Wedding celebrations are made up of so many magical moments throughout both the ceremony and reception. While newlywed couples and their guests want to party the night away, there are often special dances and traditions, such as the bouquet toss and cake-cutting, that are factored into the timeline of events.

hile these traditions provide amazing photo opportunities and memories for a lifetime, they should never be made to feel like an imposition to guests who are enjoying the party. Instead, they should be strategically - and tastefully - placed during the reception to avoid any awkward pauses or breaks in dancing or dinner.

Here are some tips to ensure the party doesn’t stop for these traditional wedding moments:

1. Schedule moments immediately following dinner! Before the band or DJ start their first dance set, go ahead and cut the cake (bonus: dessert is served promptly) and get the special dances underway. This will avoid interrupting the dancing later on.

2. Discuss with your DJ/MC ahead of time and ask them to seamlessly integrate these moments into the dance sets! If your Master of Ceremonies makes clear announcements to guests to stay on the dance floor surrounding the bride and room, they are made to feel a part of everything instead of just spectators.

3. Throw away the rule book and opt out of these moments completely! If the idea of dancing with your parents in front of 100 of your closest family and friends makes you uncomfortable, know that you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do! Feel free to make your own rules and traditions, it’s your day after all!

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