It’s the final segment in the Summer Wedding Series! By now you should be armed and ready to step into the battle that is attending a wedding as a single person:
Expectations adjusted? Check
Gracefully ditching the bouquet toss, thanks to SashaFierce? Check and check
Owning the dance floor? See below…
My absolute favorite part of a wedding is the dancing. Hi my name is Jen and I am a wedding dancer. I don’t like going out to clubs, disco techs, or wherever the kids are going these days. But I do love to dance and a wedding is a perfect venue to get down with your bad self (good self, conflicted self?).
At my old apartment we had a Wii and my absolute favorite game was Wii dance. That was my best preparation for wedding season, because I was exposed to the latest songs and learned little dance routines to go along with them. My absolute favorite moment last summer at a wedding was when Katy Perry’s “Firework” came on and my roommate and I taught the dance floor the moves to that song. It was a spectacular moment! We were all fireworks that night.
As I go into wedding season, I usually have a couple of songs that are my songs. These are the songs that no matter where I am and what I am doing I will run to the dance floor. As mentioned above, “Firework” is one of these songs. Pretty much anything by Lady Gaga works as well. There are of course the various songs from the 60’s on that are favorites and unify a wedding crowd. Ultimately though, music choice will reside with the DJ and this person can make or break a wedding. A DJ is like the bass player in a band. You may not notice his/her presence musically, but take out the bass and the music just seems a bit flat and dull. A DJ doesn’t just pick out the music, but knows what songs work at particular times and is adept at choosing an amazing last song. For those planning weddings, if you’re going to have dancing, don’t cheap out on a DJ (unless your second cousin with an iPod really is that good – doubtful).
What makes wedding dancing so fun is that there really is something worth celebrating when two people come together. If ever there is a reason to eat, drink, and be merry, a wedding takes the cake (pun intended). No one takes themselves too seriously when dancing at a wedding and it’s a great chance to see even the most uptight person relax. For me, dancing at a wedding feels like taking part in the human experience. I don’t mean to place wedding dancing on some high and mighty pedestal, but it is interesting that this has been one of the ways humans have celebrated for thousands of years. One of the reasons I love the movie “Hitch” – awesome wedding dancing!
Now, some of you hate dancing. It doesn’t matter where it takes place, there is no dancing for you. That is perfectly fine. Ultimately, you have to discover what it is you enjoy about a wedding, and sink into that. Do you enjoy beautiful wedding cakes? Take lots of photos and savor each bite. Do you appreciate connecting with old and new friends? Connect to your heart’s content. As difficult as weddings can be as a single person, also allow yourself to enjoy and celebrate the parts of weddings that are beautiful and joyous. You actually may find yourself having fun.*
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So, here are my questions for you, dear reader:
-What is your favorite part of the wedding?
-What songs draw you to the dance floor at a wedding?
*I don’t say this in an admonishing way to those who have a hard time at weddings. Actually, I’m mostly encouraging myself, because I need the reminder that weddings can be fun, and thought others might feel similarly. So, these words are for me and you friend.