The sparklers have lost their flare and the cake has been digested. For many couples, the wedding is not over once the guests leave the reception. Depending on the location of the wedding and the couple’s relationship with their families, often there are other activities that follow the main event.

Here are the typical post-wedding activities:

  • Family breakfast the next day
  • Family time opening presents the next day

Family breakfast is a time for everyone to sober up unless it was a dry wedding. Everyone typically shares fond memories from the night before. If the wedding was local, going back to either the groom or bride’s house is normal. Most hotels will have a restaurant on site, so if you and your groom stayed at another hotel, make the trek over early.

For couples who have smaller more intimate weddings. A good thing to do is have everyone who was part of the wedding to come to the breakfast since it makes sense at that juncture. Whatever you choose the next day after the wedding; please enjoy the experience. Again, the night before was about you and your spouse. However, the day after you will be back to reality as husband and wife.

As your instructor, I hope during our sessions that I can provide you with more ideas. Looking forward to hearing back from you soon!

Ladies and gentleman, please welcome the bride and groom, insert your name here!

This is what most couples get excited for on their wedding day! The reception will include:

  • Friends
  • Family
  • Business/Professional associates
  • Sometimes more

The last thing you want to think about is whether your DJ has the playlist to keep the crowd moving. Not to worry, this is Wedding Dance territory and this isn’t our first rodeo with helping our clients WIN on their wedding day!

In our last post, our number one goal was to have you sit down with your partner to put together the songs you both like. Most likely by this time you’ve already made a budget and that will play a crucial part in terms of your playlist and flow of the reception. Once you’ve figured out the songs, look at your budget to see how much you’re willing to spend for your wedding reception.

Wedding receptions vary from couple to couple. Even with this being the case, finding someone to be a DJ is pretty much the same no matter what. First, you want to eliminate using Google because you’ll be on a wild goose chase, trust us on this. Here are some of the people to reach out to in order to find your perfect DJ:

  • Couples from a previous wedding you attended
  • Your wedding venue
    • If it is a church, get in touch with the choir director or church bandleader
  • Your dance instructor (Us!)
  • Your favorite local friend who knows everyone

This is just a start and you can strategize with more if you would like.

Now that you’ve gotten your list together, pick up the phone and call them. In this day of social media, an important event like this should not be left to a direct message on Instagram or Twitter. Once you have gotten in contact with the DJ or DJ company, schedule a sit down on YOUR TIME because this person wants to win YOUR business. Upon sitting down with the DJ make sure you have a good idea of the type of music you’ll be playing to ensure it can be played during the reception. This is your day but it should match the vibe of a good majority of the attendees.

Done! Now that you’ve found the DJ and negotiated terms, this reception part of the wedding and is done. Once your father/daughter dance and first dance come on, be sure to dance with all of your heart!

Learn About Some Outdoor Wedding Reception Activities

Wedding receptions that are outdoors are beautiful. Typically you will have some of the reception outdoors and some under a tent, barn or reception area in a building.

Being based in Florida, there are many activities that can be held. However, depending on where the reception will be held, you can plan on having a variety of activities. Whether it is in the park or on a farm, there is a myriad of activities you can plan.

We can break down some activities based on wedding locations. For instance; if your wedding is at a winery, blindfold wine tasting would be good. Imagine having your aunt, college friend and more tasting some of your favorite wines. This type of activity is best for your host to control and ensure the flow of the event is kept.

Golf is another popular theme, typically for the guys. Therefore, if your husband wants that as his theme, here are some activities you can do. You could have a small “hole in one” contest or if you have it on an actual golf course “the best stroke”. For simple golf activities, you can have a large glass vase filled with golf balls and have guests guess how many are in inside.

Casual wedding receptions have become popular with the new generations. If you are doing anything from;

  • Softball
  • Kickball
  • Tag

Women can bring a pair of sneakers to make sure they participate. Just think of the fun photos you’ll get out of a rousing game of football or baseball played by women in dresses and sneakers and men in suits and sneakers!

