Okay, so, everyone that matters to you has gathered in one place for your wedding day. And, while, we know the point of the wedding is all that good stuff that takes place at the altar, we also know you’ve got a (breathtakingly well-designed) room full of guests who are hoping for a good time. People-pleasing paranoia aside, let’s chat about how you can deliver on serious wedding entertainment without feeling like you’re trying to choreograph a circus.
To avoid any and all circus level fiascos, you’ll want to do some prep-work. “For wedding entertainment, it's really important for the couple to first take into account the parameters of their venue based on space (you don't want to cram a 10 piece band on a tiny stage), noise restrictions (some places don't allow amplified music past a certain time),” says Alison Rinderknecht, Creative Director of Alison Events. From there you can, “determine what a realistic budget is for your wedding entertainment; you might want a live band but if you can only afford a cheesy low budget option you may want to consider hiring a kick ass DJ instead,” continues Rinderknecht.
Because your wedding music is an important and delicate component of your entertainment, you’ll want to consider its multi-faceted offerings. Not only do you need a curated selection of songs to serenade you during important moments like your first dance, your guests will also be looking for some straight-fire jams to get them up, moving and celebrating along with you. When it comes to your wedding music, Brita Olsen of Brita Olsen Creative, encourages you to trust your wedding planner and their recommendations. “Your wedding planner knows who can give you the most bang for your buck and is pleasant to work with. They know the DJs that keep everyone on the dance floor with your favorite songs.” If you are opting for a DJ as a part of your wedding entertainment, Olsen also encourages you to explore whether or not the DJ will set up their own lights and equipment as a part of their audio package and if they will provide emcee services throughout the evening.
Alia Wilson, consummate event planner at Firefly Events agrees that striking the right musical note is critical. “We want the wedding music to reflect the couple as much as possible! We work with them to find a DJ that fits well with their venue, budget, and musical tastes. If you’re already at max capacity at your venue, we usually suggest considering a DJ because they take up less space and leave more real estate for dancing,” says Wilson.
Once you have your two-step sequence lined up, you’ll want to make sure you’re more than ready to put on your dancing shoes. “Dance lessons can be really fun and are a great fit for a lot of our couples,” says Wilson. And, if chilling on the sidelines is more your style - don’t fret! It’s your wedding and you can enjoy your wedding music in whatever way feels best to you. “If the thought of memorizing a routine and then performing it on your wedding makes you feel stressed out, skip the lessons and pick a slow song that will be easy to dance to. Also, you can choose to just play a portion of the song, which can feel less daunting,” shares Wilson.
When alls said and done, the key to mapping out your wedding entertainment really falls to you and your sweetheart and the kind of enjoyment you want to have on your Big Day. And, remember, by the time you’re ready for the entertainment you’ll have cleared the hurdle of your “I Do’s” and it will be all about pleasure, partying, and paying some special attention to your innermost tribe.
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