Many people would describe marriage as one of life’s greatest adventures, and weddings and receptions are symbolic of a great send-off. The reception in particular marks the start of this adventure with a party vibe. Usually a great party has music, and where there’s music, there’s generally dancing. Country recording artist John Michael Montgomery released his single “Life’s a Dance” in 1992, in which he remarked, “Life’s a dance, you learn as you go; sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow.” Appropriately enough, a couple’s first dance is a common tradition at the reception. Here are some things you should know.
Boogie Down
As with any marriage celebration, it’s entirely up to the spouses-to-be to decide what’s on the agenda. You may just want to have an open floor where anyone can cut a rug to the music if they choose. Don’t feel pressured to have an official first dance with your new spouse, especially if dancing isn’t something either of you love to do. That said, it’s also okay to acknowledge that your union is a dance that can be symbolized with a first routine.
Put Together a Plan
You and your partner may be naturals on the floor, and if both of you are fine with rocking out to the beat, pick your favorite jam and let loose. Or you can always go for something slower and more romantic. Whatever you decide to do, having a plan can help reduce your stress on the big day. It’s important to do something that is comfortable for both of you. A first dance doesn’t have to be picture-perfect, but it shouldn’t be an embarrassment either. You want it to be a part of your celebration that you both recall fondly.
Hire a Professional
Just as you would hire experienced professionals to take care of food, attire and music, you can also hire a wedding choreographer. If you want your first dance to be choreographed according to a style, go with a pro. This choreographer can put together a special routine based on your strengths and preferences. It’s crucial that you book early. This allows time for you and your partner to practice. Remember, practice makes perfect.
Work It Out
There are other ways to get into the groove with respect to your nuptials. The first dance isn’t the only tradition of its kind at the reception. Consider these other ideas:
Dance with parents or in-laws: Some couples opt to dance with their parents or in-laws, symbolic of a newlywed joining the family and getting “another” set of parents.
Anniversary dance: This is a special dance that acknowledges married couples who’ve been together for a certain length of time.
Wedding party routine: It might be fun for you and the people in your wedding party to do a specially choreographed routine.
You have many options, but you’ll need to gauge the comfort level and ability of participants. Factor in ease of movement when making choices for wedding attire, especially a bridal gown or suit. Sometimes the most fashionable clothes aren’t conducive to shaking a tail feather.
Dance the Night Away
If a party vibe is what you want for the reception, be sure to set that mood with your choices. Between your wedding planner, the venue, the décor and the music, attendees should feel encouraged to move. Make sure there’s ample space for individual and partner dancing. Line dancing can inspire the biggest wallflowers to hit the floor, so let your DJ or band know to include a couple of these songs on the playlist.
You have many options for making dance a part of your special day. From a choreographed first routine to party anthems that bring everyone to their feet, dancing is a celebration of love and the life ahead. Figure out what you and your partner want to do and plan accordingly.
The music that plays during a wedding is incredibly important to the overall success of the event. Like the food being served, the tunes that fill the air will be what guests remember most. If your DJ doesn’t know how to keep the crowd engaged, for example, you could be looking at a ceremony that falls flat. While the entertainers are responsible for most of the musical selections, there are some choices that fall directly on your shoulders. Specifically, you need to decide what song you’ll use for your first dance as a married couple.
Though it is an easy decision for some, there are countless couples who struggle with this choice. Make the process slightly less demanding by using these tips to narrow your search.
The Obvious Choices
There are a few easy places to look first when starting this musical journey. For one, songs tend to play a big part in many romances. From the tunes that played on the day you first met to the lyrics that you sang along to in the car together, there’s likely a long list of songs that you can draw from. While you may not find the right fit this way, you’ll at least be able to give the rest of your search better parameters by looking over the music of your love story.
The Common Ground
It isn’t uncommon for couples to have very different tastes in music. If you and your partner keep your Spotify accounts separate for a reason, then you may feel nervous about finding a good song to dance to together. Thankfully, even those with the most disparate of preferences have some common ground. It might require some hard work and effort, but digging into each other’s libraries is sure to unearth a bunch of songs you both love and wouldn’t mind using to underscore a big moment of the night.
