How To Get People Dancing At Your Wedding

WITHOUT CHEESY MUSIC


Let's get this out of the way - any wedding band or dj that guarantees they can get all your guests on the dancefloor all night is full of crap. #sorrynotsorry

That's just not how weddings work. Of course some bands are better at it. But to promise all guests will enthusiastically take to the floor? Even grandma after her knee reconstruction? And your too-cool-for-school nephew? 

Computer says no.
Truth is, you can’t make everyone dance. 

But here’s the thing, you don’t want to.
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We tend to assume FULL DANCEFLOOR = HAPPY GUESTS. And that’s what you really want - happy guests.

You want your friends and family excited, full of pep and joyful memory. You want them to go home thinking “that was the most kickass wedding I’ve ever been to!”

But is a full dancefloor the ‘happy’ rule of thumb? Nope.
Not everybody expresses joy through their feet. 

Know what’s worse than a half-full dancefloor? A bunch of people begrudgingly dancing because the dj forced them to. You can bet that won’t send them home with good memories. 

What great entertainers have in common is that they provide the best possible atmosphere to encourage your crowd to get jiggy with it. Mixed styles. Quality songs. Stomping, singing, hollering, crooning, romancing. Songs for mum 'n dad and songs for your mates. Building the energy up, pulling back.

It’s the art of tension, excitement, rest and repeat. 

Great entertainers know how to read your crowd and get the best out of them.

To do that, they make song choices based on what we call dancefloor psychology.

You can do it too, by understanding the three types of guests you'll have at your wedding:

TYPE A:
"Danced all night with a bottle in my hand"


Type A wedding guests are those that come to boogie.

They planned their outfit around shoes they can dance in, and they snuck a flask of vodka in their pocket. They’re in the mood before the ceremony is even over.

And so long as you don’t destroy their buzz with terrible music, they’ll be the first on the dancefloor (and they'll remain there until last drinks are called).

At most weddings, they make up at least 10% of the crowd.


​TYPE B:
​"Cheek to cheek"


​These guys make up the bulk of the guest list.

They have their own distinct music taste.  They won't be first on the floor, and the music might not be what they'd listen to at home. But they’re not averse to a night of letting go.

They're swayed by great quality music, songs they know and love, and other people on the dancefloor.

They might be shy or, perhaps their feet’s too big. But the right music will make a big difference to these people. When you can get them to the floor, you’ve got yourself a party!
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Bear in mind that what people enjoy and what they’ll tolerate dancing to are two different things. We don’t like Taylor Swift, but you can bet if we’re invited to a wedding, we’ll be on the dancefloor anyway. Though too many crappy songs in a row, and (unless we’re well imbibed) we’ll clear off.

Just because a band has people on the dancefloor does not mean they’ve earnt it.

​Sometimes people just want to dance. But you know its wrong when you wake up in the morning feeling shameful about all the tacky music you danced to.

Our tip? Unless you want your wedding guests to feel morning-after shame, never blame it on the sunshine, moonlight, or good times... 

​TYPE C:
"Your mama don't dance and your daddy don't rock 'n' roll"


And then there are those friends and family that absolutely will not dance.

The too cool for school, the injured & frail, the music snobs. Your tween nieces who’d rather be playing on their phones. Those hipsters your partner invited. Your work colleagues who swore to themselves they wouldn't get drunk and make stupid.

Depending on your guest list, they could be 10-20% of your crowd. More if you were obliged to invite a bunch of distant associates.

There are occasions you can get some of these people on the dancefloor. But if you over-cater to them, you’ll lose 85% of your crowd.

We were young, inexperienced musicians once. We thought that people not dancing meant they didn't have fun. At the night's end, those non-dancers would interrupt our packup to talk our ears off about how awesome the music was. 

As it turns out, there are music appreciators who just don't like to dance! They want to sit back and listen.

If they want to enjoy from the sidelines, why not let them?

And you can get on with having the time of your life.
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PRO TIP:
You can dance if you want to. You can leave your friends behind. 

The ones that don’t dance are often having a great time, they’re just self-conscious or ‘not the dancing type’. Let them socialise, drink, tap their foot, enjoy in their own way.

Don’t hire amateur wedding bands or djs who'll bully them onto the dancefloor with 'inclusive games'. They're not fun for everyone. It’s just mean. 

Dancing is fun for those who enjoy it. 

