Junior Rasmussen
Dancing is a popular wedding reception activity, with traditional dances such as the first dance, parent dances, and the anniversary dance. However, not all couples choose to include dancing at their wedding. Some couples prefer a low-key celebration without dancing, while others may have cultural or religious customs that do not include dancing. Ultimately, the decision to include dancing at a wedding is up to the couple, and there are ways to ensure guests are comfortable and entertained regardless of the choice.
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What You'll Learn
Wedding dance choreography
Dancing is a popular wedding reception activity, and there are certain traditional wedding dances—like the newlyweds' first dance and parent dances—that make the celebration even more meaningful.
If you want to feel confident and at ease on the dance floor, you can opt for online wedding dance courses that teach choreography step by step. These courses are ideal for beginners and can be learned at your own pace. You can also repeat the fragments of the instruction as many times as needed.
- Grand entrance: As cocktail hour ends, the wedding party members gather and line up, often in pairs. The DJ/emcee plays lively music and announces each member by name as they enter the room.
- First dance: The newlyweds may choose to have their first dance immediately after their grand entrance, or they may wait until after dinner.
- Parent dances: These dances may take place at several points during the reception. For example, the father-daughter and mother-son dances can occur immediately after the first dance or towards the end of dinner, after the toasts or cake cutting.
- Wedding party dance: The best man and maid of honour traditionally dance together first, followed by the rest of the wedding party.
- All guests are invited to the dance floor: An experienced DJ will be able to read the room and choose the right mix of fast and slow songs to get everyone dancing.
- The anniversary dance: Also known as the bouquet dance, this is a tradition where all couples in the room are invited to the dance floor as a slow, romantic song plays. The DJ then invites couples who have been married for less than a year to take a seat.
Of course, not all weddings include dancing. Some couples choose to have a wedding without dancing due to personal preference or cultural and religious reasons. In these cases, other forms of entertainment can be offered, such as board games, lawn games, or a small local band.
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Dancing vs other entertainment
Dancing is one of the most popular wedding reception activities, with traditional dances like the newlyweds' first dance, parent dances, and more, making the celebration even more meaningful. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult to have a dance floor with social distancing in place.
Some couples are choosing to do away with the wedding tradition of dancing for the time being, with the safest option being for the couple to perform their first dance without opening the dance floor to other guests. Some couples are also choosing to have only close family members join them on the dance floor. Another option is to invite each table, composed of members of the same household, to the dance floor one at a time.
If you are looking for alternatives to dancing, there are several options to consider. You could set up board games or lawn games like Jenga, cornhole, or yard games. You could also have a small local band or a wedding singer perform, or simply have background music playing while guests socialise and eat. If you have a small guest list, you may not need to provide additional entertainment beyond music and food.
If you are set on having dancing at your wedding, there are ways to make it safer. You can keep the dancing outdoors and ask guests to wear masks while dancing. You can also set up multiple smaller dance floors to prevent large groups from gathering in one spot and ensure entertainers, DJs, and musicians have enough space between them and the audience.
Whether you choose to have dancing or other entertainment at your wedding, it is important to keep the safety of your guests and vendors in mind. Work with your venue coordinator and/or planner to research the most up-to-date gathering restrictions and safety protocols, such as mask-wearing, social distancing, and hand hygiene.
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The first dance
The parent dances, such as the father-daughter and mother-son dances, may take place immediately after the first dance or later in the evening, after dinner, toasts, or cake cutting. These dances can be handled in various ways, with couples choosing to dance with stepparents or other important people, and LGBTQIA+ couples deciding what works best for them. After the parent dances, the wedding party is invited to take the floor, with the best man and maid of honour traditionally dancing together first.
To ensure a smooth reception, it is essential to work with a wedding planner or venue coordinator to create a timeline for the wedding day. This timeline should be shared with all vendors, especially the DJ or bandleader, who will play a crucial role in facilitating the dances and creating the right atmosphere on the dance floor.
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Parent dances
Dancing is a popular wedding reception activity, and there are certain traditional dances—like the newlyweds' first dance, parent dances, and more—that make the celebration even more meaningful.
The parent dances are a wedding event where the bride dances with her father, and the groom dances with his mother. These dances are commonly called the father-daughter dance and the mother-son dance. The father-daughter dance is the original parent dance and the source of the tradition. The mother-son dance is a more recent tradition, which gained popularity as father-daughter dances became standard practice at weddings. It was felt that mothers should also be shown appreciation and that grooms and their mothers should share a dance.
The parent dances may take place at several points during the wedding reception, depending on the order of dances the couple wishes to follow. Sometimes, parent dances occur immediately after the first dance. Other times, these dances will take place towards the end of dinner, after the toasts, or after the cake-cutting. The father-daughter dance traditionally precedes the mother-son dance. However, if you want to avoid putting one parent before the other, you can bypass this procession with a combined parent dance.
The parent dances are usually between 2 to 4 minutes long. Anything much longer than 3 minutes can feel like an eternity, and dances shorter than 2 minutes may not give photographers enough time to capture good photos.
If the parent dances are taking place after dinner, the couple may opt to skip the wedding party dance altogether and simply invite all guests to the dance floor.
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Group dances
Dancing is one of the most popular wedding reception activities, and there are certain traditional wedding dances—like the newlyweds' first dance, parent dances, and the wedding party dance—that make the celebration even more meaningful.
If you're looking to include group dances at your wedding, there are plenty of options to choose from. Line dances, for example, are a great way to get all your guests involved and fill up the dance floor. Some popular line dance songs for weddings include "The Wobble", "Watch Me" (also known as "Whip/Nae Nae"), and "Con Calma". These songs have simple, easy-to-follow dance moves that your guests can learn ahead of time or pick up as they go. Other popular line dance options include "Cupid Shuffle" and "Footloose".
If you're concerned that your guests might be hesitant to start dancing, having the wedding party kick things off can be a great way to get everyone involved. The wedding party dance typically follows the parent dances, with the best man and maid of honor dancing together first, followed by the rest of the crew.
Another option to encourage group dancing is to include a traditional anniversary dance, also known as the bouquet dance. This involves inviting all the couples in the room to the dance floor while a slow, romantic song plays. The DJ or emcee then invites couples who have been married for less than a year to take a seat, continuing until only the couple married for the longest is left dancing.
Of course, not all weddings include dancing, and there are alternative entertainment options to consider, such as board games, lawn games, and karaoke. Ultimately, the decision to include group dances or not depends on your preferences and what you think your guests will enjoy.
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Frequently asked questions
No, it is not. Some couples choose to forgo dancing at their wedding and opt for other activities or a more relaxed atmosphere.
Couples can choose to have a brunch or dinner party vibe, with board games, lawn games, or yard games. They can also have a cake and punch ceremony or an after-party at a house with a BBQ dinner.
There are four main dances most couples opt to have: the first dance, the parents' dance, the anniversary dance, and the money dance. Other traditional dances include the hora, a circle dance at Jewish weddings, and the raas garba, a night of folk dances before Indian weddings.
The first dance usually happens after the grand entrance or after the meal. Parent dances may take place after the first dance, after dinner, after toasts, or after cake cutting. The anniversary dance usually happens towards the end of the reception.
Work with your wedding planner or venue coordinator to create a timeline for your wedding day. Decide on the order of dances and give participants ample time to practice and choose their music. Consider booking a choreographer to help create a memorable experience.
