There are a lot of big moments during the wedding day where all eyes are on you and your groom. People look at the groom's expression as he watches his beautiful bride walk down the aisle, people watch attentively as you say your vows to catch a glimpse of that tear rolling down your cheek, and everyone gathers around the dance floor as you and your groom have your first dance as husband and wife . . . wait a minute. . . people watching you dance?! Uh oh.
If you are anything like me, dancing is one of the things you don't want people to watch you doing. That's why dances are fun when there is a lot of people on the dance floor and the lights are low. Your first dance is solely focused on you and your groom (and your ability to keep from stepping on each other's toes)!
It can be a simple dance, an elegant dance, or a fun dance . . . we are hoping to have a combination of all three, so we enlisted the help of the professionals at Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Edina. It has been a very fun experience and, like the other wedding activites, has helped us in future marriage teamwork!
Now, I started lessons with a little dance background . . . I started tap dancing at the age of five and took tap and ballet through my younger years into high school. However, this small skill set did not help me as much as I would have hoped in dancing with a partner! I remember the dance studio I went to when I was younger had a sign on the wall that said, "Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, except backwards and in high heels." Man, I could not agree with that more! (The guys have a tough job too: Leading me around a dancefloor is no piece of cake)!
We were lucky to get an amazing instructor named Lynn who put up with our jokes and heckling each other and worked with us on our first dance song and the odd tempo it has. (The song is to be revealed at the dance!) We learned the foxtrot.
I can honestly say that with enough practice, your muscles start to memorize the moves, and you start having more fun moving around the dance floor. When Mike and I started, we were so rigid, you would think we were doing the "Robot Dance."
But now we are getting smoother, and I can't wait for our special dance, fully equipped with turns and a big dip!
Veil Update: My roommate (and bridesmaid), Nicole, and I hit the town last Saturday and I bought a veil! We are set! It is beautiful! Whew!! No more veil nightmares!