Dollar Dance?

It's not part of my culture, it's just something that's always been done at weddings in my family - so when the DJ originally asked if we wanted to do it I was like "sure!". But now that I sit back and think about it, I'm having seconds thoughts and feel like it might be tacky (as many of you have mentioned).

Thanks for your help everyone!

Madison, at my wedding guests paid nothing for booze and the opportunity to mingle with DH and I! Everyone loved it!

Just what I always wanted, drunk family members groping me while making it rain.

@madison so you make them pay to spend time with you and alcohol???Sweet Christmas!

No no and no! Ugh my FH's family wants us to do one and I'm stomping my feet in protest. I don't want to do one at ALL. I think it's weird and tacky. I would do a shot dance, people can have a shot and then dance with me. But I don't want them to give me a dollar, I'm not a stripper.

Tina, I wish we could have shots. The venue banned shots. However, booze was free and flowing. So was the food! #ItalianWedding

@Madison Or we could talk during the cocktail hour or dinner when we personally thank each guest and spend time catching up FREE of charge!! If they want a shot they can shimmy on down to the open bar for a FREE shot.

Definitely on the side of: if it's cultural and expected, sure! If you have to ask, no. But what, dear God, is a garter auction??

No one has been nasty. OP asked our opinion and we gave it to her.

I went to a super Polish wedding once.

By "Super Polish", I'm talking all Polish food, the DJ announced everything in English AND Polish, and every other song played was Polish.

They still did not do a Dollar Dance.

Just because it's culturally appropriate doesn't mean it HAS to be done!

ETA: Oh I see Madison hid her comments. That's cool.

O&S, now I look crazy and like I was talking to myself.

When couples have a dollar dance, and it isn't part of their culture/heritage, they are essentially stealing a ritual, stripping away all cultural meaning and significance in order to make a buck. That is gross.

What the hell is a garter auction?? I know it's a big no no by the name, I just never heard of it.

OP, run & hurdle over that fence to get to no money grubbing awkward as shit land

If you are asking then maybe you shouldn't have one. ... I'm one of the few brides on WW that will be having a dollar dance and a bouquet and garter toss. And am so happy I get to do so. It's a tradition in my family and in FHs. It's our wedding and we want to experience our traditional wedding to the fullest because that has always been my dream. Along with the feeding each other cake(with forks). Idc how tacky it may seem to my lovely WW community but i am so excited and I'm sure our guests are too. A lot of them have mentioned how they're so excited to see who catches what and have offered suggestions on what songs to use for the dollar dance....

These posts today..

I never understood how this was cultural? I thought this was a thing people just did at their weddings for fun, regardless of their culture. I'm from the Midwest, and probably 90% of the weddings had a dollar dance (no pinning though, you just hand money to the MOH or BM). I remember being a child and having so much fun doing it. But I would not relate it to a cultural thing at all.

*Not defending dollar dances because now I think they are weird. Just genuinely don't know how culture comes into play here.

Rachel- Why though>? Why do they have to give them money? Is that in lieu of a check in the card?

@Tallulah - it is what the name says: they auction off the garter.. terrible!

@Rachel - I'm from the Midwest: born & raised & still living here! I've been to dozens of weddings and only ONE had a dollar dance.

It was always explained to me that it is to help with their honeymoon. I think the gifts (the way I remember it) tended to be more physical gifts for a house, and the dollar dance was to give the couple some cash to go to a nice hotel for a night. This is also from a very rural area with high rates of poverty. Going on a traditional honeymoon wasn't an option most of the time. At most would be a weekend getaway to a town close by.

@Rachel, in various cultures (i.e., Nigerian, Polish, Mexican, Filipino) there is actual meaning to it. I cannot speak to every culture, but in Nigerian culture raining money represents raining blessings, love, good fortune on the couple. It is not about paying to dance with them. Guests often will do this on their own without a DJ making an announcement.