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Devoted September 2018

Don't want to do father-daughter dance :(

Sarah, on July 30, 2018 at 1:21 PM Posted in Family and Relationships 1 33

I thought it might be good to get someone else's perspective on this that isn't involved...

So my father and I aren't emotionally close - for reasons I would rather not get into here, but suffice it to say it is for my own self-care as an adult. We do have a relationship, but it is largely focused on what is going on in my life or his on a more superficial level.

My father is contributing about 1/3 to my wedding, my mother is contributing about 1/3, while my fiancé and I are covering the remaining 1/3. I appreciate the help my parents are providing, as we simply couldn't have the type of wedding we are without it.

As an older bride, I had become a bit out of touch with wedding trends as most of my friends have gotten married. At the beginning of planning, I thought I had to ask my family if they would like the traditional roles as part of proper etiquette, and because my parents are contributing financially. So I asked my father if he would like to walk me down the aisle, give a speech at the reception, and have a father-daughter first dance. He said yes to them all. I am okay with him walking me down the aisle, and giving the speech at the reception, but I feel increasingly uncomfortable with dancing with him. I feel like I am not honoring my boundaries by agreeing to dance with him.

I expressed recently that I didn't really want to dance with him, but that since I asked him, if he really wanted a father-daughter dance, that I would honor his wishes, and he laughed and said to me, "Well, since you put it that way, we're dancing!"

I recently even broke my toe (maybe a subconscious way of trying to get out of it? hmmm...), and he texted me saying "Well, even if we just get to sway back and forth, it will be fine." Yuck.

My father can be manipulative, and he often puts on a good public face while leading a less than wonderful private life. He likes to shine over my mother (and did so during the divorce), and I feel like this is more of the same.

I think I have already not honored myself by asking him, and I now have to dance with him even though I don't want to. I obviously have even tried to talking to him about this, but he seems pretty set on this, so I guess I should just dance with him? I tell myself it's only 4 minutes, but it seems so disingenuous and wrong after everything I've experienced with him.

Sorry if this is too personal for this type of forum - wedding planning is obviously just bringing up some of my ill feelings towards my father, and it is weighing heavy on my mind and my heart. Smiley sad Are there ways to alleviate some of my discomfort while sticking to my word?

33 Comments

Latest activity by Peanut, on May 26, 2022 at 12:07 PM
  • MrsSnez
    Super October 2018
    MrsSnez ·
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    I'm sorry wedding planning is bringing up unpleasant emotions- I don't have a great relationship with either of my parents so I can relate! My dad isn't walking me and we aren't doing any parent dances. In my case I got out if that one easy because FH's biological mother passed away when he was young. He has a pretty good relationship with his step mom, but doesn't want to dance with her or draw attention to the absence of his mom.

    Maybe see if skipping the parent dances altogether is an option with your FS? Good luck!
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  • B
    Super March 2019
    Bailey ·
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    If you are this uncomfortable just thinking about it, talk to him and say it is no longer an option to dance together. You owe it to yourself to honor your own boundaries to keep yourself in a good place mentally.
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  • MrsBlah
    Devoted September 2016
    MrsBlah ·
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    Hmm I dont know it seems pretty rude to me to back out when YOU asked. Honestly, it would have been best if you had not accepted his money and had not asked.

    You don't explain the issues you had with him (so I am assuming we're not talking about any type of abuse). If I were you, I would just dance with him.

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  • J
    Master 0000
    Judith ·
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    Tell him you have decided as a couple that you only want one spotlight dance, you and groom, and then to open the floor so everyone can dance, not watch 3-4 other dances one couple at a time. Or, if you have a grandfather you are close to, or uncle, or professional trend or mentor, you could tell Dad you are splitting the honors, and he will escort you down the aisle, give a speech, but you will dance with this other significant male. But don't dance in front of a crowd with someone you are not comfortable with.
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  • c
    Super May 2019
    c ·
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    Agree with this 100%. You asked him and now feel the need to back out. My father and I haven't discussed it and probably won't. I would never leave that decision to him if I knew I wouldn't want/agree with it.

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  • S
    Devoted September 2018
    Sarah ·
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    Yeah, I spoke to my FS about it and he said he hadn’t asked his mother and wasn’t planning on it because he didn’t want to dance with her.

