Wedding Dance Floor Ideas: The Secret to an Epic Wedding Reception

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A round up of the most lit wedding dance floor ideas ever! Pun intended! Get the party going in style — yes, it’s the secret to an epic wedding reception.

Wedding dance floor ideas that will make your heart sing. String lights at an outdoor reception at RiverOaks in Charleston. Photo: Clay Austin.

Did you know that some wedding dance floor ideas could make or break your wedding reception fun?

People believe that music is the most important element to animate a wedding party. If you really think so, imagine a fully illuminated lunchroom with your favorite songs playing full blast. Is anybody dancing?

Now, change the scenery. Same music. Darken the room, hang some string lights, give your guests some neon glow sticks. Can you peel them off of the dance floor now?

We talked to some some amazing DJs and dance clubs and picked the very best tips and wedding dance floor ideas to encourage your friends and family to dance the night away!

But first things first. Let’s answer a few basics before we start planning which of these wedding dance floor ideas we’ll use to animate your reception.

Related: 37 Creative Wedding Tent Decor Ideas That Are The Goat (Greatest of All Time)

What Size Dance Floor Do I Need?

Most couples believe the bigger, the better when it comes down to deciding the size of the dance floor. And the last thing you want is a super crowded or a deserted wedding dance floor. Not only is this not practical for your reception space, it may end up costing you way more than you expected.

Select a wedding dance floor size that gives the dancers enough leg room to move around without tripping over each other.

This is the stuff dreams are made of. Elegant and glam wedding dance floor ideas.

And how do we do estimate the wedding dance floor size?

Easy.

How many of your guests will be attending your event? More importantly, how many of them do you think will be dancing at the same time?

Professionals estimate that only 40% of your guests will be on the wedding dance floor at the same time. If your crowd is very young or quite upbeat, you may want up the percentage to 50% or 60%. People may be less likely to dance at a brunch wedding. But, then again, who knows?

No matter what your DJ says, you will prefer that they dance between the tables and not that your dance floor looks bare and boring.

Now for the rest of the math. Each couple takes up about 9 square feet. So, 100 guests, makes up for 20 to 25 couples at the same time, we end up with 180 to 225 square feet of dance floor space. This translates onto a 12×15 ft to a 15×15 ft wedding dance floor.

Make sure your needs fit the wedding size and layout.

Classic ballroom dance weddings never go out of style, but we can make it’s dance floor with decals chandeliers and dimmable lights to add to the evening glam.

Ask your DJ if the LED lighting equipment will be part of your booked package to ensure your party becomes an absolute hit with your guests.

Related: 28 Insane (but Amazing) Wedding Reception Lighting Ideas You Can Steal

How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Dance Floor for a Wedding?

It is always good to research the market for dance floor rental prices before you commit to one. Keep in mind that prices may vary according to the materials (vinyl, laminated, and hardwood), size, and delivery costs. Plus, some states and cities may have a direct effect on the price tag.

To give you an idea, a wedding dance floor in Philadelphia may range between $250-765 depending on size while one in Austin may charge $216-670.

Want to turn your dance floor into the most memorable one ever? Pick a theme for the lights. This one is galaxia. Let’s have fun!

Wedding dance floor ideas that will make your party epic. Loving this striped floor. Photo: skb event design.

What if I am Hosting a Daytime Wedding?

It is more difficult to animate people to dance at a venue with lots of light streaming through the windows or under broad daylight. You could add a wedding dance floor under a tent and create a more cozy and protected atmosphere. Or just accept the fact that dancing won’t be what your wedding will be remembered for. 🙁

Diamond farm Blue Ridge barn themed wedding. Lighting DIY idea for an outdoor wedding dance floor.

And also help them place their own shoes somewhere where they can find them later. Sarah and Ben Photography.

Don’t forget the signs and the glow sticks.

Fun Wedding Dance Floor Ideas to Get Everybody Dancing!

A spacious dance floor just isn’t enough to encourage your guests to dance like no one’s watching . Adding some fun elements creates the perfect scene to get them in the festive mood.

Dance floors are where the party is at. From the first spin with your partner, the father-daughter dance to tripping the light fantastic with your gang ― the dance floor paves the way for some unforgettable times.

Customize the dance floors with a monogrammed decal, your names and the date, you get to play with endless options here. Or take it up a notch and go for some GOBO lights or lasers and fog to personalize the wedding dance floor for the first dance or at cake-cutting time!

Want to truly impress your guests? Project a monogram on the dance floor. Uplights add a pop of color to the walls. Loving the purple beams and lighted tree centerpieces by GandM DJs.

Another Uber fun wedding dance floor idea is to hand out neon glow sticks as a fun throwback to the 80s party scene!

One of the most forgotten wedding dance floor ideas — and one of the most appreciated by the female guests — is the basket with flats! Don’t forget to offer a shoe rack to store their high heels!

Signage doesn’t have to be boring. Create some original dance floor rules. It’s your party and you do what you want to. 😉

A dance floor that won’t quit. Wow your guests with sparkly LED lights. Remember to dim the rest of the lights for a more memorable reception.

Reception at playa Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana with the dreamiest wedding dance floor imaginable. Photo: Jim Perz.

Perfect Wedding Dance Floor Lighting Ideas to Set the Mood

Delectable food and drinks can only do so much for your weddings guests. The party doesn’t start until they hit the dance floor. Without lights, you’re looking at a party that is just… basic.

Here are a few lit ideas that‘ll keep the entertainment factor at your wedding up:

Intelligent and sound activated lights
Wall washing or LED uplighting
Black lights
Market or string lights

Get your guests moving with black lights by SweetLabs.

Create a night sky for the first dance by projecting stars and the moon onto the roof in Darlington Hall. Photo vIa smp.

Twinkle lights and lanterns, chandeliers and some minimalistic light fixtures are suitable for all kind of wedding venues. They’ll have a soft glowing and romantic effect on the dance floor.

You can have your florist and technician work together to make a gorgeous canopy of flowers and fairy lights. You could even speak to your wedding planner about confetti and color changing LEDs to really get the festivities going!

Help your guests be comfortable all through the shindig.

Pro Tip: Don’t go overboard with LED lights. They are way brighter than incandescent lights. They could kill the whole mood if you choose a giant LED-illuminated sign that spells LOVE or your initials. If you do want LED lights, make sure you have a dimmer installed.

The perfect wedding dance floor ideas will jazz up your reception and will help set things in motion. Pair it off with some dope music and you’re all set for the night!

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