Beyond the First Dance: Fun Ways to Personalize Your Reception Dances.

Specialty dances…. How do we decide which to have during our reception?

First Dances are one of the most traditional dances of a wedding. You play your special song and glide around the dance floor while your guests gush over your newlywed love. Private first dances are also becoming popular. During cocktail hour the happy couple is alone on the dance floor to get a special dance and take in the moment together before the party begins. 

Parent Dances are next on the traditional dances list. The bride dances with her father and the groom with his mother. Alternative variations are grandparents, step parents, siblings or whoever is a meaningful person. Songs can be sentimental or a fun way to get the crowd going with a choreographed routine to a great song.

Wedding Party Grand Entrance may not necessarily be a dance but is often a fun way to get your guests going for the dancing portion of the evening. The wedding party can go in pairs or all together. I once witnessed a bridesmaid and groomsman switch clothing and walk into the venue. Nothing gets the crowd going like a man in a dress. Either way, make it fun and set the mood for the rest of the night.

Anniversary Dances are popular especially with older relatives. The DJ will invite all married couples to the floor and slowly ask them to take their seats leaving the longest married couple on the dance floor. They then get a picture with the happy newlyweds! This can be done in reverse where the couple starts the dance and they ask the couples to join the dance floor newest to most years married which leads to the start of open dance.

Bouquet/ Garter Toss & Dance another tradition that has slowly been making its way out of wedding day timelines. The bride tosses her bouquet to all the single ladies to see who is supposed to get married next. The groom will also take off the bride’s garter and toss behind his back to all the single men to also determine who will get married next. The winners of both can then share a dance. Many see this as a dated practice but by all means add it to your day if you are passionate about it. 

A Dollar Dance can take on many variations but guests pay a dollar to dance with the bride or groom for a short period of time. All dollars collected will go to the couple. The ever trending Cake in the face is a variation of this that has taken off but does not include dancing. Guests will put dollars in a jar to vote for the bride or groom to get the cake in the face during the cutting.  The one with the most money gets the cake smashed by the one with the lower amount. I have witnessed a couple pay for their honeymoon with the money raised on this specialty event. If you have generous guests who want to see you get messy this may be the new trend for you!

Last Dance is usually how the DJ signals to all guests that the party is shutting down and plays a fun song to end the night. Recently a few other variations of last dance have become popular including a last dance with just the bridal party. The couple is able to spend a few last minutes with the people they chose to stand by their sides. The other last dance is a final dance in the venue at the end of a long exciting day with just the couple. You can have one or all three last dances. 

No matter if you choose all of the specialty dances or none of them. It’s your day and you can set it up how you want! 

xoxo, Bailey