Category Archives: planning a wedding dance chicago il

beautiful summer wedding with lighting and beautiful dance floor

6 BIG Questions that Kick Start Your Chicago Wedding Planning

Once you’ve uttered, “yes!” it’s time to start planning your Chicago wedding. But where do you start planning your special day? We’ve been involved in countless wedding days over the years, and we’re here to help you start planning an awesome wedding in the Windy City.

The first step wedding planning isn’t complicated, but is important! Start by sitting down with your fiancé and discussing the important details that guide every step of your planning your Chicago wedding.

When do we want to get married?

One of the most common questions you’ll hear as you plan is, “when is your wedding?” Almost every wedding vendor needs this information so they are can check their availability. (And that’s not even counting all the friends and family that are going to ask!) There are a few ways to choose your wedding date:

  • Select a special date (i.e. the day you met, your first date, parent’s anniversary, etc.)
  • Choose a month when you are more available based on your professional commitments
  • Set a date in your favorite season (i.e. spring, summer, fall, winter)
  • Choose a date when your favorite Chicago wedding venue or vendor is available (contact wedding vendors and ask them for dates)
  • Pick a favorite holiday (i.e. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, etc.)

Don’t get stressed out if you don’t have a set wedding date! Instead, choose a month and contact your “must have” Chicago wedding venue or vendors. Ask them if they have any dates available.

Where do we want to get married?

You’ve narrowed down the city, now it’s time to choose the perfect wedding venue. Fortunately, there is a long list of Chicago wedding venues that are perfect for wedding. Your wedding venue can be close to home, like your backyard or a family member’s home, or an incredible venue. If you have a favorite wedding venue you’ve always wanted, now is the time to speak up and add them to the list of possible Chicago wedding venues.

What is our style?

Your style as a couple is going to guide almost every detail you choose. Would you like to host an elegant day? A casual and fun picnic? An outdoor wedding with natural elements? Or is a traditional wedding more to your liking? Have you always dreamed of a rustic wedding?

What is our wedding budget?

This is an important wedding planning question that is very important to ask before you start planning your Chicago wedding. When setting a wedding budget, it’s also vital to remember to allocate most of your wedding budget to important details. The wedding venue, caterer, and entertainment are all important details that make the biggest impact on your guests, and should receive most of your wedding budget.

How big of a wedding do we want?

Do you want a big wedding? Or is a smaller wedding more your style? You don’t have to set a guest list right away, but you should discuss with your fiancé whether you want a big bash or smaller, more intimate affair.

Is there anything we really want on our big day?

Some couples dream of their wedding day for years, while others build a vision of their wedding day as they go. If you have any ideas you really want, now is the time to speak up before you start on your wedding planning journey. You may want a special venue, an awesome Chicago wedding DJ, or a sampling station with your favorite cocktail.

Once you’ve talked through these questions with your fiancé, it’s time to organize your wedding planning, get started checking off tasks on your wedding planning checklist, destress when you get overwhelmed, and enjoy planning your Chicago wedding.

scene of bride and groom just married after a smooth wedding day

10 Outdoor Wedding Entertainment Ideas for Your Chicago Wedding

Chicago summers are made for outdoor weddings, and Chicago outdoor weddings are synonymous with fun—or they can be with these outdoor wedding entertainment ideas!

Table Games

Table games are a great way to get everyone in on the fun, especially when waiting for dinner or drinks. This outdoor wedding idea is a great way to entertain guests with fun trivia facts about Chicago and the newlyweds. (Professional tip: get your Chicago wedding DJ in on the fun! As the emcee, he or she can have a lot of fun when making announcements.)

Dance Floor

Dancing is a favorite wedding reception idea, though planning a wedding dance is a bit more complicated for an outdoor wedding. You should consider permits, curfews, and any limits of volume when planning an outdoor wedding. (Contact your local municipality for more information.) No one wants their wedding reception to be broken up early! If your outdoor wedding is held at one of our wonderful Chicago venues, you may also need to rent an outdoor dance floor to protect their lawn (and your guests’ shoes).

Dance Floor Games

Dance floor games are a great way to take a wedding reception to the next level, either with a game or one of these cool wedding reception surprise ideas. A good Chicago wedding DJ can use these games to mix up the evening and even incorporate a few special details about their couple into the night’s fun.

Yard Games

Yard games are a great way to entertain guests after the ceremony or at the reception. The list of yard game ideas is endless, such as cornhole, ring toss, and yard bowling. If your wedding reception is at night, you can mix up the games with glow-in-the-dark games and cool lighting.

Photo Booth

This is an outdoor wedding entertainment idea that entertains and produces memorable mementos. A photo booth—with custom photo booth props—makes for great fun and awesome photos to enjoy for years to come!

Ale or Wine Tasting Station

A tasting station can be as sophisticated or casual as you want it to be. Your guests won’t care as they sip local (or homemade) ales or wines! If you fancy yourself a foodie, you can also customize this idea into a dessert or favorite dish tasting station.

Food Truck

This outdoor wedding entertainment idea adds a unique flavor to a wedding. Food trucks are a great way to serve the main course, dessert, or a late-night wedding course. (Don’t forget to tell your wedding DJ about this idea so they can direct people to the food truck.)

Painter/Caricature Artist

A painter adds a formal flare to a wedding, while a caricature artist can leave guests in stitches. Whatever your taste, guests’ll love to watch as the artist turns the setting or person into a piece of art.

