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(personal photo)
…grandchildren, that is!
Brother Barrettes and I have the luxury of being able to start family wedding traditions in our generation. He is marrying exactly five weeks before me at a resort in the Poconos, and I’m trying to think of something we can both do at our weddings that all of our younger cousins can participate in. At 29, I’m the oldest; Brother Barrettes is 27, and at the youngest end of the spectrum we have a little princess, who on our wedding day will turn four years old.
I was dancing in my living room while sprucing up the place, and it occurred to me that at every family event, we always end up doing line dances. I know, the Electric Slide and Macarena are pretty lowbrow, but everyone in our family participates! All of my cousins will hit the dance floor and they (especially the little ones) can move. Feeling their energy, even Mr. Barrettes has been known to breakdance.
I’m thinking about some sort of “dance-off” and the bride and groom would pick the winner. We’d engrave the winner’s name onto a small trophy, and he/she would keep it until the next family wedding. I’m going to run this idea by Brother Barrettes and Soon-to-be SIL and see what they think!
Can you imagine starting a dance-off at every wedding hereafter in our family? Good idea or bad idea? What reception family traditions have you witnessed? What else could I do that my cousins could incorporate in their weddings in the years to come?
i love this idea! we have a family tradition at all weddings and bar/bat mitzvahs too. thinking about it, its sometimes inappropriate, but it all apparently started at my aunt’s wedding over 20 years ago. the whole family gets on the dancefloor, guys on one side, girls on the other, and we all sing (ok scream) the words to “paradise by the dashboard light” a la meatloaf. we love it and always look forward to it. everyone in attendance usually thinks we’re nuts.
That is too cute! And I love Jess’s family tradition too 
I think it’s a great idea in theory.. but not so good in practice. So many things to consider. I’m anal and logical about everything so you will have to excuse me for that. First concern, even if brother and SIL barrettes like it.. what about all the other cousins? If it becomes tradition then younger cousins will feel like they have to include this at their own weddings even if it’s not something they or their spouses would want for their wedding day (a dance off is pretty hard core). My husbands family always does the anniversary dance at weddings (couples dance and then get kicked off the floor one by one based on how long they have been married) so everyone can oo and ah when his grandparents are the last ones standing. And yes, it’s really nice for them. But I nixed it at our wedding. My grandmother lost my grandfather who she would have been with for 64 years, and I think it would have pained her too much. So I just couldn’t do that to her. I think his family is still not pleased that we didn’t do it. It sucks that I was made to feel bad for trying to protect my grandmother. Also, would you include people from the other side of the family in the dance of at each wedding? Probably not since if there is a trophy it will need to stay with someone who will be in attendance at the next wedding. But if you don’t, then you look exclusive and a wedding is about bringing two families together. I don’t mean to rain on your parade, and I LOVE the idea of establishing a family tradition, I just don’t think this is the right one. What about a family hanky to be passed down to each of the cousins on their wedding day? This is what my family does and the hanky has been around for three generations.
LOVE the idea! So fun and different… Although you would have to consider how the ‘2 sides of the family’ thing would work.
I’m one of 25 on my moms side and we love line dances too! I actually wouldnt hire a dj because he refused to play them!
@Moose1209: The point about the trophy having to stay on one side of the family is a good one.
If you really want to do the dance-off, perhaps that’s the tradition, and you eliminate the part about the trophy being passed down.
As someone who does not have a big extended family, I am jealous! I think it sounds like so much fun, whether you include all guests or just your family. How amazing to start a new tradition - which will likely evolve over time anyway.
Wow big family! I only have 3 cousins and the mister doesn’t have any cousins (that we know of, neither Mr. Sushi or I know our mom’s side of the family).
I just photographed a wedding last weekend where the bride and groom started a dance line (like they did in soul train); super cool!
I am the eldest of 30 grandchildren (most here in the U.S. but a good amount in Peru) and I LOVE your idea. We are really close (and it seems you all are too) and I think the idea of starting a tradition that will last a long time is a great idea!!
Awesome idea. Jess-my family has been talking about dancing to Paradise by the Dashboard light at my wedding since I was 8 years old.
Thanks for your thoughts, ladies! I will let you know where Brother Barrettes and his FW stand on the situation! For now it would be cute with the trophy since everyone is so young, but I can see that it could be not so cute as 20 years pass by. We’ll see!
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Mrs. Barrettes, Tumon, Guam/Napa, CA Age and Occupation: 29, Dancer Fiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Licensed Building Contractor Engagement Date: November 16, 2008 Wedding Date: October 2010 Venue: V. Sattui Winery About Me: I'm an East Coast girl, living on a tiny little island in the Pacific, twirling, leaping, and shimmy-ing my way through life, and now, wedding planning! I'm equal parts nerdy and cool... okay, mostly nerdy. I love satin bows, red lipstick, black & white graphic anything, the shine of sequins and the sound of a champagne "pop". My favorite books are The Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James, and Tender is the Night, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I can also conjure a pretty good Patronus Charm. I started my appreciation for good red wine while traveling on the high seas, and it's only fitting that my passion for wine drinking led me to my Napa-bred honey. We bonded over bottles of Cabernet on my oceanfront porch and haven't looked back since. We're sealing the deal at a winery in the Napa Valley on a 'perfect ten' of a day!
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