How to work your run sheet for the ultimate party-starting wedding reception
We've seen our fair share of wedding run sheets in our time as DJs. If a party vibe and the dance floor are big ticket items for you, here are our pro-tips for nailing your run sheet.
Ditch the formalities that aren’t important to you
If your main goal is an epic party, the objective is to clear the runway for the dance floor as soon as possible.
Do you really need a bouquet toss, a garter toss, and 10 separate speeches? If a tradition doesn’t reflect you, cut it.
Aim to complete all major formalities (entrances, speeches, food service) by the 9:00pm mark (or at least 2 hours before the end of your reception).
The longer you leave the dance floor debut, the harder it is to pull the crowd away from their seats!
The cake + entrance power duo
This is a classic wedding DJ move that keeps the energy up and looks after your other vendors.
Schedule your wedding party entrances and your cake cutting one after the other to seamlessly flow between these moments.
Combining these key photo moments makes it easy for your photographer (as two key moments are shot in one go) and it also allows the venue to whisk the cake away to be plated later.
Love by Colour Captured
“Schedule your wedding party entrances and your cake cutting one after the other to seamlessly flow between these moments.”
Divide your speeches up and limit their length
Speeches are mandatory for most couples, but they shouldn't feel like a filibuster. They must be managed for optimal flow.
If you have more than 5 speeches, we’d recommend dividing them up into a couple of blocks. For a sit down wedding, the first round can be before/after entrees and the second round after mains, before the first dance.
Enforce a time limit (3 to 5 minutes). Kindly ask your speakers to limit their time. It challenges them to edit down to the best stories and ensures no one goes rogue with a 15-minute speech.
Get your people around you for your first dance
Your first dance serves as the green light to party time.
For the love of the party, do not have a first dance and then send your guests back to their seats. Your first dance is the announcement that the dance floor is open.
We highly recommend inviting all guests up to “half circle” around the dance floor so that when you invite them in, the dance floor has an instant energy hit.
You don’t need to dance for your whole song! Many couples choose a minute or so and then wave in their guests to join them for the rest, before the DJ transitions into the party starter.
Let the dessert roam while everyone dances
Announcing dessert is an instant dance floor killer…
Ask for a roaming dessert service instead of a seated course. Why? If dessert is served at the table, people sit down and reset, making the DJ’s job of pulling them back up twice as hard (trust us!).
A roaming dessert means guests can grab a treat without ever leaving the dance floor.
“Do you really need a bouquet toss, a garter toss, and 10 separate speeches? If a tradition doesn’t reflect you, cut it.”
Your secret weapon: The party brief
It’s your planning HQ!
When you book THE SOUNDTRACK, you gain access to our party brief questionnaire and custom resources that allow you to map out your musical brief for every single segment of your day rom cocktail hour grooves and dinner background tracks, to the final party bangers.
We don’t want the transition between your formalities and the epic party is not left to chance. We brief our DJs, liaise with your venue, and ensure we are all on the same page.
Ready to lock in your epic soundtrack? Let's chat.
