- Stephanie West
The Money Dance
Updated: Feb 17, 2019
So you're ready to be in the money? Me too! Fortunately, you have the financial advantage over me because when I got married over 11 years ago, I did knew nothing of this thing called The Money Dance. The Money Dance, AKA The Dollar Dance or The Apron Dance has been a tradition the turn of the century, noted for being a tradition introduced in Central Europe. Since then it’s made it’s way as tradition in mainstream culture and a great way for a bride and groom to score some extra cash for their honeymoon or to help set up their household.
The way it works is the MC announces that the bride will perform the money dance, male guests who wish to pay for a 30 second dance with the bride line up and each pin a bill (traditionally a $1 or $5) to the bride’s dress. Ladies can also pay for a dance with the groom if you choose to go that route.
If you have decided to make add this tradition element to your wedding reception, here are some suggestions that will help make a small dent in your piggy bank fast!
Need some song suggestions? Be sure to check my blog post money dance suggestions for massive list.
TIPS
Consider alternatives to pinning money directly onto the dress such a fancy drawstring bag that compliments your dress or a money basket strategically placed where guests can drop the bill into it before the dance.
If you are going to use pins, expect some damage to your dress!
Don't forget to purchase your pins in advance and pack them with your reception items- where you easily find them on your big day. Better yet, delegate the task to pick up pins and or a basket at the store AND bring them to the reception to your wedding organizer or one of your most reliable and organized bridesmaids!
Delegate a member of the wedding party such a bridesmaid to control the line and ask your DJ to announce how long each dance should be to help the flow of the line move faster. 30 seconds to a minute should be a good amount of time.
A song usually lasts about 3 minutes, so be sure to pick at least 3 songs for your dance because you will need them if the money dance line is long. Don't forget to communicate your song selections in order to your DJ or they might just pick the songs for you!
For advice on picking Money Dance songs, check out my massive list here!