First Dance Before or After Dinner

Our BP and parents were introduced b4 us, and they lined up around the dance floor for our intro. We started our first dance and had our BP and parents join us after a couple mins into it. It was nice and def. not choppy or awkward! Towards the end of dinner, we cut the cake and went into brother/sister dance (a surprise for my mom!!) then hubs and mom danced. Then the dance floor was open to all...it had a nice flow. :+)

You also want to keep in mind your photography hours booked. If you have them for the whole night then it probably doesn't matter, but if you only have them for a select number of hours, you might want to get the first dance over with earlier, To be able to have some extra "party" pics before they leave

We did our first dance right after the introduction (before dinner). after dinner we did dances with his mom and my godfather which led into everyone else coming into dance floor

Our reception (after the cocktail hour) started at 7:00 PM. The band started at 7:00 as the guests filed-in to the ballroom. Some guests went straight to the dance floor, but took a seat when the lead vocalist requested it.

Since we had 225 guests (assigned tables, of course), it gave the bridal party time to freshen up, before our grand entrance. After entering, the bridal party lined up in front of the band platform/stage, then hubby and I entered and did our first dance immediately afterward. Then we had at least 15 minutes of "open dancing," before the first course was served.

In our family/social circle (northeast U.S.), we almost always have dancing, between each served course. It gives guests the opportunity to work off the calories, between courses. It's not considered choppy at all - it's the norm. Even with the "open dancing" I hit a wall with our entrée course, and hubby ate half of it.

We usually see very substantial food offerings, during the cocktail hour. I remember one reception, of about 2 dozen, where we went into the ballroom and were served our first course within minutes. Followed by the 2nd course and entrée, before there was dancing. I ate about half of the first three courses, until there was an hour of open dancing, and then I was able to eat the dessert and later cake.

All dancing will be done after dinner

Before dinner! We're planning on a choreographed dance, so to do it first will be a huge stress relief for me.

We did after dinner. Why make people wait to eat?

Before dinner

Ours likely will be after dinner.

Like some PP mentioned, we have limited photography time so we'll be doing it before the meal.

Right after introduction. I want all the formal dances (only two dances) done before dinner. That way it'll just be time to party after everyone eats.

We did all the dances right after we got introduced. We wanted it done with it so we could just relax after that.

We did it after we got introduced. We saved father/daughter and mother/son dances for after dinner.

If you do it before dinner, are you expecting guests to sit there, with nothing to eat or drink? Does not sound like great hosting to me.

We're doing it after dinner.

Ive seen both. And never thought any different. We did not do a first dance for ours.

Usually before dinner when you get introduced you go right into the first dance

1. A first dance takes all of 3 or 4 minutes.

2. Will your guests have to sit impatiently and starve, while you dance?

3. Although I've been to a few weddings (out of our region) with poorly hosted cocktail hours, most of them offer tons of food, along with open bar; passed hors d'oeuvres, stations, cold buffet, etc. I couldn't eat much, after the average cocktail hour, in our region. I walked into one friend's reception and I thought the cocktail hour food display (hot and cold buffet) was the full meal.

I only been to weddings who do it after dinner, so after dinner for us then well go into parent dances then open dance.

I agree with Dreamer. My guests will have just come from cocktail hour where they were fed heavy appetizers. Making them sit at their table for 3 minutes during the dance isn't a big deal if that's what you choose to do.