A few tips to make the most of this special event, along with some song ideas
As a dad myself, I love watching the parent dances. It's a tear jerkin moment for sure with a special spotlight placed on the couple with their mom or dad.
But during my consultations, I sometimes sense a bit of anxiety for this dance.
Let me see if I can put your mind at ease here. I believe there is a way to create a parent dance that feels special while avoiding the "performance pressure".
Pick A Personal Song
One way to ease the pressure is to pick a song that is special to both of you. Maybe it's the song dad used to sing around the house, or the song that reminds you of a special time. You could pick a song from your favorite movie. The DJ can add a little intro beforehand letting everyone know it's significance to you both.
I've noticed that a familiar song relaxes you both PLUS, it will give you something to talk about, and bring up fond memories.
Plan Something
Another option is to pre-plan something. Maybe work on a dance choreography together. I've seen this work especially with the Mother/Son dance.
You could also mash-up a few songs together! The bonus here is that if you got a parent that wants to have big moment, this is an easy way to do that.
Pick 3-4 songs and play about 30 seconds each and have fun with it.
Also, ask your DJ if they can put that together for you. It's usually not a problem.
Keep It Short
Just because the runtime on a song is 4 minutes doesn't mean you have to dance the entire song. In fact, a verse-chorus-verse-chorus usually does the trick. I always tell my couples that when the are done, just give your parent a hug. That's a signal for me to fade out the song.
Lastly I would say, don't worry about "boring the guests". I have yet to watch a Parent Dance and see Uncle Ricky shout out "ENOUGH ALREADY!" Your parents won't get much time with you once the wedding begins. Enjoy that one-on-one time with them.. And hey, that's 3 minutes with no one bugging you!
Song Suggestions
If you need some ideas for songs, check out this curated list of special parent dance songs.
Father | Daughter
Mother | Son
Aaron