Alternatives to a "First Dance"

[musescarlet]

My fiance and I are having a cocktail reception and plan to have both a jazz singer/pianist and a dj. However, my soon to be hubby does not enjoy dancing. We have discussed what to do about a first dance and he really does not want to have one. I am in agreement with him...it's really not his style and not incredibly important to me, so I wouldn't dream of making him do it just because it is a cultural tradition.

Any ideas on alternatives to the first dance?

[Sharon Naylor]

This is a very common thing...the bride and groom don't want a first dance, and it's their call to make. So in place of a first dance, you can have your deejay, band leader or emcee announce '(Your names) would love for you all to join them on the dance floor for the first dance of the evening.' The couple's song is played, and everyone participates. There's no spotlight on just the two of you -- which can make some couples nervous -- and it gets the dancing portion of the evening started right away.

If you're against dancing totally, have your song play as you're introduced into the room, and then simply take a bow, or your groom can 'twirl' you once and then dip you back for a kiss. From there, you can take your seats, and perhaps the Best Man would like to get right into his toast.

As another option, some couples are taping SHORT video montages of their baby photos, or a videotaped message from them, the scene of their engagement, etc. It's easy to produce this on a home computer, and again...keep it short. The site might have a big screen TV on which to play the video as the opening of your reception, or you can arrange to have one brought in. This video opener makes couples feel like celebrities, and guests LOVE the unique presentation.