Here is a selection of Q&As from Your Surrey Wedding magazine whether it be about flowers, hair and makeup, fashion, wedding themes, health & beauty, cakes, stationery, legal advice. If you would like your question answered by our experts, please email it to editor@yoursurrey.wedding
To view more expert advice on a different topic, please select one from the list below.
Dance squad
Q. My bridesmaids and I are thinking of creating a surprise dance routine. How do we go about this?
A. The team at First Dance Studios says: We love flash mobs and we've organised and taken part in quite a few including the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in 2022. For anyone looking to create their own surprise routine, then we suggest the following:
Music choice – Choose something that will suit the moment. Will the dance take place on the hen party or on the wedding day itself? It could mean two very different song choices.
Plan rehearsal times – Like the hen party and wedding date itself, plan and work out times that people can learn the routine. We are all busy people, so try your best to accommodate peoples' diaries. At least three one-hour sessions work best spread out over a few weeks or months. The first hour will be getting to know the track, the second will focus on the moves and the third is to practice, practice and practice.
Less is more – Everyone has different dance abilities and so working out a routine that looks great doesn't mean going overboard with complicated dance moves. It can be super simple but give the wow factor when it's performed.
The team at First Dance Studios, First Dance Studios
firstdancestudios.co.uk
Dance with me
Q. Do you have any ideas of how we incorporate our Christmas theme into our first dance?
A. Lorraine Ansell says: Christmas is a wonderful time of the year for a wedding as everyone is in the mood to celebrate in style. Here are a few things that will help add some extra sparkle to your first dance:
Christmas tunes are a great place to start for your first dance song. They are catchy, festive and can be slow, fast, cute, smooth, sexy and suit whatever style of dance you're looking for. Some wonderful song choices include Mariah Carey's All I Want for Christmas is You and Frank Sinatra's White Christmas. One of our favourites is Michael Bublé's Santa Baby. Any of these would be a perfect music choice for your first dance.
Think about what the second song will be. This song is THE song to get everyone up and onto the dancefloor with you. At this time of year, the choice is huge, and we all know that the floor fills up with songs such as Slade's Merry Christmas Everybody and Brenda Lee's Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree.
If you're having a band or DJ playing at your wedding, you could ask if they could add a Christmas sound to your first dance song or wedding dance playlist. The sound of bells or a carol rift would be a fantastic way to add some festive cheer.
Some dance moves are perfect for this time of year, such as the Sparkly Star, where the couple can create a star shape with their bodies, the Christmas Cuddle, a spin towards each other and sway and the Merry Mistletoe where a cheeky kiss can be added into the dance routine that yes, as you might have guessed, happens under a bit of mistletoe. It's so romantic and a great photo opportunity! However, you choose to commemorate your wedding, be sure to celebrate with a festive first dance!
Lorraine Ansell, First Dance Studios
www.firstdancestudios.co.uk
Sway to the music
Q. We're thinking of booking a dance teacher for our big day. How do we choose a great supplier?
A. Emma Brewer says: The most important thing is that you and your teacher are on the same page. If you have an idea of what you're looking for, then ask them about their packages or the one-off lessons that they teach and whether the timings and cost suit your availability and budget. If you're unsure where to start, ask if they will meet you both first to talk it through. At First Dance Studios, we offer a free initial consultation regardless of whether you know what you're looking for or not. We find that way you get to meet the teacher beforehand, chat through how you see the end product, get over the nerves of seeing the dance studio and then book in the dates so you can tick it off your to-do list! Meeting beforehand puts couples at ease, and by the end, they are really looking forward to lessons and feel reassured. We've done consultations over the phone, Zoom, in a cafe and at the pub – we love them!
Emma Brewer, First Dance Studios
www.firstdancestudios.co.uk
A perfect day
Q. I'd love to wow our guests with an amazing first dance, but my partner isn't so sure! How can we compromise and perform something that we're both comfortable with?
A. Emma Brewer says: There are lots of things you can do in this situation. Not all first dances have the wow factor, in fact, most couples that come to us just want to look natural, unchoreographed and comfortable on the dancefloor. The first thing you should do is choose your music and pick something that you both love. Next book a one-off lesson or a package where you will learn how to get around the dancefloor. It's very hard to improvise when you have no dancing skills, so find someone to help you with the basics and take it from there. Chances are your partner who wasn't sure will love it. After all, what's better than dancing to a song you love with the person you love?
Emma Brewer, First Dance Studios
www.firstdancestudios.co.uk
