Dry Ice for The First Dance At Your Wedding
The lights dim, the first notes play, and a soft white cloud rolls across the floor and settles around your feet. For three or four minutes you’re dancing on air, and the photographer is getting the shot that ends up framed on the wall.
Why it looks so good
Dry ice fog is cold and heavy, so it pours downward and stays low instead of drifting up and filling the room like ordinary smoke. That low, knee-deep blanket is what gives the “walking on clouds” look, and because it clears within minutes it rarely troubles venue smoke alarms. Add uplighting in your colours and the cloud glows.
How much you need for one song
The dry ice goes into a fog machine filled with hot water. A typical venue machine (such as the Le Maitre Pea Souper) uses around 9kg of dry ice to produce about 5 minutes of thick low fog, which comfortably covers a single first dance.
| Your plan | Suggested amount | Roughly covers |
|---|---|---|
| One first dance | 10 kg | ~5 minutes of effect |
| First dance + a little safety margin | 15 kg | A longer song or a quick second burst |
| First dance + parents’ dance / big finale | 18 – 20 kg | Two or more separate bursts |
Check which machine your DJ, band, or venue is using and we’ll match the amount exactly. If you’re not sure, call us and we’ll talk it through. Need a machine too, check out our page here.
When to order it (please read)
Dry ice can’t be bought early and kept in a freezer. It slowly turns back into gas (sublimation), so it has to arrive close to your wedding day.
If your wedding is on a Saturday, order for Friday delivery before 1pm. Saturday deliveries are unreliable and there’s no courier support on Sundays, so a weekend problem can’t be fixed until Monday. A Friday pre-1pm slot gives time to put anything right.
Order extra to allow for what turns to gas while it waits:
- Saturday? Order about 1.5× your machine amount for Friday pre-1pm delivery.
- Sunday? Order about 2× your machine amount for Friday pre-1pm delivery.
- Choose the pre-1pm Friday slot, not a free end-of-day slot.
- We pack extra dry ice into every box to cover the wait.
Keeping it ready at the venue
Store the unopened box somewhere cool and airy, wrapped in a quilt or sleeping bag, ideally in a garage, outbuilding, or sheltered outdoor spot. Never seal it airtight, never use a normal freezer, and keep it away from guests and children until it’s time to dance. Let your venue coordinator know it’s arriving so the delivery and storage are sorted in advance.
A Few Safety Tips
Never keep dry ice inside the house. It releases gas as it warms, so it always needs a cool, well ventilated space away from where people sleep or sit.
- ✓Live in a house? Store it in the garage or shed, wrapped in an old quilt or sleeping bag.
- ✓Live in a flat? Keep it on the balcony or in an airy hallway, never sealed inside with people, pets or children.
- ✓Never put it in an airtight container, and never in a normal freezer (it will damage the appliance).
- ✓Always handle it with gloves or a scoop, never with bare hands.
Please have a quick read of the full health & safety guidelines before your event.
Make your first dance unforgettable
Give us your date and your machine, and we’ll handle the amount and the Friday delivery.
📞 Contact Us — 0203 1741 759 or email sales@dryicesupply.co.uk