If your wedding and reception are fairly casual, you can always tell guests ahead of time to prepare for a ball game or some other fun outdoor activity. Women can bring a pair of sneakers or flip flops. Just imagine the fun photos you’ll get out of a rousing game of football or baseball played by women in dresses and sneakers and men in suits and sneakers!

As your instructor, I hope during our sessions that I can provide you with more ideas. Looking forward to hearing back from you soon!

Pre Wedding Reception Activities

Wedding planning has so many little details to worry about that some might be forgotten. One tiny detail that often gets overlooked is how to keep guests entertained before the wedding reception “officially” begins.

What do brides and grooms do before the reception? There are no requirements that brides and grooms entertain their guests at all. After all, they have already attended your wedding ceremony (which was surely engaging and entertaining, right?) and they will soon get music, food, and drink. What more could they want? It turns out, a lot. While the bride and groom are off having pictures taken, the guests are left to their own devices, chatting with other guests and wondering when the buffet will open.

In that light, it’s worth at least considering some pre-reception options for keeping wedding guests entertained until the reception begins. Here are a few options, some traditional, some not so, but still fun.

  • Band playing
  • Tour of the property if at a historic site
  • Hors D’oeuvres

The possibilities are endless and really truly depend on your budget. One thing to consider is asking the DJ or entertainment company to provide some sort of add-on for one price. That way, some of the planning can be done by someone else.

First, you can do the traditional thing and provide guests with drinks and perhaps some light snacks. If the wedding is in the summertime, how about providing lemonade and iced tea? Or if it’s the winter, coffee and hot tea or even hot cocoa depending on the style of your wedding. Providing a light snack isn’t a bad idea, either, and that can be some appetizer-type food or just nuts, especially if the meal will be heavy.

Now, if you want to stray from tradition, there are many options. Some brides opt for entertaining the guests in the truest sense of the word. Clowns anyone? How about live music?

If you want to venture into the fun and funky, consult the party planning pages of a local children’s or parent’s magazine. Here, you can find people who will entertain your children at their birthday parties, but many of them will happily take on wedding jobs. You can hire a clown to make balloon animals for the kids (and adults) in attendance or to juggle a few things. Some clowns are true entertainers and will happily get the crowd involved by fetching items out of women’s purses and juggling them.

If there are many children at the wedding, it’s not too expensive to hire a children’s band to sing and entertain the children for a bit. Then if the kids are a bit bored at the reception, they’ll still have the memory of the earlier entertainment with them. In addition, while the children are being entertained, the adults can have a chance to chat and they will surely thank the bride for thinking of them in that way.

Other non-traditional options for entertaining your guests include hiring a band to play music beforehand. If you plan to have classical music at your wedding, you can have a band come and play covers of current pop songs, or you can simply have your hired band arrive a bit early to entertain guests waiting for the full reception to begin.

Some other options for entertaining your restless crowd before the festivities begin are to include them in the reception before it begins. This is a great time to ask people to sign the guest book and write something meaningful since they will have more time than they would usually have as they file into the reception hall.

If the reception and the wedding ceremony take place in the same location, but the bride and groom are off taking pictures, it may not seem as if there is not a dilemma of how to keep the guests entertained, but there is in fact.

In this case, you can have servers circulate with appetizer trays or you can do something more elaborate, such as some of the suggestions above. One popular option doesn’t involve entertaining the guests at all. Say the wedding is being held at a historic house or mansion. During the lull before the reception, guests can be given a tour of the property. If the wedding and reception are both being held at the couple’s new home, a tour of the property might be in order (assuming the guest list is fairly small).

As your instructor, I hope during our sessions that I can provide you with more ideas. Looking forward to hearing back from you soon!

How to host engagement party games

Did someone say party? Yes, your engagement party is a moment in time when both of your families will learn about each other. We all know these times can be awkward and getting a level playing field with the parents of the couple.

With that being said, whoever plans the engagement party (the bride or groom or your favorite friend) should plan a few games and activities designed to enable the families to get to know each other.

First up is a trivia game.

Create a “Trivial Pursuit” type game with questions about the bride and groom’s lives. You can keep the questions just to facts and events relating to both, such as:

  • Where did he propose
  • Where did you both meet
  • Etc.

