What’s your favorite part of a wedding? Is it sneaking a peek at the groom’s face while everyone else is turned to look at the bride entering? Is it the first dance? What about the vows and the unity ceremony? Maybe it’s when they finally cut the cake and you get to see if it’s as good as you remember your wedding cake being? Do you have a favorite part?

I’m asked that ALL the time – and for good reason. I’m a part of a TON of weddings, so you would think I’d have a favorite part of the day, right? Well, I don’t. Truly. I’m not actually a person that has many favorites of anything. I mean, my wife and my girls are my favorite people in life – but I don’t have a favorite food, favorite candy or even a favorite color. Yep, it’s true. I guess it’s because I like to enjoy more than one thing and kind of appreciate them for what they are, ya know? Idk, maybe that’s weird… But hey, I never claimed I wasn’t. haha

While I don’t have a favorite moment of weddings in general, I do have favorite moments from each wedding day that are specific to the couples I serve. Casey + Alex’s wedding day was no exception! It was packed full of special moments that truly are 100% unique to them, so nailing down a favorite is tough, but I would have to say that their last dance is one that resonated the most with me.

It’s been kind of popular, you could say, the last few years to clear the reception of everyone except the couple to let them have a private last dance together – and I could’t love that idea more! I remember from my own wedding how quickly it felt like the reception went by and then all of a sudden it was a mad dash to a sparkler sendoff. Then we sped away in my car – leaving the magic of our wedding far behind us. It just felt kind of sad as we pulled off. Almost like we didn’t get to “finish” it, ya know? I guess that’s where the allure of a private last dance draws me in.

Regardless of why I love private last dances, Casey + Alex’s took the cake for me. Guests were invited to exit the front of the hotel and grab sparklers to prepare for the grand send-off in a brand new Corvette that was waiting on the couple (pretty rad, huh?), and then the DJ began their chosen song and exited the room. It was just me, my camera and the newlyweds. They chose “A Million Dreams” from The Greatest Showman and danced like there wasn’t a care in the world. Casey’s quiet personality truly couldn’t shine more when paired with Alex’s outgoing and “larger than life” happiness. Watching the two of them share that last dance together was truly something I’ll never forget. It’s a tremendous priviledge to be able to watch two people be 100%, completely themselves in the presence of the love of their life – at the end of their wedding day! I remember in that exact moment realizing this was something I would never forget… Such a beautiful moment to be a tiny part of!

Are you getting married soon, or planning a wedding? I challenge you to think about whether or not a private last dance would be something that feels genuine for your wedding celebration. It’s a great way to maximize the time you have while your guests are preparing for a sendoff – but it’s truly an intimate moment that I can assure you will never forget! Having just a moment to soak in the last moments of your beautiful wedding day, alone, is definitely something I think only means more to you as the years pass by!

Regardless of whether or not you choose to have a private last dance on your wedding day, make sure that whatever you choose to do is true to who the two of you are as a couple! Take some time as you begin planning your wedding day to really visualize how you want your day to *feel* and then figure out how to make that happen!

Happy Wedding Planning, friends!