Reception Tips
Planning your wedding can be a lot of work, but it should also be a lot of fun! Our goal is to provide you with helpful ideas and suggestions that will reduce your work and increase your overall enjoyment. The following has been provided to give you a general feel for how the event will flow as well as to assist you while filling out the Reception Information Sheet. The events listed are in the suggested order that most of our clients use for their events. The information contained here are only suggestions. Remember it is YOUR day and we will be happy to do the event any way you wish!
Start of event
A nice mixture of jazz and easy listening music greets your guests as they arrive at the reception. Champagne is poured for the Toast as everyone awaits the arrival of the bride and groom.
Entrance of the Wedding Party
(approximately 30-45 minutes into party) Approximately 30 to 45 minutes into the event the Wedding Party will arrive and your Dj will greet them outside as they appear. We suggest formally starting the event with a Grand Entrance of the wedding party, followed by the bride and groom. Sometimes the parents will be introduced as well, but usually they have already been at the reception for a while and it would be
awkward to have them go out of the room and be introduced when the guests have already seen them. This announcement serves as a kick-off to the party, and is typically enthusiastically announced by your DJ with energetic instrumental music in the background. As you enter, the DJ will prompt your guests to rise and greet you with applause and cheers.
The Toast
(approximately 45 minutes into party) The Best Man usually starts the toasting possibly followed by the Maid of Honor, Father of the Bride and Father of the Groom. Sometimes couples will have the DJ ask if any of the guests in the audience would like to say a few words. Be careful though, because depending on the family, this can quickly get out of control! The Toast is also an excellent time for the bride and groom to get up and say a few words to welcome the guests and thank them for coming. You also might want to make any special acknowledgements, such as guests who have traveled a long distance, or friends or family who have contributed in the preparation of the ceremony or reception.
The Meal
(approximately 1 hour into party) Immediately following toast, the meal service begins. The bridal party is the first to be served, followed by the family. The DJ will play a variety of soft background music. Once you have had the opportunity to enjoy your meal, it is a good time for you to visit with your guests. Typically, most guests will still be eating and you will have about 20 minutes to mingle table to table.
Centerpiece Giveaway
(approximately 1 hour 45 minutes into party) The Centerpiece Giveaway is an excellent way to get your guests “pumped up” and ready for dancing. Please discuss with your disc jockey the different ways we can make this a lot of fun!
First Dance
(approximately 2 hours into party) All of the attention is now focused on the dance floor. The first few notes of your special song begin to play as you share your first dance as husband and wife. Although most couples do the First Dance right after the meal, many also choose to do this dance right after the Grand Entrance.
Parents Dance
There are many ways to do the Parents Dance depending on your unique family situation. Some couples just do a Father/Daughter dance, some have the groom and his mom come out a little later in the song, and some couples just want a simple announcement for all the parents to come out at the same time. This is usually done during a single song, but can be split up into multiple songs. We recommend that you do a combination of all of these dances by starting with the bride and her dad, about a minute later have the groom and his mom come out. Then about a minute after that have all the parents come out while the bride and groom get back together and the parents dance with their appropriate partners.
Wedding Party Dance
Now the bridal party comes out to the dance floor. This will be the song that will kick off open dancing. Your bridal party will start it off and half way through the song we will open the dance floor to your guests. We recommend an up beat, fun danceable song.
Open Dancing
(approximately 2 hours, 15 minutes into party) The first dance set is critical because it “sets the tone” for the entire evening. At most events, we recommend that we start off with higher energy music to get the guests going right away. We will typically start off playing music for the older crowd first, because they are the ones that typically leave first. By doing this, many times the older crowd is having so much fun that by the time we progress to the newer music, they don’t want to leave!
Cake Cutting
(approximately 2 hours, 45 minutes into party) After the first set of open dancing, it is time for the cutting of the cake. We typically play different music for each section of the cake cutting (for example “Jaws Theme”). The fun of this formality is the anticipation! We suggest that you have a playful, yet sensible attitude while feeding each other.
