Taking dance lessons before your wedding can add a special touch to an already beautiful sight, both for your guests and for your wedding videotape.

While still photographs don't reveal whether the bride and groom moved across the floor in a graceful waltz or an awkward shuffling step, the wedding video tells all.  It makes sense to invest the time in learning to dance beautifully for your wedding.

Planning a wedding always takes more time than you think, and six months quickly dwindles to two months.  Many couples put off taking dance lessons until the last month.

Time becomes very tight in the last month before a wedding.  Beginning a program of dance lessons two or three months before the wedding date makes sense than leaving it for the last few weeks.  With the right amount of time, your teacher can do the best job possible to evaluate your dance skills as a couple and help you achieve a polished and graceful look for the special first dance.  You'll have time to work with your teacher to choreograph your special song.

One element that often gets overlooked in planning a wedding is fun!  The time you spend together, whirling around on the studio's dance floor, is an oasis, from day to day activities.  It can be a very special, romantic time when you concentrate only on your steps and each other.  You can forget for a little while about seating charts and floral arrangements!

There was a time when every wedding couple's first dance was a waltz.  Many first dances are still waltzes, but just as many are not.

To make that first dance extra special, pick a song and bring in the music to the first lesson.  This will give your teacher additional information, about what kind of dances and movements you need to focus on.

The extra effort and time will show.  Few scenes are as beautiful as a pair of newlyweds in a smooth and elegant whirl across the dance floor.

Fun for the whole party.  Another idea gaining popularity is making dance lessons part of the entire wedding party's activities.  Parents of the bride and groom feel more confident on the dance floor when they've had a chance to brush up on their steps.  With a few fun group lessons, they'll enjoy the "formal" dance portions of the reception more.

Learning to dance for your wedding is a special gift that you can give to each other.  You'll remember the personalised first dance for years to come, not just on your video and in photographs, but every time you get up to dance.  Knowing how to dance is a social skill that will enhance your lives together.