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I have never been to a wedding where the first dance was before dinner, although it does appear to be common. Because it's what I'm used to, I like it when the first dance is after dinner, right before the general dancing starts. Also, most people are hungry by the time introductions start and I'd hate to keep people waiting for food while watching us dance!
I am planning on having ours after dinner, to start off the dancing for everyone else. I need some food & drink before I get up there and have all those eyes on me!! I do NOT do well as the center of attention and I get uber cranky if I'm starving. Plus, I thin it encourages everyone else to get out of their seats and get to it!
I am doing mine right after the entrance and that is how it has been every wedding I have been too.
I like this idea because it splits up all the dances people are watching. We are doing ours before dinner, then father/daughter right after dinner then mother/son and all the guests will join in. Hopefully that helps people from getting bored!
Sounds like splitting up the dances is a definate plus to having the dance after the introduction. We're only have having our dance, no others, so I hadn't considered that! AND, I do agree, I've seen the dance after the introduction at nearly all the weddings I've attended.
I think the choice really depends on the time your reception starts. My sister's reception started at like 4:30...so they did toasts and dances first. My reception starts at 7 so I want to get dinner started and we're doing dances and toasts toward the end.
The transition will not be weird at all no matter how you do it. Your DJ will make everything smooth.
We did our first dance right after our grand entrance. I've been to lots of weddings that did it this way. It worked out really well IMO. Then we had our combo father/daughter and mother/son dance after dinner.
I am torn about this well, since we are not doing parent/child dances. Seems like we could get away with doing it after dinner and no one would care.
We're also doing our first dance right after the grand enterance. That way people can start dancing right after dinner and not have to wait for us to do our "first dance". The jury is still out on whether or not we're doing father/daughter and mother/son dances.
this has me thinking now, but to be honest I woould like to get that first dance over with ASAP. so I would rather do it before dinner and then after dinner do toast/speech and then get a perfoormer to liven things up and get the dance floor going!
We did our cake cutting right after the grand entrance and then we did the dances after dinner. But I think either way works.
I just did some research on this and to be honest it honestly doesnt matter do what works best. check out the options below:
Itinerary # 1
1. Guests arrive at reception
2. Guests socialize during coctail hour
3. Bridal Party and Bride & Groom arrive
4. Bridal Party and Bride & Groom are introduced
5. Food Service
6. Toasts
7. Bride & Groom cut cake
8. Bride & Groom's first dance
9. Bride dances with her father
10. Groom dances with his mother
11. Open dancing
12. Bouquet & garter toss
13. Last dance send off
Itinerary # 2
1. Guests arrive at reception
2. Guests socialize during cocktail hour
3. Bridal Party Bride & Groom arrive
4. Bridal Party and Bride & Groom are introduced
5. Bride & Groom's first dance
6. Toasts
7. Food Service
8. Bride & Groom cut cake
9. Bride dances with her father
10. Groom dances with his mother
11. Open dancing
12. Bouquet & garter toss
13. Last dance send off
Itinerary # 3
1. Guests arrive at reception
2. Guests socialize during cocktail hour
3. Bridal Party and Bride & Groom arrive
4. Bridal Party and Bride & Groom are introduced
5. Bride & Groom's first dance
6. Food Service
7. Bride dances with her father
8. Groom dances with his mother
9. Open dancing
10. Toasts
11. Bride & Groom cut cake
12. Dollar Dance -- Honeymoon Cash Dance
12. Bouquet & garter toss
13. Last dance send off
We'll be doing all of our posed photos before the ceremony so we can spend cocktail hour with each other, our guests, and some food. Everyone will at least have taken the edge off by the time we are announced into the reception...I just want to get the first dance over with!
i would recommend going into the first dance immediately after being announced at the reception. your hair and makeup will be fresher for pictures before dinner.
We are having it after dinner.. the dancing area is in a different part of the venue
For me it made more sense to do the first dance before dinner so we will just have it over with. I am a bit of an introvert so will probably be nervous about it. We are also doing toasts and cake cutting before dinner. My DOC really suggested cake cutting before dinner so it can be served right after dinner. She explained that cake often doesn't get eaten when it's cut after dinner because people are dancing.
We will open up the dance floor after our parent dances.
Here is our reception schedule:
6:00 pm-6:45pm- Cocktail hour
6:45pm- Bridal Party entrance
7:00pm- First dance for B&G/Cake Cut/Toasts/Prayer
7:30pm- Dinner
8:15pm- Parent dances
8:30pm- Open dance floor
11:00pm- Reception end
Because our first dance utilizes the live band and they play in whole sets we are having the dance after dinner. Also gives FH and I some additional time to go over the footwork and styling (anxious to see what our choreographers cook up for us).