Bubbles

Bubbles are a wonderful addition to a couple’s entrance or exit. It’s also a wonderful way to entertain children that attend your big day. Even older guests love to play with bubbles, and parents are going to love that their kids are having fun.

Craft & Coloring Table

Children love craft and coloring tables because it gives them something to do during down time. Best yet, this Chicago wedding entertainment idea comes with an endless list of children activities that kids and parents love.

wedding party celebrating at wedding reception

Small Wedding Reception Tips that Make a BIG Impression on Your Guests

If a huge wedding guest list isn’t part of your dream wedding, these small wedding reception ideas are for you. You may not want a crowded dance floor, but that doesn’t mean your guests can’t have a larger-than-life good time at your “not too big, not too small” special day—especially with these do’s and don’ts of planning a fantastic small wedding reception.

DO be conscious of volume at a small wedding reception.

If your wedding venue and guest list aren’t massive, choose a wedding DJ that can adjust their volume so guests aren’t screaming at each other over the music. There are a few ways to ensure that the music isn’t blasting, but one of the easiest ways is to ask the wedding DJ if they’ve played at a small wedding reception (along with these other wedding DJ questions).

DON’T think that you can only use one wedding entertainment idea.

Planning a small wedding doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate big wedding ideas. Your guests’ll appreciate non-music forms of entertainment at the reception: table games, photo booths, interactive food tables plus these other ideas for wedding reception entertainment. You’ll appreciate the great photos that your photographer can get when guests are having fun!

DO choose a wedding DJ that personalizes their song list.

A personalized wedding playlist is a thing of beauty—and a good way to make your small affair feel larger-than-life. When choosing a wedding DJ, ask your potential wedding DJ if they can include your favorite songs and exclude the songs that make your skin crawl.

DON’T think you have to settle for a mediocre wedding DJ because your reception is small.

You may not be hosting the largest wedding reception, but that doesn’t mean you have to settle for low-quality wedding entertainers. When hiring wedding DJs, watch for red flags that mean you are dealing with an amateur. Less-than-stellar DJs usually don’t have a business location, have old equipment (and are unwilling to show it to you), don’t respond as quickly, and don’t have back-up equipment or staffing in case of a breakdown or unexpected emergency.

DO add a BIG surprise to your wedding reception.

A wedding reception surprise makes a big impression on guests—and keeps them talking well after the wedding is over! Plus, a surprise is an easy way to add your personal touch and make your special day feel uniquely you. There are many different ways to surprise guests: a sports mascot surprise appearance, confetti drop on the dance floor, or a fun exit for the newlyweds. Whatever you plan, make sure you tell your wedding DJ about the surprise so they can make it build it up into a huge deal.

wedding dance floor with DJ after planning a Chicago wedding

Wedding Reception Schedule and Planning Tips (For a Night of Fun!)

Couples planning a wedding reception, beware: the one commonality among every wedding reception schedule is that they are all different. However, there is a general outline (and a few tips) that can make planning a wedding reception easier—and a lot more fun!

Typical Wedding Reception Schedule

Cocktail Hour

Dinner

Toasts

Cake Cutting

Wedding Dances (Wedding Party Announcement, First Dance, Mother-Son Dance, Father-Daughter Dance, Etc.)

Last Dance

Wedding Reception Planning Tips

  • Choose wedding vendors that coordinate services for a seamless wedding dance (like a DJ that coordinates the schedule with a photographer so you can make sure you get shots of your first dance).
  • Be careful about hiring vendors that a friend of a friend recommends. Always research and look for red flags so you hire the best vendors.
  • Don’t hesitate to ask venue staff and vendors for suggestions; they may have ideas you haven’t considered yet.
  • Plan a lay out that keeps guests circulating and entertained (i.e. such as a photo booth near the dance floor or wedding games in a strategic location that guests can find and enjoy).
  • Hire a wedding entertainer that can serve as emcee and make announcements. Your guests’ll appreciate it.
  • Make sure there is a beverage station near the dance floor so guests stay hydrated…and can keep having fun!
  • Give guests who aren’t dancers other ways to entertain themselves at the reception.
  • Use a wedding budget checklist to ensure that your funds are being allocated for really important items that guests enjoy (i.e. food, dance music, etc.)
  • Add a surprise to the wedding reception schedule for an awesome and memorable moment guests can talk about long after your wedding is done.
  • Make your first wedding dance different from the norm with these dance ideas.
  • Don’t skimp on wedding entertainment; while it might be tempting to hire the cheapest, the entertainment can make the evening or send guests to the door.
  • Tell your wedding dance entertainer songs you want played—and don’t want played—at your dance. Be careful about hiring entertainers that don’t ask; this night is all about you!

17 “Must Ask” Wedding Reception Dance Questions

Wedding planning involves an endless list of questions. It can be overwhelming—unless you remember that every decision gets you one step closer to busting a move at an epic wedding reception dance (and so do these wedding dance tips). We’ve met and talked with many engaged couples facing big decisions about their wedding reception; that’s why we’ve crafted a list that helps soon-to-be newlyweds make the decisions that puts them one step closer to an impressively-planned and memorable wedding reception dance.

If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to put the proverbial shoe on the other foot; use this list of questions to interview your wedding entertainment (DJ!) and get one dance step closer to an unforgettable wedding reception.