Dollar Dance

fbmandy55
fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
in Chit-Chat
I posted this in the debate group but didn't get much of a response.

I've been thinking about this tradition at Indiana weddings and wondering if I would include it in my hypothetical future wedding. I'll be going to at least one wedding this summer but haven't attended one about 5-6 years. I'll be interested to see if this wedding includes one. Every wedding I've ever attended has included a dollar dance, including fancy/luxurious weddings..

I realize this is typical in the midwest (I'm in Indiana), but for those who don't know, men line up to dance with the bride for about 30 seconds and women with the groom. The dancer usually donates $1 or more if they feel like it. The cash can be used for spending on the honeymoon or just cash towards their new life together.

Would you feel this is appropriate considering the region or just plain tacky?
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Replies

  • Bahet
    Bahet Posts: 1,254 Member
    I always thought they were tacky.
  • Salamanda425
    Salamanda425 Posts: 358
    I'm from Maryland and we had a dollar dance at our wedding. I had never heard of it, but the DJ did it!
  • mtaylor33557
    mtaylor33557 Posts: 542 Member
    I've never attended a wedding with a dollar dance. I personally wouldn't have been comfortable with it.. but I guess to each there own. If they don't want to donate a dollar, they don't have to dance.
  • Enkibean
    Enkibean Posts: 56
    I've seen this done at practically every wedding that I've been to except for one...mine. It is tacky and vulgar. I get that it may be a tradition, but one that should be stamped out.

    /end of rant
  • steve1686
    steve1686 Posts: 346 Member
    thought this was gonna be a stripper thread
  • felice03
    felice03 Posts: 2,644 Member
    I dont have a problem with them...however a fun twist we have used is when the line starts lingering for the grooms turn the line it "smacks on the *kitten*"...my hunsband's (now ex) booty was black and blue for days and we made a ton of cash!!!!
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    I was a wedding photographer for many years. This, to me, was one of the stupidest and most boring things, and a party killer, to be honest. It's right up there with chicken dance and the macarena. Where I am, in SoCal, it was mostly popular in the latin community. The interesting thing about photographing weddings, is seeing how all the different cultures handle their traditions. Very interesting. My favorite is probably Greek weddings. They are freaking crazy people. LOL. And, the Armemians are just freaking partiers. OMG. they start early in the morning, and go all night, drinking the whoel time. They are crazy drinking, dancing people. LOL.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    Wow, I'm surprised at the negative response! This is such a common thing here... I don't think I've ever been to a wedding that DIDN't do this. Regardless of if the wedding cost $3000 or $53000, everyone has fun lining up for a quick dance with the bride and groom.
  • PittShkr
    PittShkr Posts: 1,000 Member
    thought this was gonna be a stripper thread


    Make that 2 of us!
  • bmxpop
    bmxpop Posts: 353 Member
    Been to several receptions where this was done. I see no problem with it. A few of them had the added option of giving you a shot to drink before your dance with the bride or groom!!
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    Been to several receptions where this was done. I see no problem with it. A few of them had the added option of giving you a shot to drink before your dance with the bride or groom!!

    Yep have heard this too!!
  • DestinySnyder
    DestinySnyder Posts: 8
    It is really popular where I am from also & my husband and I chose to do it at ours. Bottom line it's your wedding day if you'd like to do it I say go for it!
  • sizzle92
    sizzle92 Posts: 1,015 Member
    I didn't do it (my parents forbid me to for one lol) but I don't have a problem with it. If you don't want to give money, just don't dance!
  • IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym
    IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym Posts: 5,573 Member
    thought this was gonna be a stripper thread


    me too, hahahaha, but no, I've never been to one where they did this, but to each his/her own.
  • mikeyboy
    mikeyboy Posts: 1,057 Member
    If I go to a wedding and they have a dollar dance, or do the chicken dance or the hokey-pokey.....I steal my gift back! :laugh:
  • La_Amazona
    La_Amazona Posts: 4,855 Member
    thought this was gonna be a stripper thread

    me too! :devil:
  • WickedGarden
    WickedGarden Posts: 944 Member
    I dunno, you ask people to come to your wedding, buy you gifts and then ask for MORE money?

