Money dance

I think it’s more than a little tacky. Weddings aren’t money making events and your guests shouldn’t have to pay to dance with you.

Guests should never be asked to open their wallets for any reason. Why spend time and money on makeup and a pretty dress (and tux rental) to get them messed up with expensive cake?

View Quoted Comment I probably should mention my ceremony and reception are 2 separate dates and As far as tux’s my FH will not be wearing one and my make up will be done by a friend for free. It’s not so much as us being messed up, but as tradition.

Honestly, my fiancé wants us to have a dollar dance as well. I don’t know how it typically goes where your from, but where I grew up, a guest would pay a dollar to dance with either the bride or the groom and the guest takes a shot before they join the bride or groom on the dance floor. All the money goes into one bag or jar as it is typically used for honeymoon money.


I don’t think that you would want to have cake smashed into your face/hair after meticulously getting it done. Plus, you run the risk of icing staining not only your face but potentially your dress. So I wouldn’t go that route.
And adding that extra piece probably will take more time... typically you don’t want this dance to be very long (2-3 songs max) as it takes the dance floor away from the group and not everyone will participate.

Sorry, but there is no tactful way to do a dollar dance period. Guests should never have to open up their wallets at a wedding reception.

View Quoted Comment Thank you! I just like hearing from another persons perspective so I know which route I should go.

View Quoted Comment I am not telling the guest they have to donate, just a tradition that I wanted to take a part. People are more then welcome to not put money in.

View Quoted Comment Totally understand that.
Every wedding I’ve been to in western PA had a dollar dance. My cousin didn’t have dancing at her wedding, just karaoke. And my friend who got married in Virginia didn’t have one, but I’ve found that there’s all kinds of traditions that are based more on where you grew up than in general. Like, I never heard of a grooms cake until I moved south.

But I don’t think the dollar dance is tacky at all. If you want to have it and your guests have seen it before/expect to see it at the wedding then no one is gonna think any differently.

Where I'm from a dollar dance is usually seen as very tacky (and adding the cake smashing competition would make it significantly more so) and I know people who will do anything possible to avoid it as guests (including leaving early). However, I know there are some cultures in the US where it is a tradition (the ones I'm most familiar with are usually midwestern Polish families and some Hispanic families). I think it's really a "know your audience" issue; if it is common among your family and friends AND part of your culture AND you want to do it, go for it. I've only see them a couple of times, and it didn't seem like it resulted in very much money, so if that's the motivation I wouldn't have high expectations.

This is definitely a culture thing. The money dance is big in New Orleans. Every NOLA wedding I have attended had one. The guest make sure to bring cash to the reception for it.


My fiancé and I are not having one at our wedding, because it isn’t the norm in our current city. If it’s popular at your location than go for it!

I was at a wedding in Southeast PA where the couple were missionaries and raising money to go overseas (this was known to everyone way ahead of time) where during the reception if you wanted the bride and groom to kiss you had to put money in the designated jar... the bigger the dollar bill the longer/bigger the kiss... I LOVED that idea!! (as i HATE the clinking of glasses) everyone was fine with bringing extra cash for this... and is not seen as rude from this area either...

Unless the dollar dance is part of your cultural or regional tradition, it’s outdated and tacky. The cake smashing idea (or any other contest idea) doesn’t make it less tacky. Skip it.