Wedding Dance Guide
Choosing the right first dance is one of the most memorable decisions of your wedding day. Every style below is rated for elegance, learnability, and how beautifully it photographs on the floor — sorted easiest first within each tier.
Meet Foxy — The Perfect Beginner Wedding Dance
Foxy is a beautifully simple partner dance that lets complete beginners look and feel incredible on the floor — no prior dance experience required. Created by Bella Marie Ballroom, it has been quietly changing lives by giving couples the confidence to step onto the dance floor for the first time. Watch the video below to see exactly why we love it for weddings.
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Why Foxy Works
- ✓ No prior dance experience needed
- ✓ Works with almost any slow song
- ✓ Looks elegant and intentional on camera
- ✓ Can be learned in a single lesson
- ✓ Adapts to any body type and fitness level
Beginner-Friendly Dances
Highest-rated styles first within this level
Foxy
The Foxy is a perfect choice for a wedding first dance due to its ease of learning and its smooth, intimate character, allowing couples to focus on each other.
Peabody
The Peabody can be a fun and unique choice for a wedding first dance for the right couple, particularly those who appreciate its energetic, playful, and vintage charm. Its fast pace and expansive floor patterns might be challenging in smaller venues but offer a memorable, joyous performance.
Rumba (American)
American Rumba is a very popular and recommended choice for a wedding first dance due to its romantic and sensual character, allowing couples to express intimacy and connection on the dance floor.
East Coast Swing (Triple)
East Coast Swing is a highly recommended choice for a wedding first dance, especially for couples seeking an energetic and fun routine. Its lively character and versatility with various music genres make it a memorable and engaging option for celebrating their special day.
Nightclub Two Step
Nightclub Two Step is a very popular and recommended choice for a wedding first dance due to its romantic, flowing nature and suitability for slow ballads, allowing couples to connect intimately.
Country Waltz
The Country Waltz is a very popular and recommended choice for a wedding first dance due to its accessible steps, romantic feel, and the emotional depth often found in country music lyrics. Its slower tempo allows couples to connect intimately and enjoy the moment without feeling rushed.
Texas Two Step
The Texas Two Step is a very popular and recommended choice for a wedding first dance, especially for couples with a love for country music and a desire for a fun, engaging, and culturally rich dance. Its smooth, traveling nature allows for elegant movement across the floor, and its social appeal makes it a great choice for involving guests.
Merengue
Merengue is an excellent choice for a wedding first dance due to its fun, easy-to-learn steps and infectious, celebratory rhythm. It quickly gets guests on the dance floor, creating a lively and inclusive atmosphere.
Modern Jive (Ceroc)
Modern Jive (Ceroc) is highly suitable for a wedding first dance due to its ease of learning and adaptability to various music genres and venue sizes, offering a fun and accessible option for couples.
Social Party Line Dance
Social Party Line Dances are highly recommended for weddings as they are inclusive, easy to learn, and encourage participation from all guests, regardless of dance experience. They create a fun, unifying atmosphere on the dance floor.
Intermediate Dances
Highest-rated styles first within this level
Waltz (International)
International Waltz is a highly recommended choice for a wedding first dance due to its inherent elegance, romantic feel, and graceful, flowing movements. Its classic appeal and ability to be danced smoothly in a relatively confined space make it perfect for creating a memorable and visually stunning moment.
Bolero
Bolero is a very popular and recommended choice for a wedding first dance due to its inherently romantic and passionate nature. Its slow, gliding movements and dramatic styling allow couples to express deep emotion and connection, creating a memorable and elegant moment.
West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing is a very popular and recommended choice for a wedding first dance due to its versatility with modern music and its ability to be adapted to various styles, making it suitable for many couples.
Tango (International)
International Tango is a passionate and intense dance, making it a dramatic and captivating choice for a wedding first dance, especially for active and energetic couples who appreciate its sharp movements and precise execution.
Cha Cha (International)
The Cha Cha is a highly recommended choice for a wedding first dance due to its lively, fun, and flirtatious character. Its infectious rhythm and energetic movements create a joyful atmosphere, making it a memorable and engaging dance for both the couple and their guests.
East Coast Swing (Double)
East Coast Swing is a very popular and recommended choice for a wedding first dance due to its joyful and energetic nature, which can easily engage guests. The 'Double' rhythm adds a playful complexity that can showcase the couple's personality and skill.
East Coast Swing (Single/Jitterbug)
East Coast Swing is a highly energetic and joyful dance, making it a fantastic choice for a lively wedding reception or a couple looking for an upbeat, fun first dance. However, its fast tempo and playful nature might not suit couples desiring a more traditional, romantic, or slow first dance.
Hustle
The Hustle is a high-energy, fun choice for a wedding first dance, especially for couples who want to showcase personality and a more dynamic style. Its fast pace and intricate turns can be demanding, requiring practice, but it guarantees a memorable and exciting performance.
Triple Two Step
The Triple Two Step is a charming and heartfelt choice for a wedding first dance, especially for couples who love country music and desire a dance that is both elegant and approachable. Its progressive nature allows for beautiful movement across the dance floor, creating a memorable and visually appealing moment.
Bachata Sensual
Bachata Sensual is a very popular and recommended choice for a wedding first dance. Its intimate connection, fluid movements, and emotional storytelling create a sensual and romantic atmosphere, perfect for celebrating a couple's love.
Salsa (On1)
Salsa On1 is highly recommended for a wedding first dance due to its energetic and visually engaging nature, coupled with its relative ease of learning for beginners, making it accessible for couples to quickly master. Its linear structure and clear timing allow for impressive yet manageable choreography.
Advanced Dances
Highest-rated styles first within this level
Foxtrot (International)
The Foxtrot is an exceptionally popular and highly recommended choice for a wedding first dance due to its smooth, sophisticated nature and versatility. It accommodates all skill levels and pairs beautifully with a wide range of romantic ballads and contemporary songs, allowing couples to express elegance and connection.
Viennese Waltz (American)
The American Viennese Waltz is a very popular choice for a wedding first dance due to its dramatic, sweeping movements and inherent elegance. It creates a visually stunning and memorable experience, though it requires a good level of skill and stamina from the couple.
Viennese Waltz (International)
The Viennese Waltz is a very popular and highly recommended choice for a wedding first dance due to its romantic and elegant character. However, its fast tempo and continuous rotational movement require significant practice and a suitable song with consistent 3/4 timing, which can limit song selection.
Quickstep
The Quickstep is a highly recommended choice for a wedding first dance due to its joyful and energetic character, allowing couples to showcase a fun and impressive routine. Its lively tempo and elegant movements create a memorable and celebratory atmosphere.
Rumba (International)
Rumba is about sensuality and emotional connection, making it a powerful entry into married life for romantics. It's more accessible than other Latin styles for those with minimal dance training. Music with a steady tempo in 4/4 time works best.
Jive
Jive is an excellent choice for a wedding first dance or reception due to its happy, energetic, and uninhibited nature. Its infectious rhythm encourages guests to join in, creating a joyful and memorable atmosphere.
Mambo
Mambo is a very popular and recommended choice for a wedding first dance, offering a fun and energetic start to the celebration. Its lively rhythm and expressive movements can captivate guests, and it works well with various bridal dress lengths, especially those allowing for freedom of movement.
Make It Truly Yours
Imagine walking onto the floor to a song written specifically for your love story — built to the feel and rhythm of your dance style, with lyrics that mean something to you both. That is what step&story's custom song service creates.
Commission Your First Dance Song