Road by Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus

If you and your partner are country lovers at heart, the Old Town Road line dance might just be for you. It includes lots of fun side-stepping action along with some horse riding and cowboy moves. Yee-haw!

Time Warp from The Rocky Horror Picture Show

It might be an oldie, but it’s a goodie! Ready to do the Time Warp again? The song is catchy, and the routine is strikingly easy, especially as the lyrics tell your guests exactly what they need to do next, making it accessible to everyone! So, feel free to unleash your inner ghoul and hit the dance floor pronto for a little Time Warp!

Final note… No Matter which wedding line dance songs you go with, just remember to get up and lead the routine yourselves! The moment your DJ hits ‘play’, make sure you and your partner are the first up on the dance floor. It’s your wedding, so it’s your job to lead the way! We’ve seen first hand, if the newlyweds bring loads of energy and enthusiasm to the line dance, the guests will follow suit.

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A late congratulations to Laurie and Jesse! And thank you to @mary.dougherty for amazing photos of the dance floor in action! DJ Joel had a great time with you all 🥳🥳

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Planning Advice for Weekday Weddings

 

While Fridays and Saturdays have long been the standard for weddings, there’s no rule that says you can’t consider the other five nights of the week for your celebration. That’s especially true now, as the idea of what a wedding should look like shifts and changes with the times.

Weekday weddings really started to gain momentum as destination weddings started increasing in popularity. And, really, it only makes sense if for instance you and your nearest and dearest are already committing to travel for multiple days for your celebration. After all, does it really matter when you choose to exchange vows if everyone will already be in town for a week? 

Then, once you add in the impacts of the pandemic, which has allowed a lot more flexibility with remote work, while also creating a major wedding backlog that still hasn’t been worked though, the off-day approach is more appealing than ever before!

Do a Pre-Check

Before you formally commit to a weekday wedding, be sure to ask the VIPS and the ride-or-dies that you can’t imagine getting married without if the date will work for them. If it turns out there are several major conflicts that can’t be reconciled, it might be time to reconsider a Friday or Saturday celebration. 

Plan Your Ending Accordingly

If you decide not to travel for a destination wedding, but still want to pick an alternative day for your wedding, you might want to plan to wrap the night up earlier. So, if most of your guests have to resume their regularly scheduled lives the next day, you might want to end the party at 10 or 11pm instead of midnight! After all, you want to end your wedding on a high note, so don’t plan to drag it out longer than your guests are going to be able to be invested. A party that ends on a high note at 10pm is a far better experience and memory than one that ends early because your guests have important responsibilities early the next day! What that also means… you don’t need to invest money on hosting an after party!

Be Strategic With Scheduling

If you do decide to travel and host a multi-day destination affair, you might prefer to schedule the actual wedding toward the end of the trip, but you might want to consider hosting a welcome party or group activities earlier on in the week so that everyone will have a chance to mingle. Letting people know of different activities they can opt into throughout the experience will further encourage bonding ahead of the main event. That translates into a more intimate wedding where all your guests come to the celebration feeling like old friends. But, make sure to let people know that these activities (like snorkeling, parasailing, hiking or horseback riding) are optional, and have common areas available for people to gather outside of these group activities.

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Advantages to Having a Winter Wedding!

Winter weddings have a lot going for them! Really! Yes, we know that summer weddings sure are stunning, but there are a few downsides to consider. But, when you plan a winter wedding, you can avoid those downsides and get stunning snowy wedding photos, featuring holiday-themed wedding decorations, and more. If you’re not convinced, keep reading, being a winter bride or groom is basically the best!

Reasons to get married in the winter season…

Less Stress

One thing about winter weddings is the lack of stress about the elements since they do tend to take place inside. Unlike planning a wedding in the summer, when the risk of rain and wind can make the planning period stressful and potentially costly if you need to add a tent, or have a back-up plan in place.

More Venue Date Availability and Better Rates

Most venues and vendors book up quickly during the summer months and often come with a large price tag, whereas those same locations and vendors might be available for a lower price during the colder months of the off-season. Because the winter months aren’t as busy as others, they’ll also be able to focus more attention on your big day.

Bonus Decorations!

Although the festive time of year might not be the reason you chose a winter wedding, there are many benefits to a celebration aligned with the holidays. It’s very likely that any venue you choose will already be decorated for the holiday season adding an even more celebratory feel to your special day.

No Summer Wedding Season Fatigue

The spring and summer months can get so jam-packed with weddings that your family, friends, and guests can start to get a serious case of wedding fatigue. But, a January, February, or March wedding is likely to be the only one your guests attend that season (unless of course, you’re living in the deep south or somewhere very warm), which makes it something that people will really look forward to.

Something a Little Different

From your decor color palette to flowers, there are many elements of the season to inspire your theme, meaning that your wedding decor will stand out in a sea of peonies and summer brights. You can embrace the season even further by throwing blankets over guests’ chairs or maybe keep them warm by serving a hot signature cocktail, like a rum toddy, cider or mulled wine.

