Wedding Dance Trends for 2025

Every year brings shifts in what couples want from their wedding dances. Some trends are driven by social media, some by a collective reaction against what came before, and some simply reflect broader changes in how people think about weddings. Here's what I'm seeing in 2025.

1. The return of the intimate first dance

After several years of viral 'surprise' first dances — where couples begin with a slow dance and then break into a choreographed routine to an upbeat track — there's a noticeable shift back towards something quieter and more personal. Couples are choosing to stay in the slow dance, to keep the lights low, and to treat the first dance as a private moment in a public space rather than a performance.

This doesn't mean the choreography is less considered — in fact, the opposite is often true. The details matter more when the whole dance is slow and visible. But the intention is different: less 'look at us,' more 'this is just for us.'

2. Whole wedding party choreography

One of the most exciting trends I'm seeing is couples involving their entire wedding party in a choreographed piece — bridesmaids, groomsmen, sometimes parents. These pieces are often surprises for the guests, and the planning and rehearsal process becomes a shared experience for the whole group.

Done well, these are extraordinary moments. The key is finding a structure that works for everyone's ability level — something that looks cohesive from the outside but gives individuals enough flexibility to make it their own.

3. Cultural fusion dances

As more couples come from different cultural or religious backgrounds, I'm working with more requests to blend traditions — a first dance that begins with something from one partner's heritage and transitions into something from the other's, or a piece that draws on both simultaneously. These are some of the most meaningful dances I've been part of, and they require careful listening and genuine curiosity about both traditions.

"The most beautiful wedding dances I've seen in 2025 have been the ones that couldn't have belonged to any other couple."

4. Songs that aren't 'wedding songs'

The era of the generic ballad is giving way to something more personal. Couples are choosing songs from unexpected genres — indie folk, 90s R&B, film scores, even songs from video games or TV shows that hold specific meaning for them. The question is no longer 'is this a wedding song?' but 'is this our song?'

• Songs from films or TV shows with personal significance
• Acoustic or orchestral covers of unexpected originals
• Songs in languages other than English
• Tracks that tell a specific story about the couple's relationship
• Songs chosen by one partner as a surprise for the other

5. What's fading

The highly produced, heavily rehearsed 'viral moment' dance — designed primarily to be shared on social media — seems to be losing ground to something more genuine. Couples are increasingly asking for dances that feel real rather than performed, and that will mean something to the people in the room rather than to strangers online.

That's a shift I find genuinely encouraging. The best wedding dances have always been the ones that are unmistakably, specifically the couple's own.