Be in the room: It’s important to get those sunset pictures. If your photographer takes you away from the party for an extended time, your guests may think you have left, and they may do the same.
Stay on the floor: Your guests follow your example. If you spend the night at the bar, hanging outside, or chatting away from the dance floor, your guests will leave the dance floor to be with you.
Get the wedding party involved: Enlist your bridal party early to be on the dance floor and pull reluctant guests into the dancing action.

Knock out the traditional formalities early: Finish your first dances, parent dances, toasts, and cake cutting right after dinner, so the party builds without awkward gaps.
Avoid long dinners: Do not let multi-course dinners drag on and kill the room's momentum. Transition straight into open dancing as soon as plates are cleared.
Skip fake exits & send offs: Avoid breaking up the party for a staged sparkler exit halfway through the night. Your friends & family may think it’s real then head to their cars. If you want an exit photo, make it the real final moment of the reception.

Hire a mixing professional: Choose a live DJ who can mix and blend tracks live rather than just playing a rigid playlist. A pro can pivot in 30 seconds if a song flops.
Limit rigid must-play lists: Giving your DJ 75 to 100 strict must-play songs limits their ability to read the room. Share favorite eras or genres, then let your DJ cook.
A short list of 20 songs is preferred: This list short of must plays will serve as a road map for your DJ. 20 songs that are hits with your crowd that you know will get your friends and family dancing are a great help!

Position the DJ correctly: Put the DJ booth directly next to or flush with the dance floor so the audio, music, lighting, and energy stay connected.
Turn off the lights once you get to open dancing: If your guests can escape into a darkened dance floor, they will be way less self-conscious and feel a lot more comfortable being on the dance floor.
Put a bar nearby: If possible, place a secondary bar or drink station close to the dance floor so guests don't have to wander far to refill.
Keep slow songs minimal: Have your DJ scatter slow songs sparingly rather than playing three in a row, (except for the money dance or the anniversary dance) which completely drains the room.

Offer comfort extras: Keep a basket of flip-flops or dancing shoes near the edge of the floor so sore feet do not send people back to their tables.