Guest Post | Wedding Day Dilemma: Choosing The First Dance

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Tips for choosing the perfect first dance

So, you are well underway to planning your special day; the perfect venue has been chosen as the backdrop and you've found an amazing dress. Now it's time to get down to the details and one of the most important ones, for the reception, along with the speeches and cake cutting, is the first dance. Some brides and grooms enjoy the thought of performing whilst others feel it's their idea of a nightmare. Here are some pointers on what you should think about.

The song choice

Obviously, the most important part of the dance is the selection of the song; usually, it has a special meaning. Perhaps, it's a tune they first heard when they met or something romantic and fun, or it might be a song with lyrics that reflect their feelings about one another. Some people prefer something light and fun or an up tempo dance tune. The key here is that it needs to be entirely your choice as a couple. Don't worry if it may seem quirky to others; it's your wedding day and your first dance, after all.

Check out the lyrics … in full

Once you have picked the song that the two of you like, the next couple of steps may seem obvious but are often forgotten. Firstly, make sure your DJ has the right version of the song. Also, get a hold of the words to it (easy to find these days with the help of the internet) and read through them to check that the song you've fallen for actually turns out to have the meaning you think. 'Perfect Day' by Lou Reed is a beautiful tune, but look at the lyrics and it's actually talking about the singer's drug habit – not perhaps the most appropriate subject for you on your wedding day.

Practice makes perfect or does it?

So, you've now chosen your song and it's time to get those hips swaying and those legs moving, but do you really need to practise? To be honest, there are two schools of thought here – the "are you mad? Yes, of course you need to practise" school and the more laissez faire, "no, let's just do what takes our fancy on the night" school. Again, it's really up to the two of you to make your choice. One thing is for certain, though and that's the bride will need to find the perfect wedding shoes for whatever type of dance you are envisaging. There's little point trying to achieve a perfectly choreographed dance if the bride is so uncomfortable in her shoes that all she wants to do is sit down!

Remember the timing

This isn't referring to the timing of the song, but rather making sure that the DJ or Master of Ceremonies announces your first dance. With people getting in a more relaxed mood after the formalities of the day, the first dance can sometimes be lost without someone marking it formally.

If you aren't the next Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, or you just feel uncomfortable at the prospect of dancing in front of your guests, ask your DJ to quickly invite the other guests onto the floor and you'll soon be enveloped by family and friends.

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