Behind the Lens with eWed Photography

The first wedding dance is interpreted with two simple yet powerful meanings. The first is the symbolic representation of two families uniting together: parents, siblings, extended families and friends.

The second meaning stems from the merging of two social family systems. Relationships are complex much like the coordination couples of moving together and apart while dancing. One can not tell what is going on with the dance if you only look closely at one partner. Instead, we need to step back and observe how each dancer influences the movements of the other.

The first dance symbolizes the unity and required coordination it will take to balance the new familial relationships in the couple’s lives. The first dance is said to originated from Eastern European immigrants who migrated to America post World War II. Over time, as more immigrants achieved middle class status the dance became mainstream to American society.