Photo (top, from left to right): Live music: 2ROMANCE - Photographer: Love Tales by Elvire / Photographer: Magic Flash Photo / Dance school: Wedding Dance België
1. Planning before and after the opening dance
You want everyone's eyes to be on you during the opening dance rather than on jars of crême brûlée or a luminous screen? So schedule the start of the dessert buffet, the bridesmaids' powerpoint or your best friend's speech for a convenient time. Then leave the party and the evening to its own devices, and in the good hands of your professional dream team! Your caterer's maître is in charge in the ballroom, together with your DJ on duty - they know when the ideal moment for your successful opening dance arrives. They will give you a silent hint when it's your time to shine!
2. Choose the right song
The song of your opening dance can only be right. A wedding evergreen is really not a must. Choose a song that evokes emotions or reminds you of a special moment in your relationship. If you want your guests to dance right along, an up-tempo song is the best choice.
3. Think outside of the box
Do you want to give your opening dance a funny or creative touch? Choose an element of surprise! A quiet slow dance that suddenly turns into a disco dance or an unexpected flash mob with your bridesmaids... Even during the opening dance there can be some laughter.
4. Your time to shine!
Maybe you took some dance lessons to make your opening dance a real gem? Dance school Wedding Dance België for example offers their own classes & concepts, including 'Wedding Dance'!
Some tips and tricks from DJ Maarten Provo: ‘Ideally, an opening dance should last 3 minutes. After that, you notice that the guests' attention wanes and you have to introduce new elements to keep it exciting. That's why I often shorten the opening dance, and send it in advance so you can already practice. I can also mix the transition from the slow to an uptempo song in advance.’
5. Plan the dance with your parents
Dancing with your parents is a beautiful tradition that can add a personal touch to your wedding. Discuss these dances with them, and put the dances on your planning. Traditionally, after the opening dance, the bride dances first with her father, then the groom and his mother join in and finally the rest of the guests. Prefer a different order? Follow your gut feeling!
6. Create an intimate moment
An opening dance is really successful when it feels right for you as a couple. Counting your steps and making sure you don't step on each other's feet is not what you want to do at that moment. Forget counting 1, 2, 3 - and enjoy each other!