It’s the Best Weather for Black Tie Events

If you’re planning a formal wedding, you can bet you’ll hear much less complaining from your wedding party and guests in black-tie attire when it’s cold outside. Tuxedos really aren’t meant for outdoor ceremonies and cocktail hours in the blazing heat of the summer, however, they are the perfect choice for indoor winter weddings!

You Won’t Be a Hot and Sweaty Mess

Some people really don’t deal well in the heat! The heat simply makes them irritated, cranky, and not to mention, a sweaty mess. So, when it comes to weather, you can always add layers to combat the cold, but in the hotter months, well, there’s only so much you can take off and still be wedding (or publicly) appropriate.

Stunning and Magical Snowy Wedding Photos

If you’re lucky enough to be blessed with a sprinkling of snow ahead of or on your big day, your photographer can capture some stunning snowy wedding photos that’ll rival any sun-drenched summer photo!

 

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How To Get The Most Out of Your Photo Booth Experience!

How do you go about making sure that your photo booth gets the attention it deserves at your event? And what can you do to make the most out of your booking with one of our photo booths?

Well, don’t fret, we happen to have quite a lot of experience in the matter, and are totally willing to share all the tips and tricks about what has worked best for us! 

Location, Location, Location!

When it comes to maximizing the true potential of your photo booth, location truly is everything! As in, if your booth gets tucked away in a corner, where no one can see it, it may not see the kind of action you’re expecting, and that would be a terrible shame! 

While we know that you don’t want the photo booth to overshadow other important elements of your reception, your photo booth should be clearly visible when your guests arrive! This will help ensure that it will be high on their list of activities for the evening! And, that’s before they get a little peek at the fun prop box! Another tip, try if at all possible to have the booth in the main reception space, and not tucked away in a corridor or separate room, and if that’s not possible, beside the bar is another great choice!

Timing is Crucial!

In our extensive experience, we’ve found timing to be incredibly important if you want your guests to take advantage of your photo booth!

Taking into account that the majority of rentals are reserved for about 3-4 hours, you want to schedule it during prime-picture-taking time! We’ve found that this is often after guests have had a few snacks & drinks, and have broken the ice and loosened up a bit. Cocktail hour photo booths can work well for this, but we’ve found that there’s typically no need to run the booth during dinner time. You may want to figure in photo booth downtime over dinner, then reopen the booth after formalities are complete.

Because, the second most crucial time for the booth to be open is directly after dinner, speeches and the first dance. Your guests will be itching to get up and let loose, now that all the formal parts of the evening are done! It’s generally best to take advantage of the booth while all the youngest and oldest guests are still there, and before the cocktails are flowing too freely!

Have Your MC & DJ Make Announcements!

There are times when all it takes are some outgoing guests to hop into the booth, and the rest of your guests will follow suit once they see how much fun it is. You can also enlist the wedding party to get the party started by getting in the booth themselves! After all, part of their role at your wedding is to help host your guests! This will also ensure that you get informal photos of your bridal party, to go along with the many formal shots from your photographer. Generally it just takes a few guests to show the rest of the guests how much fun the booth is, then they’ll all be clamoring to take their chance!

But, the most foolproof way to get your guests in the booth, is to ask your MC and DJ to call attention to the photo booth with a few well timed announcements! Most MC’s & DJ’s already know that there will be a few things they will need to address for the guests throughout the evening, so don’t feel bad asking them to point your guests towards your amazing photo booth!

If you follow these 3 simple photo booth guidelines, we guarantee that you’ll be able to maximize the use of your photo booth, and create a ton of memories that will last a lifetime!

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The Dollars and Cents (Sense) of the Money Dance Tradition

Have you ever attended a wedding reception that has included the money dance? If it’s not a wedding tradition you were familiar with, did you wonder why wedding guests were showering money or pinning bills on the newlyweds and lining up to dance with them? If you answered yes, keep reading! 

The money dance is a cultural tradition at many wedding receptions where guests offer the newlyweds money to dance with them, pin money to the clothes of the newlyweds, or they simply shower the couple with money. The purpose of the custom is to help establish the couple in their new life together, or to show them just how much they are loved and appreciated.

Even for a couple whose heritage includes the money dance, it still may be a difficult choice whether to include it or not. They may worry that guests will see it as an overt money grab. But, we feel, if it’s communicated that it’s both a cultural celebration & family tradition, as well as an excellent way for guests to interact with the newlyweds, the couple should go ahead, and have fun with it! And, even if both of you don’t share the same cultural or familial traditions, it can be a fun and memorable way to unite the two families.

The Meaning and History Behind the Money Dance

The money dance also goes by the dollar dance, money spray, or the apron dance. The details of performing the money dance varies quite widely across the many cultures which practice it. So, with it being such a widespread tradition, there is no definitive answer as to when it started or which country or culture was the first to start including it as part of a wedding celebration.

