Mother Son Dance Tips
In a traditional wedding, guests are more drawn to the bride, which is why we hear mostly about the father daughter dance. However, if you choose to do a mother-son dance, this is a moment where eyes are drawn to the groom and his mother or mother figure. The mother-son dance is a modern tradition where the groom honors and shows his appreciation for his mother. Weddings tend to fly by in a whirlwind and this dance is an opportunity for the groom to have a special moment with his mother on this celebratory day in his life.
In this post, I will give tips that will make your mother-son dance a memorable one.
Choosing a song
Maybe the two of you already have a song that represents your relationship or a song that you’ve always enjoyed together. If not, you can make this moment more special by letting your mom choose the song. Traditionally, mothers of the groom don’t get to give toasts at the wedding, and this will allow her to be more involved as well as express her sentiment to you. If you are both having a difficult time choosing a song, I have listed a few below that you may consider.
My Wish, by Rascal Flats: https://youtu.be/bhrCc8VCHns
A Song for Mama, by Boyz 2 Men: https://youtu.be/H8KnHK1NskY
I Hope You Dance, by Lee Ann Womack: https://youtu.be/y2SfmcNg8js
My Little Boy: https://youtu.be/U40xCkoQu0Y
How long should the song be?
We recommend the song be between 2-2:30 minutes and for sure no longer than 3 minutes. It may seem like a short amount of time but trust us when we say it will feel like an eternity when all eyes are on you. Not to mention, professional dancers don’t usually perform for longer than 2:30 minutes! It’s best to take your music to the DJ or even your dance instructor to have them edit your song and make sure to let them know of any verses or parts that you really want to stay in the final edit.
Taking dance lessons
When should you start? This is a great question because dance lessons often get pushed back until the last minute and you don’t realize that you need more time than 2 weeks! We recommend giving yourself a minimum of 3 months. However, it’s ideal to give yourself 4 months… or more. This will allow you plenty of time to get comfortable dancing together, learning the choreography, and add finishing touches. Then on the day of the wedding, you can focus on enjoying this moment, rather than stressing over it.
Schedule a consultation:
If you and/or your mom don’t have much dance experience, it would be a great idea to schedule a consultation with your local studio to set up dance lessons. Taking dance lessons together would not only prepare you for your mother-son dance but will also be an opportunity to spend quality time together before the big day! During the consultation, the director will ask questions to learn more about your vision for this dance, whether you have chosen a song, if either of you have dance experience, and of course, the date of the wedding. Once they have gathered this information, they will be able to make a recommendation on which package they would suggest. After you choose how you want to proceed, it’s time to schedule the lessons!
What to wear:
You don’t need to wear your mother of the groom dress or tux for lessons, but we do recommend you wear the shoes you will wear that night or something similar, if you don’t have them yet. This will help break them in, making them more comfortable, and you will feel more comfortable dancing in them since you will have done so several times before the big day! As far as what clothing to wear, you can dress business casual or even wear athletic clothes for most of your lessons, but it is helpful to wear something similar in length and feel a couple times before the big day so you can get used to dancing in it; you wouldn’t want to be surprised by any wardrobe malfunctions.
During the lessons:
You can expect your lesson to be anywhere from 45 minutes to 55 minutes long depending on the studio you go to. During the lesson, your instructor will teach you patterns of the dance you are learning as well as how to create smooth transitions that flow well with your song. Finishing touches will include basic technical details, arm styling, and maybe even a dip! A lot of what you will learn will depend on how much time you have until the big day. If you are taking only a few lessons, your dance will be quite simple, and if you are able to take many lessons, your instructor will be able to teach you more and you will have more time to add the finishing touches. Either way, your instructor will do everything they can to make sure you look great on the floor and the dance aligns with your vision.
Our advice is to always be open and honest with your instructor and let them know if there’s anything you don’t like or want to change. There are many ways to choreograph a dance, so don’t feel bad if something isn’t working for you and you want to change it! This is YOUR dance, and you should be proud of it.
The day of the wedding
The big day is here and it’s time for your special time together – the mother-son dance! No matter what, keep going and smile. You have been preparing for this, so make sure to stay in the moment and enjoy this special dance together!
We hope you found these tips to be helpful. 😊
