One of the great things about a same-sex wedding is the increased sense of freedom when it comes to following, or disposing of, wedding traditions. You can do everything the way Martha Stewart would prefer or you can be as quirky as you like, since you’re working in relatively new territory and even your more hide-bound relatives are probably going to take a step back and see how you want things to go.
One of the traditions I intend to keep is the father-daughter dance. While I want both of my parents to be equally honored (they’ll both be accompanying me down the aisle, and I have some special things planned for my mom), I think that dancing a song with my father will be an especially sweet way to pay tribute to him and the relationship I have with him. I’ve even picked out the song: Paul Simon’s “Father and Daughter,” which makes me a little teary-eyed every time I hear it but isn’t saccharine or trite. You can listen to it here, if you’re so inclined: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhT0Pydv4JQ&feature=related
The only other real contender was Loudon Wainwright III’s “Daughter,” which also captures the tender-yet-goofy sentiment I wanted, but I ended up going with Paul Simon because his lyrics are so perfect and the melody is beautiful and danceable.
I’m not sure yet if my fiancee will do something similar. Her parental figures are her mother and her aunt, and while they’re completely supportive, I doubt that either one would really want to do a solo dance with Stacy. For the moment, this is one of the things that’s up in the air, but I’m sure that she’ll find a personally meaningful way to make them feel special.
Do you have special gestures (traditional or not!) planned to honor your family members? Do tell!
The song is really perfect. I am toying with the idea of doing a dance with my grandfather, but I hate dancing, especially with lots of people watching.
I know what you mean! I also like this song a lot because it doesn’t force a solemn slow dance- he and I can kind of groove apart or together without having to be too formal… And without needing showy footwork! I can’t imagine trying to dance to something that wouldn’t make me smile, and I think that’s the key.