The Lyrical Relevance
If you’re unable to find a good fit in the collection of music you already know, it might be a good idea to take a peek at some tunes that are new. Instead of just seeking out “new music” and sorting through the onslaught of choices presented to you, try to narrow the results by lyrical relevance. There are countless fitting love songs, both recent gems and old standards, that you may not be familiar with. Reading over some lyrics and listening to the tracks on YouTube can introduce you to a wealth of interesting possibilities.
The Reservations
One issue that you’re likely to encounter when picking songs with your partner is feeling like you may alienate the crowd. If you have unique or unusual musical tastes, you may be concerned selecting something unconventional will be embarrassing in some capacity. This is your moment, however, and you should never opt for music that isn’t to your liking. You can go with “At Last” by Etta James and use a song that has been played for endless first dances at weddings, or you can select a track that accurately captures the relationship you’ve built together.
The Last Thoughts
Choosing music for your wedding should be a fun experience. If you’re getting stressed about your first dance, then step away from the task and give yourself a chance to breathe. With so many other responsibilities to worry about during the planning process, allowing a single duty to dominate your mind and available time can be incredibly counterproductive.
Picking the right tunes for your big day involves more than a passing thought. Whether you have different tastes or you just don’t know where to begin, you will find sorting through a plethora of options with your partner will help you create the perfect soundtrack you can use for your first dance as a married couple.
Planning your wedding dances takes a bit of effort, but you will be rewarded with memorable moments you can cherish for a lifetime.
If you have been to a wedding or two, or maybe even been part of a wedding party, you have most likely watched as happy, newly wedded couples took to the floor in their first dance. Now you are getting married, and it is your turn to craft the same unforgettable memories with your new spouse. How do you schedule in the traditional wedding dances, set the mood with the right kind of music and ensure you look great and don’t trip over your own feet? A few handy tips on the customary wedding dances, along with some other useful pieces of advice, should help as you plan the night of your life.
Timing Is Everything
The first thing you will need to pin down is your reception’s timeline of events. Brides contributor Heather Lee published an online guide in 2014, detailing everything from the start of cocktail hour to the final song. While Lee’s layout assumes an evening affair, it can be adapted to your own wedding by shifting times earlier or later. Her model also separates the traditional dances, putting the couple’s first one shortly after the end of cocktail hour and placing the parent-child dances about an hour after that. The place of these dances in your own schedule is not immutable, and Brides writer Jamie Mackey’s suggests that you can either separate these dances or schedule them consecutively.
Your First Dance Together as a Couple
You and your sweetie will probably dance shortly after your guests have been seated for the reception. Typically, an emcee will introduce your wedding party first before announcing you as a couple, after which you will transition right into the first dance. You will want to think about the song you choose and the dance style you use to craft a memorable moment.
How do you select “the” song to accompany you and your partner as you move across the floor? Washington Post writer Megan McDonough has some great suggestions:
Choose a tune with sentimental value
Listen to your collections on shuffle and wait for inspiration to hit
Ping friends or family members closest to you for recommendations
Ask your disc jockey or the live band you’ve hired for advice
Finally, McDonough notes that your reception venue can provide some cues for the perfect selection. A rustic location might prompt a favorite country track for you to use, and offbeat locales could give rise to equally offbeat songs.
No one’s expecting you to move as smoothly as The Weeknd or to have Jennifer Lopez’s grace and dexterity, but dance lessons may be in order if you’re inexperienced or feel like you have two left feet. When shopping for a studio or instructor, be sure to read online reviews and meet with the staff in person. Offbeat Bride advises starting your lessons at least six to eight months prior to tying the knot.
Incorporating Parent-Child Wedding Dances
Traditionally, most weddings include a father-daughter and a mother-son dance. As with many other customs in the modern age, more couples are adopting personalized approaches and even deciding whether to include them or not. Some same-gender couples are ditching this practice altogether, and there’s always the question of what to do in the case of a deceased or estranged parent. You don’t have to limit yourselves in this regard, as you’re free to include grandparents, in-laws or other relatives. If you incorporate these types of dances, remember to choose suitable music.
Planning your couple’s and parent-child wedding dances takes a bit of effort. It is essential to pick the right songs, work these elements into your reception schedule, and be open to taking dance lessons if you need them. With some careful planning and arranging, you will be rewarded with memorable moments you can cherish for a lifetime.