    I've known people to put out a birdcage/box for people to drop off cards that may/may not contain money.

    I live in Seattle, and have never seen this practiced...did see it at a wedding that was held in Montana.
  • My1985Freckles
    My1985Freckles Posts: 1,039 Member
    I think they are awesome. Didn't have one though. Also be careful if there is alcohol at your reception because you might end up dancing with some drunk handsy uncles and that is no fun at all! LOL
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    everyone has fun lining up for a quick dance with the bride and groom.

    No they dont. It's only certain people. Many people at the reception are bored out of their skulls while this goes on. I see it from a very different perspective. It's not that fun for everyone. Usually, only a small set of people are having fun. The bride and groom think everyone is having a great time. Ha. Not so much. I'd ditch it and do something totally different. Why do the same thing as everyone else. Come up with another way to accomplish the same thing.
  • staceyseeger
    staceyseeger Posts: 778 Member
    We have the Dollar Dance down here in South Texas. The Grand March is very popular as well.
  • pants77
    pants77 Posts: 185 Member
    I always thought they were tacky.

    My wife and I always thought they were tacky too, so we didn't do one.

    We realized after the fact that it's not about the dollars, it's about giving everyone you've invited a chance to have a private minute with you.

    We really wish we had done it, looking back. Maybe just done it and not taken dollars or done dollars for the Humane Society or something.
  • amymt10
    amymt10 Posts: 271 Member
    We did the dollar dance at my wedding 7yrs ago. I live in MD.
  • strunkm4
    strunkm4 Posts: 265 Member
    I've only ever seen this done at one wedding. And the same 10 people were the ones lining up to dance (there was about 150 guests at this wedding). I don't really think it's appropriate, but to each their own I suppose. I do find it a little tacky. But it might just not be common here in the Northeast?
  • Cold_Steel
    Cold_Steel Posts: 897 Member
    They are tacky. We had one here in So Cal, I didnt really want one but it was "tradition" and we needed the money so I held my pride back on that one. I think we walked away with like 600 dollars from it. That paid for most of our hotel on our honeymoon.

    I would just talk to the parents and see if it is a tradition in their family unless you plan on paying for your own wedding.

    That is the best advice I can give. If you are going the traditional route and the Brides parents or Grooms parents are paying for the majority of the wedding they have about 51% of the say while you are at 49% but that is just my opinion.
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    Tacky! Your guests shouldn't have to pay for your attention.
  • shanchamber
    shanchamber Posts: 29
    "Sorry, anytime money exchanges hands from guest to either host or guest of honor in order for the guest to acquire hospitality that should have been given graciously and freely, there is no good way to redeem it or sanitize it. There have been many creative and gracious alternatives to Money and Dollar Dances offered on Ehell for well over a decade that do not involve any transfers of cash. People who either cannot or will not challenge the Dollar Dance are weaklings who whine of their bondage to the status quo while sticking their hand out."

    http://www.etiquettehell.com/content/eh_misc/fauxpasoftheyear/fauxpas.shtml
  • jlinam80
    jlinam80 Posts: 8 Member
    If it's popular where you're from then do it. I live in Utah, so no one out her does it that I've seen, but I don't think there's been much dancing at the weddings I've been to. LOL. I guess it all depends on your guests. I don't see anything wrong with it. I mean it's your wedding, and you should do what you want to do. I've been thinking I'm kind of crazy for some of the stuff I want to do with my wedding, and finally I decided they're my memories, and it's my day, so who cares.
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    I have seen this at about 50% of the weddings. I have heard it is a polish tradition, a latin tradition, or midwest, or something. I think if you think the guests expect it, like they sort of like the chance to dance with the bride or groom, it doesn't offend me, but I didn't do it at my wedding. I thought my wedding was a place where my guests didn't need their wallets.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    IMHO....Tacky. No go.
  • JThomas61
    JThomas61 Posts: 892
    Hmmmmm dollar dance, I must be in the wrong room I have supported dollar dancing one dollar at a time for many years, :laugh:

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