These are my top tips to make the most of your wedding reception as a photographer who has captured over 100 weddings, I’ve learned a thing or two! You’ve made it through the jitters, excitement, nerves and tearful vows and it’s finally time to let loose and party!

🪩 – once your guests are seated for dinner, you can opt for a grand entrance with your entire wedding party or just have the DJ introduce the newlyweds! Have your wedding party dance their way into the reception and/or form a little arm tunnel for you to run through when you make your grand entrance, or opt for something unique and have the DJ do a brief intro with a friendly “roast” of each of your wedding party members – this may require some creativity in your part as you’ll have to provide the roast content to your DJ.

💃🏻🕺🏻since you already have everyone’s attention after the grand entrance, you can take the opportunity to go directly into your first dance

🥂toasts/speeches – have your friends and family keep these short and sweet particularly if they are before dinner because your guests are pretty hungry at this point in the evening. Or start with a welcome toast and have the remaining toasts take place once your guests have all received their entrees

👯parent dances! Toward the end of each parent dance, you can invite other father/daughter or mother/son attendees to join you on the dance floor. I love how this allows your photographer to capture sweet interactions between your guests but would note this isn’t fitting for all audiences like if your guests largely consist of friends from university so know your audience

⚡️Fast and efficient table photos – if you really want these group shots, there’s a few options! You can do a table dash where the couple runs around to each table to grab a fun group shot changing tables every time the DJ shifts songs, or have the tables come to you (the couple) on the dance floor.

Have your DJ call everyone to the dance floor for a group shot with the couple and after the photo announce the dance floor is open since your guests are already all on the dance floor!

Check out more wedding planning tips on the blog and inquire today to see if I have your wedding date available!