Dollar Dance...?

DeClue82

Hey! I was just reading a posting on the Reception Ideas board about Dollar Dances.... There were some pretty strong feelings on them, and A LOT of arguing... I was just wondering all of your opinons on it? Are you doing a dollar dance? Will you have people pin the money to you, or put it in a bucket? Hate them? Love them? 

My fiance wants to do one, both his brother's did at their weddings and he thinks it's a fun way to dance with a lot of the guests at the wedding. 

I do know A LOT of people think they are tacky and should be done away with. So what are all of you doing?

rungirl12

I live in the cheap-o midwest where cash bars are the norm and a few other traditions that get frowned upon on these boards.  That being said, I really hate the idea of the dollar dance. 

odustudent22

i don't care for it at all.  People get dressed up, buy/give a gift, then have to pay to spend time with you...nooooo thank you.  But I also am extremely uncomfortable around people I don't know well (which is 90% of our guest list) and HATE to dance lol,  that being said, FI's family is extremely bumbed I vetoed the dollar dance.

libby2483

I've never been to a wedding that didn't have a dollar dance, so they are very common in my circle. Honestly, I never thought of them as tacky before these boards because at every wedding I've been to, people are more than willing to donate a couple of bucks for a dance. With all that being said, I'm still not sure if we are going to do one or not. Maybe this thread will help me decide.

ohnoitskaroljo

Mtishawt - rungirl and I are both from Milwaukee. Cash bars are the usual here (for ours we're providing beer, soda, coffee and house wine, all cocktails are cash) and the dollar dance is extremely common.

I'm torn on the dollar dance - it's a Polish tradition and FI and I are both part Polish. I'm unsure how I feel about doing it because I'm a horrible dancer  (I'm SO awkward) and have social anxiety. I didn't answer the poll because I'm conflicted. I just can't seem to make up my mind. I don't mind them, don't really think they're tacky because it's a hertiage/culture thing - and most of the people who are attending I know dang well have had dollar dances at their own weddings LOL. FI doesn't seem to care either way...

mbatzlaff

We are also from the midwest and I agree that dollar dances and cash bars are very common. We are also planning to offer beer, wine, and pop but if guests want mixed drinks they will have to pay for them at the bar. This is what we can afford and there are likely to be some guests that want something else.

As for the dollar dance, we are considering doing it because most weddings we've gone to have one. We will not pin money to ourselves. The BM and MOH will collect the cash in a bag or something. I do think the tradition is a little tacky since money is involved, but it is a tradition and a nice way to dance with people you wouldn't get to dance with otherwise.

random4180

Never heard of it before I started planning my own wedding and (having only been to two weddings ever) haven't ever seen one done. I think if it's common in your circle, it's up to you whether you do it or not but either would probably be fine. On the other hand, I think if it's completely unheard of, not doing it would definitely be the way to go because I think it can easily seem tacky and odd. 

KSParker2012

I really feel this tradition is based on where you are located. If it is common in your area do it.  If not then don't.  But if you do want to do it and no one has before, maybe you'll start something.  And if guests think its "tacky" then they don't have to participate.  ITS YOUR DAY! lol

mtbentley

I had never heard of a dollar dance before coming on the boards. I asked my mom about it and she said she had one but didn't know what it was, she said she was dancing with one of the groomsmen and people just started handing her money but she had no idea why, afterwards my dad's family explained it to her lol. I don't like the idea of it, I figure if someone wants to give me money they will do it in the form of a gift, so I won't be having one. I do think that if they are common in your circle and guests don't mind or even expect it, then its not a big deal.

libby2483

In Response to Re:Dollar Dance...?:[QUOTE]We are also from the midwest and I agree that dollar dances and cash bars are very common. We are also planning to offer beer, wine, and pop but if guests want mixed drinks they will have to pay for them at the bar. This is what we can afford and there are likely to be some guests that want something else. As for the dollar dance, we are considering doing it because most weddings we've gone to have one. We will not pin money to ourselves. The BM and MOH will collect the cash in a bag or something. I do think the tradition is a little tacky since money is involved, but it is a tradition and a nice way to dance with people you wouldn't get to dance with otherwise. Posted by mbatzlaff[/QUOTE]

This sums up my feelings exactly. I am from Madison, WI so cash bars are the norm. Like I mentioned before, this is why my feelings about dollar dances are conflicted. I feel it is a bit tacky to do a dollar dance, but it is tradition and guests in my circle will expect it.

