A wedding without dancing

I've been to two weddings that did not have any dancing. Much more like a dinner party. It made it awkward to move around and socialize. No one got out of their seats. Just ate and then left shortly after. If that's ok with your plans, go for it.

It sounds like his side of the family will dance. Just let them dance. Substitute activities are awkward and intrusive. What are the alternatives? Let's play, "The Newlywed Game", "The Shoe Game", or have a scavenger hunt? Just don't. Get a good DJ and let him run the party, but please, these "other activities" just sound like slumber party games.

I wouldn't mind at all!!! It's their wedding I'm attending I'm just happy I got invited lol . It would be like a date night for me & my hubby. Dinner & good conversation !! Making memories shut them down nicely ! Stay firm . Good luck

We are not having dancing or alcohol at our reception. We are having our ceremony and reception at a small country church and our guest list is small, just close friends and family.

I've been to a few evening receptions that didn't have dancing but they did have open bar, dinner, and a photobooth.

Someone needs to tell mil that all you have to do is die and pay taxes.

Not a fan of your idea but it is your wedding.

Personally not my thing and likely wouldn't stay long. However, it is your wedding and if you're ok with it and possibility of a few/lot leaving early then go for it. I would keep it short like others have suggested.

@Jessica, what time does your wedding begin on Saturday? If your ceremony is at 5pm and your reception starts at 6 till 10 or 11pm many guests will expect music--a band or DJ--and dancing. If you are choosing to have a Saturday evening reception that is what your guests will expect. Add a little alcohol and a good DJ and there will be more than the '10 or so people' you think might dance on the dance floor.

You should have music, that's a must for Saturday evening weddings. Your day may be about what you and you FH want but it's also about properly hosting your guests...the saying "you know your crowd best" is tossed about around here because you should know not just assume.

You haven't said, but is your venue booked? Is it an evening indoor wedding or an afternoon outdoor wedding?

If it's an outside afternoon wedding then no DJ or band is needed, playing background music is fine. I'd recommend something to entertain your guests and I don't mean 'entertain' in the sense that @AMW meant it but an activity of some sort that serves as a icebreaker--an encouragement to socializing and mingling as many of these people may not know each other but only you and your FH so an activity like dancing or an interactive photo booth helps in that regard. Some people get caricaturists to draw their guests at their receptions and they are usually a big hit and it's a great souvenir that can double as a favor.

ETA:, I just saw you posted you're not having an outdoor wedding (I get it, I live in the PNW too) so indoor it is, I'd consider the caricatures, they really do go over big!

I've been to a wedding with no dancing. It was 20 people in a backyard. They had an iPod play background music. It was an afternoon wedding and in that case it was fine because it was so small.

Personally I don't think you have to have dancing, but we are. If you don't want dancing, it needs to be a cocktail style party, a brunch or a cake and punch reception IMO. If I go to an evening wedding, I expect dancing. Still have music in the background. You might consider having a small dance floor so that if anyone does want to dance, they can.

We're not having dancing.

I'm surprised at the number of people here saying that you must have dancing at a wedding. Personally, I hate dancing at a wedding - it's too loud to actually have a conversation, and so the people who aren't dancing are just sitting around watching the people dancing.

I envision my wedding as more of an evening party or dinner party. We will have a dinner, and then we will have board games available if people want them. There will be some light music in the background if people want to dance, but the focus will be on talking, laughing, and having fun with friends and family. We will still serve alcohol.

So many people on this thread seem to think dancing = fun. I don't, and neither do a lot of people. There are many other ways to have fun with your closest friends and family.

@Mrs Riviera, your wedding was on a Sunday ( I saw the the pics they were beautiful) but that's a completely different vibe and atmosphere than a Saturday evening wedding. Especially in Oregon. It's not CA. It's drab, dreary and dark outside in October and people look forward to and enjoy and night out with something more to do than eating and having a slice of cake. An interactive activity (like dancing) helps people who don't know each other feel more comfortable together, to laugh together which creates happiness for your guests. And who doesn't want that for their guests?

Personally I want my guest waking away from my wedding saying they had a fantastic time and that it "was the best wedding they've ever been to'." In our own way we all do what we can so that we're not remembered as that one wedding that.....(insert mediocre or bad wedding experience here)

ETA:, @Kellerinacat, you just proved my point, i.e. Interactive activity of some sort that brings people together. You're doing games.

ETA Edited. Words. Words. Words.

I didn't read all the comments but we have a crowd where only a some dance. So we decided to have yard games as well as dancing. That way the people who don't dance still have something they can do that will be fun.

Am I the only one imagining a Footloose-style ban on dancing at these weddings?

FH and I are not dancers, a lot of our guests aren't the type either. We're not having a DJ, just a playlist. But if our friends want to dance to the (ipod and speakers) music I'm not going to judge them or say they can't...

If you're already going to have music, why can't people dance? Are you going to put "No dancing" signs up? I don't get this. If people want to dance, let them dance. If they want to just chat, they can chat. If they want to leave, they can leave.

We're having a small intimate wedding and were also not having alcohol or dancing.

My cousin got married a couple years ago and they had their reception at a restaurant and there was no dancing or any of the typical wedding traditions. There was open bar, cocktail hour with passed hors d'ouevres, and then a 3 course sit down dinner that was spread out over the course of about 2 hours. It honestly didn't bother me at all, we actually had a really nice time. The one thing I can suggest is to make sure you put a lot of thought into your seating chart. We ended up sitting with some people that we really hit it off with and that's what made the night the most enjoyable. If you expect people to sit for a long dinner and not be able to really leave their seat for dancing, you need to make sure they are sitting with people that they can have a good time with.

And don't try to find a substitute for dancing, there's really nothing you can substitute that won't end up being WORSE than just not having dancing. I mean, karaoke? Board games? No thanks.

We had about 40 guests for a cocktail-style reception. We had a playlist and no dance floor. We didn't do any spotlight dances or have any sort of "entertainment" provided aside from a few toasts. People were mingling all night, getting to know new people and catching up with old friends. We had plenty of booze and great food, and the majority of our guests did stay the full 3.5 hours we had planned for the reception. About half continued the festivities with us at an after-party at the bar down the street.

We decided on a morning wedding with a brunch. It'll be in a gorgeous, historic restaurant in the French Quarter. There will be 20 guests. We will serve a four course meal. We will be serving alcohol. It is on a Saturday from 11am to about 2:30 pm. There really isn't the time or space for dancing. I am a little disappointed that we won't be able to do a first dance together. We decided to do that when we get to our Honeymoon cabin. There won't be pictures of it. I will remember it forever.

We probably aren't having dancing but only because of the crowd... Which, as a dancer, makes me insanely sad. But. Well. It is what it is. I'm not trying to stop anyone from dancing but odds are it isn't happening so I'm just not making a thing about it one way or the other.

Nothing is set in stone yet. We have not booked the venue we like but it will most likely be at the academy which is a historic building in downtown Vancouver. So we don't know what time everything will be happening yet but there will be food and alcohol. I am not sure why people are thinking that our guests are going to be uncomfortable if they have to talk to each other. We are inviting 50 people. FH's side of the family that is coming is mostly his mom and her 4 sisters and their children. They all get together for thanksgiving and Christmas so I am sure they will have plenty of people to talk to. And my side of the family all knows each other as well. There will only be a few people that are not family but they have either known my family or FH's family for years.

And of course I am not going to put up signs saying no dancing so I guess if people want to dance between the tables thats cool. They can do that if they want to but there will not be an actual dance floor or space for dancing which is how I figured you could have or not have dancing at a wedding.