Games and Activities on the Dance Floor

20 April 2011

Many couples choose to hold games and activities during the dance floor. These can range from popular activities such as the bride tossing her bouquet to the single ladies, to many other fun activities. When choosing Sonic DJs we can host or organise these games on your behalf, or you can choose for a family member or friend to host the games with use of our wireless microphones. Regardless, we hope these ideas help you on your special day!

Games for the Single Ladies

The bouquet toss is the most popular game for the bride and her single (unmarried) female friends and family. After joining the bride on the dance floor for a girls-only dance, the ladies are asked to form a group and on the count of three, the bride throws the bouquet over her head and one lucky lady takes it home.

Many brides choose to play different games with their single female friends, one of which is “grown up’s musical chairs”. This essentially replaces the chair with single gentlemen on one knee, and the single ladies dance around in a circle before all but one takes a seat. One single man is removed at every pause of the music, until one single lady remains.

If the bride does not have a bouquet or she has chosen to gift the bouquet to someone special at her wedding, an alternate prize can certainly be used.

Games for the Single Gentlemen

The traditional prize for the single gentlemen is the garter of the bride, which can be removed by the groom or the winner of the competition, at the choice of the married couple. Different prizes can of course be chosen, and are popular if the bride is not wearing a garter.

Games that are simple are often the most fun. One popular choice is to have the single men ‘find some treasure’, and the first one back to the dance floor with lipstick and in high heels might win the prize. Another game could be a push up contest, popular amongst a sporty group of men who like to think of themselves as the strongest. Our last suggestion is the ‘balloon survivor’, where all of the single men tie a balloon around one of their feet, and the last one to remain on the dance floor with their balloon inflated is the winner. This last one can be very loud, however!

Special Dances

Some couples have special dances they wish to have on their dance floor. For example, Father and Daughter or Mother and Son dances are popular, where the Bride joins her Father and/or the Groom dances with his Mother.

Your Special Night

No matter what your tastes are, the most important thing is that your wedding entertainer makes sure your special night runs the way you want it to. When choosing Sonic DJs, you are free to choose all the activities you like, or to just have a rocking dance floor! We approach every part of the evening knowing it is your special night, and tailor everything, including the games, to your requests.

We hope that this article is helpful in planning your reception, and wish you all the best in the lead up to your special day.

Stylising Your Speeches!

09 March 2011

The speeches are a traditional part of the wedding reception and most couples choose to retain this formality. Most brides and grooms choose around 4 to 6 speakers for their reception, to represent both families and friends. Please find below a list of common speakers and toasts – we hope you find it useful in planning your reception!

MC Introduction

The MC will normally announce that the speeches are about to begin, and ask guests to return to their seats with charged glasses, before giving a small speech themselves or continuing to introduce the first speaker straight away!

Parents of the Bride

Traditionally the Father of the Bride opens the speeches, however these days it is common for either or both of the parents of the bride to speak. Her parents can give an often funny insight into her character and childhood and welcome the Groom to the family. It is also tradition for the family of the bride to toast the family of the groom, and the bride and groom.

Parents of the Groom

The Parents of the Groom then follow, providing the guests with an insight into the Groom’s character and bringing up some funny stories. The Parents of the Groom traditionally toast the Bride’s family. It is also common for the Father of the Groom to pass on some novel pieces of “advice for a happy marriage” to their son, such as “there are only two words you need to remember – yes dear.” The parents of the groom also traditionally toast the parents of the bride, and the bridal couple.

Best Man

The Best Man or one of the groomsmen will usually speak, and he talks about the groom’s upbringing or past experiences. While this speech might include a few jokes, it is of course up to the bride and groom to request the best man to keep the speech clean, often free of stories from the bucks night. It is traditional for the best man to compliment and toast the bridesmaids, who helped the bride get ready for the day. The best man or maid of honour (who speaks next) would often read any telegrams sent for the bride and groom.

Maid/Matron of Honour

The maid (unmarried) or matron (married) of honour then speaks for the bride and will often give a perspective on their friendship with the bride, often mentioning some funny stories. They might mention how the groomsmen have ‘scrubbed up well’ and compliment them on getting the groom to the ceremony on time. The hens night might be mentioned, or any additional telegraphs read. They would traditionally toast the Groomsmen, or if concluding the speeches, the bride and groom.

Bride and Groom

The bride and/or groom often conclude the speeches and thank the guests for attending. If the groom is beginning the speech, he might choose to begin by saying “on behalf of my wife and I,” which traditionally receives a round of applause. They will often also thank any guests who have travelled a distance to attend the reception.

MC Conclusion

The MC might then give a short speech, read any remaining telegrams and/or give a final toast to the bride and groom. They will then announce that the speeches have concluded, thank the guests for listening and announce what is next to occur at the reception.

We hope this speeches guide is helpful in planning your reception! As your DJ and/or MC we can help you even further in the speech planning process. Check out our weddings page for details of our packages or contact us today for a free consultation within the Perth metro area, where we can chat about your wedding reception in person!

