Save Us From A Boring First Dance!

You don't have to do the whole song, we had ours cut off half way. We thought we would feel like that too but it literally felt like just us in the whole room. Just play your song in your living room and dance. No steps, just feel it out. Have him spin you....spin him...nothing is better than watching a married couple have fun and really look in love for the 1st dance.

Pick a shorter song with a quicker underbeat. Ours is only 2 minutes and has cuter lyrics so people wont focus solely on us. Also, practice. Dont choreograph, but practice. It will make you feel more confident day of

We cut our song after 60 seconds. Found a nice place to fade and the DJ took care of it. Did the same for parents dances too.

Bless you for posting this. I feel the exact same way. I've only been choosing from songs that are 2:30 or less because of that. I feel awkward at weddings watching the first dance, let alone being the first dancers.

Yes, definitely pick a short song, or get your DJ to cut it shorter. Even if dance lessons are uncommon doesn't mean you can't do it! Ask to learn the waltz which is a very classic first dance.

Are you planning to dance with parents too? I read somewhere that you can incorporate those dances into the first dance. Example:

Start with you and DH

After a while, your dad "cuts in"

DH escorts his mom to the dance floor

Then, WP comes out with their SOs.

Then guests can join in.

The goal is by the end of the song, people are already out on the dance floor for the next song.

Clear as mud? I say all this, and I really wanted to do it at my wedding, but it just never came together. Wish it had, though.

Also, you would have to have a song that's appropriate for dancing with DH and parents. We chose You Are the Sunshine of My Life. Would have a been a good one for this. Sigh.

There is also the option of opening the floor to couples after about a minute so it's not just you on the floor!

We are doing a first light saver battle. But we are having a themed wedding

Thank you so much, everyone!

StarFromIHJ, that is a very good idea - as all of the above.

We did think about getting the DJ to let the song merge into the B52s Love Shack (our fave song) to get everyone going.

Lynna - That. Sounds. Amazing.

ElleW, I like that idea too - may need some planning though.

You can def cut your song, I think we'll do the first two versus and then fade after the chorus (so a little less than 2 mins). You can also mouth the words to each other lovingly for the first few seconds and your get ready to connect hands/bodies. Then sway back & forth for 30 seconds. Disconnect. Add a walk under, followed by a smile, come back together, hold each other again, maybe a kiss followed by a dip, and hug. Boom done.

Shorten them like you said, do mother/son and father/daughter to the same song/at the same time, have your DJ invite other couples at the end or mix it into a dance song to get the party started.

Choreographed dances tend to be just as boring after the first two minutes lol. Just keep it short and sweet.

I don't understand the point of a first dance where everyone just watches the couple anyway. Nobody in the audience cares at all. Instead of a first dance where everyone has to just sit and watch, why not have the DJ invite all the couples to the dance floor to join the couple as they do their first dance? The point is for the couple to enjoy their first dance to their favorite song, is it not? Why make people sit and stare at it? Awkward for everyone.

My DJ is doing a section of the song for our dance and in the middle asking guests to join us

I have been thinking the same exact thing! Glad you asked!

Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8PIcO4_S5Q

That is a video on how to do a basic waltz. They have some other good how-to videos, too. I agree that the first dance should not be the full length of a song! That would be too much for everyone. 1-2 minutes. Maybe 2.5 minutes tops.

Take a dance class. I like the foxtrot.

Okay so this is an old post but I had this dilemma for our upcoming wedding too. The solution: dance for the first minute or so and then have the DJ pause and invite all married couples to come dance. The dance for a few more seconds and have the DJ ask couples who have been married less than a year to sit down. Then do this a few more times using less than 5 years, 10 years and so on, until only one couple is dancing (maybe your parents or grandparents). Now you got to sit down halfway through and it’s cute because everyone gets to applaud that couple for their long marriage. Then sometimes at the end you can have the DJ ask that last standing couple to offer you and your husband advice for a long and happy marriage!