Games are can be fun and also be an entertaining way for attendees can get to know each other on a deeper level.

Icebreaker for your engagement party.

Icebreakers that are popular at corporate functions and company parties can be also used at your engagement party. Here are the step by step instructions:

Make teams.

Tape a card to each person’s back and encourage him or her to work the room.

Make sure they mingle with everyone and make sure they go to new people in the group.

While the person is walking around, they have to make sure each person makes a comment.

Make sure the comments match the tone of the event. (If family members are part of a religious group, be sure to respect their wishes) Examples include:

“She has very pretty…” or

“He knows a lot about the stock market..”

This icebreaker ends when the mingling amongst everyone is over. Every card will be read aloud to ensure everyone can see what was said to them. Again, ensure that comments are complimentary or somehow presented in a positive light. Hurtful comments, obviously, should not be used in this type of setting.

As your instructor, I hope during our sessions that I can provide you with more ideas. Looking forward to hearing back from you soon!

Booking a Wedding Venue

Once you’ve broken the news of your engagement and let on that you’re seriously planning the ceremony, one of the first questions you should expect to hear is, “Have you booked a venue?”

In the modern day, there are a variety of different venues you can choose from, including country clubs, art galleries, museums, hotels, sports stadiums, libraries, and more. Essentially, any space that will allow a group to gather is an option. However, wedding receptions often have special concerns. When you’re in the process of booking a wedding venue, be sure to keep these seven questions in mind:

  1. How many guests can you accommodate? If you’re holding a huge shindig for hundreds and your local library will only host 80, you’re going to have major issues. Make sure to clear this up ahead of time.
  2. Do you have an in-house caterer? Are there limitations on outside caterers? There are basically two kinds of wedding venues: full service and not-full service. Full service venues often come with florists, caterers, linens, and table and chair rental – the whole nine yards. Not-full service venues only provide the space and you provide the rest. Full service venues take a lot of the stress out of coordination, but they take away your chance to shop around for the best deal. At some full service venues, you can use your own private vendors, but you’ll need to pay a fee to the in-house vendors on top of paying your private vendor.
  3. Is the site handicapped accessible? Depending on the needs of your wedding party and guests, this is an essential question to remember. Even if nobody in your party is legally handicapped, having elevators and ramps can help elderly guests move about far more easily.
  4. Who is responsible for setting up and taking down the décor? Some venues will have a clean up crew ready to help for an extra fee, and others will leave it entirely up to you. You may be able to pay your private vendors extra to help, if necessary.
  5. How early can I/my vendors arrive at the site for set up? If you’re having your party at a reception hall, generally you can get in very early to start preparing. However, if you’re partying at a museum, library, art gallery, stadium, or other public venue, your time may be limited.
  6. How many weddings will occur on my day? It’s unlikely your wedding will be the only wedding going on at an event space, particularly if you’re tying the knot during a popular time of year. Make sure that you know what else is going on that day and that you get the time for which you paid.
  7. What time do my guests need to leave the building? Knowing how much time you have to set up, celebrate, and then clean up will make logistics a lot easier. Additionally, some venues will levy heavy fees on receptions that go past their time allotment (think up to $500 an hour), so not knowing the limits could be costly.

Understanding the details of your wedding venue will make your party much smoother and more fun. Be sure you’re in the know when it comes to the details surrounding your wedding venue.

Picking your music playlist for your wedding reception

Welcome to the 2-Part entertainment for your wedding series

Welcome, in this 2-part series titled: Entertainment for your wedding I will break down what you need to do in order to have great entertainment at your wedding reception; which involves:

    • Finding your music playlist for your wedding reception
    • Finding your DJ for your wedding reception

Your playlist for the wedding reception should reflect your taste in music. The last thing you want is for your favorite aunt to takeover and demand you play something from her prom night unless you’re into that music. After all, this is your wedding and a memory that you and your partner will share for years to come.

There are however some basics that every wedding should have and I will list a few:

    • Intro music (introducing couple)
    • Father daughter dance
    • First dance as married couple
    • Party Anthems
    • Dance for son and mother

Of course this list is not extensive, but with these songs in place, you can begin to fill in with a few songs for your favorite aunt. 😉 In the event there are more questions you need answered, do not hesitate to reach out to me.

