Every couple’s favorite part of their New York wedding day is the moment to let their hair down. The party photos at your reception are the ones that truly capture the joy and candor from your wedding day. We absolutely love getting the best possible party photos for couples on their big day.

But how can couples help make that happen? We have some tips to get your dance floor popping to make for some awesome wedding reception photography in NYC. This is also where you can get some advice on how to pose for photos while still looking like yourself.

If you dance, your guests will dance too

The main reason we’ve seen dance floors clear is because the couple is no longer there. Bring your conversations to the dance floor so your guests keep the party going. Your guests will mirror your excitement and keep the party going. The best reception photos are when couples are dancing, singing, and being totally themselves. So what should you do? Turn up the dance floor! Make sure that your guests have danced their pants off before

Choose songs that get you to dance

We’ve seen so many weddings where the couple gets up to dance their first song, but then sit out any dances after that. You need certain tracks in order for people to get hyped up, which includes high energy music mixed with slower jams throughout the night.

Dancing is contagious for party photos

We’ve all seen it happen, when one person gets up to dance, others are soon to follow. Not only does dancing get your guests moving, but it also creates a fun and festive atmosphere that is perfect for capturing in your party photos.

Use your wedding party

If you’re getting professional shots of all the specific people in your lives, make sure to involve everyone. They love being included and having their moment in the spotlight! And it just takes a second for them to pose with you whether they’re dancing or not.

Spend time with people you want photos with

Not everyone at your reception was on your family formal list. If you want to grab a shot with someone, spend time with them at your reception. It might be a little more difficult to do this if you have a large wedding, but it will make for some great candid shots.

Create a reception shot list

If you can think of groups you want photos with ahead of time, give your wedding photographers a reception shot list. This will help get photos with people you care about and certain groups. An example would be sorority friends, high school friends, neighborhood friends, coworkers, and so on.

Lower the lighting

Some people get self conscious about dancing during a reception. Lowering the lighting can help get some awesome party photos at your wedding. We want people engaged, not worrying about the camera. Plus, it allwos us to do fun things like drag the shutter and create special effects.

If you have a DJ or band, get them involved

Most bands are used to taking photos at weddings and are more than happy to help you get some amazing party photos. They can also help get the energy up on the dance floor. Plus, some couples do things like having the DJ play one song while they get a photo with every reception table.

Get a photo booth for your wedding

Sometimes, wedding photographers can’t capture shots like a photo booth can. It removes inhibitions when it comes to a self-serving photo booth. Plus, it’s just plain fun for guests to use.

Create a reception schedule

Having the reception broken up into multiple dance sets keeps the party going. Between courses, you can bring your guests up to dance. This also gives us a chance to photograph you in different parts of the reception space. The night will fly by if you space out speeches, first dances, cake cutting, etc. between different dance sets.

Now that you have some tips to get your dance floor popping, it’s time to get excited for your wedding reception photography in NYC! Our photographers love getting the best possible party photos for couples on their big day. So, let’s get the party started.