Money Dance vs. Honeymoon Fund Jar

Im personally not a fan of the dances or the honeymoon jar...

Oooh the money dance was one of the big fights that I had with my ex-FMIL... I personally thought it was tacky and would feel the same way about the jars... that's just me.

@Christine, I like that you are donating your money to that fund, seems like a great thing to do. I used to date a guy (and maybe will again since he we have reconnected recently) whose son was born with a cleft palette and multiple other diagnosis’s along the same lines... He's 14 now and still perfect of course but they are also still doing surgeries constantly to continue to correct it. Way to tug on the heart strings there....

The money dance is fine if it's a cultural thing for you... the jar... just no.

Hi Danielle,

In my years of experience in planning weddings, its traditional for greek/polish weddings (or other cultures) to do a money dance and not "unexpected" if you will. Its much better doing a money dance than to ask guests to give you more money at your wedding as they are already giving you a card with a monetary gift (more than likely). I am afraid your guests may feel like they are "obligated" every time they get a drink at your bar to put money in your jar for your honeymoon. If you do the dance, not everyone gets involved in it and they don't necessarily feel obligated to participate and just watch and still have fun with it.. Its less pressure.. BUt of course its your day, your way! :-)

We didn't do a dollar dance, but it is a pretty common tradition around here. Guests still slipped money into hubby's pocket to buy a dance with the bride. Lol

Yes, the polish side of my family would want the dollar dance (along with some polkas). The Italian side would say no way. In the end, I don't like it so I'm not doing it. But I've seen it done many times. It does take way too long and guests not participating or that have already danced get kind of bored. I wouldn't do the jar though. If people want to give you money, they'll give it in their gift.

Hey, my fiance is the one who wants to do a money dance. Since he has epilepsy you know what I told him? I said if we have to do a money dance, we're flat out giving the money to the MN Epilepsy foundation to help/charity. I refuse to do a money dance otherwise, I think it's greedy and tasteless. Therefore, he agreed - our $$$ donations will go to charity for our money dance!

Don't do the money dance or the jar. If people want to give you cash, they can slip it to you privately or put it in a card.

This is not done within my circle, but I think it's more of a regional thing.

Personally, I probably would not participate if this was done at a wedding.

I'm with Stacie A.-- don't ask guests for money, and take the honeymoon you can afford.

The Dollar Dance is huge around here, every wedding has it... But most of our guest list is from OOT, so it's not the norm to them... We are doing the his face/her face cake smashing I know its frowned upon here, but it fits our personalities and I am all for it!! It's a fun, laid back reception for us, so if cake messes up my makeup or dress, eh, oh well!!

Hmm... seems to be a lot of mixed emotions about this. I am definitely not going to do the dance. For. Sure. Even though it would be accepted and probably even expected, I just don't want to do it. Dancing for money seems... stripper-ish to me. Any other day, maybe. But not on my wedding. Hahahaha...

Maybe I will just skip both and have a card basket out by the guestbook if anyone has a card.

Best answer award; Lynzey!!!

The dollar dance isn't a Catholic thing.....

We did it once at a wedding and it was really awkward. We only danced with the couple because we felt obligated to do so since the rest of their guests went awol or something.

If I saw a jar asking for money it would make me feel like I am at a fair or something..where you have to pay money to play each game...you know the type. Those always tick me off lol.

@Danielle....I would say the majority of wedding gifts (in my circle) are cards with checks...and yeah, a card basket is normal.

You just have to think how a guest feels...they've paid for travel and lodging sometimes, a gift, a shower gift (maybe)...you don't want them feeling like it's STILL not enough.

I think you made a good choice, and hopefully, you'll get some checks!

It all depends on tradition. I had never heard of a money dance until FMIL mentioned it. I thought ..well damn how tacky is that? Then I realized it was a big tradition that they all grew up with. I know very well my mom will think it is tacky but I don't care. Alot of it is nice to dance with some of the guests. I know alot of them will be family I don't get to see often so it will be nice. The jar...IDK never seen it at a wedding before so it is hard to say.

The dollar dance is more of a cultural thing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dollar_dance

I definitely wouldn't put the jar next to the bar if you do a jar... even if it's an open bar bartenders frequently get tips and people may put it in the jar instead of giving it to the bartender.

I'm not really a fan of either, but if I had to choose, I would do the dollar dance. At least it is interactive and more of a fun thing. Neither are common in my area, so it probably wouldn't go over well.

Yeah...I don't really like the whole honeymoon jar thing. I just think your wedding isn't the time to be asking for money (you did invite people to enjoy your wedding, and most of them are probably giving you a monetary gift anyway).

That being said- we are doing the dollar dance, because I'm Polish, and every family member on my mom's side has done it for years...it's tradition.