How to Create a Custom Dance Floor for Your Wedding Reception

After exchanging vows, it's time for you and your new spouse to celebrate with your loved ones. But before you get to the point of welcoming all of your family and friends into the reception space, there are a number of decisions to be made in regards to décor. From chair selection to floral arrangements to the silverware, the details you choose impact more than just the look of your reception—they contribute to the overall feel of the party, too. If you really want to make a statement, there's one element of the reception that you should definitely consider customizing, and that's the dance floor.

While your venue might already have a dance floor, why not get creative and bring in a custom design? "So many memorable and highly photographed moments at weddings take place on the dance floor," shares wedding planner Jennifer Zabinski of JZ Events. "Setting the stage for those moments means creating the perfect backdrop. A custom dance floor is a single design element that makes a huge visual impact."

Want to learn about different ways you can customize this essential part of your reception? Ahead, Zabinski shares how to customize the reception's dance floor.

Choose Unique Materials

A wooden dance floor is classic, but it's far from your only option. "Using alternative materials to create a dance surface is one way to make an impact and bring all of the other design elements in the room together," says Zabinski. "Mirror and acrylic are popular choices and are offered in a range of colors, not to mention shapes and sizes. Usually a dance floor like this is conceptualized by an event designer, and then outsourced for fabrication and installation."

Consider an LED Floor

Want to bring on those disco vibes and light up your wedding reception from the ground up? "LED dance floors and infinity dance floors can also fully transform a room, especially once the party shifts into high gear," advises Zabinski. "LED dance floors can be programmed to move and change colors to the beat of the music that is playing. It can be a really fun addition to existing intelligent lighting." This style also can be an excellent option if you're designing a separate space for a late-night after-party.

Wrap It Up

Of course, you don't have to completely bring in a new floor to your reception. Wraps are an excellent option to give definition to an existing floor while still offering plenty of creativity in terms of design. "When the budget doesn't allow for something fabricated from scratch, a vinyl wrap is a cost effective and versatile option. This type of dance floor is applied to an existing floor surface like a giant sticker," notes Zabinski. 

"Vinyl dance floor wraps are digitally printed, so many couples opt to use design elements from their wedding invitations or day-of paperie, like monograms or illustrations, to tie into the overall vision and create a cohesive look," she explains. Use a wrap to show off your new last name, tie in motifs from your décor, or even choose prints like checkerboards for an Old Hollywood feel.