Planning A Surprise Wedding Dance: Steps To Success

Planning a surprise wedding dance can be a fun way to express your well wishes to the happy couple. It's a growing trend, with couples and their wedding parties choosing to surprise their guests with a hip-hop routine or a flash mob. If you're thinking of planning a surprise wedding dance, it's important to give yourself plenty of time to practice and keep the choreography simple. You'll also want to be respectful of the audience's space and schedule the dance for an appropriate time during the reception.

Keep it simple

Surprise wedding dances are an impressive sight, but they can be tricky to pull off. Here are some tips to keep it simple:

Choose simple steps that repeat, so that everyone can learn the moves and avoid embarrassing missteps. If you're planning a group dance, choreography for a dozen or more people can be challenging, especially if guests want to join in. Keep the dance short and sweet – aim for 3-4 minutes, and save any longer performances for the after-party.

Be inclusive and involve different age groups, genders, and family members from both the bride and groom's sides. This will make the dance more fun and memorable. Plan the dance for a time when guests are seated, as this will give you more space to perform.

Schedule the dance for an appropriate time, such as after the toasts, and confirm with the wedding coordinator to ensure you won't be disrupting the reception schedule. Send a reminder to participants the day before the wedding, letting them know where and when they need to be.

Be inclusive

Surprise wedding dances are an impressive sight when well executed. To make sure everyone feels involved, be inclusive. Instead of the same group of people performing, include wedding party members, relatives, and guests. For example, include different age groups, genders, and family members from both the bride and groom’s sides. This could be a fun way to involve the bridesmaids, groomsmen and even the parents.

If you want to include a large number of people, keep the choreography simple. Choose simple steps that repeat, so that everyone can learn the moves and avoid embarrassing missteps. You could also include a mix of people who are performing and those who are seated, as surprise wedding dances usually occur in a populated area with limited space.

If you're planning a surprise dance, be sure to work within the bounds of what is provided on that date and time. Sometimes, what is booked and what is delivered are two different things. It is best to confirm with the wedding coordinator to ensure that your group won’t be disrupting the reception schedule.

A day before the wedding, send a friendly email or text reminding surprise dance participants of the plan. Be sure to let them know where they’re expected to be and when, so that everyone’s ready to dance the moment you press “play”.

Schedule an appropriate time

Scheduling an appropriate time for your surprise wedding dance is key to its success. You don't want to disrupt the flow of the day, so it's best to confirm with the wedding coordinator to ensure that your performance won't be interrupting the reception schedule. A good time to perform your dance might be after the toasts, when guests are seated. You could also consider performing a shorter routine of 3-4 minutes during the reception and saving a longer 30-minute performance for the after-party.

It's important to be respectful of the audience's space, so work within the bounds of what is provided on the day. You should also be mindful of the time of day and how this might impact your guests' energy levels and willingness to participate. For example, a surprise dance after dinner might be more inclusive as guests will be well-fed and perhaps more inclined to join in than they would earlier in the day.

If you're planning a flash mob-style performance, be sure to let participants know where they're expected to be and when, so that everyone is ready to dance when the music starts. Send a reminder the day before the wedding to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Finally, give yourself plenty of time to practice. Surprise wedding dances are impressive when well-executed, so plan ahead and keep the choreography simple, especially if you're including a large group of people or want to encourage guests to join in.

Send a reminder

When planning a surprise wedding dance, it's important to send a reminder to all participants to ensure everyone is on the same page. A day before the wedding, send a friendly email or text reminding everyone involved of the plan. Include the time and location of the dance, so that everyone is ready to perform when the music starts.

It's also a good idea to confirm with the wedding coordinator to ensure that your dance won't be disrupting the reception schedule. This is especially important if you're planning a longer performance, which may be better suited for the after-party.

In your reminder, you can also emphasise the importance of being respectful of the audience's space. Sometimes, what is booked and what is delivered on the day can be different, so it's good to be flexible and work within the bounds of what is provided.

If you're including a large group of people in the dance, it's a good idea to keep the choreography simple. This will make it easier for everyone to learn the moves and avoid any embarrassing missteps. You can also include different age groups, genders, and family members from both the bride and groom's sides to make it more inclusive.

Be respectful of the audience's space

When planning a surprise wedding dance, it's important to be respectful of the audience's space. This means working within the bounds of what is provided on the date and time of the wedding. Sometimes, what is booked and what is delivered are two different things, so it's important to be flexible and adapt to any changes.

Surprise wedding dances usually occur in a populated area with limited space, so it's important to plan the dance for a time when wedding guests are seated. This will ensure that you have enough room to perform without disrupting the reception schedule. It's also a good idea to confirm with the wedding coordinator to make sure your group won't be causing any disruptions.

Keep the dance short and sweet, limiting it to 3-4 minutes. If you have a longer 30-minute performance in mind, save it for the after-party. This will help to ensure that you're not taking up too much of the audience's time and space.

Involving the audience in the dance can also be a great way to respect their space. Instead of having the same group of people performing, include wedding party members, relatives, and guests. This will make the dance more inclusive and ensure that everyone feels involved.

Finally, be mindful of the bride and groom's wishes. A surprise dance can be a memorable way to express everyone's well wishes and happiness for the couple. However, it's important to make sure that the dance is appropriate and tasteful, respecting the couple's space and privacy.

Frequently asked questions