Since it is a sit down dinner, I assume people won’t be dancing until after dinner anyway.
Ours was also a sit down dinner. It actually was nice to have the bride and groom do their first dance as they entered the venue. Everyone was standing anyway…and watched…it wasn’t long.
Then all sat down and had dinner.
The father daughter dance was after dinner…sort of the start of the dancing. The groom did join in with his mom about 1/2 way through the music.
Then the dancing began…for all.
I think having the bride wait thru a mother son dance when the B has no dad there to dance with could be awkward. Plus, the bride usually dances with a parent before the groom does.
What if both mothers dance with their kids, same time? The B&G can choose music together. Call it the Mothers Dance.
I was a single mother from day one. I walked her down the aisle, and did the first dance with her. Gender wasn’t an issue, I was her parent that raised her.
We aren’t having and parent/kid dance (divorced parents, couple prefers not to anyway). So there is no obvious “kickoff” after dinner of dancing if first dance is before dinner.
We did not want formal , “alone on the dace floor” parent/child dances, but I told my DS that I wanted the chance to dance with him at his wedding. DIdn’t think it was too much to ask. Was just looking at the photos DS sent. Beautiful pics of the dance floor filled with DH an int with DS’s new wife, me and DS, New wife dancing with her mom, etc. Her dad was in attendance but was not permitted to participate. He behaved.
Intparent, the DJ can announce guest dancing and/or if the couple doesn’t want to dance at that point, they can have a bridesmaid and groomsman lead onto the dance floor. Guests will get it. Your D can ask the wedding party ahead of time. (Or trust the DJ.)
The mother-son, father-daughter dances at my D’s wedding were among the most special moments of a magical day. My husband and daughter had practiced and it showed. They are very, very close and it was wonderful to put that on display. The groom and his mom have had a complicated relationship because of his parents’ hideous divorce. Their dance was an opportunity for them to remember that they did, in fact, love each other very much. Just so special.
SIL/DD had some very good friends that were dance instructors. As a wedding gift they gave some lessons to the couple and to DD/her dad. It was great. SIL danced with me and dipped me just like he did DD; I told him don’t dip me too far or he may lose me on the floor! It was fun and special.
News on the Masters front. Couple has decided to change to something else, and they will probably also change the recessional (was music from the Hobbit movie). I found a website with 115 possible processionals, and they decided to look at the traditional and instrumental options. And I didn’t even need to rent a putting green (although I sent an email to get a pricing request before they let me know).
@intparent … oooo…go for the putting green!!!
I hope they changed their music on their own accord, not from nudging from you @intparent. I think the putting green sounds great!
What did make them change their music this late in the game?
How many guys will wear green blazers? Sorry…couldn’t resist. 
I don’t think they see it as late in the game. They were still pinning down some ceremony details. I did not insist on the change, but did ask them to consider it. They decided themselves, though. After talking with them (long session this weekend finalizing some details), I really think they ran out of gas on the ceremony planning itself. Once I sent some options for them to consider (without insisting), they were ready to look beyond their initial thoughts. They have picked a couple of readings I really like, too.
I’m waiting for the price on the putting option, @gosmom. They are okay without it, but I wouldn’t mind making it up to future SIL if the cost isn’t outrageous. Of course I’ll ask if they want it for sure or not once I see the price.
guessing the song would have been a lot cheaper 
When I watch the Masters next April, I’ll be thinking of you!
What about the couple paying for the putting green if they really want it? Seems like many couples these days are paying for at least part of wedding costs themselves. Glad it is working out for you with the music.
Normally that is what I would say. And I’ve given them money for the wedding. But I’m the one who asked to reconsider the music. If it isn’t too expensive, I’d like to do it for future SIL.
I really don’t get the ‘activities’ at weddings, like photo booths, but everyone else seems to love them and I often hear “My favorite thing was the photo booth” or the candy bar or painting a stone for the couple’s new garden. So I say go for the putting green. I think many at the wedding would really enjoy and remember it.
OMG. My future FIL brought up the picture booth in our first conversation about the wedding!
They are far from knowing where they will land, so stones etc would not work. This weekend they look at venues