5 top tips to keep your dance floor packed!

So here’s a nightmare you might not have thought about until it’s too late, an empty dance floor.

You’ve booked the best DJ or band in town and spent hours perfecting that perfect list of tunes to be played but no one is dancing.

Now, you could drag people out onto the floor, but it rarely works. They may hang around for a song and then sit back down, or head back to the bar.

You need a way to get your guests to naturally, and willingly, make their way onto the dance floor without making them feel like they have to! Luckily for you, here are my top 5 tips to help make that happen!

#1 – Set the mood

It’s important to make your guests feel like they’re actually at a party. If it’s a wedding and they’ve been sat in the same room for most of the day at the wedding breakfast and the same room is being used for the evening party, it must look different.

A great way of doing this is by using simple venue lighting. Some carefully placed lights placed around the room can transform any space instantly. Think also about the music being played during the early parts of the party as guests arrive, keep it popular and upbeat.

Does your venue have fairy lights in the ceiling? What about LOVE letters? They look great during the day, sure, but at night they light up the room like the sunshine. Make sure you can turn them off. Instant atmosphere!

#2 – Make sure there’s room to dance

Small dance floors are too cramped and huge big ones can make people feel self-conscious as they’re having a boogie.

In an ideal world, all your guests would be dancing at the same time but that rarely happens as most of them will be in the bar, or the photo booth so as a size guide, if your guest count is less than 100 people then a 14ft x 14ft dance floor will be fine. For up to 120 people I would suggest a 16ft x 16ft and for parties of up to 150 people then you’ll need an 18ft x 18ft dance floor.

Be wary of companies offering killer deals that include a dance floor for a “too-good-to-be-true” price as more often than not you’ll end up with a 10ft x 10ft floor which is great if you only have 30 people at your party!

#3 – Song requests

You must let your guests select some songs because without them it would be a pretty lonely party! There are loads of cool ways you can do this:

You could set up a Facebook group before the party and invite all your friends to join the group and talk about their favourite songs.

Another popular way of getting your guests to choose songs is to ask them to list their favourite song on a card they return with their RSVP like the one above from mintypaperie.com. They have a great site on Etsy with tons of ideas and options!

One of the best ways to get your friends to choose songs is to allow them to request them on the night. Emotions and moods change by the second when you’re at a party and giving your friends the freedom to choose the music is a powerful tool and one you should certainly welcome!

#4 – Give the DJ some space!

You’ve booked a DJ because they’ve got a ton of experience of DJ’ing at hundreds of parties each year yet you’re going to give them a list of songs and they must stick to that list like glue.

Warning! ⚠️

Surely it would’ve been easier, and cheaper, to just rent a set of speakers and plug your phone in?

The great thing about a DJ is that they know what gets people dancing. Give them a list of songs you love and songs you hate, and the freedom to mix it up.

Don’t micro-manage the DJ. You’ve given them a list of tracks, so let them use their experience of playing at hundreds of events to decide when it’s the best time to drop those big anthems. Play a song too early and it will hit the floor like a big lead ball. At the right time, the energy levels will be off the scale!

#5 – Be In The Room!

This seems obvious, but you gotta dance!

The best weddings are those where it’s clear that the newlyweds are smashing it up on the dance floor! The party is where you are. So if you’re both larging it up at the bar with your chums doing shots then the party is at the bar. If you’re outside, the party’s outside. If you’re on the dance floor, that’s where everyone will be.

Find members of your friends and family who will lead a movement to the floor, this way they’ll have your back if you’re busy elsewhere. You don’t have to be there all night, but it’s something to be aware of.

I wrote a blog post about where the party is, have a read!

If you’re ready to turn your wedding, birthday or mitzvah into a fantastic celebration, and you’ve found my tips above useful, just fill in my short contact form. You can also email me directly at hello@ianforest.com or call/text or WhatsApp me at 07799 782764!

Verabschiedung!