Tuesday, June 17, 2008

We're Falling in Love to Half Time

The first dance photos that I see phtoographers posting are always some of my favorite. I know that some couples walk away from the experience saying it was awkward and stressful, but there is still a part of me that wants to try to experience that magical moment when everything melts away and it is just the two of you.

So after weeks of bringing it up, I finally was able to convince That Groom to take some dancing lessons with me. I left messages on the Dallas boards of both theknot.com and weddingbee but I wasn't having any luck finding any suggestions other than Arthur Murray Dance studio (which forces you to sign up for lesson packages that run somewhere around $110/hour for 5 lessons minimum). With That Groom's hectic work schedule, and my limited time left in Dallas, we don't have time to take more than 2 or 3 lessons. I finally turned to google local and stumbled on the website of Beata Howe. I emailed her, and she got right back in touch with me and was willin to go back and forth with me a few times to find a time that worked for both of us.

We were both a little bit nervous because I couldn't find any ratings or anything that talked about her. She could have been completely crazy and had no idea what she was doing. This, however, was not anything close to what she was really like.

Dancing with giant blob head man is so romantic....

Beata was patient and clear and nothing short of wonderful. That Groom was feeling really stressed about his work that day, but I think by the end of the lesson he was even enjoying himself a little bit. He even assured her right then and there that we would be back for another lesson!

We won't be having any type of choreographed dance, but these lessons are helping us feel more comfortable moving together and we won't have to do the 8th grade sway for the big first dance. We will most likely be doing the foxtrot, unless we fall in love with a song with a waltz tempo. A few spins, a dip to finish things off.... I think it's going to be a real crowd pleaser!

What song are you doing your first dance to? Any suggestions for songs we should use for ours?

11 comments:

cHill Weddings, LLC said...

Wow, thank you for adding my blog to your list!

I always recommend dance lessons to my couples. It's a great confidence booster for your first dance, and it's also good to know some dance steps for all the other future events you two will attend together.

Looking forward to reading more about your wedding!

Draya Ann said...

Our song will be "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel.
Good luck with the dance lessons!

Claire said...

I wish we had taken dance lessons. We totally did the 8th grade sway. ;)

Cate Subrosa said...

Aw, your smile in that photo is beautiful!

We haven't chosen our first dance song yet... we have a few options but I need to get Baddie to try dancing to them with me...

Blue-Eyed Bride said...

good for you! we did the 8th grade swap and it wasn't awkward at the time, but the video is way awkward!

i wish we had talked about it before, but i really don't love the all choreographed dances-- unless it's to baby got back! :)

we danced to "can't help falling in love."

122LOVESME said...

they do free dance lessons on base, so i'm hoping we can maybe find some time to go do that. is it weird that i mostly want to do it for our last dance, rather than our first?

Shaylene Andersen said...

Jenna have you lost weight?! You look so good!! I am so proud of you!! Plus I see you in a month to take your engagement pictures!!! Love you!

Tara Vorhes said...

Dance lessons are so much fun!

We are struggling with whether we are going to do a first dance... and I completely get that you want to experience it even if it is ackward.

And those lessons will come in handy for any future weddings you attend together as well!

Jenna said...

topanga-thanks for the suggestion, I added it to my itunes cart

guilty-I thought That Groom would be really opinionated about this, but he really left the decision up to me. I think I found something we both like.

blueeyed-I want to find a way to meld a choreographed dance and the 8th grade sway. Not sure if we are going to be able to do it.

122-I think it's a really sweet idea. SOme of the best pictures that I see coming up on the photog blogs are of the couple on the last dance of the night. Are you sure you won't be too tired?

shayshay-I have and it feels so good, I can't wait to see you so soon!

tara-I am hoping that we get to practice on our Mexico vacation this Summer.

122LOVESME said...

we will probably be exhausted, but i have such a great idea for our last dance that i think i'll just be really excited and not even care.

ami @ elizabeth anne designs said...

we are doing two waltzes for the first and last dance - "you and me" by lifehouse and "best days" by graham colton. they're both viennese waltzes (super fast) so we are slowing them down about 10%! i LOVE our dance lessons, so glad you two had fun!

ps - "come away with me" by norah jones is also a nice waltz.