first dance timing

[binzer]

I know I saw a thread about this a long time ago, but I can't find it :S (I've found similar ones, but not the one I remember).

 

Anyways, I need to have my dance before the dinner since my photographer will be leaving shortly after the dinner begins.

 

For part of the cocktail hour my FI and I will be getting photos done, so should we do the FD when we arrive, at the end of the cocktail hour, or what? Our band won't be arriving until near the end of dinner (when the real dancing will begin) and we'll be using an ipod for dinner/cocktail hour.

 

Also, how should we transition into it? It's fairly casual (only 20 people) and we don't have an MC or anything. After the dance, how should we transition OUT of it? Should I do the daughter/father dance then too?

 

Suggestions and past experience would be appreciated!!

 

TIY

[Jen_S]

We hired a mariachi band for our cocktail hour so we did do a first dance there but that was not planned our "first" dance was originally set to be done when we had our dj at the reception but I have to say the one at the cocktail hour was so much fun it really got our guests going and we have much better pictures of that dance then our "real" first dance.

[cougs]

our photographers will be leaving shortly after the dinner/reception starts, so we are going to do our first dance immediately upon our entrance. same situation: we are using our ipod for music and have no emcee either ... my MOH is going to announce us and then queue up our song. immediately following our first dance, we will do the father/daughter dance and mother/son dance and then be seated for dinner. rest of the dancing will happen after the main course. with all of the special dances done right in the beginning, we hope we're able to have some photos taken of those dances, the reception setup, and at least what the cake looks like before the photographers need to leave.

[BachataBride]

As soon as the ceremony was over we did our first dance. We were not having a reception as such though.

[mich999]

We are just like mummer girl. We have a half hour set aside between cocktail hour and dinner for first dances and cake cutting and wedding party intros so we can get pictures of everything before photog leaves - plus I think it's a nice little break between cocktail hour, when we have lots of apps, and dinner. We will have our DJ there, though, to do MC duties.

[sunsetbride1]

We are not doing a formal reception... just dinner at one of the restaurants scheduled for an hour after the ceremony. We will be doing a cocktail hour on the beach immediately following the ceremony and that is when we will do our formal dances. We are doing our pics before the ceremony (at least some of them) because we want some daytime pictures.

[shellk]

i say its a good plan that mummergirl has

[binzer]

mummergirl's setup sounds perfect! My extremely outgoing sister is the MoH and would be perfect for announcing it, so I'm going to copy the plan exactly!

[cougs]

thanks, i'm hoping my "plan" actually works, lol!

 

really, 3 specialty dances should take only about 10-15 minutes. for all i care they can start bringing out the first course during the dance, as long as they are unobtrusive. people can eat salad while they watch, lol! (and really, is there anything more boring than watching a couple do the slow-dance sway, lol? we are not "dancers" by any means, so nothing exciting coming from us!) oh i forgot we'll need to squeeze in the best man's speech then too.

 

i just wish we had a mic for the announcements/speeches ... my MOH will just have to speak up!

[Soon To Be Mrs. Gomez]

Our first dance will be right after our introduction so we can eat soon after. I think that will work best.