The Wedding Pros

There are many things to consider when planning the events to occur during your wedding reception.  Believe it or not, one of the main causes of prenuptial "discussions" between couples during this exciting but somewhat stressful time is whether or not to do a dollar or money dance. 

A lot of brides and grooms look at this as a great opportunity to converse briefly with each of his or her guests.  Well yeah, the money doesn’t hurt too much either.  I’ve heard of newlyweds making as much as $300 to $500, or even more, off of this wedding reception staple.  But, however, many participants feel this doesn’t fit the atmosphere they are hoping to attain for their reception, especially if they are planning an elegant, classy affair.  I believe the actual word most often used is "tacky."  They often feel it makes them come across as desperate or money-hungry.  For some people, though, the money is fine - it’s the flow of the reception they are worried about.  They claim it can drag down and even kill the momentum of the party. 

I’m sure you’ve attended one of these receptions: the party is great, the food was delicious, the dance floor is rocking, and then… S-C-R-E-E-C-H.  "Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, I would like to direct your attention to the dance floor and our special couple.  This is your chance to dance with either the bride and/or groom.  (Insert corny, overused money-related joke here.)"  Fast-forward thirty minutes: the groom’s line is empty while at least 20 people still await the throbbing-footed bride, half of the guests are either leaving or asleep, the best man and maid of honor are barely able to stand after devouring over half of the shots designated for dollar dancees, and we all observe sympathetically as the bride endures a very uncomfortable longer-than-it-has-any-business-being dance with either a cousin’s boyfriend that nobody knows or - gasp! - a creepy coworker.  Nobody wants this to happen at his or her wedding. 

So, if you are considering the possibility of a dollar or money dance, here are a couple of suggestions that can help make this go smoothly and not take away from the atmosphere of your celebration.  (I present this list assuming "just don’t invite the creepy coworker" goes without saying.)

-Think about the placement of the event.  Having it immediately following dinner or leading into open dancing so as not interrupt the guests wanting to dance the night away.

-Choose members of your bridal party that are least likely to drink heavily.  Also, if you choose wisely, you shouldn’t need to worry about them compromising the integrity of the tray-o-shots.  (Or you can always just 86 the shots altogether.)

-Make sure those assisting know to only allow 10 to 15 seconds to pass before sending the next person to cut in.  If they stick to this, it should keep the dance relatively time-friendly.

-Have the DJ or band throw in a couple of fast dance songs to mix things up. 

-Don’t be afraid to handpick the songs you want played for this event.  This way you may be able to avoid some of the cheesy, overplayed songs heard at every other reception. 

-For a totally different twist, scrap the dollar dance altogether.  Following the bouquet-toss, auction the garter off to the male guests in the crowd.

There is really no right answer to this argument.  It just comes down to the goal or atmosphere you and your fiance have set for the reception.  If a dollar dance doesn’t fit that idea, it’s ok not to do it.  Hopefully these tips can help make this tradition fit a little better into your plans if you do desire to include it.