Have you decided to take first dance lessons to prepare for your wedding? Great choice! Wedding dance lessons are one of the top three investments you can make in your wedding.
Now that you’ve made the investment, you may feel a little anxious about stepping into the studio for the first time – after all, it’s been a minute since your last cheer practice or dance competition!
No worries – the right dance instructor should ease your worries immediately! Still, you may wonder what you need to have ready to maximize your investment. Follow these tips, and you’re sure to nail your number!
Consider the external factors of your wedding
Since we recommend booking dance lessons anywhere from 4-6 months before your wedding day, you’ll probably already have much of your wedding planned before your first lesson.
When choreographing a first dance, it’s important for your choreographer to consider the size and scale of your venue’s dance floor and your wedding dress. Although your first dance can be anything you want it to be, these factors could affect your choreographer.
For example, you wouldn’t want to have any choreography involving excessive leg movement if you wore a fitted gown. Or, you wouldn’t want to choreograph a big number with lots of movement across a venue with a small dance floor.
A great choreographer (like the choreographers here at Danse L’Amour) will consider these things during your onboarding process!
Choosing a Song
Do you already have your special song picked out? Be sure to let your dance instructor know right away! Your instructor can use their expert opinion to determine if your song is a good fit for choreography – and guide you in the right direction if not!
If you haven’t yet chosen a song, there are some things you’ll want to keep in mind. Most wedding dance songs should last about three minutes. Anything over can get a little long for you and your guests!
Even if your song lasts four to five minutes, you can always cut out a specific portion. Just be sure to give the updated track to your dance instructor and your DJ or band ahead of time! Or, you could have your wedding party or guests join you in the last half of the song if you want a shorter first dance.
And, if you’re having trouble choosing a good song, you can always ask your instructor for recommendations based on your personality and style preferences!
Choose a Style and Personality
This one should be easy with the right instructor who just “gets you!” Whether you’ve had a song picked out since senior prom or you’re stumped on song choices, you can always choose a style of dance based on your personality as a couple.
For example, there is a big difference between the sentimental, romantic couple who just wants to learn a couple of easy moves to avoid looking like deer in the headlights and the couple who wants Dancing with the Stars level drama (And we do both here at Danse L’Amour!).
It may be helpful to do some research to determine where you fall on the spectrum of dance by checking out some YouTube videos or thinking back on friends and family. Or, follow Danse L’Amour on Instagram to see client dances, dance tips and tricks, and more! Bringing visual examples of what you like can help your instructor to get a good gauge of the direction of your dance.
And most importantly, don’t be afraid to let loose and be yourself at your lesson! Now is the time to show off who you are as a couple and express your love for one another – your memories in rhythm, as we say at Danse L’Amour!
Bring your Wedding Shoes and Attire
We always recommend that couples bring their wedding shoes to dance lessons as soon as they have them. By planning ahead, you can determine whether you’ll be able to dance in your shoe style of choice. Dance lessons are also an excellent opportunity to break-in your shoes, resulting in a much more comfortable experience for your wedding day!
We understand that most couples do not want to reveal the bride’s dress to the groom beforehand. But there is an alternative! If you have a ballroom gown with a removable bustle/petticoat, you can bring this to your lessons to practice. Even if you don’t have a removable one, you may purchase a low-cost bustle/petticoat for practice to simulate the weight and size of the gown. This small investment will make you feel much more comfortable when your big day arrives! You don’t want to be tripping over a ballgown, having never practiced in anything other than active wear.
For the groom, we recommend bringing the sports jacket you’ll wear on your wedding day to assess any restrictions to your arm movements.
Have Fun!
This is the most important tip – come to your dance lesson ready to have fun! Dancing is probably a new experience for both of you. You can see first dance lessons as a hurdle to jump over or an opportunity to try something new together. Most of our couples find themselves still dancing together years later!
Allowing your personalities to shine through will make the results of your dance so much better and something you and your wedding guests will remember for a lifetime. And remember, your first dance doesn’t have to be a big production to be memorable. A first dance is only, after all, your memories in rhythm!
Still need to book your first lesson? Take a look at our services HERE! We offer everything from in-studio and personalized lessons to online courses you can complete together from home.
Want to chat with one of our expert dance instructors about the best fit for you? Get in touch with us!
