10 Wedding First Dance Mistakes To Avoid

Your wedding first dance is perhaps one of the most important aspect of your wedding ceremony. So, today we’re sharing ten of the most common wedding first dance mistakes to avoid to ensure yours goes off without a hitch. Also, tell us: what song have you picked for your first dance in the comment section below?

Mistake #1: Let just wing it. Unless you already know how to dance, and you have been dancing together as a couple, you should plan on either practicing together with your first dance song, or take some dance lessons if you don’t know how to dance at all. The worse you can do is to just wing it because you can easily ruin the whole ceremony by stepping on bride dress, or falling together while trying to do something fancy you never practiced before. This is one of the most common wedding first dance mistakes.

Mistake #2: Choosing a song without reading over the lyrics – Before you finalize your song, read over the lyrics carefully. There are so many songs I’ve heard that people think are perfect for a first dance, but once you really read the lyrics it turns out the song isn’t romantic at all! Do your homework first just in case. Hint, it should also be a song that you both love.

Mistake #3: The Timing- The first dance is usually held immediately after dinner and ‘kicks off’ the dancing portion of the evening. Don’t wait too long after dinner or guests will be eager to dance and will have to wait.

Mistake #4: The Too-Long Song – If your song is too long, guests will start to get bored; I mean, you’re really just twirling for minutes on end. They can really only watch for so long. Likewise, if your song is too short, you’ll feel cheated out of the moment. Pick something in-between and it will be just right. Remember, if you take dance lessons for your wedding first dance, the longer your song is, the longer your choreography, and therefore, the more lessons you will need to take. I recommend 2 minutes.

Mistake#5: Forgetting to test the shoes – And, while you’re at it, be sure to practice in the shoes you’ll be wearing at your wedding. It makes all the difference. If you’re nervous about wearing heels and being able to dance, bring along a pair of flats.

Mistake #6: Getting drunk before the first dance – I won’t tell you not to have a drink at your own wedding ceremony, but you should do so after your first dance, especially if you have been taking dance lessons and you are performing a choreographed routine for your first dance.

If you’re a bit tipsy, you might still pull it together, but if you’re completely drunk, you won’t be able to perform any moves you have learned on your dance lessons.

MISTAKE #7: Waiting last minutes to take dance lessons –  If you wait the last minute to sign up for dance lessons, here are a couple of things that might happen;

1- you might not have the time for dance lessons

2- you might not be able to take all the lessons you signed up for

3- you might feel the rush to learn how to dance fast and feel frustrated if you cannot learn fast.

Unless you already know how to dance, you should consider taking dance lessons at least one or two months in advance so that you can also enjoy the process. This one is also a very common wedding first dance mistakes and should be avoided at all costs.

Mistake #8: Not having a dance floor – A dance floor isn’t necessary if you are not having a first dance. But if you are, you should definitely have a dance floor especially if you have been taking dance lessons. Your wedding first dance will go a lot smoother on a dance floor than on a carpet, or tiles or concrete.

Mistake #9: Choosing a dance instructor based solely on price – If you want to take dance lessons  for your wedding first dance, you should find an experienced dance instructor that has helped others getting ready for their wedding first dance. A random dance instructor might not even know what a wedding first dance is.

You should either interview them to see what they have done before making the final cut, or visit their website to see if that have wedding first dance page. Remember, you are paying for their expertise, not necessarily per hourly wage. For example, an expert in wedding first dance can get you ready in just three lessons, while an inexperienced one might take five or six lessons r more. Save time and money with a wedding dance expert. That’s one of the most common wedding first dance mistakes to avoid.

Mistake #10 : Not having a wedding first dance – Not everyone can or wants to dance at their wedding. If you are physically unable to dance, then that’s a different story. But if you can dance (physically able), but choose otherwise, you might regret it later. Usually the best pictures of the evening is while you are dancing and you want to cherish this moment.

You see, the first dance between the bride and groom is the most awaited moment for the newly wed as well as the guests. It shows the love and unity between the new couple. The way of dancing, expression and the dancing steps reveal the harmony between the bride and groom. It is an expression of their unending love. Couples that dance together stay together.