I haven't read the other posts so I apologize if this has been said already.
I prefer the first dance before dinner. This way the dancefloor is open for couples to (slow) dance between courses / during dinner. I find this always creates a fun atmosphere for the rest of the night if people get out on the dance floor early. Plus dinner time is really the only time there is slow music for other couples to have a romantic dance to.
We are having a 4:30 cocktail hour and are going to receiving line during the cocktail hour, then when the cocktail hour is over we're going to do the introductions followed immediately by the father/daughter and mother/son dances and then dinner. T
For me I just want to get the really emotional stuff all done at the same time so that I can regroup a bit during dinner and then hit the dance floor and party the rest of the night!
This is a great thread and definitely helped me think through what to do (pending FI's agreement). I think the biggest 'take-away' is that it really doesn't matter what order the events are in - as long as it feels comfortable to you and works with whatever logistical issues you are dealing with.
In reading the thread, it makes more sense to me to lump all the dancing together. So - we'll do the Grand Entrance and then do dinner w/ toasts... then cake cutting, then first dance, then parent dances then open dance floor. Cake can be served during the dances (perhaps... this is the only part that's still a little fuzzy for me (when to cut the cake)!
Another thing to consider about the cake is that I've been told by quite a few (when planning my wedding) that people will leave shortly after eating the cake. So we held off on the cake cutting until an hour after dinner. It broke up the open dancing and gave people a break-chance to sit down have cake, then dancing resumed.
Oh, and we did our first dance right after our grand entrance. I loved doing this before dinner. This way, after dinner, it was just dance time with the cake-cutting in the middle. I was able to relax more at dinner because the first dance was over...
Thanks for this thread! Really helpful!
I second the sentiment to do whatever feel comfortable to you and fits into your timeline/space--
Just to add to the pile, we have a super long day (cocktail begins at 5:00 and we go until 11:00p.m.-- I had no idea how unsual/long that was until reading around after we booked our space-- got a great deal!) so there's a lot more time for people to wander off, head to the bar, etc. We also have big families, so there are a lot more "dances" that need to be taken care of.
I had heard the tradition that no one dances before the newlyweds, but it always bothered me to think of the awkward transition we'd face coming right in a dancing... but we found a great entertainer with good personality and a great voice who can help this from being a silent spot for crickets. :-)
We've decided upon-
Reception Begins 6:00p.m.
Entrances 6:10
Welcome/Toasts 6:15
First Dance/Opening of Floor 6:20
Blessing 6:25
Dinner 6:25/6:30
Cake Cutting/Service 7:30/45
Formal Dances (Family) 8:00
Icebreaker dance as last formal dance 8:20
Open Dancing 8:25
Late Night snack 9:45
Last Dance 10:50
Night folks! (or to the after party at the restaurant/bar across the street--- if we're standing, I'll be so tired!) :-)
Hope that's helpful and add to the ideas!
we did our first dance right after our introduction as Mr and Mrs. I think either way makes sense...its a personal preference :) I choose before dinner just because I wanted to get it out of the way. lol
As a person who likes to dance, I like it when the first dance happens as early as possible, so that I do not feel like I have to wait until a certain moment to stop restraining my dancing-wants. :)
Do it BEFORE dinner while everyone has all eyes on YOU, shut down the bar and photobooth during ur entrance and first dance too...!! I have been to many weddings where people were doing "other" things like laughing and chatting, getting drinks, blah blah blah... while the bride and groom danced after dinner.
Until the show 4 Weddings I had never in my life seen the dance before dinner, so it's weird (to me) to do it before.
To me, the couple/family/whatever you do dances are the introduction to getting everyone else on the dancefloor!
I plan to do ours right after the introductions and before we're seated for dinner. My 3 main reasons:
1- It'll be easier to have everyone's attention (you can close the bar, the waiters won't be clanging dirty dishes, etc).
2- My hair/makeup will have a quick touchup and my dress will not have the train anymore (mine's detachable rather than a bustle) so I'll be picture ready.
3- (goes along with being picture ready) I KNOW I will spill food on myself. It almost never fails. I don't want a streak of sauce or something in all of my lovely first dance photos, and I don't want my stomach to be super-full while I'm being photographed.
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We are planning to do the first dance right after introduction, then be seated for dinner. Part of me feels that this is sort of an awkward transition, and it would make more sense to do the first dance after dinner when dancing would start. But then we would have to push the parent dances back. What are you doing?