Imagine this: The morning rituals are over, you are on the stage and the room resounds with voices and music. But you are still nervous. Why? Because there comes an important moment for any wedding, but especially for every couple. More than an artistic moment, it is the metaphor for the life to come, in which you two take steps together, on a choreography known only to you.
Before we get to the 5 tips, let me tell you that I saw hundreds of dances and I went through the learning part too, the photography side of it and especially, the part where the bride and groom ask me from the first meeting: And how about the wedding dance? And here’s the good news: If you repeat something long enough, it will become much easier! So I am posting this blog to give you an idea for the days when we are still kept home mostly by the pandemic. Choose the dance and dance today, at home. Repeat, have fun. And when the big day comes, not only will the nervousness be thousands of times smaller, as it happens when you trust yourself, but after so many rehearsals you will look almost professional.
1.Choose a song that speaks to you. First, because you know the lyrics and that helps you in 2 ways:
-You know exactly whenin the song you are, and if you have a choreography, you rely on that, the step and the verse.
-Body language reflects what you hear and feel then, and this makes the photos the most successful.
And second, because if you choose your favorite song, it has a history, and it can help with your emotions because it transports you momentarily to another moment when there are not hundreds of eyes on you. 2. If you want a choreography, you have to decide 3 things: -What will be the song you will dance to so that you can save it exactly in the desired version so that the DJ or orchestra has it. -Decide if it will be a funny or classic wedding dance. -Don’t try combinations of thousands of steps that you constantly have to count or remember. Here is an example of a wedding dance with a classical choreography.
And in the photos you will see your choice in choreography, because, as you can see, the positions of the hands are studied, elegance is visible in these details that the relaxing human body does not have.
And below, another choreography, this time exciting and fun, less formal. The secret to any choice is to feel good, even though the stage fright will exist.
3. Choreography does not guarantee a perfect wedding dance. This moment is up to you, not the song or the dance. You don’t have to have a choreography if you don’t feel able or it’s not your comfort zone. It is important to be you, to be always relaxed and to tell yourself, through the dance, how much you love each other. The atmosphere will do the rest. The secret, I will tell you, is that you should seem relaxed, even if you are not in your heart and stomach. Don’t have that rigidity and fear of movement, because it will be seen, in the pictures and by others. Although, there are special photo options even when the bride and groom are very excited and fearful, and here comes the experience of the photographer, who has at his disposal the room, the environment, the invitations, dozens of details to still make you stand out.
4. If you choose to have a classical choreography, I recommend you look for wedding dance classes with a professional. In these classical dances, like the waltz, there are elements that you cannot imitate from Youtube videos and, more importantly, a professional will know 3 important things for a successful dance: – if you want a certain style he will know which song to recommend you, – if you want a specific song, he will know what style suits you, because you can’t waltz on any music. – letting a professional decide how complex the choreography can be for your level and what makes you stand out is crucial for your success.
The idea is that whatever you choose, it has to make you stand out. Something too hard involves mistakes, and this moment is very full of emotions anyway, no need for more. However, that final moment, when the applauses are heard, is like a true wedding start for the bride and groom, who can finally relax.
5. Pay attention to some details that are not related to your skills, piece, or choreographer. -the dress and what movements it allows you – which is why I recommend rehearsals with at least the skirt on, if not the whole dress. -the groom’s and bridețs shoes, and how much they let you slip – and here you can decide if you need a change pair or not. -the floor on the dance floor, on which it is important to do at least one rehearsal in the right shoes.
Bonus tip: Let the photographer know the choreography, at least the basics. This is for him/her to know what to expect, for example, that there will be a lift, or a jump and especially if the moment has fireworks, balloons or smoke. *** Before the GREATEST SECRET that guarantees a PERFECT BRIDE DANCE, below is a list of the most used pieces for the groom’s dance, to guide you to what you want. ***
The Black Tux site, an important site for brides in the UK, conducted a questionnaire among 900 couples to find out their choices for the wedding dance song. You will definitely recognize the songs too, but you can watch them on Youtube again, maybe it will inspire you: Millennials choices
Generation X choices
Baby Boomers choices
And Spotify unveiled a list of the most selected tracks in 2019. Of course, Ed Sheeran and ‘Thinking Out Loud’ appears on the list, followed by Etta James ’‘ At Last ’and Ray LaMontagne’s‘ You Are the Best Thing ’. Youtube is full of wedding dance videos, so you can start practicing and replicating some of the most popular videos. Or you can take online courses. What is clear is that you can practice and practice it until then, at home as fun, even at the photoshoot before the wedding, in the desired landscape, on the mountain top … Or in thecity.
Wedding dance photography is a huge responsibility. In order for the memories to remain perfect, I must, as a photographer, have the perfect space orientation, an idea of what the song says and what the bride and groom transmit. This is in addition to the technical part, which must be impeccable, following the bride and groom when they rotate, over balloons or carbonic ice, etc.
I hope this article with what I see as a photographer, beyond the lens, will help you.
Now, what I promised: THE GREATEST SECRET THAT GUARANTEES A PERFECT BRIDE DANCE: Whatever happens, DON’T STOP. Yes, this is the secret. If you have a choreography, if you don’t, if you took a wrong step, if you reversed something, if you don’t know what’s next … DON’T STOP. Just pay attention to each other and help each other, because in fact the secret behind the secret is that ONLY YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DANCE. The rest of the guests only see what you are doing, and if you do not take a series of steps that was set, but go over without stopping, it will seem part of the dance. The guests are there to admire you, not to give you a choreography score.
Best luck and fun at rehearsals in quarantine, if we stay in it for longer, or in the evenings when you need something to do in two.
Here you can find my wedding photography offer, for a wedding dance that will always be on the move, like a story.