Tradition Meets Modern in North Plains, Oregon - Thomas & Summer's Family Focused Affair

newlyweds twirl on the dancefloor in north plains oregon
 Do you remember? The 21st night of September? Summer & Thomas do and will for a lifetime. They got married September 21st, 2024 (one of the most popular dates to get hitched in 2024 thanks to Earth, Wind & Fire's classic hit "September") on a family property in North Plains where Thomas' parents also said "I do" back when. Sweeping countryside views and a dance party in a barn were timeless elements of their day. However there were plenty of non traditional/new age twists as well, including a tattooed bride, a flower chandelier hanging over the after party and guests & a second dance floor adorned with checkered prints.

 Thomas & Summer came to me with their song already picked out. They chose to dance their first dance to "Know How" by George Sandler & Justin Jay. And if you haven't heard this jam, you might want to give it a listen. This funky beat gives disco vibes and made me immediately want to get out of my seat and start dancing when I first heard it. But also, as a choreographer, it was a real brain bender. What style of dance was I going to put to this song? Eventually I landed on teaching them a bachata, which can be very sassy and funky in its own right but is also a really approachable, classic basic step to learn. Thomas & Summer picked it up no problem, so I ended up giving them the most complicated bachata combination I've given a couple to date...which was super fun to teach and do! Even though they had several complicated and impressive lifts and dips in their dance, the combo was hands down my favorite part...and I was straight up jealous that I didn't get to perform it too.

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.

first dance dip at wedding reception near Portland Oregon

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.

father in law and groom dance together at studio one dance academy

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

groom spins his mom during their mother/son dance in north plains oregon

groom smiles at mom during wedding dance on oregon farm



bride and father dance during father/daughter dance in north plains oregon

Dad lets loose on the dance floor with daughter in north plains oregon



 
groom lifts his bride during first dance in north plains oregon






bride and groom kiss after finishing first dance in north plains oregon

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