If you really don’t want non-dancers at your wedding, you don’t have to invite them. Or better still, treat them like the shy, delightful creatures they are. Don't insist, don't push, don't force.

If you let them be, they may come to the floor of their own accord.​
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indie folk rock n roll wedding band dancefloor
Have your wedding band play non-cheesy music that will appeal to older guests and they'll jump up on the dancefloor without hesitation.

We're guessing, like most brides & grooms, this is the first wedding-size party you've arranged. So we get that you're nervous about people not dancing.

It's totally understandable.

But what we want to help you see is that you're actually nervous about whether people have fun or not.

Not whether they dance.

We’ve got a pretty good track record. Between us, we've been performing at weddings for over 26 years. 

Of all our performances - from alternative weddings to corporate events to markets, house concerts and wine tasting events, we’ve always had people dancing.

Even when they weren’t meant to.

Even when there’s no dancefloor, or you’re performing in the middle of an exhibition building, or at 8am on a tuesday morning next to security checks at a corporate conference.

We know we’re onto something good when we catch the staff dancing too.

But dancefloor psychology isn't just for bands to deal with. It's something that you can work with when you’re planning your wedding day.

There are ways to increase the chances of getting your guests moving.

And here’s how we recommend you do it:
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Get people on the dancefloor with vintage wedding music
Vintage swing and blues jazz appeals to a wide age range of wedding guests, especially if you mix it up with vintaged modern covers.


​#1 - Provide suitable lubrication


Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol boosts people’s emotions and enhances social bonding. It also makes them more likely to drag their butts to the dancefloor. Win-win!
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​#2 - Provide music that appeals across generations


Oldies and youngies like different music. Your band should be awesome enough to play a mix, with a definite leaning towards the Type A and B guests.
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​#3 - Less chairs


If you don't want people seated all night, don't make it their only option. Less seating does encourage people onto the dancefloor. You can have a standing cocktail style wedding reception or a half-half deal. Works well with less formal meal service like roving canapes and share tables.


​#4 - And an appropriate-sized dancefloor


​You need enough room for people to move. That'll depend on the size of your venue and number of guests. We can help you work out the ideal setup for your wedding.


​#5 - Keep the lights low


​Most of us don't like to feel stared at when we're dancing. Stick to ambient lighting like lamps and festoon lighting. Avoid fluoros and bright downlights. If you can create a room setup that doesn’t make people feel watched, they're more likely to let go.


​#6 - Don’t chop & change


You don’t need to interrupt the dancefloor every 20 minutes with formalities. Knock ‘em all out the way early and let people relax into it. Do things like speeches, cake cutting and housekeeping in blocks. We've got some ideas for your running sheet, but we'll get to all that jazz on our first date.
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​#7 - Don't compare


And for those that have recently been to everyone else's wedding... please don't fall into the trap of comparing! Your wedding should be about what YOU like. You've got different guests. Different taste. You gotta do what works for you
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The best wedding dancefloors are created with all the right elements in place.

The right ambience, the best suppliers, and your favourite friends and family.
They're coming to help you celebrate your awesome love for each other.
And every guest you invite will experience your wedding differently.

The choice to have a good night is individual.
So let go.

Make it a wedding you'll love.

Hire a wedding band that thrills you to bits.
And trust them to make it the best party it could ever be.

good luck friends!
We've been Fidel & Sarah, and you've been awesome. 
​ If you have any wedding band questions we can help you with, let us know. We wish you all the best!

If you think we might be the best wedding band for you, start here.
We're Fidel & Sarah​
A Melbourne folk band with wedding sensibilities and punk rock spirit. Most days you'll find us off-grid in the country playing banjo tunes to the kangaroos, or travelling around Australia in our vintage caravan Myrtle. We love 99% dark chocolate, living every day like a holiday, and brides & grooms who aren't afraid to do whatever the hell they want for their special day.
SIDE NOTE
* unless that original band is unknown. In which case, their motive for playing your wedding is exposure for their homemade songs. They don't understand what's needed for a processional, recessional, first dance, how to entertain your guests properly or that it's not ok to spruik their cds & band merch at your wedding. But they charge next to nothing, so if that's your thing, eh...
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SIDE NOTE:
* Want to know how to spot a franchise band? Look for impersonal, shiny group photos and studio style video recordings with changing members. These bands won't place much emphasis on the individuals in the band (you know, their names, music taste, and other stuff). And they'll magically be able to offer showcases in different states on the same night.