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20 Tips For a Successful Party


 


 

dj party in london ontarioHave you ever thrown a party and thought you did everything right but you just weren't able to get people dancing? The DJ played decent music but you just couldn't figure out what went wrong. Well worry no more, here is a list of some of the less obvious things that can make or break a successful party. You don't have to follow every single suggestion but the more of these guidelines you follow, the more successful you can expect your party to be.

           <Written by DJ Rob Salvati>
 
 

  1. Never Start the Dancing Later Than 9:00pm at a Wedding

    Any later than this and your guests will begin to get bored unless there is some other form of entertainment. You want to keep the momentum going to maintain engagement. The bride and groom may be tempted to delay dancing to mingle after dinner with each table but this should be done in a way that doesn't delay the party. This could be done during cocktail hour or during dinner to prevent delays. Remember that the formal dances such as the first dance need to occur before the dance floor can open. One other idea would be to have the formal dances done before dinner or right after speeches so that the DJ can maintain engagement.
     

  2. Don't Overload the DJ with Requests

    One mistake some people make is to give the DJ a huge playlist of 60 to 80 songs. One thing to keep in mind is that a standard wedding reception only has room for about 60 songs during the dancing portion of the night. Giving     the DJ little-to-no flexibility to select songs himself will likely end up in a low energy night with not much dancing. You are essentially doing the DJ's job and in almost all scenarios, the DJ is going to do it much better. A large request list doesn't always consider music to fit all the different types and ages of people at the wedding and the DJ needs to be able to adapt if something isn't working. If you are also letting every guest pick a song ahead of time, keep in mind that most guests will pick their favourite song and not necessarily everyone's favourite song. Remember, we do this for a living and we know we know what to play to get results.

     

  3. Trust the DJ's Expertise to Play Your Songs at the Best Times

    Brides and grooms may make requests such as "play this song next" or "only play rock for the rest of the night". This is usually a bad idea because you are basically doing the job of the DJ and not taking advantage of his expertise. There is an art to DJing. Your DJ is there to play what everyone wants to hear and he knows what music works together. Let him know your style but don't restrict him. In almost all scenarios, the DJ is going to get better results on the dance floor with song selection than if you tried to choose all of the songs yourself.

     

  4. Make Sure you Don't Cut Out all of the Cliché Wedding Music

    This could impact the dance floor in a negative way. Your DJ can feel out the crowd and he knows from experience which songs will get more people dancing. Weddings aren't the time to prove to your friends and family that you're into obscure, eccentric music. People like to dance to songs they know and it's the DJ's job to find the right balance. One of the hardest jobs for a DJ at a wedding is to create a balance in music to make everyone happy. Not everyone will have the same taste in music and you should trust     your DJ's opinions on how to make the music work.

     

  5. Don't Close the Bar During Dancing Until You're Ready to End the Night

    If you're going to close the bar for a period of time for whatever reason, you can do it during dinner. If you close the bar at midnight for example, that will signal to people that the party is done.

     

  6. Always Keep Your DJ Booth Right Next to the Dance Floor

    This means not seating guests between the DJ and the dance floor. A visible, adjacent DJ stand will attract more guests to the dance floor. If the DJ and the music are portrayed as a main event as opposed to a sideshow, more people will be willing to dance.

     

  7. Strongly Consider Using the DJ as a Master of Ceremonies

    The DJ will know how to properly use the wireless microphone so it doesn't give feedback and is loud enough when he speaks. He will also know how to get everyone's attention and keep their attention and this gives him a chance to build rapport with the guests which is very important for the success of the night.     A good DJ will have enthusiasm when speaking and will know how to work the crowd. A guest may not have the experience to know how to engage the crowd in the same manner.

     

  8. Try to Keep the Music and the Attitude of the Wedding Upbeat

    Negative vibes will not put people in the mood to party and have a good time. This includes speeches as well. After all, this is a celebration!

