How many dances are too many?

Frankly, I think it's too many. It gets a little boring for the guests and can feel awkward for the people dancing. I would stick to the 3 dances and consider shortening the songs.

What about doing something like the "married couples" dance where you start out with all the couples, then the DJ will announce for those who have been married 1 year or less to step out, then 5 years, 10 years, and so on. Usually this is done as an alternative to the bouquet toss, and whichever couple left standing at the end has been married the longest and "wins" the bouquet, though you don't have to do that part. Would be a nice way to celebrate the longevity of their relationships, without leaving too many of your guests sitting for such a long time.

I do agree with Mrs BdeG, if you are doing shorter songs, it's not too much to have 4 dances, but any more than 15-20 minutes and I would get antsy.

We did first dance, mother/daughter (my father is deceased) mother/son and we did an anniversary dance for all the married couples. The started it with everyone and it ended up with just us and the couple who had been married the longest.

We are just doing our first dance, that's it. Keeping it simple and leaving more time for open dancing.

I wouldn't suggest clearing the dance floor in the middle for the special dance. It will kind of kill the mood for the guests who were enjoying dancing. Can you do your first dance with your spouse as you enter the reception. Then after dinner start the dances off with the father daughter dance, mother son dance, and then the bride and groom/parents?

I like the idea of starting out with the two of you then the moms and dads joining you two. Too many dances gets to be too long, people get bored, frankly.

I was thinking that I might have the DJ invite other married couples onto the floor part way through our first dance. But I am still pondering that one. Other than that we are just having a father daughter dance in addition to our first dance.

I have seen it done is after a little while the DJ asks all married couples out on the dance floor. Then the DJ starts listing off years of how long people have been married. Jokingly he starts with a few hours so the groom and bride leave, then 1 year, 2 years, 10 years etc. Till there is just one last couple left dancing. It kinda celebrates the long and happy marriage for that couple!

I am in a similar boat. I have first dance, father daughter, mother son. Then FFIL asked do do a dance just FMIL and him so there will be that but I am trying to figure that out still.

I went to a wedding that did a first dance, mother/son, father/daughter, and after that they invited all of the married couples to the dance floor for an anniversary dance... at the end it was the groom's grandparents who have been married for 80 years! Both were over 100 and still on the dance floor! It was amazing to watch, and people really got into it. Instead of doing a bouquet toss, the bride presented her toss bouquet to the couple that was out on the dance floor last. It was really a beautiful moment.

That being said, I've also been to a wedding where they did six dances. I believe it was bride/groom, mother/son, father/daughter, both sets of parents, bride/son, groom/step-daughter. I do think it was sweet that they wanted to have those moments together, but there were over 100 other people in the room who were just sitting/standing around... after dance four, people started getting restless and started chatting, walking around, going to the bar - basically stopped paying attention.

I agree with PPs, if you do more than three I would consider shortening your songs... attention spans these days are just so much shorter and, as terrible as it sounds, people bore easily (even if it's a super important moment to you!).