Photo by Alvin Mahmudov
The First Dance is an intimate part of the evening when you get the opportunity to dance with your new wife or husband in front of your all of your guests. Everyone gets to see the chemistry and interaction that you have with each other, as well as your dance moves. This part of the night can be stressful for some couples as they may not be good dancers, may not know which song to choose, or may not like the center of attention. It doesn't have to be this way. You're about to read some tips to help make your First Dance more pleasant, memorable, and smooth for both you and your partner.
Photo by Alexandra Gorn
How do I choose my First Dance song?
If you only have one song to choose to dance in front of your wedding guests, what would it be? You have several factors to consider when choosing a song such as its genre, tempo, length, type of dance, mood, and mutual likeness from both parties. If you were to start narrowing down some songs, start with songs that the both of you enjoy. It would be even better if the song had an emotional connection that brought you closer together in the relationship. Make the song meaningful!
Once you narrow down some songs that you both like, you can narrow it down even further by agreeing on the kind of dance and vibe you want. Do you want something light-hearted and fun? Do you want it more romantic and slow? Is it something that both of you can dance to?
Once you have a good small list of songs that may work for you, pick and agree with one together! :)
What if you want your First Dance song to be different and stand out?
I can see the music lovers asking this question. You can look up cover songs of your favorites on YouTube and Spotify! You get to discover such amazing talent out there and surprise your guests with something familiar and unique!
Below are two Spotify playlists to help you with your song selections:
Top Requested First Dances
My Personal Favorites
I'm not a great dancer, what should I do?
You don't need to be a great dancer for your First Dance, but it would help if you know some basic moves to make it look like you know what you're doing! Remember, you're most likely going to be on video to be remembered for ages to come. Do you want to look like you know what you're doing? If yes, please take the time to learn! There are many resources out there to start doing so. You can even take some dance classes with your fiancé so both of you can benefit together.
Here are some online dance lessons you can start learning today!
We want our First Dance to be choreographed, do you recommend anyone to help us with this?
Yes, I do! Please contact Crystal Shum from Exceptionally Yours. Not only is she a wedding planner/coordinator, she's also a dance instructor and choreographer! Definitely reach out to her to discuss your vision.
If your choreographed First Dance is a combination of songs, ask your DJ to help you mix it all together in one continuous track! This is a service that I also provide, so if you need help with making one, let me know!
We don't like to be the center of attention, what can we do about it?
Ask your DJ to shorten the song for you! That way you won't be on the dance floor for too long. If you decide to go this route, ask your DJ if he/she can make a custom edit of the song to end it when you want. This will give you time to practice your dance moves at home, and if you time it right, you can end the dance with some flair!
As for when to shorten the song, usually, it's best to end the song at the end of either the 1st or 2nd chorus of the song, before it hits the bridge. Consult with your DJ to find a good time to end the song!
If you want another creative way to go about this, please continue reading below!
Bonus! Even More Tips & Advice!
1. Ask the DJ if he/she provides a spotlight to highlight both of you on the dance floor!
2. Midway through your First Dance song, you can invite all the couples to join you and finish the song! That way, you won't feel like you're the center of attention!
3. After you invited everyone to dance with you, you can have your DJ play another slow dance song which you can segue to the Anniversary Dance. Don't know what it is? Ask me in the comments section below ;-)
4. You can even choose a First Dance song that encourages crowd participation whether it's clapping or singing along!
5. Depending on your style and enough time in the schedule, you can also kick things off with a short dance party right after your First Dance
These are just some of my thoughts when it comes to First Dances. Thanks for reading this! I hope this article has been helpful! If you need any more help or have any thoughts that you would like to share, I'd love to hear them in the comment section below. Cheers and have a great day!
- DJ MOJOE, "Saving the City, One Party at a Time"
DJ MOJOE is an award-winning DJ and MC based in Ventura County serving all over Southern California and destination events