I wanted to use Circle Game for the mother/son dance at S1’s wedding, but he nixed it - too long.
@thumper1 Father Daughter dance songs: Pinterest is your friend…there must be a hundred different pins on this subject…
I’m not a member of Pinterest. So…can’t really access that.
I’ll try a google search.
We are taking private ballroom dancing lessons. DH is determined to get this right.
Try youtube, search father daughter wedding dance.
S& DIL had their rehearsal at a local BBQ joint. Served food buffet style, 40 people, total was about $650. They paid for it. This was fairly non-drinking crowd, so bar would have added to the total. Parents of B were unable to contribute to any of the festivities, so S and DIL paid for just about everything.
@oldfort
Yep…just did a google search. Lots of choices. The top choice right now is My Girl by the Temptations. Decent lyrics, great dancing beat.
DH doesn’t want country western, or a female singer.
My favorite was Let’s Dance. But it didn’t make the cut!
Massmom: My daughter just got engaged. (My son was married a few years ago)l. Father of groom won’t pay a penny. When his daughter was married he refused to pay anything. That was a modest 350 person. And yes the kids are paying part of this wedding.
Bev hills, if I recall, you paid for rvrything for your son’s wedding. Don’t go down that road again. If the brides father has $but won’t contribute, then he alone gets an invite. If there was a way, I’d have him pay for his own drinks,
We made sure father-daughter dance and mother-son dances at our kids’ weddings were limited to less than 90 seconds. Otherwise it really seems forever.
Others will join in after the first 90 seconds or so.
My kid isn’t planning to do anything with the parents at the dance, I think. Just them starting, then allowing anyone to join in. Maybe guests will expect that, though… is it typical to ask the DJ to just announce that anyone can join in at a certain point?
Oh geez, @bevhills, not again. That said, you do what you have to do. Our feeling is, it’s just a weekend, but the relationship with our DS and FDIL will last a lifetime and that is more important. That they are appreciative of what we/you do for them …its priceless.
We will be doing th joining in.
It will start out father and daughter. Then I think we will have groom and his mother join in…they are not doing their own dance. Then groom will take bride, and all the parent spouses will finish the dance together,
I guess it will be a family dance at the end.
^ That’s similar to what we did at DS#1’s wedding, but it started with the bride and groom dancing, then parents of bride and groom each got on as well, so the 6 couples were on, then we switched it up so groom danced with mom, bride with dad, and brides mom with grooms dad (briefly) then we kept rotating around briefly, then the siblings came in with their spouse/girlfriend. It was all pretty quick. I am not sure how we will handle it this go round since even if Fa of bride comes, she won’t dance with him, I dont think.
My S and DIL took dancing lessons and entered the reception to that music and immediately began dancing, no announcements. They also nixed the father/daughter and mother/son dances, mostly because her parents are divorced and the relationship between daughter and father is complicated…oh, and MOB did not want her ex having center stage. To be honest, I was a little disappointed as my S and i are very close. Once the kid’s dance was over the DJ just started some fabulous dance music and everyone streamed onto the floor.
Just my 2 cents on the situation @Massmomm and @bevhills are facing…if it is within your financial wherewithal to fund the wedding and additional events that you and your child want, then my opinion is similar to that of @jym626 above…think of it as your gift to your child and his/her partner and feel comfortable doing it your (and their) way.
@runnersmom - So did you get to dance with your S? My DS had also announced “no fa/dau, mo/son dances” because of the issues with bride’s dad (if he is even invited and/or shows up), but later, when we offered to get a party planner as our holiday gift for them this past holiday season (which we did and it was the best idea), DS at one point asked if we’d fund dance lessons instead. I stuck to my plan and said nope— we wanted them to get a party planner. I will need to find out the status of the dances, and hope, even if informally at some point, to have a moment to dance with my s. We are not interested in being in the spotlight and we have 2 left feet, so a subtle, brief dance would be my hope.
I am practicing smiling and nodding and gritting my teeth, as DS said if his fiancee’ decides to invite her dad (haven’t heard if there is a final decision and I don’t ask) and if he shows up (he told her once if she didn’t get married in the Catholic church he wouldn’t attend her wedding, and we are Jewish, and the wedding is non-denominational and will be outdoors) anyway, if he shows up, even though he has paid nothing, he will strut around and take full credit for the event. Sounds like a lovely guy :-&
Again, given what I have heard he did to her mom and their family, we are completely understandable that she (bride’s mom) cannot contribute at all to any costs. However his behavior, while sadly consistent with what we have heard, is inexcusable. If she invites him, and if he comes (with or without the longtime girlfriend he has had since his married days), I can only hope there is no drama and that I can smile and nod and grit my teeth no matter what he says/does. This thread is a great outlet to vent, so @Massmomm and @bevhills we can commiserate here and vent away.
@thumper1 - did you decide on a song?
Update: The wristbands just arrived on my doorstep. The bag they are in was open and the bands were all over the box, and they are more a strawberry red than maroon/burgundy, but oh well. One item scratched off the to do” list.
D1 is going to have a father/daughter dance. They went back and forth on the song. D1 chose Landslide by Dixie Chicks, which is a bit sad if you listened to it, but I think that’s how she felt about the relationship, but her dad wanted I Hope You Dance, which was her sweet 16th song. Both D1 and her dad listened to Dixie Chicks together growing up. I kind of stayed out of it because it is not my moment. I will not be dancing with my ex, but I won’t stop her future-in-laws from having their couple’s dance if that’s what they want to do. This is a moment for D1, I won’t make her feel awkward or uncomfortable.
D1 and the groom will do their first dance as soon they walk into the reception, before the dinner and all. It is going to be rehearsed. As D1 was a dancer, she is in control of it. I don’t think the groom is going to have much of a choice. 
DD and FSIL will do their dance when they enter too. It’s to a very interesting contemporary violin piece…and I LOVE it. It will be short as FSIL really isn’t thrilled about being in the spotlight on the dance floor.
I can’t say I blame him…I’m not thrilled about it either…but then…I won’t be IN the spotlight at all.
Agree with @oldfort this is DDs (and FSIL) special day.
@jym626, yes, my S found me on the dance floor at one point and made sure to dance with me. Really all I wanted was a private moment with him, and I got that. I certainly didn’t need everyone looking at us! My S and DIL are not the most naturally graceful duo but their first dance was a very choreographed rhumba to a song with which I was not familiar but my D loves. I could see my S counting the steps in his head, but it was quite sweet and charming. They were not a fan of the whole “announcement” thing, so they were very happy to just start the evening off with their dance and then let the evening proceed pretty organically. I think the only announcement was when they invited the grandmothers up with all the cousins (it was a cast of thousands, literally) to say the prayers over the challah. I can’t believe it was over six months ago…this time last year we were in serious party planning mode!