Money Dance, Tacky or Tradition?

March 1, 2007 | In Wedding Traditions Explained!  

By Misty Van Staaveren

Forever Weddings

As a wedding coordinator, I meet a lot of brides that insist they do not have a money dance. “It’s so tacky!” they exclaim. But is the money dance just a way for a bride and groom to scrape up some extra cash? Is it the same as begging for money? On the contrary, the money dance is rich in classic wedding tradition. Originating all the way back to the early 1900’s, the money dance is said to have started in Poland, where it was called Pani Mloda and accompanied by a specific song. The idea of the money dance was to pin the money to the brides’ veil as a way to personally give the happy couple their best wishes and one last wedding present. In a large wedding party, this was often the only time that the guests had any one-on-one time with the bride. It was the Italians that later replaced pinning the money onto the veil with placing it into a purse.

In today’s weddings, the bride and groom both participate in the Dollar Dance. The bride often uses a purse, while the groom may simply put the money in his pocket. Another variation of this is to have the Best Man and Maid of Honor stand at the head of each line and collect the money in a little basket.

The Money Dance is often referred to as the Dollar Dance. It was never intended to be rude or tacky, although some cultures feel that it is a form of prostitution. The giving of dollars symbolized future wealth and happiness in the new couple’s lives together. Today there are many cultures that embrace the tradition. Couples that feel uncomfortable taking money in a Dollar Dance can personalize it to fit their own traditions. Some couples have donated the money earned from the Dollar Dance to their favorite charity, while others have accepted “Wedding Wishes” written on paper.

Whatever a bride and groom choose to do at their wedding, they need to make sure that it is something that fits their personality as well as that of the family. The couple will know whether or not a Dollar Dance is appropriate within their group of people and can decide how to honor this cultural tradition.