Feeling anxious about dancing with your Mom or Dad at the wedding? Here are 7 stress relieving ideas…
1) First and foremost, remember this formality is NOT a requirement; you’ll still be married to the love of your life at the end of the celebration, dance or no dance. Knowing the choice is yours can be empowering all by itself.
2) Is there a song that was important between the two of you while you were growing up? Did you always sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” together as you were being tucked into bed? Your entertainer may be able to find an orchestration that would be lovely to dance to.
3) Ask your Mom or Dad if there is a song that’s meaningful to them. For example, when I hear the song “Brown Eyed Girl” I always think of my daughter and hope we’ll dance to that song on her wedding day.
4) Consider a song that is light-hearted, rather than serious. Recently one of our grooms decided a Monty Python tune would fit the bill, and he and his Mom laughed together the entire time they were on the dance floor. It suited them perfectly, and everyone else in the room was smiling right along with them.
In the photo below, Amy’s dad has slipped out of a tux and into his Hawaiian shirt, which better reflects both his care-free spirit and their dance.
5) Consider a shorter song, like Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World” or The Beatles’ “In My Life”, which are both just over 2 minutes long. An excellent band or DJ will also be able to intentionally shorten a traditionally longer song in a subtle fashion.
6) Pick one song and share your parent dances simultaneously; there’s comfort in numbers!
7) What is it about your Mom or Dad that you most appreciate? Did they attend every game? Send you care packages while you were in college? Give doses of “tough love” that you hated at the time, but now understand? Whatever it is, let this be your focus and you’ll find your anxiety giving way to gratitude.
Sean shares a moment with his Mom
We love helping couples discover different ways to creatively approach such moments. Please contact us if you’d like to brainstorm ideas for YOUR special day!
All of the above respectfully submitted for your consideration by…
~Cindy Ormond
Daughter, Mom and Wedding Entertainment Specialist