Variations of the money dance are popular in Poland, Greece, Nigeria, Philippines, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Portugal, Cuba, Latin America, Mexico, Eastern Europe, and many other countries. And, naturally, people brought and preserved their cultures when immigrating to America, as such the money dance is part of a great many wedding celebrations in the United States!

Modern Money Dance Ideas

As revered as the tradition of the money dance is, and as nuanced as the details can be for different cultures, here are a few ideas to modernize the tradition and make it fresh.

Borrowing from the Polish tradition; after the guest dances with the newlyweds, a waiter could offer them a small shot of premium alcohol like Crown Royal.

If pinning the money onto clothing is an expected custom, the newlyweds can consider changing into a second outfit to avoid ruining their gown or tux.

After playing whatever the culturally traditional song is expected, the couple are free to be creative. For example: getting the DJ to create a song mix with the word “money” in the hook. But keep it fun and tasteful.

While the Portuguese tradition is to pass the bride’s shoes around the room for contributions, they could consider a second pair of less expensive shoes for the actual money collection.

Alternatively, the game could be changed to substitute little love notes written by the guests, which could also be pinned to newlyweds, or they could simply be collected and taken home for when the couple need inspiration and a little love boost.

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Creating An Immersive Experience For Your Guests

Thinking of, or currently planning a themed party?! Marvelous! But, have you thought about taking it a few steps further to create a fully immersive party experience for your guests? You might be wondering… what is the difference?! Well, keep reading to find out!

Hosting a fully immersive party experience requires creating a rich, dynamic and riveting encounter that will transport your guests straight into another world. A World that blurs the fine line between fantasy and reality! An over-the-top event that will delight and engage all of the 5 senses in unanticipated and thoughtful ways. It has been our experience, with events we’ve been a part of, that doing so will result in a remarkably memorable celebration, that will wow your guests and will continue to live on and on in the stories they share of their experience!

Now it’s time to explore some of the immersive event elements to really make your party pop!

Create Mood With Themed Decor

Simply hosting a party based on a theme – instead of a more typical celebration – is one of the best ways to create an unforgettable experience for the guests in attendance. When everything from biggest reveals to the smallest details, are in keeping with the theme it can create powerful ways to immerse guests into the alternate reality you’re creating.

For example… you’re aiming for an enchanted forest party theme. In that case, you’re likely to plan on using different lighting effects as well as decor foliage to create the effect you’re after. But, if you want to really elevate the experience for your guests, you should also think of engaging their sense of smell with scented candles or essential oils in lively woods-inspired fragrances to create that mystical forest ambience you’re going for.

Moving on from there you can think about how to use different decor textures to engage the sense of touch. Maybe you want guests to feel compelled to reach out and touch things, if so, elaborate floral arrangements with contrasting textures, including branches, leaves and flowers could be set against gorgeous sueded or silk tablecloths to create both visual and textural interest, and to elevate the sensory experience of your guests while they’re seated at their tables.

Dramatic Lighting Can Make Your Event

Lighting and sound effects are incredibly important elements when hosting immersive experiences! They can be fine tuned to each of the different stages of your party. And, doing so will help to set the tone, pacing and energy of the entire event.

Exterior architectural lighting can also be used at your event venue to amazing effect by lighting up buildings (entryways, pillars, landscaping) as well as natural elements, such as trees, gardens, patios or water features.

Projection Mapping For The Win!

This amazing technology uses video projection to cover surfaces such as walls, floors, ceilings, the outside of buildings and even water features. Using projection mapping has the power to transform the event space into an eye-catching, startling, and immersive alternate reality. 

Projection mapping technology is incredibly versatile – and becoming more elaborate all the time –  and with the right expertise, and vendor, it can be tailored to any event! Think projecting the starry night sky onto the ceiling, think projecting swirling and bubbling water onto the floor, think projecting a mystical forest or creatures onto the walls. Sounds dreamy right?!

Actors! Yes… That’s Right! Actors!

Depending on the type of party, size of party and theme you’re planning, the use of real character actors is a clever – and often underutilized – way of truly immersing guests into your experience.

Maybe an Elvis impersonator does a set for a Vegas themed event, maybe Sherlock Holmes and Watson pop by to explain the rules for a murder mystery party, maybe Liz, the Queen of England stops in for a cup of tea at a garden party event! 

The sky’s the limit. The main point to remember is that whichever elements you choose to include, the safety and comfort of your guests is always the top priority. As such, they should never feel  that they’re being forced to participate in activities. And, actors can create those immersive experiences for your guests, while requiring nothing of them but to observe, and hopefully in the end, draw your guests into participating in the fun!

End Note: If you want a truly immersive experience for your guests, try a few of these ideas on for size! Whether you embrace one of them, or all of them, they will be sure to help you level up the party experience!

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