Tradition Meets Modern in North Plains, Oregon - Thomas & Summer's Family Focused Affair
One thing that I work on a lot with all my couples is building TRUST. Yes, an important foundation in any relationship and in partner dancing as well. It takes time and repetition to build trust and confidence in your partner that they won't drop you when you dip or try various tricks. And T & S definitely wrestled with this. As you can see from their final photos though, they persevered and Summer ended up not only trusting Thomas with full force but she pushed the boundaries and really let loose and allowed herself to be vulnerable on her big day.
In addition to their choreographed first dance, Thomas and Summer wanted to have father/daughter and mother/son dance lessons. However they knew with very little time til their wedding date that biting off more choreography wasn't an option. So we had a group lesson where I taught everyone a foxy combo, a couple turns and a dip. I had several couples opt for this group lesson style with family in 2024 and I LOVE it for several reasons:
-You get family bonding time where opposite sides of the aisle (literally) get to know one another in a more intimate, fun way before the big day when they officially become family.
-Everyone feels a little more comfortable and confident on the dance floor the day of the wedding, not only during the special dances but also cutting a rug during the reception.
-In this specific configuration, 5 couples can benefit from this one hour lesson: the father/daughter, the mother/son, the bride & groom (who have just learned this combo with their parents) and the father's partner and the mother's partner (if they decide to impart their knowledge on their significant other when returning home).
In all honesty, this group lesson was one of my favorite and most memorable sessions of the year. Summer's dad was a kick in the pants and kept us all in good spirits and Thomas' mom was as sweet as could be. The fiances also got to give their parents a private first showing of their first dance which felt special. And I can't fail to mention or show you a picture of Thomas & his future father-in-law, unintentionally arriving to their lesson in matching outfits. It was a sign that things were meant to be.
All families look different and the way that you incorporate yours into your day is entirely up to you. But if you do choose to do dances with family members I can tell you that my clients more often than not tell me that the memories from that moment on their big day and memories from spending quality time together practicing their routines with their loved ones in the weeks and months leading up to their wedding is one their most favorite, cherished things. Enjoy some more fun photos below of all these wonderful humans and fun dances, compliments of Yasmin Khajavi Photography
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