View Full Version : The money dance
JL29720
07-09-2003, 02:13 PM
What is the money dance? I have read a lot about it on the website, but never heard of it. Can someone fill me in?
Money dances take many forms, but traditionally the bride is put out on the dance floor and the men (and women, if they'd like) take turns having short dances with her, and each pins a dollar or two to her dress. A money dance usually only lasts for one song and so truly each guest will only get a moment. This tradition has fallen out of popularity as many brides find it uncomfortable.
notmaria
11-03-2003, 11:34 PM
The money dance, as I have seen in many weddings, is also called the honeymoon dance. Additionally, it also involves the groom, not just the bride. He also has a line of female friends, aunts, or whoever wants to dance with him. The dance itself goes as long as there is a line for the bride and the groom. My sister and her husband were able to use money from the honeymoon dance to buy themselves a digital ***era and used the rest as spending money during their honeymoon.
Hunneyforu
03-23-2004, 06:19 PM
We will be having a "Dollar Dance" at our eleventh of septemeber '04 wedding.
my fiance and i had a discussion about it. i feel as though it is the only time when i can get to dance with everyone - uncles, cousins, friends, etc. he feels as though its a tacky way to get more money from people who have already brought a gift.
we have compromised. :) we are still going to have a dollar dance, with all the proceeds going to different charities. the money from my dance partners will go to my uncles charity who passed away from cancer in '98. the money from my fiances partners will go to a charity of his picking. we will have our d.j. announce a short description of the charities before we start.
best wishes.
staceyj
04-13-2004, 05:54 AM
That is a nice way to give to charity :)
danielL
04-20-2004, 11:16 AM
As I have seen at weddings, and will likely do at my own, the Dollar Dance is for both bride and groom and lasts as long as there are people that want a dance. (Apologies that this is similar to one of the above postings but I wanted to add a thing or two.) The Maid of Honor and Best Man is in charge of the two lines, which means collecting the money and telling the next person when they can cut in. At weddings that I have attended in the past, I have never minded paying an extra dollar or two when I have already brought a gift. The couple has so many friends to entertain and visit with that it is nice to have my friend for a few moments, one-on-one.
The only downside that I see is that the bride often gets more dance partners as it tends to be socially acceptable for both guys and gals to dance with a girl, but not always the same with a guy. Oh well, that just means the ladies get longer turns with the groom. The main thing is to have fun!
bjmy1975
06-10-2004, 06:10 AM
I would like to have a dollar dance and my mother thinks that we have to have one. My fiance doesn't want to have one. It has less to do with the money and more to do with he doesn't want to dance. Would it be ok to do just a bride dollar dance? And if not... how can we compromise this one? My mother didn't like the charity idea, but as Nascar fans we do each have a favorite charity that we give to. Any suggestions? I just think that with many of the guests being older, they will expect a dollar dance. And to be honest, when we get done, we could probably use the extra money to pay for it all. I'd ask the groom's mother, but she's planning his sister's wedding and I think she said in a distasteful voice that they were not having one and followed it with that her and her husband didn't have one either. It's a guests choice to dance or not right...
I would like to have a dollar dance and my mother thinks that we have to have one. My fiance doesn't want to have one. It has less to do with the money and more to do with he doesn't want to dance. Would it be ok to do just a bride dollar dance? And if not... how can we compromise this one? My mother didn't like the charity idea, but as Nascar fans we do each have a favorite charity that we give to. Any suggestions? I just think that with many of the guests being older, they will expect a dollar dance. And to be honest, when we get done, we could probably use the extra money to pay for it all. I'd ask the groom's mother, but she's planning his sister's wedding and I think she said in a distasteful voice that they were not having one and followed it with that her and her husband didn't have one either. It's a guests choice to dance or not right...
Money dances are just plain tacky, however you do them!
mustangbex
07-15-2004, 12:44 PM
Money dances are just plain tacky, however you do them!
You know... I don't think I'll be doing one because I don't want to make anyone feel obligated, but I will probably have a well wishing tree thing where people can clip cards, money (some people WANT to do this), messages and photos (will have a polaroid ***era available)...
Money Dances originated in some European wedding ceremonies as a way of helping the new couple afford a house and coins in the shoes of the bride were considered wishes of good luck and fertility. Tacky? Maybe the way it's done today or in some ceremonies, but it's quite traditional. Most couples when this tradition started didn't have $25,000 weddings and lavish honeymoons... :p
baconsmom
04-17-2005, 03:07 PM
Money dances are just plain tacky, however you do them!
Ah, another voice of reason!
To the original poster: If you've never heard of it before, don't do it. It is occasionally appropriate IF and ONLY IF your family (and it would be better if your fiance's family, as well) are from an ethnic tradition where eliminating the dollar dance would hurt more feelings than having it would. It's a very limited set of circumstances that allow for dollar dances - and even then, there would be people at the reception who would think it the height of "tack".
reecey
04-18-2005, 06:52 AM
Ah, another voice of reason!
