Recently I attended a wedding and the bride had a dollar dance what is this tradition and where did it start?
Dollar dance, money dance and bride’s money purse are all variation of a tradition which is rooted in the 1900’s. Polish immigrants to the USA, would pin a dollar to the bridal dress or would pay a dollar to dance with the bride. This money was a way to give the bride and groom some money for their honeymoon or to help in the cost of setting up their home.
We can’t be to sure of where the idea originally came from; but, it does seem as though it has ties to the European communities. An Italian tradition dedicates the bride carry a la borsa ( a silk bag) in which wedding guest drop envelopes containing money.
The money tree tradition is bit harder to pin down. A money tree can either be bought or made using some style of floral arrangement with limbs that have clips to hold money or envelopes. Money trees probably came about through necessity, for those brides who didn’t want to do a money dance nor carry a money purse. As guest brought money instead of wrapped gifts, a holder for the money was born in the idea of a money tree.
One thing any bride or groom need to keep in mind that as a culture tradition it is fine to hold a dollar dance or even have a money tree, but it is not proper wedding etiquette to ask for gifts monetary or other wise.
Tags: Bridal Accessories, Money Tree, Wedding Gifts, Wedding Reception, Wedding Traditions