Are you dreading your first dance? Worried that your two left feet will have you and your spouse looking like fools in front of your closest family and friends? Your wedding guests have probably already seen your “smooth moves” on the dancefloor, so there’s no need to worry. But if you want to kick it up a notch and give them something that’ll knock their socks off, stick around! We’ve rounded up 5 first dance moves that will WOW your guests.
How to Make Your First Dance Count
If you’re not into age-old wedding traditions, your first dance is a great place to shake things up (literally). Turning to the internet gods for inspiration is a great way to drum up some ideas. But with endless amounts of wedding dances going viral on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, it can be stressful trying to figure out how to make yours count.
Here are a few lovely and entertaining ideas to make the first dance of your married life unique and memorable.
Choosing the Song for Your First Dance
Before we get into the moves you’ll unleash on the dancefloor to totally WOW your guests, we have to talk about the most crucial element: the song.
Every time you turn on the radio, you’ll undoubtedly hear tons of romantic songs. A few classic oldies and new hits get played amongst other popular songs. At least one will likely make you smile.
You might hear a tune that makes you think, “Wow, that’s us!” But, guess what? Other couples are thinking the same thing. So don’t just go for music that sounds romantic or the most popular love song on the radio.
Instead, choose a song that has sentimental value for you and your partner. For example, maybe there was a song playing when you first kissed, and it makes you feel excited every time you hear it.
Or throw that romantic stuff out the window, and kick it up a notch with something completely unexpected.
Make It a Medley
Who says you have to stick to just one song for your first dance? Today, numerous tools, such as Apple’s GarageBand, make it easy (even for beginners) to “mash-up” multiple tracks into one big tune.
Choose a few songs that flow well together, and you can very much guarantee that your finished product will be unlike any other first dance music your guests have heard. Plus, the switch-ups will keep your visitors engaged and delighted as they anticipate what will happen next. It will be the best first dance ever!
Surprise! Surprise!
Your wedding celebration will be remembered for a long time if you surprise your guests during your first dance! Start your first wedding dance with a slow romantic tune, such as rumba, to fool your guests into thinking you’re doing a traditional first dance. When your CD comes to a screeching halt, it will seem like calamity has struck—but then, surprise, surprise!
Suddenly, the bride and groom break out into a wild dance performance to a tune that none of the guests expected in a first dance! This first dance trick works best when the two songs contradict each other, resulting in an exciting dancing mash-up!
Prop-Tastic
No one ever said that your first dance had to be a slow dance. We’re totally loving how modern couples are elevating their weddings into incredible “experiences” rather than just an event. After all, your love story is unique, so your wedding should be too. And that doesn’t have to stop with your theme, venue, or decor.
Props are an excellent way to personalize your first wedding dance. Sports equipment, caps, masks, and musical instruments are all great examples. Couples that love to play hockey, for example, could choreograph a dance to ‘Fred Astaire on Broadway’ using hockey sticks as canes.
The Real Deal
Want to really blow their minds? Who needs a soundtrack to play your first dance song? Hire the real deal and get the actual artist of your favorite song to perform while you do your first dance. This will definitely surprise your spouse and your guests.
If that performer is out of your price range (or simply unobtainable—we’re guessing Beyoncé doesn’t do weddings), go with the next best thing—an impersonator.
Flash Mob
Okay, we agree that flash mobs have outlived their usefulness, except for weddings. Flash mobs were fashionable for a while, but they never really made it to wedding receptions, especially not for first dances. But now is their time to shine. Your wedding guests will be surprised, and it will set the tone to have the dancefloor packed all night.
At a wedding, the first dance is a big deal. Whether your wedding is modest and simple or large and grandiose, this symbolic first step into married life is a must. Couples want to focus on one other, but it can be nerve-wracking to be the center of attention. We get it!
Nowadays, first dances might be lovely and sentimental, hilarious or outrageous, traditional and elegant, or theatrical. Whatever you decide, your first dance should reflect your personalities as a couple and set the tone for the rest of the evening. So be creative! Make your first dance unforgettable, not typical.