The Dance Floor

02 February 2011

Having a dance with friends and family to celebrate the marriage of a happy couple is something that guests enjoy at wedding receptions. Dance floors can take on many styles, from having a party-like atmosphere, to one with more traditional couple’s dances, or even having cultural dance games! This article will discuss the elements of a dance floor, with some fun suggestions to help make yours successful!

All dance floors are unique, and while you might choose some of these activities, be assured that it is absolutely normal for the events on the dance floor to vary. Some couples choose lots of games, and some choose to have dance music all night long! All of the Sonic DJs wedding DJs are trained in hosting a fun dance floor and will help you to plan activities to get your party grooving.

Traditional Dances:

The dance floor traditionally begins by welcoming the bride and groom to enjoy their first dance as a married couple. This can range from a short two and fro to a fully choreographed performance! Some brides have even had fancy dresses where they removed the frilly part before they took to the dance floor! Some happy couples would like to dance for a full song, others are happy to have their guests invited to join them after a minute or two. The first dance is often followed by a couple of slower dances, and sometimes a father/daughter or mother/son dance. After this, the dance floor is normally sped up with party classics!

Selection of Music:

The music on the dance floor can be completely customized to the bride and groom’s taste; after all, no one knows what the guests will like more than the couple who invited them. However, your DJ will be able to play a wide range of party classics to mix in with your requests to get the dance floor grooving. Depending on the audience, the dance music often ranges from the 60s right through to songs from the charts. Of course, if there are songs that are particularly special to the happy couple or a group of guests at the reception, we recommend requesting these as they are very likely to get the dance floor going.

Games and Activities:

A huge range of games and activities take place on the dance floor, ranging from the bouquet toss and garter games to traditional cultural dances! Popular games for the bouquet or garter include ‘grown up’s musical chairs’ (substitute chairs for guests down on one knee), ‘find some treasure’ (the single men must find some lipstick and dance in a lady’s high heels), or ‘the balloon dance’ (the men have balloons tied around their feet and pop the other contestant’s balloons). A very fun activity from a past reception saw a Scottish friend of the bride instruct the guests on the steps to do in some traditional Scottish dances, which had everyone involved on the dance floor! If there are activities that are special to you and your partner, the chances are the guests will love them too.

Lighting and Effects:

Your entertainment should provide a choice of effects lights for your dance floor, to set the party mood. At Sonic DJs, we have a selection from 5 effect light packages, ranging from flashing effects lights to others that fade through colours. In our experience, switching effects lights on when the dance floor starts helps create a ‘wow’ factor, and we would recommend you choose a lighting package for your reception. If any of your guests are sensitive to flashing lights, then we recommend having a fading lights package to still put some colour on the dance floor. It really helps to distinguish between the formal and party side of your reception!

The team at Sonic DJs hope this article is useful in the planning of your reception!

This blog is copyright Sonic DJs, 2011 and may not be redistributed or published elsewhere without our express permission.

Timetabling Your Wedding Reception

02 February 2011

Every wedding reception runs differently, but it is always a good idea to create a timetable for the night for everyone to run to. This way, the kitchen, function manager, MC and photographers can all be running to the same schedule and be prepared for whatever event is coming next. And as an added bonus – you know what to expect and won’t encounter any surprises. This article will discuss the various elements of a reception and suggest a duration for these elements.

Of course, if you do not wish to have certain elements at your reception, they can be skipped. All Sonic DJs clients receive detailed timetable advice and examples for their style of reception.

Pre-Dinner Drinks, Entrance and Meals

It is common for guests to enjoy half an hour of pre-dinner drinks before taking their seats in the reception venue. Canapés are often served now, with the exception of cocktail receptions, as in that case canapés are served throughout the night. Guests are then welcomed to the reception room to take their seats, and if the meal is being served, orders are taken. The MC or DJ will then welcome the bridal party approximately 15-30 minutes after the guests are seated.

The entrée is often served following formalities, welcome speeches, and the saying of grace. Service and consumption of the entrée normally takes approximately 30 minutes. Unless any activities such as the cake cutting are performed in between, service of the main meal or opening of the mains buffet will follow. The main meal normally takes between 45 and 60 minutes for service and consumption, depending on the number of guests.

Speeches and Cake Cutting: 

Speeches are commonly given between the main meal and dessert. These can take anywhere from 5 minutes to longer, depending on the number of speeches to be given. Commonly, speeches would last from between 15 to 30 minutes. If the cake is to be used for dessert, it will normally be cut earlier in the night, otherwise, the cake cutting may fall between mains and dessert. Special presentations such as a photo slideshow or reading of telegrams would also take place now.

Bridal Waltz, Dancing, Games & Goodbyes:

 The dance floor normally starts with the bridal waltz and then throughout the night, any special dances or games that you wish to play will take place. The dance floor normally continues until approximately 30 minutes before the reception concludes, at which point a farewell circle or archway for the bride and groom is formed. After goodbyes are said, the bride and groom normally have their final exit 10-15 minutes before the conclusion of the reception, and then the reception concludes and the guests exit.