Money Dance
(approximately 3 hours into party) If you decide to do a Money Dance, your DJ will announce it as an opportunity for your friends and family to share a special slow dance with you. The DJ will ask the best man and the maid of honor to assist him. They will ensure the timely flow of the guests so the Money Dance doesn’t last too long. Many couples get into heated debates about whether or not to do the Money Dance. One alternative is to call it a “Honeymoon Dance” or “Friendship Dance” and not even mention money. Only you can decide whether or not it is appropriate for you. The nice thing about the money dance (besides the money) is that it gives your guests the opportunity to speak with you one on one. We would not recommend doing the money dance if you are an older, more financially secure couple.
Bouquet Toss
(approximately 3 hours, 10 minutes into party) At this time the DJ will gather the single ladies on the dance floor. You will want to be sure to have your throw bouquet ready. The DJ will get the energy level up as he counts down to the toss. We have many fun ways of doing this event. Please discuss the various options with your DJ.
Garter Removal
(approximately 3 hours, 20 minutes into party) The DJ will invite all the single men to the dance floor. For the garter removal, the bride can sit on a chair, or we can make a “human chair” out of a couple of guys. Once the garter has been removed, the DJ will get the energy level up as he counts down to the toss. We have many fun ways of doing this event. Please discuss the various options with your DJ. At this point the photographer will typically want the winner of the garter and the winner of the bouquet to join the bride and groom for a photo.
Open Dancing
(approximately 3 hours, 30 minutes into party) Now is when the party REALLY starts! We will play a good variety of all different types of music, typically divided into 2-3 song “sets” of music.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have any tips for success?
1. Experience tends to show that the most fun receptions result from a Bride and Groom that are relaxed. With all the intricate details and planning involved in your day, there is bound to be some minor problems. Most likely, you will be the only one who notices that anything has gone wrong. The best thing to do is to focus on having a great time and “don’t sweat the small stuff”.
2. Take time to EAT. Even though it will take just a moment, be sure to eat throughout the day because stress, dancing and alcohol may take its toll.
3. Guests at your reception will typically follow along with what the two of you do because you are the main focus as to why everyone is there. Therefore, IF YOU DANCE, SO WILL YOUR GUESTS.
When do I plan the event with my DJ?
We believe that the pre-reception planning session with your Pro Sound Dj's DJ is the foundation of a successful event. We recommend that you contact the office 4-5 weeks prior to your event to set up a consultation meeting with your DJ either over the phone or in person. Your DJ will also contact you the week of your party to confirm any last minute details. At any time, feel free to contact the office if you have any questions.
Where should we have the DJ set up?
One of the most important factors in the success of your reception is where our DJ sound system Is to be set. It is critical that the DJ system is placed in an area directly next to the dance floor and that the DJ have a good line of sight to the entrance of the room, head table and cake table. As your Master of Ceremonies, we need to see each of these areas in order to control the timing of each. It is not a good idea to surround your dance floor on all four sides with tables. Remember our speakers need to carry sound to the dance area. If there are tables directly between the speakers and the dance floor, the guests seated at those tables will have an uncomfortable level of sound. We recommend a minimum of a 6’ by 10’ area to set up our sound system and speakers.
We can fit into a smaller area if necessary. If you have guests seated in an adjacent area or room, we can provide additional speakers so that all your guests can hear the announcements and music at a comfortable level. A nominal charge will apply for this customized speaker package.
Should we do a Receiving Line?
Even though the receiving line is the traditional way to greet the guests, it is not done that much anymore. The problem is that you have no control over how long each guest stands and talks to you while the other guests are impatiently waiting in line. So due to the extensive time it takes to do a receiving line, most couples opt to mingle table to table at the reception. That way YOU decide how long you are going to spend with each person. It you do decide to do a receiving line, we recommend that you do it at the ceremony as the guests are leaving for the reception.
Should I tip my DJ?
Unlike many other service professionals, we do not contractually add service charges or gratuities. While a gratuity is by no means expected, it is always appreciated. After considering the advance pre-planning with your DJ, the level of service and quality of presentation, along with your overall enjoyment, we believe you should decide for yourself what level of gratuity you would like to give. As a reference, a tip of 10-20% is common. For accounting purposes, we ask that you pay the gratuity directly to the DJ.