To the original poster: If you've never heard of it before, don't do it. It is occasionally appropriate IF and ONLY IF your family (and it would be better if your fiance's family, as well) are from an ethnic tradition where eliminating the dollar dance would hurt more feelings than having it would. It's a very limited set of circumstances that allow for dollar dances - and even then, there would be people at the reception who would think it the height of "tack".
Please don't attack others traditions in this forum. She asked a question that was answered. My family, and many families have ALWAYS done the dollar dance. Its a part of my heritage, just as its part of her family traditions - acccording to her mother.. My FH has never heard of it before, but we're doing it because its part of my family traditions - what better way to blend our family traditions than at our wedding and reception. There are things we'll be doing at our wedding and reception that I've never heard of that's part of his family as well.
nmb082005
04-18-2005, 07:00 AM
Please don't attack others traditions in this forum. She asked a question that was answered. My family, and many families have ALWAYS done the dollar dance. Its a part of my heritage, just as its part of her family traditions - acccording to her mother.. My FH has never heard of it before, but we're doing it because its part of my family traditions - what better way to blend our family traditions than at our wedding and reception. There are things we'll be doing at our wedding and reception that I've never heard of that's part of his family as well.
Okay 1. another old post, there is a newer post on the dollar dance 2. I completely agree with reccey, if you read the other post on the dollar dance you will find that many brides on the forum have heard of and are doing a dollar dance because it is part of our family traditions.
Kelly1Mickey
04-18-2005, 08:25 AM
I don't think too many of our families have their noses SO in the air that the dollar dance would be considered the "height of tack". I have seen it done and everyone was laughing and having fun. Lots of people always do the chicken dance too, which I don't think anyone could call classy :p , but people have fun doing it anyway. Personally, I had not really considered the dollar dance for my wedding...we'll see.
gmwjuly
04-18-2005, 12:23 PM
I wrestled with whether or not to have one myself, but we're going to have it because where I grew up, it is *always* done (my fiance had never heard of it). It's not considered tacky there; in fact, people look forward to it.
The dollar dance varies depending who you ask (probably based on culture and/or region of the country). Sometimes, it is just the bride, sometimes both the bride and groom. Most websites will say it's a slow song, but where I grew up, it's always a specific polka-like song called "The Bridal Dance" or "The Bridal Dollar Dance." It's about 3 minutes long and is looped so that it lasts the length of the line, anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes. Other than that, you have the DJ announce it, and your maid of honor or other attendant collects $1 from each person, each of whom you dance with very briefly.
In our particular version (that is, the metro area where I used to live), the mother of the bride ties a babushka to the bride's head and dances with her first. After each person dances, they form a circle around the bride and whoever is dancing with her, and clap along to the music. The father of the bride is always last in line (letting people in in front of him). After he dances, the groom tries to break into the circle, and the DJ lets everyone know that they should try to prevent him. Eventually, he finds a weak spot, or a buddy lets him in and he picks up the bride and carries her off. Traditionally, this was when the couple left for their honeymoon, but nowadays, they have the dollar dance earlier in the night and come back to enjoy the reception.
That all said, if neither of your families is familiar with it, and they don't do it where you live, you do run the risk of people considering it tacky.
Where people are used to it, it's no more tacky than a bridal shower (and certainly less expensive) you would no sooner leave it out than you would leave out cutting the cake. We only considered dropping it in case my fiance's family was appalled, but I decided I didn't want to give up the tradition.
I wrestled with whether or not to have one myself, but we're going to have it because where I grew up, it is *always* done (my fiance had never heard of it). It's not considered tacky there; in fact, people look forward to it.
The dollar dance varies depending who you ask (probably based on culture and/or region of the country). Sometimes, it is just the bride, sometimes both the bride and groom. Most websites will say it's a slow song, but where I grew up, it's always a specific polka-like song called "The Bridal Dance" or "The Bridal Dollar Dance." It's about 3 minutes long and is looped so that it lasts the length of the line, anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes. Other than that, you have the DJ announce it, and your maid of honor or other attendant collects $1 from each person, each of whom you dance with very briefly.
In our particular version (that is, the metro area where I used to live), the mother of the bride ties a babushka to the bride's head and dances with her first. After each person dances, they form a circle around the bride and whoever is dancing with her, and clap along to the music. The father of the bride is always last in line (letting people in in front of him). After he dances, the groom tries to break into the circle, and the DJ lets everyone know that they should try to prevent him. Eventually, he finds a weak spot, or a buddy lets him in and he picks up the bride and carries her off. Traditionally, this was when the couple left for their honeymoon, but nowadays, they have the dollar dance earlier in the night and come back to enjoy the reception.
That all said, if neither of your families is familiar with it, and they don't do it where you live, you do run the risk of people considering it tacky.
Where people are used to it, it's no more tacky than a bridal shower (and certainly less expensive) you would no sooner leave it out than you would leave out cutting the cake. We only considered dropping it in case my fiance's family was appalled, but I decided I didn't want to give up the tradition.
I really like this version of the money dance. I have never heard of the people forming a circle after they dance with the bride however, I think it's a great idea and gets everyone moving around instead of sitting at the tables.