Alternative to Dollar Dance

Glasses labeled with the bride and groom's names, guests put money in the glass of who they want to see have cake "shoved" in their face.

We are doing the shoe game instead of bouquet or garter toss since all our friends are married and I don't care for it. Here is a link to it...

http://www.rebekahhoyt.com/blog/2012/2/21/wedding-inspiration-the-shoe-game.html

That is a cool idea Jamie. I think I may use that.

A wedding is not exactly the appropriate event to "earn" cash for the honeymoon.

If your MIL and mother are against Fund Jars, they will really drop dead from sheer embarrassment at any other attempt to collect cash from your guests.

Also, any of those methods are extremely unlikely to bring you any substantive amount. I suggest you start thinking about alternative ways of making and saving money.

A second job?

Sorry, I'm just really against dollar dances and other methods of getting people to give cash at the reception, when they've already spent money on a gift. Plan the wedding and honeymoon you can afford, don't count on getting cash from guests.

Can you do a honeymoon registry instead? Some people are against that but a lot people love it too.

Yup. A wedding isn't a fundraiser. As a guest whose gift of choice to give is already a card with cash, I'm turned off by any sort of gimmic with the purpose of getting more money out of me.

There are registries that are made for honeymoons. I think any type of fund jar at a wedding is tacky.

I agree. A wedding is not a fund raiser. A wedding is a celebration. Guests are not expected to bring gifts or spend money. In my culture, we bring a card with cash; and like Mrs. O, I would be highly insulted with even a tip jar at the bar.

However, after way too much time on WW, I have learned that the Dollar Dance is a cultural/regional thing. However, imho, anything other than a Dollar Dance is just in bad taste.

If you need extra cash, you need to scale down your wedding or honeymoon plans.

Lol Carole! For the longest time on WW, i saw the word "dollar dance", I actually had no idea what it was and just thought it was one of the "American" things that happened. Until a girl posted a video and someone commented on what a dollar dance was. My eyes almost fell out of the socket when I saw it was what I knew too well! It is like the norm in almost EVERY Nigerian event/parties, which is where i am from. LoL...We just never called it dollar dance because it was so normal that we dint bother naming it. hahaha!

I just like the idea of getting to put cake in FH's face most of all. And I agree, that's not something that's going to get you a significant amount of money (I'd assume if I choose to waste cake on his face, there may be a total of $20 in there).

But I really don't like dollar dances, and I do like cake to the face. :::shrugs::: I'm with the other ladies that a wedding isn't a fundraiser. But cake to the face.

Sorry for my fail, ladies!

Yaaaah, I'm on the not-hitting-up-family-and-friends-for-money band wagon. I'm really confused as to when this became socially acceptable to do at a wedding, or ANY event for that matter.

Dollar dances have been at every wedding I've been to, but Nick has never been to a wedding for his family that had one. We are opting out. I think if your mother and MIL are against the dance, even the glasses for the cake are the same thing. They've already brought a gift (most likely).

OMG just say no. A wedding reception is a way to thank your guests for supporting your marriage, and a chance to celebrate with them. It is absolutely not an opportunity to earn some extra cash. That's extremely rude.

The dollar dance is a cultural thing that's expected in some parts of the country. We see them mostly at our friends' German/Polish/Czech weddings. Doing something culturally appropriate/expected is way different than figuring out how to get cash out of your guests' pockets.

Plan a trip you can afford. If you need some extra cash, SamerSue is on it with that second job thing.

But i am really confused how the dollar dances happen here. Do you like announce that "Oh its time for a dollar dance!!" or the guest just come out on their own? Where I am from, the guests stand up and walk up to you and spray the celebrants money, i cant imagine the MC saying "Please dont do that, go back to your seat"...LOL!

So how do the dollar dances happen here?

At the weddings I've been to, it's an event that the DJ announces. Kind of on par with the first dance and such. Seriously, if it's the norm in that area, people come with pockets full of money to pin all over the bride and groom. I've seen people auction off dances and all sorts of crazy stuff. The people who are into it are REALLY into it and the OOTers are usually side-eyeing all of them from the bar.

Oh! then i can see why some people might feel different. I kept on wondering why "dollar dances" were such biggies. Having it announced is defintely not what I have ever seen in my many years of going to nigerian events. LOL sometimes I honestly think the guests do the whole spraying of money just to show everyone they have the money. LOL! that is just my side-eying-ness talking, but of course i did not mind it all on my wedding. Hahahah!

It drives me nuts when people act like a wedding is a place to "make" money. Those are your family and friends, your guests! All they should be doing is spending the day with you to celebrate your love.

This was obviously a no no topic so sorry I asked. I will delete asap. My point was my FMIL wants a dollar dance and I do not because I think its weird to have people pay to dance with me. I wanna dance with everyone free of charge when I want. Like I said I will delete this forum.

You don't need to delete it. It is a helpful question that someone else might be reading and benefit from.

As the ladies said, there are cultures or regions where the dollar dance is the norm.

No reason to delete the post.

And the dollar dance can be a nice chance to get a photo dancing with many of your guests. You will have them all dance with you for a minute and you will get a chance to say "hi" and "Cheese." Have the photographer stand on the dance floor at the same time and get shots of you and your husband dancing with your guests.

The night goes REALLY fast. You might not have time to give all your guests a whole entire song to dance to (for free.) If it is normal in your region, just go for it.