Am I the only one who hadn't heard of a dollar dance before reading the boards?

direy25 · May 2010

I keep reading all of these posts about dollar dances and had no clue what they were, so I googled it, WTF??? People really do this?

goheels05 · May 2010

I had never heard of them, either. Actually, I had never heard of the following:

dollar dances
bathroom baskets
hostesses (still not really sure what this means)

hmm I'm sure there is more.

laurenclaire1386 · May 2010

Yeah they do. I'd never seen it at a wedding until the one I went to in April. They're the norm and really accepted and widely anticipated in some regions. It doesn't bother me a whole hell of a lot, but I'm not gonna be the sucker that stuffs cash in your pocket to dance with you either.

goheels05 · May 2010

Oh! Stag and Does, Jack and Jills, and honeymoon registries.

[Deleted User] · May 2010

They are popular among my family and their surrounding areas. I've been to weddings with them and I don't have an issue because I grew up with them, so it's more just a tradition.

However, I hate asking people for money and it just seems grabby and tacky so I decided against it. I think I ticked off my grandma on my wedding because I refused. But what's kind of funny is that all my family members came with extra money for the dance and when we didn't do it, they just put the money in our card box, which I didn't know until after everyone left. So we got the money anyway, we could have just done the dance and made the grandparents happy.

dwebster02 · May 2010

oh yeah i've heard of dollar dances before.

have you ever heard of garter auctions?

direy25 · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_am-only-one-hadnt-heard-of-dollar-dance-before-reading-boards?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:0492b3d6-7590-42d6-b81b-057b6871bad2Post:2d5e4aeb-7fb2-4391-911e-a2101f0639eb">Re: Am I the only one who hadn't heard of a dollar dance before reading the boards?</a>:
[QUOTE]Oh! Stag and Does, Jack and Jills, and honeymoon registries.
Posted by goheels05[/QUOTE]
Dang, more stuff to Google...

I guess that makes sense that it's regional; I asked around work to see if anyone had heard of them and no one had.

MeaghanandMichael · May 2010

I had never heard of dollar dances either. I still can't fathom how it actually works even though it has been explained to me multiple times.

I never heard of house/honeymoon registiries, never got an invite with registry infos in it, and never head of an AHR.

direy25 · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_am-only-one-hadnt-heard-of-dollar-dance-before-reading-boards?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:0492b3d6-7590-42d6-b81b-057b6871bad2Post:fdd08454-b755-411b-8da0-f9bc23866360">Re: Am I the only one who hadn't heard of a dollar dance before reading the boards?</a>:
[QUOTE]oh yeah i've heard of dollar dances before. have you ever heard of garter auctions?
Posted by dwebster02[/QUOTE]
No, haven't heard of that one either....

gottahavashorti · May 2010

It's a cultural thing in my mom's family. But it involves physically pinning the money to the bride and groom so they end up covered in dollar bills, and it's pretty funny. I've also seen crowns and sashes made of dollar bills before, and fake money. It's not so much about the money.

We're not doing one. If a large number of my mom's families would have been there, I'd figured I'd just have monopoly money on hand in case they insisted on having one and friends wanted to join in.

dwebster02 · May 2010

well garter auctions are probably way more ridiculous than a dollar dance. it's when the DJ basically auctions off one of the bride's garters to the highest bidder.

and the term "highest bidder" is actually pretty stupid because i've never been at a wedding where someone actually paid a thousand bucks for a freakin' garter. but, people can add as much money as they want to the pot and the person who makes the last bid gets the garter - and the bride and groom pocket the cash.

