When should we have our first dance?

Anytime you want to have it is perfect. It's pretty common for guests to not pay attention during first dance if being in the spotlight is a concern.

I also did mine right after my entrance because I figured all eyes were already on us

I worked at an event center. My favorite arrangement I've seen is the first dance right after the entrance. Typically at that point, the bars are temporarily closed to get everyone to their seats, so it really is the only time you have everyone's attention. To get the momentum back up afterwards, I like a "bridal party" dance where everyone is involved, then every 30 seconds or so goes and grabs 1 or 2 people from the crowd.


Ps- of all the brides I've worked with, its common to hear the couple barely eats dinner, so I wouldn't be concerned with being stuffed! Make sure you eat beforehand for this reason!

Hello Jessie:

There are no hard and fast rules on this one, so you can do it whenever you and your partner want.It seems like there are 2 schools of thought: right after the entrance versus after the dinner.

From what I read on WW, most couples did it/are doing it right after their entrance but at every wedding I attended, the couple did it after the dinner and this is what we are doing. Sure: Doing it after the entrance makes sense since all eyes are already on the couple, but doing it after the dinner makes sense too: it inaugurates the dancing portion,it's more or less similar to a ribbon cutting ceremony.

For us, it's NOT a big deal not being watched by everyone coz 1) We're doing it for ourselves : we want people to watch us,of course... but dancing for ourselves is the main purpose of the 1st dance.

2) Most of the guests will watch us: many love to watch the 1st dance and those who don't but can't wait to start dancing ... still watch it.

We did our first dance after our entrance, before dinner. Guests may or may not have paid attention. I’m sure it was a mix of both.
Then after dinner we did parent dances. Next the DJ called everyone to the dance floor and had them circle around us to get the party started. I guess he expected us to dance in the circle I don’t know but we each went and pulled different guests into the circle to get everyone dance. It was fun. He played stuff like Respect, Celebration, and We are Family.

Momentum on the dance floor is really where a great DJ pays off. Daughter and SIL did their first dance right after their entrance, before dinner. After dinner, they did do parent dances, but right after that the DJ (who'd already been working the room well as the MC) asked everyone to join the B&G on the dance floor and played It's a Wonderful World -- a great slow song that got everyone out there, both older and younger guests. When it ended he went immediately into a whole run of fun, fast, party dance songs. A surprisingly large number of guests stayed on the floor for them all -- it was all about the DJ knowing how to work a crowd. (Wedding guests ranged from a couple young kids to an elderly great aunt & uncle in their 90s.) Good luck!

We intended to do ours when we entered, but due to a snafu with the sound system at the venue, we ended up doing it after dinner (which we got to eat all of). People watched us - I can see that from the photos - but honestly, I didn't notice - all I saw was H.