     

  9. Play a Kissing Game Instead of the Traditional Glass Clinking

    This will engage your guests and set the tone early in the night and guests will then be more inclined to have fun later on. One suggestion that is a hit at weddings is our wedding kissing wheel. Guests come up to the DJ booth to spin it and have to do whatever consequence they land on if they don't land on "Bride and Groom Kiss". Some of the options include "moonwalk back to your seat", "take a selfie with the bride and groom" and "wear the veil until the next spin".

     

  10. Have Your DJ Make a Grand Introduction for the Wedding Party

    Start the event with a bang, not a whimper. People tend to remember the beginning and end of an event the most. If     the DJ is able to make an impact on the crowd early on and it is done correctly with enthusiasm and energy, it will build stronger rapport and he will be in a better position to get the crowd dancing. Use an upbeat song and consider having the couples show off some dance moves as they make their way to the head table. This sets the tone of the party for excitement.

     

  11. Finish Any Speeches, Pictures & Cake Cutting Before Dancing Begins

    I can't stress this point enough. It is a general rule that every time the music has to stop, it will be that much harder to get the people in the mood again to dance. You will find the dance floor thinning out as opposed to getting larger.

     

  12. Keep the Dance Floor in the Same Room as the Bar

    Don't let the line to the bar block the dance floor but keep them in the same room if possible. Splitting the bar and dance floor into separate rooms will mean that they will both battle for attention. This will divide the dance crowd from the people who want to drink and mingle as opposed to combining them by putting them side by side.

     

  13. A Smaller Dance Floor is Preferable to One that is Too Large

    This will give the illusion that more people are dancing and the dance floor is packed. Guests will also feel like they aren't all alone being stared at by hundreds of guests. People will have more fun and feel more comfortable to "cut loose". It is okay if everyone doesn't fit on the dance floor, it will add to the success of the party! People will go home saying "What a party, it was so packed we didn't even fit on the dance floor!"

     

  14. Don't Create a Battle for Attention

    For venues with very beautiful views: Keep in mind that asking people to go outside at any point for pictures or other reasons during the reception means you will have less people dancing throughout the night as some will choose to stay outside and relax once they are invited outside. It's not that the night still can't be great but it will take away from the potential dancers. Decide your priorities for your wedding. If dancing is a priority, you may want to keep the doors closed to encourage your guests to stay in the hall. One suggestion would be to make sure the crowd all has a chance to enjoy the view before dinner so they are less inclined to stray from the dance floor after dinner ends. Try not to move the guests around too much between different rooms ESPECIALLY right before dancing is supposed to begin.

     

  15. Don't Feed the Vendors Last

    Some halls try to feed the DJ last once all of the guests have ate. This is a bad idea because the DJ needs to be finished early so he can begin to prepare for the next events happening after dinner. On top of this, the more the bride and groom treat the DJ as a guest, the more the crowd will respect him which also means more people will dance. Vendors will bend over backwards for couples that just give them the same respect that they give their guests. They will even do extra at no charge when they are treated well.

     

  16. Open Bar

    I know money is tight for some and that is understandable but if you can help it, try to do an open bar. Guests will (of course) drink more and have more fun. They will typically also stay longer and dance more as a result.

     

  17. Keep the Lights Low on the Dance Floor

    People will feel less like the attention is on them and this will get more people dancing.

     

  18. Don't Arrange Older Guests Near the Speakers

    This will create a battle between the younger guests who keep coming up to ask you to raise the music and the older guests who will be complaining about how loud the music is all night.

     

  19. Games vs Dancing

    Regarding a Buck & Doe, it's a good idea to decide ahead of time whether you want the main focus to be on games or on dancing. Make sure you communicate this to the DJ. If you will be having standard buck and doe games, assign a wedding party member or volunteer to each game and make sure that they are clearly identifiable with a labeled shirt. Door prizes and 50/50 draws should be announced late in the night to keep guests partying longer. It's also important to announce on a microphone when different games will begin.

