Wedding Dance Checklist

It’s said that the first steps that newlyweds take on the dance floor give an indication of how their marriage will fare. Even if you don’t believe this, it’s needless to say that you don’t want your first dance to include tumbles, torn outfits or stubbed toes. Follow this guideline and you can rest assured that you’ll have everything organised to pull off a smooth, unforgettable dance number that will impress all of your guests.

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6 Months to Go

• Start thinking about what kind of dance you’d like to perform as you take your very first steps as a married couple. Factors to think about include the formality of your wedding, your and your partner’s music taste, your dance ability, which of your wedding party members you’d like to include in the dance, and the song(s) you’d like to dance to. If you’ve already decided on a band for the event, you’ll also need to consult them on which songs they will or won’t be able to play. If you’ve hired a folk music band, but have your heart set on break dancing for your very first dance, you might need to use a CD for the first song and then have the band play later in the program.

• These days, flash mobs or simply group dances are becoming more and more popular at weddings. If this is what you’ve got in mind, you’re going to have to get organised and choose your song, as soon as possible. You’re also going to need to arrange the choreography and start recruiting your dancers.

5 Months 

• Group dancers: set up a dance practice schedule and make sure that all of your dancers are committed to attending each one (minus emergency situations, like natural disasters and chronic illness, of course).

3 Months

• Unless you’re both dance whizzes, you’ll probably need at least a few dance lessons before the big day. It will calm your nerves, prevent tumbles and impress your friends at the reception. This is the time to start looking for a dance instructor. Ask around, pop into a few dance studios and see if you can sit in on a class and observe.

• If you’ve decided to dance to a medley of your favourite songs, give a copy of the songs to your DJ or a musically talented friend, and ask them to work their music mixing magic.

• If you’re hiring a live band for the event, you could also ask them to perform a special medley. You’ll need to give them a copy of the songs, explain which parts (i.e. the chorus, bridge or a specific verse) of the songs are most significant to you, and ask them to mix and practice your customised song, for the big day.

2 Months

• You should have found a dance teacher by now. If you haven’t already done so, sign up for a course and work out a lesson schedule. Practice makes perfect, so don’t forget to practice your moves while you’re at home, too.

1 Month

• Once you’ve got the basic moves down pat and you’ve started working on a choreographed first dance, you’ll need to make sure that you’re able to pull off all of the moves in your dress and shoes. Pop them on and have a practice. If you run into any problems, you might need to reconsider your shoe choice, think about a costume change at the reception, or slightly alter the choreography.

• If you’ve asked your band or DJ to create a special song medley, you’ll need to listen to it before the event. This is a good time to meet with them, listen to the song and discuss any parts that you’d like polished up.

2 Weeks

• You’ve probably made loads of progress with your dancing, but don’t be tempted to skip lessons simply because your schedule is hectic, now that the wedding is drawing so near. You’ll pull of the dance number best if it’s super fresh in your mind, so this is the time to ramp up the practice sessions, and maybe even squeeze in a few extra lessons, if possible.

The Day Before

• Grab your honey and do a final run through.
• For those couples who have chosen to do a flash mob dance, the rehearsal is a good opportunity for one last practice dance. That’s assuming that your wedding party members are, in fact, the ones in the dance, and not the ones being surprised by the dance.

The Big Day

• Bust a move! You’ve spent plenty of time practicing for this. Take a deep breath, calm your nerves and let loose on the dance floor. This is your time to shine.