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Choosing a Ballroom Dance for your Wedding

Weddings are a special time for everyone. It's a time of new beginnings for the happy couple and friends and families become witnesses to the exceptional event. With so many details that go into planning a wedding, often choosing a dance for the reception isn't a priority; rather, a lot of time goes into choosing which song the bride and groom will dance to.

Selecting a song to dance to is typically the first step in the couple deciding on a ballroom dance. Most couples will opt to enroll in professional ballroom dance lessons with a certified instructor to come up with a dance for their song. With ballroom dancing growing in popularity, couples are beginning to steer away from the traditional circular dance. In fact, more and more engaged couples are choosing to learn a ballroom dance for their wedding.

Not only is performing a ballroom dance for your wedding very sentimental, but it is also likely to be remembered by everyone. However, a ballroom dance doesn't have to be strictly between the bride and groom. It can involve the bride and her father, the groom and his mother, or anyone else the happy couple chooses to share a dance with. With so many variations of ballroom dancing, it may be difficult to select a specific dance. Below are some popular song suggestions for weddings and ballroom dances that would be appropriate with them.

Two very well-known wedding songs are "Love Me Tender" and "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You," both performed by Elvis Presley. These songs, while traditional at weddings, set the perfect tone for a slow waltz. The waltz is a careful collaboration of steps involving walking and side to side motions - these songs provide the exact tempo and beat for this style of ballroom dancing. Another major plus of performing the waltz is that it's easy to learn and can be done by nearly anyone of any skill level.

"From This Moment On" is a song performed by legendary country music singer Shania Twain and is a popular choice among bride and groom dances. This song remains slow and romantic, but the beat is slightly faster compared to the Elvis Presley songs. "From This Moment On" is an excellent choice for dancing the foxtrot, a slow yet very smooth dance that follows forward and backward patterns around the dance floor. Like the waltz, it is fairly easy to learn.

A few popular choices for dancing with the parents of the couple are "Through the Years" by Kenny Rogers and "Wind beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler. The waltz would also be appropriate for these songs as well as the tango, although this ballroom dance may take a little longer to learn due to its sharp and precise steps.

By choosing to perform a ballroom dance at your wedding (as opposed to just moving about in a circle or from side to side), you are sure to create lifelong memories for yourself and your guests.