The best dances for a wedding depend on the mood you wish to create for the reception. Some couples prefer fun songs while others choose sentimental tunes. There are several things you want to consider when selecting songs for your wedding dance.
Learning to Dance for Your Wedding
You may feel like your two left feet may hinder you from enjoying your wedding day to the fullest. Don't worry! You can teach yourself to dance in no time. If you can take ballroom dancing classes and you prefer to have a traditional type of dance at your wedding, you could check with local studios and colleges for instructors.
There's always the unstructured slow dance option, but if you want to bump it up a notch for your wedding day, you might want to consider learning to waltz, foxtrot, swing, or even breakdance. Unless you're really gifted in dance, you'll need someone to teach you how to perform your dance of choice. Check with your local college or dance studio to see if they offer classes in the dance you'd love to do at your wedding.
If you're more of a go-it-alone type of couple, you can always look for an instructional DVD. Make sure you have an open area wide enough to dance, twirl, and shake your booties together. Here are a few to start with:
- Dance Lessons 101: The Ultimate Couples Dancing Instruction Video for Beginners: This one teaches you the basics of "ballroom, country, swing, and Latin dancing." This particular instructional video got five out of five stars, so it promises to be an excellent starting point for beginners.
- Another eclectic one is The Ultimate Emergency Dance Lessons: There's a section where you can see the dancers in action, in costume, and then a plainclothes one where you can learn to follow their footsteps slowly.
- Anyone Can Dance: Nightclub Slow Dancing: If you would prefer the more traditional slow dance at your wedding but you're still unsure of how to do it without looking awkward, this video can help.
Another option is to check out dance instruction videos on YouTube or other video-sharing websites, including videos of couples at their weddings.
The Best Songs to Dance To
What's a dance without the best possible music? Here are a few favorites for the best, most fun and/or emotional wedding first dances for the bride and groom, the daughter and father, and the son and mother imaginable:
Bride and Groom
- A Moment Like This-Kelly Clarkson
- Amazed-Lonestar
- At Last-Etta James
- Gift-Jim Brickman
- When I Said I Do-Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black
Daughter and Father
- Because You Loved Me-Celine Dion
- I Hope You Dance-LeeAnn Womack
- I Loved Her First-Heartland
- Butterfly Kisses-Bob Carlisle
Son and Mother
- I Wish You Love-Natalie Cole
- The Man You've Become-Molly Pasutti
- Blessed-Elton John
- A Song for Mama-Boyz II Men
Of course, if you're not going for the traditional tearjerker route, you can choose any song you wish and choreograph a funny or sexy dance routine with your significant other.
Best Wedding Dances on YouTube
If you're feeling a little silly and you want to surprise your guests with a cool wedding dance, check out YouTube.com for some inspiration. You'll be amazed by what you can find, and sure to giggle hysterically while viewing at least one of them (so make sure you're not at work!).
Here are a few more that could qualify in the Best Wedding Dance category:
- Surprise Breakdance: Like bookends, the beginning and the end of the dance are both traditional, but the middle is, as the name suggests, a surprising breakdance.
- Surprise Michael Jackson starts out with a long section of swing/slow dancing, then the tempo picks up with some Michael Jackson moves.
- Dirty Dancing UK - Julia and James First Dance isn't funny, it's just plain sexy. If you liked Dirty Dancing, you'll enjoy this video. If you and your spouse-to-be are great dancers, you may even want to incorporate your own sexy moves.
Your best wedding dance is one that you enjoy sharing with each other and with your guests. Whether it is sentimental or sexy, fun or fabulous, you can learn a great dance to set a great beat for your reception.