DeClue82

I live in cincy and it's a mix between cash bar and open bar here... I've been to both kinds and also one that provided beer and wine but you had to pay for cocktails... I'm having my wedding in north Carolina though and our bar will be open... It seems like dollar dance is still pretty common in areas around here... Is anyone from NC is it the norm there?? In NY where I'm from it's not typical, but our Ohio friends will expect it...

m tulli

I think the dollar dance has been at about 1/2 the weddings I have been too.  More so growing up than as an adult so it might be a dying tradition.  I never thought of them as tacky and our circle always has fun with them.  I however decided to not have one at my wedding.  

I also have never been to a wedding that was open bar.  I didn't know a cash bar was not the norm until I came on these boards.  

saraschilling88

I am from the midwest too (MN), and I have been to maybe 2 weddings without a cash bar/dollar dance!  We are doing drink tickets, and a cash bar after the tickets run out (the venue wouldn't allow us to do an open bar or bring our own liquor, but we didn't want to do a total cash bar). 

As for the dollar dance, pretty sure my entire family would KILL me if we didn't have one lol!  My family loves them since that may be the only time all night we can dance with the bride/groom alone, and it is a nice time to talk (even if only a few seconds).  I have actually done something with my Mom and Aunt that is unique, we will put a 5 or 10 in the pot and all 3 of us dance with the bride or groom at the same time!!

We won't pin the money to ourselves, I have never seen that, our MOH and BM will collect for us.

starryangelz72

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_august-2012-weddings_dollar-dance?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:1fb748ee-7a4e-40eb-b4b4-e553486f4cacDiscussion:e1679c73-a64b-46a6-bec6-e53eef43626cPost:203dec31-26cc-40bc-baa8-931d3000ad3c">Re: Dollar Dance...?</a>:
[QUOTE]We are also from the midwest and I agree that dollar dances and cash bars are very common. We are also planning to offer beer, wine, and pop but if guests want mixed drinks they will have to pay for them at the bar. This is what we can afford and there are likely to be some guests that want something else. As for the dollar dance, we are considering doing it because most weddings we've gone to have one. We will not pin money to ourselves. The BM and MOH will collect the cash in a bag or something. I do think the tradition is a little tacky since money is involved, but it is a tradition and a nice way to dance with people you wouldn't get to dance with otherwise.
Posted by mbatzlaff[/QUOTE]

I am also from Kenosha, Wi but this is a tradition I seen when I lived in Iowa as well. We are too doing beer, and pop for our guests but otherwise they pay for mixed drinks. It's been done both sides of our families so we are trying to figure out if we are doing one. I see it as a way for people to go up and see the bride/groom in case they haven't had a chance to go talk to everyone at like table visits or anything. I've seen it done as a competition between the bride and groom to see who got the most money, which is fun in a way instead of tacky.

RichNicci4211122

I am from NE Ohio and it is common place here too but the twist to ours here that no one has mentioned is that that each guest that pays to dance with the bride and groom is offered a shot of whiskey or vodka (unless you are under age of course).  So since it is tradition here we will be having one but I purchased a "money bag" for the money to be collected in instead of pinned on, I have seen it both ways here.  I think that it's up to you and your FI whether to have the dollar dance or not and whether it's tacky or not is a matter of opinion.

Ajoyd

I am a midwesterner (Columbus, OH) and have been to very few weddings with a cash bar or a dollar dance. That said my take on it is to each their own, it certainly would't offend me if I was a guest at a wedding where the couple did one.

brij2006

Honestly, just think of your social circle. If you've been to a lot of weddings where there is one, and you and your FI think it's a good idea. Then go for it.

We live about 2 hours west of Chicago (almost to the Iowa border), and dollar dances and cash bars are the norm here. But we've been to our friends' weddings in Chicago, and the norm there are open bars and no dollar dances. So just think of who your guests are, and how comfortable the both of you are with it.  We have MANY people coming from Chicago since we went to college there.  But we're still having a cash bar and dollar dance because that is what FI and I want.