There is no shame in feeling stressed about your wedding day. There is a lot that goes into planning a wedding that no-one tells you about, and then you have to do a dance on top of that? You could just settle for the classic "Step n' Sway", or the "Staring Statues". However, it's so much more fun to actually dance on your wedding day! Here are some easy step you can take towards an awesome wedding dance for you and your new spouse, or you and your proud parent:
Your wedding dance should be your happiest memory of the event! It is an outward symbol of your new life together, and a celebration of everything you have done to reach this point! Whether you are dancing with your new spouse, your parents, grandparents, or wedding party, it should be a happy stress free memory. At Dueta Dance, we work to teach you how to dance in front of a crowd, how to position yourself for pictures while dancing, and more! Here is a quick guide how much time to allot for your wedding dance lessons:
Lead-follow with no specific choreography - One couple: 4-6 lessons minimum
Specific Choreography - One Couple: 6-8 lessons minimum
Group Choreography - 8-10 lessons minimum
How to Look Good on Your Big Day!
Attire:
If you are planning on wearing a dress, we would highly recommend either A: Not buying a dress with a train, or B: finding a way to bustle your train for the wedding dance. Many dance moves require you to step backwards. So, you want to make sure you are able to do so without stepping on your dress. In general, you want to make sure your dress does not drag the ground in your dancing shoes (especially if you plan to switch from heels to flats for your wedding dance). Otherwise, your dance partner will most likely step on your dress every time they try to step forward. Alternative: It is perfectly acceptable to change into a different dress after the ceremony. Some people refer to this as the "reception dress". So, if you do not think you will be able to dance in your wedding dress safely, consider switching into a shorter, more casual reception dress for the wedding dance at the reception.
Shoes:
When at your dance lessons, practice in your wedding dance shoes (even if they are flats). It is always better to figure out if your shoes are safe/comfortable to dance in when you are practice than to realize it halfway through your song on your wedding day. If need be, you can wear one set of shoes for the ceremony and pictures, then switch to more comfortable shoes for the wedding dance. If you are planning on having an indoor wedding, and you are interested in wearing actual dance shoes, click here for some great options!
Things to tell Your Instructor:
There are many things that your instructor needs to keep in mind in order to make sure your dance goes smoothly. So, to make their job easier, here are some things you can go ahead and tell them:
1. Is your wedding indoor or outdoor?
2. What will you be wearing?
3. What is your song?
4. Have you ever danced before?
5. When is your wedding date?
6. How big is your dance floor/what kind of floor will you be dancing on?
7. Will there be a photographer/videographer at your wedding?
This will give your instructor a mental image of what your wedding will look like, what moves you will be the most successful at, and how to cater their lesson plan to your needs.
Expectations vs. Reality:
1: When it comes to wedding dances, you're most likely not going to look like you just hopped off of the set of Dancing with the Stars or that viral video you saw. So, make peace that now. However, that does not meant you will not look great. Regardless, your friends and family are there to support you, not your overnight fame and professional dance career.
2: Your dance floor will probably be smaller than you anticipate. I do not know why or how this happens, but the dance floor always shrinks on the day of the wedding. So, practice in a smaller space that you think you will need (Side note: Dancing a foot or two within the edges of your dance space will also make it easier for your photographer to get good pictures of you).
3: You will probably mess up at some point during the song, and that's okay. Again, you are not Anna Trebunskaya. Just play it cool and no one will notice. Your partner might not even notice! The whole point of your wedding dance is not to strive for perfection, it is to celebrate your wedding day and make fun memories together.
Take a deep breath. We are here to help! At Dueta Dance, we tailor our lesson plan to fit the natural dance strengths of each couple. Not all couples are the same, which makes the wedding dance process so much fun! Everyone is different, so every new dancer will have unique strengths to bring to the lesson! We will take our personal wedding experience, mixed with the experiences of our past wedding couples, and make sure that your wedding dance is as unique, stress free, and fun as possible!
Feel free to share these tips with your friend who are getting married! If you have any other questions, feel free to ask in the comments below! Maybe your questions will help future wedding couples who come across this blog.
Sincerely,
Dueta Dance