AshleyNC2010 · May 2010

I hadn't heard of them either! I had to ask in another tread! In fact there is alot of things I have never heard of! that garter one is new to me....

direy25 · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_am-only-one-hadnt-heard-of-dollar-dance-before-reading-boards?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:0492b3d6-7590-42d6-b81b-057b6871bad2Post:2cde89a5-f49b-40b7-855c-760b92339234">Re: Am I the only one who hadn't heard of a dollar dance before reading the boards?</a>:
[QUOTE]I had never heard of dollar dances either. I still can't fathom how it actually works even though it has been explained to me multiple times. I never heard of house/honeymoon registiries, never got an invite with registry infos in it, <strong>and never head of an AHR.
</strong>Posted by MeaghanandMichael[/QUOTE]
I'm getting married in Las Vegas and I've had a couple of people ask me if I'm going to have an AHR so that I get more gifts. Uh, no...

nyrek · May 2010

I grew up thinking everyone had dollar dances...have been done in my family ever since I can remember. When FI and I mentioned we weren't doing it, we got yelled at. Like seriously got my a$$ reamed by my 82 year old great aunt for not doing it.

"But it'll pay for your hotel room that night!!!!"

"I don't care, Aunt Rita! We can afford our own hotel."

At that point, I think she actually dropped an "f" bomb on me.

AshleyNC2010 · May 2010

ok that garter thing is retarted.

dwebster02 · May 2010

lol - see, and i wouldn't know any different.

i'm from freaking north dakota - and every wedding i've been to here has had dollar dances and garter auctions. i think it's kind of a tacky tradition that everyone just does and it's socially acceptable.

i have expressed an interest in not having a dollar dance or garter auction but my mom and sisters think i'm the retarded one for not wanting it.

who knew?

direy25 · May 2010

At that point, I think she actually dropped an "f" bomb on me.

That cracked me up, just the image of an 82 year old lady dropping the "f" bomb...

Ditto Ashley about the garter thing.

PetraStonegirl · May 2010

Nope. Never even heard of it, before TK. Of course, I may not have grown up thinking about wedding things. I've only been to a few, and have to admit I had to stop and ponder a moment when one of my BM's asked what night would be best for her to hold my Hen's night. That took a second to register.

SarahPLiz · May 2010

There has been a dollar dance at almost every wedding I have attended, and it is very normal and expected where I am from. Its done differently in different cultures though, and can range from the B&G getting showered with money while they dance with each other to the B&G having a contest over who can get the most money, or anywhere in between.

I had never heard of stag and does, though (that's the fundraiser one, right?) That's a weird concept for me. I am familiar with cultures that treat the wedding reception as a fundraiser for the newlyweds' new life together, and that's all fine with me if that's they way they view it as a society, but to have a fundriaser to finance the actual wedding and reception is pushing it a bit too far IMO.

JoyTate1 · May 2010

I had never heard of them or tiered receptions until joining the knot. I thought they had to be a joke. Then I was invited to one. I did not go. They did not get a gift.

direy25 · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_am-only-one-hadnt-heard-of-dollar-dance-before-reading-boards?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:17Discussion:0492b3d6-7590-42d6-b81b-057b6871bad2Post:181fad28-9508-46d8-a281-cee0505f7642">Re: Am I the only one who hadn't heard of a dollar dance before reading the boards?</a>:
[QUOTE]I had never heard of them or tiered receptions until joining the knot. I thought they had to be a joke. Then I was invited to one. I did not go. They did not get a gift.
Posted by JoyTate1[/QUOTE]
I had someone invite me to one of those (although I didn't know it was called a tiered reception at the time). I also didn't go or get a gift. Personally I would have preferred not being invited.

Calumet · May 2010

I feel like we're exchanging horror stories! lol

I heard.... sometime the bride and groom will actually count the money from the dollar dance, and actually announce the amount of money they got!!!

Aueueiioouuaaahhhh!

Also, I can't picture how it works either Meaghan

dwebster02 · May 2010

oh yeah. definitely.

all the weddings i've been to - the amount they got from the dollar dance AND the garter auction is both announced.

Calumet · May 2010

Also! Funny story: during the table visits at my wedding, I saw my mom's cousin holding money, and all I could think is "Oh. Dear. God. I didn't think we did those here. If she thinks I'm dancing for that, she had better turn around and go to a club!!!"

