Expert Wedding Entertainment Advice

Trusting the professional can lead to a huge reward on your wedding day. Especially if you’ve relayed your vision for the event and they are telling you how to bring that vision to life. So we decided to tap the mind of Broc Barton (Owner of Elevate Entertainment) for some expert wedding entertainment advice. After all, he’s seen what works and what doesn’t at hundreds of events. Check out the answers below! They might just help you acquire the perfect wedding entertainment for your night.

Q. We want our guests to remember our wedding as being fun – but haven’t the slightest clue of where to begin building that experience other than music and an open bar. Where do your couples start?

The Expert Wedding Entertainment Advice – The most successful events start with the end in mind. It’s easy to get caught up in planning for the moment but think about what you want to feel after it’s over. If you want to feel like it was an epic celebration then build your entire theme, energy, and style around that idea. If you want it to be a black-tie classy affair, then make sure you adjust appropriately, but always start with the end in mind. Think about the way you want to describe your wedding 6 months, 1 year, or 10 years from now, and then center all your planning on creating that specific experience. 

When it comes to your music and DJ, the same is true. Think about your audience, think about how you want them to look back on this experience, and then build your entertainment around that feeling. Look for professionals that can bring the specific vibe that you had in mind. If you want a Latin flare on your event, you may consider hiring a mariachi band or a DJ who is well acquainted with Latin music. If you want a laid-back country vibe, you may consider a DJ or band that’s well versed in country music. It’s all about creating that final feeling that you’ll look back on and remember forever. 

Q. All of our friends are getting married and sometimes it seems like every wedding reception is the same – do you have any ideas on how we can make ours standout from the crowd?

The Expert Wedding Entertainment Advice – Absolutely! As far as entertainment is concerned, you can look for unique, standout options. Elevate Entertainment, for example, features the DJ/band hybrid which is both a DJ and a band performing in tandem at the same time. It is powerful and unique. Consider asking your DJ to switch up the music from all of your common wedding songs (Celebration by Kool and the Gang – bleh) or integrating unique games and/or audience engagement strategies that you haven’t seen at any other weddings. You don’t have to go over the top, just a little pop here and there can go a long way with creating a unique flare for your event. I’ve seen people hire special performers such as ring dancers, break dancers, and jazz trios, just to differentiate the experience from everyone else’s. These simple additions can make for powerful pops in the overall experience. 

Q. In your experience, what is the best flow for a reception? First dance before or after dinner? Cake cutting? And we need to find time to mingle with our guest but don’t want for it to slow down the event, so when should we do that?

The Expert Wedding Entertainment Advice – Most events have a proven flow: ceremony then cocktail hour then dinner, formalities, and dancing. 

 Once you get into the specifics of where each piece of the equation goes, it’s really about feeling the flow of the event. For example, featuring the first dance at the beginning of the reception adds a very nice touch of class, directing all the attention immediately to a very special moment. This puts the spotlight on you and can be a powerful way to wow your guests right at the beginning of the reception. If your event is later though, and it’s 7 or 8 PM before you start the reception, then it may be wiser to move quickly into the dinner portion as your guests may be getting hungry. Traditionally, the first dance and other spotlight dances like the father/daughter or mother/son dance fit well just before opening the dance floor as it’s a nice segway to direct attention to the dance floor. With that being said, there are many creative ways to kick the dance party off. For example, I’ve seen couples create something of a flash mob right at the beginning of the dance portion. It takes guests by surprise and creates so much energy, that the dance floor often fills up and stays energized the whole night. Even the cake cutting can be placed at different times. Many people put it towards the end of dinner, thinking of it as dessert. But you may want to consider cutting the cake first thing when you walk in. This will give your caterers or serving staff the opportunity to precut your cake so that it’s ready to go for serving once dinner is over. 

BROC BARTON

BROC BARTON

COMPANY: Elevate Entertainment

Broc Barton is an internationally requested event host, DJ, and personality with over 15 years of experience and a heart for connecting with others. Broc believes in bringing more than great music to the table. He specializes in creating extraordinary luxury experiences that guests remember and talk about for years to come.

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