Might be a little off topic here but could really use you guys help. We're having a sweet 16 dance for our daughter next weekend and the last thing we have left to do is a seating arrangement for everyone. We're seating for 300 people. My daughter is planning on having around 50 or so friends show up, maybe more. My wife has mentioned giving them there own seating area which would consists of table and chairs. I like the idea but I don't want to give them too many chairs and tables because I feel like if they all have a place to sit then they won't be out on the dance floor having a great time. I think about back in the day when attending my school dances, we didn't have many places to sit so it forced us to stand and be out on the dance floor. Not sure how they do things these days. I guess I don't want a bunch of high school kids there and just sitting around talking and not out there having fun.
In your experiences doing events what do you guys see and what do you recommend as far as seating for all the kids that show up? I'm not a professional DJ, more of a little hobby that I like to do at home for our own parties. I have a friend who is going to DJ the event, he did our wedding a few years back and was great. Had everyone out on the dance floor all night but it was mainly adults that attended Any advice would be much appreciated.
Your bigger issue won't be the table arrangement, but rather if the facility has a lot of places the kids can escape or sneak off to. If they can get away and go outside or an unused part of the facility, then they just migrate there to get away from the adults. Most sweet 16's I do have security keeping them in the room or bathrooms and that's what makes the party more likely to succeed than seat arrangement.
So, I think it's safe to say that I've done more Sweet 16's than most on this forum, and I've seen everything from round tables with chairs to lounge furniture (sofas) to high tops like a bar... 90% of the time its round tables with a seat for every guest and dinner buffet. Kids on one side, adults on the other side (assuming dancefloor is in middle). As others have said, the reality is, you need a good dj that can give them the energy and the music they seek. Not to take anything away from your friend, but not all wedding dj's are good sweet 16 dj's... sweet 16's are a different animal with necessary knowledge of music that is relevant for a short period, as well as the need for quicker mixing and knowing the sweet spots of every song (usually kids only get excited for one part of the song and then they just stand there until another exciting part hits). Just take a look at the sweet 16 playlist from last month. When it came to dancing music I played 59 sings in 95 minutes... that's 1 song every minute and a half on avg, and I can tell you with the hip hop songs, songs were played for less than a minute.
Missing... cocktail "hour" and intros music
FIRST WARM UP DANCE SET (10 MIN)
Yeah (Clean)
Get Low (clean version)
Gasolina (Remix)
Hips Don't Lie
679 (Remy Boyz) (Clean)
RITMO (Bad Boys For Life) (Clean)
Body (R-You Break Intro) (Clean Extended)
Tap In (Dennis Blaze Hyphy ReWork) (Clean Extended)
DINNER (30 minutes)
When I Was Your Man
Beautiful Crazy (Clean)
The Best Is Yet To Come (feat. Count Basie and His Orchestra) [Remastered]
Forever After All (Clean)
Sixteen (Clean)
Perfect Duet (with Beyoncé)
Endless Love
America (Clean) (Radio Edit)
Night Changes
Cry Cry Cry (Clean)
Can't Take My Eyes Off You
OPEN DANCEFLOOR (ABOUT 45 MIN)
Dont Stop The Party (Clean)
I Love It (Clean)
Timber (Jump Smokers Remix DJDX V-Edit)(Radio Edit)
Danza Kuduro (Original)
Baby (Album Version)
I Wanna Dance With Somebody (The Cube Guys Mix)
You Belong to Me
Mo Bamba (Clean)
iSpy (Clean)
Broccoli (Joe Maz Remix) (Clean)
Truth Hurts (Clean)
Juju On That Beat (TZ Anthem)
Up (Muzik Junkies Party Starter) (Clean Extended)
Savage (Clean)
Roxanne (Clean)
Blinding Lights (Clean)
good 4 u (Clean)
Shake It Off (Original) (Clean)
Jordan Belfort (Clean)
Dan Bilzerian (feat. Lil Yachty)
Dark Knight Dummo (Clean)
GoldDigger (CLEAN)
Fancy (Clean)
Talk Dirty (Clean)
Dancing Queen
PAUSE FOR CANDLE CEREMONY and Singing Happy Bday (45 minutes)
BELOW IS BACKGROUND MUSIC DURING DESSERT BUFFETT
Sugar Pie Honey Bunch
Foundations- Why Do You Build Me Up Buttercup Baby
I Want Candy
ABC
REOPEN DANCEFLOOR (40 MIN DANCESET)
Cotton Eye Joe (Techno Remix) (REQUESTED)
I Will Survive (Classic Dance Remix) - Gloria Gaynor [128 Bpm] Clean
Low (Clean)
MOVE SHAKE DROP - REMIX
Calabria 2007
Hotel Room Service (good quality)
Shots (clean)
Like A G6
Fergalicious
Beauty And A Beat (Clean)
What Makes You Beautiful (DJ Jeff Hype Remix)
Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) (Sidney Samson Club Mix)
Friday (Dopamine Re-Edit) (Clean Extended)
Angelo Venuto - Sweet Caroline
Everytime We Touch (Radio Mix)
Gangnam Style
Feel So Maybe - Jump Smokers Bootleg
Head & Heart (Clean Extended)
Clarity (Radio Mix)
Reload (Original Mix)
Rasputin (Original Mix)
Thot Sh*t (R-You House Remix) (Clean Extended)
Sexy And I Know It (Radio Edit)
No Hands (feat. Roscoe Dash and Wale) [Amended Album Version]
Pursuit Of Happiness (Steve Aoki Mix)
The Island (last song where I have everyone run in and hug the bday girl... not covid friendly... whoops)