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If you haven't heard of a “dollar dance,” here's the scoop on this regional tradition: Guests donate one dollar to get a dance with you at your wedding.
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In parts of the US, dollar dances are super common at wedding receptions, although people in other regions are sometimes completely aghast by whole concept. (Ah, regional wedding traditions — you give us all the opportunity to have such strong opinions!)
If dollar dances are common in your area, you can totally customize the concept for the selfie generation. Instead of dancing — since not everyone loves that anyway — guests can contribute a dollar for a selfie with you instead. You'll get tons of awesome photos, a fair few bucks for your honeymoon, charity, etc., and it's especially awesome with photo booth props.
This is what Shelley and Eric did at their Zombies, Vikings, and a hawk wedding. Yep, it had a lot of epic going on.
Are you guys planning a dollar dance… or dollar-something-else-entirely?
About the Author: Catherine Clark
Catherine Clark loiters at her local library, makes art, watches movies en masse, plays video and tabletop games, poorly cooks healthy things, cuddles with her feline fur babies, and blogs at BijouxandBits.com.
LOVE this idea!!! So genius.
I’m getting married in October and our venue is too small for a dance floor, but that’s A-OK with us because dancing really isn’t our thing anyway. We are going to play board and card games for entertainment, but I was really trying to think of something else that we could do, and this is a fantastic solution! Thanks so much for posting 🙂
I only heard about the “dollar dance” when I started planning my wedding; it’s not something that’s really done here in Montreal. I admit it weirded me out a little bit. I don’t get the concept. Is this just one of those things where it’s expected if you live in a particular region, like a hora would be expected at a Jewish wedding?
It’s a regional or cultural thing – not uncommon at weddings in rural southwestern Ontario, for example…
It’s a very common tradition in the American Midwest. Growing up in Illinois, I think the first wedding I attended that didn’t have one was a friend’s when I was 19.
This is SUCH an awesome idea – too bad I’m already married or I would absolutely do it. While the dollar dance is incredibly common in my region and ethnicity, it really creeps me out – probably because I WOULDN’T choose to dance with lots of people on my own. (At my wedding I had my first dance with my husband and my father/daughter dance, and I did a small amount of individual boogeying to a faster song in a circle of ladies, but no touching other people.) But I absolutely would–and did–pose for a picture with anyone who wanted. I loved that! Like being a princess at Disney World…
Someone steal this idea since I no longer can!
I have heard of Dollar Dances, and even participated in them (friends’ weddings) but my husband and I did not have one at our wedding, as it was pretty common for folks in both his and my family’s cultures to give cash for gifts. We did dance with our friends and family though.
I LOVE this idea! I am a selfie queen but I am not much for dancing, especially not with other people (I have a thing about touching people, it’s so uncomfortable to me outside my fiance and my daughter) so this would definitely be something I would do instead!
Just want to point out though that these are not actually selfies. Selfies are photos the include the photographer, you photograph yourself, hence “selfie”. A photo taken by someone else is just a photo. 😉