Turns out it was this really sweet thing she does at every wedding. She cuts a dollar in half, writes the date and actual time the B&G are pronounced married and gives one half to each of them. Then she said, "Now as long as you're both together, you will always have money" I thought it was very cute.

laurenclaire1386 · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_am-only-one-hadnt-heard-of-dollar-dance-before-reading-boards?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:0492b3d6-7590-42d6-b81b-057b6871bad2Post:382bc405-7a39-4c9f-872f-e43915ef2d9a">Re: Am I the only one who hadn't heard of a dollar dance before reading the boards?</a>:
[QUOTE]ok that garter thing is retarted.
Posted by AshleyNC2010[/QUOTE]
Oh, the irony.

dwebster02 · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_am-only-one-hadnt-heard-of-dollar-dance-before-reading-boards?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:0492b3d6-7590-42d6-b81b-057b6871bad2Post:c3cda42e-75df-40c9-b762-edbbc38c183e">Re: Am I the only one who hadn't heard of a dollar dance before reading the boards?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Am I the only one who hadn't heard of a dollar dance before reading the boards? : Oh, the irony.
Posted by laurenclaire1386[/QUOTE]

haha!

maratea · May 2010

Dollar dances are pretty common around here; I haven't been to a wedding that didn't have one. We did it too. Sigh. People were so excited for it, they were getting out their money before it was even announced. I didn't really want to do one, but enough people asked me about it, so I just gave in.

kayleighe · May 2010

I've heard of them, but I think they are kind of tacky. You already asked your guests to go to showers... buy gifts from your registries... get dressed up and go to your wedding... some had to travel, even fly, to get there... many had to get babysitters.... asking them for actual money is just absurd.

never heard of a garter auction but that sounds kind of gross. do I really want someone to pay money for that fabric that was up on my thigh? definitely not. ew.

http://myidoityourselfwedding.blogspot.com/

laurenclaire1386 · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_am-only-one-hadnt-heard-of-dollar-dance-before-reading-boards?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:0492b3d6-7590-42d6-b81b-057b6871bad2Post:9d0122e7-9670-4f16-b3c5-d4462805bd31">Re: Am I the only one who hadn't heard of a dollar dance before reading the boards?</a>:
[QUOTE]Also! Funny story: during the table visits at my wedding, I saw my mom's cousin holding money, and all I could think is "Oh. Dear. God. I didn't think we did those here. If she thinks I'm dancing for that, she had better turn around and go to a club!!!" Turns out it was this really sweet thing she does at every wedding. She cuts a dollar in half, writes the date and actual time the B&G are pronounced married and gives one half to each of them. Then she said, "Now as long as you're both together, you will always have money" I thought it was very cute.
Posted by Calumet[/QUOTE]
Aw that's so sweet. My grandmother tore a five dollar bill in half and gave it to me when I moved away for college, "so that I'd never be broke." I still have it in my wallet.

dwebster02 · May 2010

i'll probably give in and have a dollar dance and garter auction too.

yeah, i kinda shudder at how tacky it is... but, whatever. around here it's what happens at all the weddings, so people would be asking all the time why we weren't doing one. i'd rather not deal with it.

it's more like trashy traditions and fun type games and activities for the guests - and it's not EXACTLY the same as setting out a goodwill donation plate at the door and begging for money. haha... even though the end result is pretty much the same.

JoyTate1 · May 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_am-only-one-hadnt-heard-of-dollar-dance-before-reading-boards?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:0492b3d6-7590-42d6-b81b-057b6871bad2Post:c3da2fb9-b2b2-4525-92d0-4f96b06fbfbe">Re: Am I the only one who hadn't heard of a dollar dance before reading the boards?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Am I the only one who hadn't heard of a dollar dance before reading the boards? : I had someone invite me to one of those (although I didn't know it was called a tiered reception at the time). I also didn't go or get a gift. Personally I would have preferred not being invited.
Posted by direy25[/QUOTE]
Me too. It was an out of town wedding for me too. You expect me to drive out of town, pay for a hotel, buy a gift and NOT get fed? I don't THINK so.

Speaking of horror stories: I drove in the snow an hour and a half to a wedding shower-was the only non-family there besides the MOH (none of her other bridesmaids showed up) and I bought a $25 gift because this was her second shower and we still had the wedding. She opened it, said, "Is this it?" Her family looked at me like I was the a-hole. Never got a thank you, never got a thank you card for any of my three gifts.

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