I’ve talked a little bit about wedding dances on the blog before. The first dance is one of the major plot points of any wedding story, since it’s traditional for the newly married couple to open the dance floor. The first dance isn’t the only dance-related wedding tradition, though. In my time as a Philadelphia wedding photographer, I’ve seen couples incorporate all kinds of dance traditions into their receptions! Here are a few of my favorites:
Parent Dance
The first dance can be incredibly touching, and I’ve also witnessed some heartfelt toasts to the bride and groom. However, parent dances might be the most emotional part of a wedding reception, for me. I’ve seen so many mothers cry, and fathers, too! There are lots of variations on this tradition–step-parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, close friends of the family, or in-laws can substitute or cut in to acknowledge their significance to the newlywed.
Anniversary Dance
I thought this wedding dance tradition was incredibly well done at Shawna and Jamin’s wedding. It’s a great way to celebrate the institution of marriage in general. In the simple version of this tradition, the emcee will invite all married couples to the dance floor during a romantic song.
There’s also a rendition where, as the song progresses, the emcee will ask those who’ve married for less than a day to leave the dance floor. That’s the cue for the bride and groom to make their exit! After another minute or so, couples married less than a year will sit down, then five years, then ten, and so on. By the end of the song, the couple at the wedding who’s been married the longest will be left standing! Everyone will then applaud their long, happy years together.
Cultural Dances
I consider myself a pretty multicultural Philadelphia wedding photographer. As such, I’ve learned a lot about cultural wedding dances. Naomi and Gregg observed several Jewish traditions in their wedding, but the hora was definitely the most fun. It’s also known as the “chair dance”– guests form a circle around the couple, who are hoisted into the air on chairs.
Another cultural wedding dance is the Polish money dance, or Polish dollar dance. It’s done in a few variations, most involving the guests paying to dance with the bride. It originated in Polish immigrant neighborhoods in the 1900s as a way to help the bride and groom pay for their honeymoon, and to help them set up a household. Customarily, the best man kicks off the money dance by pinning money to the bride’s gown, or putting it into a purse or apron she wears over her gown. Afterward, guests form a circle around the bride that the groom had to break through to reach her.
What dance traditions have you seen at other people’s weddings? Are there any you think you might want to use at your reception? Schedule a consultation to fill me in on your plans!