  20. Don't Forget the Dance Floor

    Small dance floors are good but a non-existent dance floor can mean a non-existent dance crowd. Make sure that you have a clear area that is reserved for dancing. This becomes more of a concern with outdoor parties where a dance floor isn't part of the floor plan. Psychologically, guests may believe that this isn't a party they are supposed to dance at if an area isn't clearly marked.
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"Rob was willing to do what ever was asked of him... and even went the extra mile when he knew it was a theme party he dressed up to fit the theme. Thank you so much Rob, you are worth double what you charge!"
- Judy Harling, Windsor Ontario
 "I would like to say that the DJ service provided by Rob was OUTSTANDING!!!!!! Every one of our requests were honored. Rob travelled a very long distance for our wedding and was very pleasant and punctual. I would rate this service an EASY 10 OUT OF 10!!!!! Thanks so very much again Rob and all the best!"
- Gordon Booth, Hamilton Ontario
 "Thanks Rob for making Suncor's evening a success. Your promptness and reliability was appreciated very much for this corporate event. Now if only I could have you come to our next wind power project opening that will be in Alberta.... ;-)
Cheers, Diane "
- Diane Shields Morrison, Delmer Ontario
 "Rob "The Music Man" Salvati was the DJ at my brother's wedding this summer. He did an amazing job taking requests & playing music for everyone's tastes. Rob has a large variety of music & he did very well coordinating the evening with my family. He is a reliable DJ & I would recommend him to DJ at your next special occasion. I know who I'll be calling when I get married!"
- Amy Borland, Essex Ontario
 "Rob, Thank you for your patience and of course for the wonderful job you did at the wedding! All of my new sister in-laws from Australia were "blown away".
Thanks again!"
- Ruth Krey, Windsor Ontario
 "The afternoon and dinner music was great, just what we wanted, couldn't have been better. It added to the festivities. The night music worked in great when the band wasn't playing and you had just what everyone seemed to want.
Keep up the great work."
- Hilda Franklin, Wheatley Ontario
 "Very happy with the DJ. I have heard only positive feedback from parents, teachers and students. We will not lose your number"
- Laura Tonkovic, Goderich Ontario
 "I just wanted to thank you for the great job you did at our wedding. Everyone had a great time and loved the music. They had more fun at our wedding than at most weddings they've been to in a long time. Thank-you for making our day so wonderful. We just wanted to have fun at our wedding and we did. Everyone has told us you did a great job. We'll recommend you to anyone who asks about a DJ."
- Jennifer & Shane Oltean, Leamington Ontario
 "Dear Rob, thank you so much for keeping our party going! You are a very talented DJ and it was a great pleasure to have you at our wedding. You did such a wonderful job! All of our guests were raving about how much fun it was and what great music was played. Happy holidays!"
- Laura & Steve Tultz, North York Ontario
 "Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rob was a true delight to work with. You made our reception and dance into a real party. It was great to meet you and work with you. We are recommending you to everyone we know. Amanda and Prakash "
- Amanda Luscombe, Scarborough, Ontario
 "Hello Rob,
Thank you very much for everything. Everyone complimented on the music and how well you did it all. Thanks again, and I will make sure to pass on the word..."
- Veronika & Nic Worr, Windsor Ontario
 "Hi Rob, thank you for all your hard work at our wedding. We had a great time dancing to the music. Thank you for being our MC. We were very happy with your services and would gladly recommend you to our friends. Sincerely, Shannon Dickie."
- Shannon Dickie, Amherstburg Ontario
 "I've had the pleasure of experiencing The Music Man's entertaining DJ service at several parties that I've attended. I have yet to see and hear a DJ that can get the crowd going like this man. I would wholeheartedly recommend this DJ service to anyone and EVERYONE!"
- Ruby Monaco, Leamington Ontario
 "Rob! You did a fantastic job! (Especially on such short notice). Everyone had a really great time. You played an awesome mix of music. Maybe we'll see you at our 50th! Thanks for the pictures. If you have anymore, we'd be glad to see them.
Thanks again"
- Sandy & Marc Quenneville, Belle River Ontario