    I mentioned this to my dad and he said he wanted to dance regardless. 😕
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  • E
    Devoted August 2018
    Emily ·
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    Usually, I would say that since you asked that it would be best to suck it up and do a short dance to keep the peace. However, if you are truly so uncomfortable with this that your mental well-being is at risk, find a way to back out. One of the above commenters, Judith, had a great suggestion about doing the one dance with you and the groom and then opening up the floor.

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  • S
    Devoted September 2018
    Sarah ·
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    I understand. I’m not the greatest when it comes to really knowing my boundaries and standing up for them (obviously). Maybe it’s too little, too late?

    But to say that I should dance with him because he’s paying makes me feel even more used and violated.
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  • NVV2B
    VIP January 2019
    NVV2B ·
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    At the very least - you can cut the song shorter so its not as long. 4 minutes is going to be really really boring for all of your guests. Our parent dances are going to be 1:30-2min max.

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  • MrsBlah
    Devoted September 2016
    MrsBlah ·
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    I said you should dance with him because you asked him to. *You said* you asked them if they would like traditional roles because they are contributing financially. So, the suggestion that you should dance with him because he's paying was yours.

    Still, if you did not want him to have a say, then it would have been best to not accept his money and to not have asked.


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  • Sarah
    Devoted October 2018
    Sarah ·
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    I completely understand that you didn't want to disclose why you and your father have these issues. But he is contributing a substantial amount of money, and while money can't buy love, seems like you probably shouldn't have accepted it since you have ill feelings towards him. (All traditions aside)

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  • S
    Devoted September 2018
    Sarah ·
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    Thanks Bailey. I have to consider this.
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  • S
    Devoted September 2018
    Sarah ·
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    Yes, very good point. Ugh.
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  • S
    Devoted September 2018
    Sarah ·
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    My grandparents have passed and my mentors won’t be in attendance unfortunately, but thank you for providing me with feedback and ideas.
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  • S
    Devoted September 2018
    Sarah ·
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    Yeah I kind of feel like I put myself in a bad place with this, so just suck it up.
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  • S
    Devoted September 2018
    Sarah ·
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    This isn’t a bad idea - I also thought about asking the DJ to cut into our song halfway through and invite others to the dance floor. I just don’t know if anybody would actually do it, or if they wouldn’t because they would feel like they were cutting in on a parent dance. And I’m still stuck dancing with him. But somehow it seems “less fake” if other people are dancing at the same time.

    I shouldn’t have asked him. It just didn’t occur to me that not having parent dances was a thing.

    Thanks so much for giving me another option to consider.
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  • J
    Master 0000
    Judith ·
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    Going down the aisle and speaking as the father, are plenty for someone paying. If he wants more, ask him to choose a couple if deserts other than the cake, or some other thing. But bride and groom deciding, not this spotlight dance, is not a deal breaker since he is doing the walk and speaking. He doesn't get to dictate everything, and this is not a formal relationship. He is a relative, and should be understanding of you reconsidering the flow of things and not having a spotlight dance with him.
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  • Jen
    VIP July 2018
    Jen ·
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    I think because you already asked him if he wanted to dance with you, and he said yes, you should follow through with it - Especially since he is funding 1/3 of your wedding. My Dad and I are close though neither of us loves to dance so we we asked our DJ to cut the song short - I think our song was almost 4 minutes and the DJ found a good place after about 2 minutes to end it. I'd offer that up as a possible solution - just a short dance.... My FH and his Mom also danced to the same song - which took some of the spotlight away from us. The DJ did ask us if we wanted him to open up the dance floor to other couples before the song ended - we said no but you could consider that too...... So you could shorten the song, have your FH do his dance with his Mom at the same time and then maybe after like 30-60 seconds open it up to all other couples to join in.

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  • S
    Devoted September 2018
    Sarah ·
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    My FS doesn’t want to dance with his mom either, and I don’t want to make him feel like he has to because of me. But I think I’m going to see if the DJ can cut it short - thank you for giving me your take on things!
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  • S
    Devoted September 2018
    Sarah ·
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    Thanks Judith - my father isn’t the understanding type. I did bring up my discomfort and he said he would still like to.

    I really do appreciate you seeing my side of things. I’m not sure if it’s the way I communicate - maybe I’m just not assertive enough. :/
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