In the next section I will break down for your the steps to finding and securing a DJ to actually spin at your wedding. My goal is to ensure your entertainment at the wedding is enjoyable and to your satisfaction based on my experience with couples from all over the country. Therefore, you can be sure that you’ve come to the right place for your wedding dance information.

Get to know your dance instructor

Wedding Dance Florida | Paddock Productions | Carolyn Paddock | AboutHello, my name is Carolyn Yancey Paddock and I am the owner and lead instructor at Wedding Dance Florida. I am a former professional ballerina, who has performed internationally and took my skills and talent to become an accomplished  Producer/Choreographer and Makeup Artist. Reach out to me about your wedding dance questions anytime via email. In closing, I serve wedding dance couples in the state of Florida, in the Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale area but if you’re outside of those markets my services may still be available.

7 Key Moments to capture on Video by Wedding Dance Florida

Lights, Camera, Action: 7 Key Wedding Moments to Capture on Video

Some weddings have professional photographers, others don’t but here are 7 key moments to capture on video. Whatever you choose for your own wedding, however, you’ll want to have a keen eye on the ‘important’ wedding moments. A lot of wedding albums end up with a waterfall of pictures centering on the bride walking down the aisle.

While this is no doubt an important moment, there are lots of other moments going on throughout the day that should be captured as well. Remember that a wedding is a long process. There are elements that occur far in advance of the big day, and you may want to make sure that these are captured. Consider the following capture-worthy moments:

  1. Dress shopping. Okay, okay, this doesn’t actually occur during the wedding. But, let’s face it: most women don’t have the chance to play around in gowns potentially worth thousands of dollars all that often. You can do this easily with a camcorder set up in the corner of the dressing room… and then you’ll forever breathe a sigh of relief when you didn’t go with the low-cut polyester number.
  2. Bachelor/bachelorette party. Obviously, this one will depend on who your friends are and what you’re doing. If you’re going extremely drunk and extremely raunchy, well, film at your own risk. Parties that are slightly tamer in nature, though, may very well hold some magic moments.
  3. The “reveal.” It’s highly recommended that brides and grooms do a reveal to each other before they walk down the aisle. Oftentimes the look on both partners’ faces is one not to be missed, and it allows the bride and groom to spend a private moment together before the wedding, which can help with jitters. Not to mention, if the bride and groom don’t see each other before the ceremony, the “first look” magic is often lost in the procession.
  4. Interactions with the most important people of the wedding party. Notify the videographer of parents, siblings, and close friends. Keep a list of these MVP guests. You’re more likely to get impromptu pictures with your loved ones this way.
  5. The first dance. Video is best for this. If you’re doing a choreographed dance, make sure that the videographer shoots your feet in the video as well, as that’s where most of the action is! Also make sure the DJ asks everyone to be seated so that everyone will be able to see your wonderful First Dance that you have created!
  6. The first kiss. This is one of the wedding’s pinnacles; make sure that it’s captured. It’s a good idea if your photographer can scope out the area beforehand to get a good angle. It’s even better if you have multiple photographers.
  7. Pictures from the honeymoon. Again, this is not part of the ceremony itself, but many people regret never capturing the honeymoon on film. There’s sure to be lots of interesting hijinks going on between the newlyweds.

Planning a wedding is a long process. Be sure to document as much as you can! As the years progress, you will be glad these moments were forever captured.

Booking a Wedding Venue

Once you’ve broken the news of your engagement and let on that you’re seriously planning the ceremony, one of the first questions you should expect to hear is, “Have you booked a venue?”