Many people would describe marriage as one of life’s greatest adventures, and weddings and receptions are symbolic of a great send-off. The reception in particular marks the start of this adventure with a party vibe. Usually a great party has music, and where there’s music, there’s generally dancing. Country recording artist John Michael Montgomery released his single “Life’s a Dance” in 1992, in which he remarked, “Life’s a dance, you learn as you go; sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow.” Appropriately enough, a couple’s first dance is a common tradition at the reception. Here are some things you should know.
Boogie Down
As with any marriage celebration, it’s entirely up to the spouses-to-be to decide what’s on the agenda. You may just want to have an open floor where anyone can cut a rug to the music if they choose. Don’t feel pressured to have an official first dance with your new spouse, especially if dancing isn’t something either of you love to do. That said, it’s also okay to acknowledge that your union is a dance that can be symbolized with a first routine.
Put Together a Plan
You and your partner may be naturals on the floor, and if both of you are fine with rocking out to the beat, pick your favorite jam and let loose. Or you can always go for something slower and more romantic. Whatever you decide to do, having a plan can help reduce your stress on the big day. It’s important to do something that is comfortable for both of you. A first dance doesn’t have to be picture-perfect, but it shouldn’t be an embarrassment either. You want it to be a part of your celebration that you both recall fondly.
Hire a Professional
Just as you would hire experienced professionals to take care of food, attire and music, you can also hire a wedding choreographer. If you want your first dance to be choreographed according to a style, go with a pro. This choreographer can put together a special routine based on your strengths and preferences. It’s crucial that you book early. This allows time for you and your partner to practice. Remember, practice makes perfect.
Work It Out
There are other ways to get into the groove with respect to your nuptials. The first dance isn’t the only tradition of its kind at the reception. Consider these other ideas:
Dance with parents or in-laws: Some couples opt to dance with their parents or in-laws, symbolic of a newlywed joining the family and getting “another” set of parents.
Anniversary dance: This is a special dance that acknowledges married couples who’ve been together for a certain length of time.
Wedding party routine: It might be fun for you and the people in your wedding party to do a specially choreographed routine.
You have many options, but you’ll need to gauge the comfort level and ability of participants. Factor in ease of movement when making choices for wedding attire, especially a bridal gown or suit. Sometimes the most fashionable clothes aren’t conducive to shaking a tail feather.
Dance the Night Away
If a party vibe is what you want for the reception, be sure to set that mood with your choices. Between your wedding planner, the venue, the décor and the music, attendees should feel encouraged to move. Make sure there’s ample space for individual and partner dancing. Line dancing can inspire the biggest wallflowers to hit the floor, so let your DJ or band know to include a couple of these songs on the playlist.
You have many options for making dance a part of your special day. From a choreographed first routine to party anthems that bring everyone to their feet, dancing is a celebration of love and the life ahead. Figure out what you and your partner want to do and plan accordingly.
The music that plays during a wedding is incredibly important to the overall success of the event. Like the food being served, the tunes that fill the air will be what guests remember most. If your DJ doesn’t know how to keep the crowd engaged, for example, you could be looking at a ceremony that falls flat. While the entertainers are responsible for most of the musical selections, there are some choices that fall directly on your shoulders. Specifically, you need to decide what song you’ll use for your first dance as a married couple.
Though it is an easy decision for some, there are countless couples who struggle with this choice. Make the process slightly less demanding by using these tips to narrow your search.
The Obvious Choices
There are a few easy places to look first when starting this musical journey. For one, songs tend to play a big part in many romances. From the tunes that played on the day you first met to the lyrics that you sang along to in the car together, there’s likely a long list of songs that you can draw from. While you may not find the right fit this way, you’ll at least be able to give the rest of your search better parameters by looking over the music of your love story.
The Common Ground
It isn’t uncommon for couples to have very different tastes in music. If you and your partner keep your Spotify accounts separate for a reason, then you may feel nervous about finding a good song to dance to together. Thankfully, even those with the most disparate of preferences have some common ground. It might require some hard work and effort, but digging into each other’s libraries is sure to unearth a bunch of songs you both love and wouldn’t mind using to underscore a big moment of the night.
