How To Impress With Your First Dance
Planning your wedding first dance and want to avoid that awkward shuffle on the spot? Whether you’re dreaming of a romantic sway, a choreographed showstopper, or a surprise twist that’ll wow your guests, your first dance is the perfect chance to let your personalities shine.
A romantic sway is great if you’re not keen on showing off your best moves. Even then you can practice a few spins, the crowd pleasing ‘dip’ and the big kiss finale to make it more fun and memorable if you’re feeling a tad nervous.
From classic dips and spins to country line dancing and musical mashups, we’ve gathered fun and creative first dance ideas that will inspire confidence AND make your wedding reception truly unforgettable
Real Wedding Inspiration: First Dances That Stole the Show
Annabelle and Dean opted for a fun country line dance to one of their favourite Country songs and it went down a storm! The Bride even opted to change in to trainers to ensure she could nail the choreography!
You can see more of their fun choreographed dance over on their Browsholme Hall wedding video blog!
How to impress with your first dance!
If dancing isn’t your thing and you’re already feeling overwhelmed with the wedding planning, don’t overthink it!
A simple spin, maybe even a romantic dip, will be all you need to make the crowds go wild! Picking a song you both love is key, so you can enjoy the moment and not have to overthink your next move!
Another great way to get the crowd involved is to pick a karaoke banger and have everyone singing along with you! That always makes for some fun footage and distracts from any two left feet you may have…
Creative First Dance Ideas That Will Surprise Your Guests
If you’re thinking full on choreographed first dance then go for it! The possibilities are endless…
You could go comical with a collection of fun tracks with well known dance moves to get the crowd laughing!
Or if you’re feeling theatrical (like Maria and Tommy at their Peckforton Castle wedding below), then pick your favourite Musical track and have fun dancing along to that…
I know because they have a amateur dramatics background people were expecting something from them. However, no-one ever expected Disney. And I’m pretty certain not a Frozen track!
It was very them and very cute!
Make It Memorable: Surprise First Dance Tips to Get the Party Started
What about pretending to do a slow wedding sway then bursting into something more lively as a surprise?
As guests gather round thinking how romantic it is and get their camera’s out in time for the next timely spin or kiss it suddenly changes tempo and lifts the energy in the room.
Keri and Tom nailed it with their slow dance to Newton Faulkner that swiftly went in to Rudimental’s ‘Feel The Love’. Not only because it looked pretty impressive but it also got the crowd going and kick started their evening reception perfectly!
Who doesn’t want a crazy and full dance floor like they did at their AMAZING Mitton Hall wedding?? For me I feel the love (naff pun) for Keri and Tom’s dance. If that doesn’t get the party started I don’t know what will!
Should You Hire a Wedding Dance Teacher? Here’s What to Expect
Or if you’re feeling as brave (and cocky) as us then go all out and hire a wedding dance teacher to choreograph an epic masterpiece (that may have looked like that if we had more skill haha).
That’s a good option as they can work out where your strengths lie and tweak the dance to work for you perfectly.
It also ensures you give the choreography actual time by attending lessons and putting the hours in to practice! Any excuse to spend some time together doing something fun!
If you skip to 5 minutes on our (now very old) wedding video you can see the fun we had doing our own special, choreographed first dance at our wedding at the Hillbark Hotel.
Why Practicing in Your Wedding Outfits Is a Game-Changer
Here’s a little bonus tip if you’re planning to wow your guests with a special choreographed first dance…
Sneak off before the evening guests arrive and have a practice in your wedding gear!
Whether it’s a dramatic lift or a simple spin there may need to be a bit more coordination involved with a huge train or princess dress to contend with!
Don’t Let Your First Dance Be Just a Memory…
Are you thinking of planning something amazing for your first dance? Don’t let it end up being just a fun memory (or some wobbly footage on someones phone)!
You’ve put thought, heart (and maybe even a few secret rehearsals!) into your first dance so make sure it’s captured forever! A professional wedding videographer won’t just record the moves; they’ll preserve the emotion, the cheers from your guests, and that incredible energy in the room.
Because years from now, you won’t just want to remember how it looked, you’ll want to feel it all over again and even go on to share it with family and new friends who didn’t get to enjoy your wedding day with you! I know our kids LOVE watching our dodgy moves back and comment on how much fun we look like we’re having!
Planning a first dance to remember? Let’s make sure it’s filmed to remember too. Contact me to check my availability for your wedding date!