In the modern day, there are a variety of different venues you can choose from, including country clubs, art galleries, museums, hotels, sports stadiums, libraries, and more. Essentially, any space that will allow a group to gather is an option. However, wedding receptions often have special concerns. When you’re in the process of booking a wedding venue, be sure to keep these seven questions in mind:

  1. How many guests can you accommodate? If you’re holding a huge shindig for hundreds and your local library will only host 80, you’re going to have major issues. Make sure to clear this up ahead of time.
  2. Do you have an in-house caterer? Are there limitations on outside caterers? There are basically two kinds of wedding venues: full service and not-full service. Full service venues often come with florists, caterers, linens, and table and chair rental – the whole nine yards. Not-full service venues only provide the space and you provide the rest. Full service venues take a lot of the stress out of coordination, but they take away your chance to shop around for the best deal. At some full service venues, you can use your own private vendors, but you’ll need to pay a fee to the in-house vendors on top of paying your private vendor.
  3. Is the site handicapped accessible? Depending on the needs of your wedding party and guests, this is an essential question to remember. Even if nobody in your party is legally handicapped, having elevators and ramps can help elderly guests move about far more easily.
  4. Who is responsible for setting up and taking down the décor? Some venues will have a clean up crew ready to help for an extra fee, and others will leave it entirely up to you. You may be able to pay your private vendors extra to help, if necessary.
  5. How early can I/my vendors arrive at the site for set up? If you’re having your party at a reception hall, generally you can get in very early to start preparing. However, if you’re partying at a museum, library, art gallery, stadium, or other public venue, your time may be limited.
  6. How many weddings will occur on my day? It’s unlikely your wedding will be the only wedding going on at an event space, particularly if you’re tying the knot during a popular time of year. Make sure that you know what else is going on that day and that you get the time for which you paid.
  7. What time do my guests need to leave the building? Knowing how much time you have to set up, celebrate, and then clean up will make logistics a lot easier. Additionally, some venues will levy heavy fees on receptions that go past their time allotment (think up to $500 an hour), so not knowing the limits could be costly.

Understanding the details of your wedding venue will make your party much smoother and more fun. Be sure you’re in the know when it comes to the details surrounding your wedding venue.

Memorable First Dance

How to Plan a Memorable First Dance

After the physical and spiritual nuptials are completed and the bride and groom have ‘sealed the deal’ with a kiss, it’s common for guests to anticipate a memorable first dance. There are many different ways to have a reception, but most of them contain one similarity: the bride and groom’s first dance.

In all the hustle and bustle of planning a wedding, the first dance may seem to be a relatively minor concern, but trust us… it’s not. With most of the guests likely having cameras and phones plastered to their hands, not to mention the professional videographer who is likely near, your first dance will be etched into digital memory for a long time to come. Why not make it memorable with these tips?

  1. Lower the lights. First, lowering the lights is a signal to your guests (who are likely milling around and chatting) that something is about to happen. If you haven’t had your first dance, they’ll figure out what’s next on the agenda. This will also allow your DJ to play with lighting effects as well.
  2. Choose your song by dance type. If you’re planning to execute an actual dance (waltz, swing, rumba, foxtrot, etc), you’ll need to choose music with the correct beat. The good news is that you don’t have to go with an instrumental song that nobody knows if you don’t want, as plenty of pop songs use these beats.
  3. Consider choreography. For those who don’t want to stand on the floor and rock back and forth, taking lessons together to prepare for the dance can be a good choice. You’ll have increased confidence, and be able to prove once and for all that you really can cut a rug. Also, taking the lessons together can be a fun activity as fiancées.
  4. If you can’t dance, waltz. For those who want a choreographed look but can’t be bothered to take intensive lessons, learning a basic waltz can be one of the easiest dances to master. It’s a classic, looks good, and takes very little effort.
  5. Don’t choose a long song. Particularly if you aren’t doing a choreographed dance that is flashy and exciting, a five-minute long ballad is likely going to bore your guests after the first couple minutes. Romantic songs that are three minutes or less are best. Of course, if you’re willing (and able) to tear it up with a salsa, this rule doesn’t apply.
  6. Save the drinking for after the dancing. It seems obvious, but this is a step that some brides ignore to their detriment. You don’t want to have been taking rumba lessons for six months, only to be too tipsy to execute.

Bring the guests in! Sure, it’s traditional to do the first dance alone on the dance floor, but this isn’t a hard rule. If you’re not willing to have a choreographed dance and you’re uncomfortable with the idea of all eyes on you for two straight minutes, break out into a conga line or a group dance after the first minute.