As a wedding DJ in Montreal, I sometimes get asked by my clients what are some things they can do to keep the night fun, and the party going for as long as possible at their wedding. We are not talking about hiring the right type of entertainment, and doing your homework on the DJ companies and bands in Montreal etc. Of course hiring your DJ and entertainment is very important and should be made carefully, this post will be more about room layout, dance floor position and so on.

Dance Floor Position

Dance floor, head table and DJ area. It still amazes me that some venues around Montreal do not place these three key areas as follows: The dance floor should be between the head table and the DJ. The DJ should be able to see the head table directly in front of their setup. This layout also makes sure the DJ is right up close to the dance floor. If you place the DJ in the far corner of the room, out-of-the-way, with the dance floor in the middle of the room, the vibe will just not be the same. Your entertainment needs to be close to the party, and the people dancing.

Sometimes the ideal DJ-opposite-head-table is not possible, but as a general rule, the DJ or band must be as close as possible to the dance floor!

Room Layout

One of the things couples getting married might not realize when choosing their wedding venue is that having the bar or sweet table outside of the reception hall itself can put a damper on the party. People will have to actually leave the room to get a drink or their late night snack, and this can leave your reception room feeling a bit empty. Some of the smaller venues may be organized this way. Typically the larger rooms have enough space inside your reception hall to keep everything in one room. Keep this in mind when shopping for your wedding venue.

Room Size

Bigger is better! Right? Not always. Don’t get a room that is too large for your wedding reception. You walk into the largest room the wedding venue has, it is gorgeous, you love it, it can hold 400 people. The manager asks how many guests you expect, and its 150 or 200 people. Typically halls have a minimum guest count required to reserve a certain room. If they don’t and you’re thinking: perfect, everyone will have tons of space to move around and be comfortable. Stop! When the room is really too large for the number of guests you have, what can sometimes happen is the bar will be in a corner, which will feel really far. The sweet table might be in the other corner, and the dance floor (hopefully) in the middle of the room will all feel far away. Packed with 400 people you need that kind of space, but otherwise a room to large will feel void and divide people into groups around the room. Also think of the pictures, with so much room around you people will wonder if anyone even showed up to your reception! Having people closer together, without over crowding, makes for a great vibe, people talk more with each other, hang out in larger groups, and are always within sight, making your room feel full and lively!

 People will follow you!

Some couples worry their families will be too reserved or shy to dance and are not sure if people will dance in general. I tell these couples that people will be doing whatever it is you are both doing! If you (the bride and groom) are dancing all night long, people will be on the dance floor with you! If you spend the whole time at the bar, they will be at the bar with you! The biggest party killer? If you stay outside smoking, other smokers will of course join you, but everyone left inside will not know what to do. Your friends and family want to celebrate with you and will want to chit-chat a bit too, they will follow you! These are some of the general suggestions I give my clients when they are planing their wedding or events. There are plenty more tips and tricks I’m sure, but I hope this can help you in your wedding planning decisions! How about you?

Do you have any tips for a successful wedding reception to share? Leave a comment below!

Stefan Jez can help create your Unique Wedding Entertainment Experience. Specializing in weddings, with over 20 years experience, Stefan’s goal is to work with you on creating a one-of-a-kind, romantic, tailored, made-to-measure wedding reception. Acting as a true Master of Ceremonies, Stefan promises to deliver an experience that you and your guests would have never thought possible. Don’t hope your once in a lifetime experience will just happen. Contact Stefan at 514-297-3508 or stefan@uptownxpress.com to begin your experience today!

Stefan Jez peut vous aider à créer votre expérience unique de divertissement de mariage. Comptant plus de 20 ans d’expérience avec une spécialisation dans les mariages, l’objectif de Stefan est de travailler avec vous pour créer une réception de mariage unique, romantique et sur mesure. En tant que véritable Maître des Cérémonies, Stefan s’engage à offrir une expérience que vous et vos invités n’auraient jamais cru possible. N’espérez pas que votre expérience unique qui arrive qu’une fois dans une vie arrivera par hasard.