What is the very first thing that you think of when it comes to wedding planning? What is one of the very first things that we write about? Yep, you guessed it. Money. Some brides spend thousands of dollars for a fancy wedding dress. Floral centerpieces for upwards of 20 guests tables can easily average between $500 and $1,000. But, what is the value of giving your guests a chance to dance and connect with you, one on one, during your wedding reception? Some would say that one cannot assign a value to a moment such as that. The most common misperception about the money/dollar dance at your wedding is that your guests will see it as the two of you begging for spending cash on your honeymoon. However, that could not be further from the truth. If you are uncomfortable with the money dance, then don't do it. In this article, we will discuss some options that remove the reference of money all together, as well as a few ways to make the money dance even more enjoyable.

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QUICK MONEY DANCE

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     If you want to get through the dollar dance quickly, you can have your best man and maid of honor tell the next person in line to cut into the dance whenever the next song changes. Then, following your prior instructions, have your band or DJ play the next song after about 30 to 45 seconds. This well keep the lines moving at a good pace.

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BRING YOUR OWN CREATIVE PURSE

 

     You can come and find a white satin purse for this event at bridal shops. Don't be afraid to come up with your own creative type of purse. Your maid of honor can hold a treasure chest or a large tip jar as well.

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DON'T CALL IT A MONEY/DOLLAR DANCE

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     Give the dance another name.  Call it a special dance, a honeymoon dance, a congratulatory dance, anything but mentioning money. Have your MC announce it with no mention of money, while instead putting the focus on how this will be an opportunity for your guests to offer their best wishes to you on a one-to-one basis.  Truth be told, even without mentioning money, I have seen several of these types of dances where a fair number of guests will still come up with money in hand. Then, the bride and groom are usually no longer uncomfortable because there have been no overt request for money. It's very very important that your MC understands your wishes in this regard ahead of time.

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RUN WITH THE MONEY THEME

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     Often when planning a wedding, I advise my couples to either embrace the money theme fully, or not at all.  Honestly, I say embrace it, have fun with it. Instead of worrying about what your guests will think, have your MC invite them up to bring tens twenties, major credit cards, checks, you name it. Play money themed musical selections and instruct the guests that they must dance with you in a style that matches the tempo of each song. Put a fundraiser thermometer on the wall, and go crazy with it. Don't be shy.

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BIDDING TO START THE DANCE

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    When it's time for the money dance, bring the bride and groom out to the dance floor and auction off the coveted opportunity to be the first person to dance with them. Depending on how far our couples want to take this,  we can add some humor by starting the bidding to be the first to dance with the bride at $20 and then starting the bidding for the groom at a nickel. To make it even more special, you can take a picture of the person who won the bidding and come up with a small photo printer, print out a photo of the bride or groom with the person who won, put it in a frame, and give it to them at the end of the dance (Ensemble Events Photo Booth is a great option for this).

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WORDS OF WISDOM CARDS INSTEAD OF CASH

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     If you definitely prefer not to ask your guests for money, but you still want to connect with them in a manner provided by the money dance, have your guests fill out note cards with their names on one side and their best words of wisdom for achieving a long and happy marriage on the other. Then instead of bringing money in exchange for a dance, they will simply give you their words of wisdom cards and you'll have a great keepsake to take with you and read on your honeymoon.

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     The main thing that you should remember is that the dollar dance is not a desperate cry for cash.  It can be turned into a special moment that keeps its class, provided that it's planned well.  Besides, who doesn't love money?  Thanks!

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