10 Crucial Things To Know Before Your Wedding Dance

First Wedding Dance

10 Crucial Things To Know Before Your Wedding Dance

Freaking out over your first dance? We are here to help. It is one of the most romantic traditions during any wedding, the bride and groom’s first dance. But, what if you, or your future spouse can’t dance? The first dance can be daunting, but with the right preparation, practice and instructor, any couple can be ready for their moment.

When planning your first dance, here are ten crucial things to know:

1. What is the size and type of the dance floor? If the floor is large, will you be able to use it all, or will you be dancing in a 3-foot space? If it is small, will you be able to navigate your big dance within the tight confines of the floor (consider tables, chairs, pillars, etc.)? Is the floor tile, concrete, hardwood, grass or stone? This, along with the shoes you are wearing can greatly affect dancing gracefully on the surface.
2. Know what you want. Research various dance styles, and look at their personality and themes of the dance. What style of dance best describes you and your partner? If you have a particular song you are dancing to, does your dance go with the beat and tempo of the song?
3. The wedding dress, is there a long train? Will it be bustled at the waist or at the wrist? Too long of a train, or too much material makes turning difficult and could wind your legs up in your dress or trip you both up.
4. What shoes will be worn during the dance? Stiletto heels, flip-flops, shoes that are too loose and come off the heel, or too tight will make dancing troublesome, uncomfortable and difficult.
5. The groom’s jacket, will it bunch up over his shoulders, hindering the ability to dance? Too tight of a jacket will make raising his arm up for turns difficult or tear the jacket, while too big a jacket will bunch up and he will look like he is wearing football shoulder pads. Perhaps dancing in a vest would work best?
6. How long will the dance be? Ideally a wedding dance should be between 1:30 and 3:00 minutes long. It is difficult to keep the attention of audiences these days, and some songs just go on and on with repeating chorus’ and long drawn out solos. It is better to leave the audience wanting more than wondering when it will finally end.
7. The entrance and exit, and the first dance should include an announcement of who is dancing, as well as a planned entrance on and off the dance floor. Will we bow, curtsy, or dip?
8. What type of music will be used? A band, live singer, DJ, or music played through a stereo system? Will the music be cut, will it fade out, who will start and stop the music?
9. After the bride and groom’s first dance is over, now what? Do you want others to start dancing? Will others be invited onto the floor to dance and celebrate? Having others in attendance who can dance a little is a good way to keep the party going. A good way to insure others dance is to have a “Wedding Party Dance Lesson.” It can be taught the night or day before at the wedding rehearsal, or the wedding dinner, or breakfast. It’s a great mingling activity to get the families together interacting and having fun.
10. What are the best way to get guests out of their seats and onto the dance floor? A “Snowball” is a great way to get the guests out on the dance floor. In a “Snowball,” The bride and groom each separate and select a partner (perhaps the best man and maid of honor?), they then dance a few bars, separate and each take another guest as a partner to dance with and again dance for a few bars, separate and grab another guest, and so on, until all are out on the dance floor!

Backyard Ballroom has trained instructors  that will come to your home, address all these questions, and create a unique dance for you and your partner or wedding party. Yes, we come to you! No need to travel to a busy studio, where there will be other classes, instructors, students and distractions. Private lessons also give the ability to keep your dance a surprise until the big day.

Click here to get more information, and to sign up for your private lessons today! (Hurry, wedding season is here and spots are quickly filling up!)

See Also: “The First Dance” Wedding Tradition; Then And Now”