The Lyrical Relevance
If you’re unable to find a good fit in the collection of music you already know, it might be a good idea to take a peek at some tunes that are new. Instead of just seeking out “new music” and sorting through the onslaught of choices presented to you, try to narrow the results by lyrical relevance. There are countless fitting love songs, both recent gems and old standards, that you may not be familiar with. Reading over some lyrics and listening to the tracks on YouTube can introduce you to a wealth of interesting possibilities.
The Reservations
One issue that you’re likely to encounter when picking songs with your partner is feeling like you may alienate the crowd. If you have unique or unusual musical tastes, you may be concerned selecting something unconventional will be embarrassing in some capacity. This is your moment, however, and you should never opt for music that isn’t to your liking. You can go with “At Last” by Etta James and use a song that has been played for endless first dances at weddings, or you can select a track that accurately captures the relationship you’ve built together.
The Last Thoughts
Choosing music for your wedding should be a fun experience. If you’re getting stressed about your first dance, then step away from the task and give yourself a chance to breathe. With so many other responsibilities to worry about during the planning process, allowing a single duty to dominate your mind and available time can be incredibly counterproductive.
Picking the right tunes for your big day involves more than a passing thought. Whether you have different tastes or you just don’t know where to begin, you will find sorting through a plethora of options with your partner will help you create the perfect soundtrack you can use for your first dance as a married couple.
Planning your wedding dances takes a bit of effort, but you will be rewarded with memorable moments you can cherish for a lifetime.
If you have been to a wedding or two, or maybe even been part of a wedding party, you have most likely watched as happy, newly wedded couples took to the floor in their first dance. Now you are getting married, and it is your turn to craft the same unforgettable memories with your new spouse. How do you schedule in the traditional wedding dances, set the mood with the right kind of music and ensure you look great and don’t trip over your own feet? A few handy tips on the customary wedding dances, along with some other useful pieces of advice, should help as you plan the night of your life.
Timing Is Everything
The first thing you will need to pin down is your reception’s timeline of events. Brides contributor Heather Lee published an online guide in 2014, detailing everything from the start of cocktail hour to the final song. While Lee’s layout assumes an evening affair, it can be adapted to your own wedding by shifting times earlier or later. Her model also separates the traditional dances, putting the couple’s first one shortly after the end of cocktail hour and placing the parent-child dances about an hour after that. The place of these dances in your own schedule is not immutable, and Brides writer Jamie Mackey’s suggests that you can either separate these dances or schedule them consecutively.
Your First Dance Together as a Couple
You and your sweetie will probably dance shortly after your guests have been seated for the reception. Typically, an emcee will introduce your wedding party first before announcing you as a couple, after which you will transition right into the first dance. You will want to think about the song you choose and the dance style you use to craft a memorable moment.
How do you select “the” song to accompany you and your partner as you move across the floor? Washington Post writer Megan McDonough has some great suggestions:
Choose a tune with sentimental value
Listen to your collections on shuffle and wait for inspiration to hit
Ping friends or family members closest to you for recommendations
Ask your disc jockey or the live band you’ve hired for advice
Finally, McDonough notes that your reception venue can provide some cues for the perfect selection. A rustic location might prompt a favorite country track for you to use, and offbeat locales could give rise to equally offbeat songs.
No one’s expecting you to move as smoothly as The Weeknd or to have Jennifer Lopez’s grace and dexterity, but dance lessons may be in order if you’re inexperienced or feel like you have two left feet. When shopping for a studio or instructor, be sure to read online reviews and meet with the staff in person. Offbeat Bride advises starting your lessons at least six to eight months prior to tying the knot.
Incorporating Parent-Child Wedding Dances
Traditionally, most weddings include a father-daughter and a mother-son dance. As with many other customs in the modern age, more couples are adopting personalized approaches and even deciding whether to include them or not. Some same-gender couples are ditching this practice altogether, and there’s always the question of what to do in the case of a deceased or estranged parent. You don’t have to limit yourselves in this regard, as you’re free to include grandparents, in-laws or other relatives. If you incorporate these types of dances, remember to choose suitable music.
Planning your couple’s and parent-child wedding dances takes a bit of effort. It is essential to pick the right songs, work these elements into your reception schedule, and be open to taking dance lessons if you need them. With some careful planning and arranging, you will be rewarded with memorable moments you can cherish for a lifetime.
