Your First Dance WITHOUT Hiccups: A Guide
If each amazing moment that makes up your Wedding Day is a sparkle, your First Dance is a glimmer.
It’s meant to be an unforgettable moment, filled with not only romance and elegance, but also FUN and joy shared with your wedding guests! That’s why it’s so painful when the moment goes… well, a bit wrong.
So let’s break down these First Dance Factors, so you’re not only aware of what could go wrong, but you’re well-prepared to avoid it – AND confident that you will!
The Dress
Brides, be sure your dress won’t interfere with your dance. Remember– your partner won’t have a “dress” rehearsal with you in it, so during alterations, check the length, fit, delicacy of fabric, etc. If anything restricts your movement, this will affect your dance!
If you’re taking wedding dance lessons, let your instructor know ASAP - so they can adjust your dance choreography accordingly.
Grooms, you’re not exempt from this just because you (probably) won’t be wearing a dress to the wedding. Make sure that whatever your wedding attire is, it FITS well. Hems, tightness of jacket, delicacy of fabric all comes into play when you dance in it!
The Shoes AND the Dance Floor
You don’t want any surprises on your big day, so know what shoes you’ll be wearing AND practice your dance in those shoes. And we don’t mean the day before the wedding - we mean ahead of time! (If you’re worried about scuffing your gorgeous wedding day shoes, just use a similar style/fit.)
Brides – ever let your puppy out after a night out? Oof. If you thought walking in your club shoes was hard, try dancing. Dancing in heels is SO different from dancing in flats (and it depends on the type of heel, too!). Not only do you need to practice your First Dance in the height and style of your wedding day shoe, but you’ll need to know how it will interact with the surface and style of your dance floor.
Grooms – your shoes can be super slippery on wood floors, linoleum, or whatever your dance floor surface may be! You’ll want to know this ahead of time, especially if you’re hosting a destination wedding or your reception is happening in the great outdoors.
Practice, Practice, Practice
It doesn’t always make perfect, but practice will be THE difference between that amazing glimmer of a First Dance… and the other kind we mentioned.
YES, you can practice at home in between your wedding dance lessons! And if you’re not taking lessons… it’s not that you can’t “do it yourself”, but why would you want to DIY your First Dance!?
Getting expert help from industry professionals (not to mention wedding experts) is SO much more fun than tediously trying to learn moves from Tiktok… trust us, we’ve taught wedding couples for 14+ years (and we’re award-winning at it).
All you need are a few dance lessons to create and master your customized, unique First Dance… that you AND your wedding guests will remember for a lifetime.
Make it your OWN.
These tips are HUGE in preventing First Dance Disasters, but at the end of the day– it’s YOUR wedding, and your First Dance experience. In the moment, you may decide to ditch your shoes entirely and dance barefoot on your shiny wedding dance floor. (In this case, we still recommend lessons as part of your planning, because the less sparkle involved, the more your technique is on display.)
Remember, no matter what you choose… you should LOVE this wedding day glimmer and remember it fondly – for decades to come. So happy dancing, and we hope you LOVE your First Dance!
