Today at the Ohio Statehouse, an event was held to mark the 200th birthday of Lincoln. There were a few hundred people in attendance. It was such a beautiful day, I was hoping to see more folks.
 

However, there were numerous families. I love to watch grandparents and parents share history with children!

The Anniversary Dance can be an amazing addition to your reception. If you haven’t heard of this before, the Anniversary Dance is an acknowledgment of the longest married couple at your reception. It is one of the formal dances you may choose to do. However, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, timing is critical. The Anniversary Dance is one of the formal dances, but doesn’t have to follow your First Dance or Dinner. Instead, consider opening the dance floor about half an hour after dinner. This let’s your guests get up and dance. If you are having live music, a great time for the Anniversary Dance is at the end of the bands first set.

Don’t wait too long! Remember, your more mature guests are more apt to leave earlier. The Anniversary Dance is best when you have a couple married a really long time. It would be a shame to have that couple already gone.

While the Anniversary Dance isn’t difficult for your entertainment to do, it is possible to mess it up. The drama will be greatly reduced if the emcee overestimates the longest married year. Imagine an empty dance floor. Thus, it is critical to have someone with experience emcee your event (watch for future posts on this topic.)

Now that you are going to add the Anniversary Dance and you have someone experienced leading the way, here is a suggestion to make it extra special. Consider giving the “winning” couple a small gift. It could be as simple as a single rose or a small bouquet (similar to the toss away bouquet.) With a little planning, you can honor the couple who has been married the longest.

Lastly, the right song can make or break the experience. I’ve had couples ask for modern, very upbeat (to the point of being a fast dance) song. While this could be the most beautiful song ever, remember the couples on the dance floor the longest will likely enjoy a more traditional slow song – a style of song they would be comfortable dancing.

In my experience, I’ve directed the Anniversary Dance hundreds of times. It can be an amazing experience and add so much meaning to your reception. Consider adding this activity to your reception.