5 Ways to Rock the Daddy Daughter Dance

Thank you to Al’s Formal Wear for partnering with me to bring you this post.

When my daughter was around 3 or 4, our city held a Father Daughter Dance. I brought my daughter on a whim. And it changed both our lives. Every year since then, my daughter has asked throughout the year “when is the Daddy Daughter Dance happening? We’re going, right?”

Now my daughter is getting older, but she still loves and looks forward to this fun night with dad each year. If your child’s school or city holds one of these dances – I can’t recommend the experience enough. That said, it isn’t about the dance. It’s about the time. And doing something together that is a little out of the ordinary!

So if you don’t have a dance like this near you, make your own Daddy Daughter Night out! And if you do have one… I hope the following tips will help you get ready for it! 

(Daddy Daughter Dance 2019)

5 Ways to Rock the Father Daughter Dance:

1. Write your daughter a love letter. Tell her how proud you are of her using specific examples… observations about her hard work at school, or kindness to friends, or whatever… encouraging and rewarding her for the wonderful girl she is! Don’t let these thoughts go unspoken. Whatever is in your heart. Then – surprise your Daughter with the Dance tickets, and your plan for this special night out! Will you go for dinner together before hand? Tell her! Are you going to pick her up at 6pm? Take photos together first? Write your daughter a note, and tell her what you are planning – just for her. Place the Dance tickets inside.

Let her look forward to her big night out with dad!

2. Bring your Daughter Flowers or a Corsage. Want a thrifty idea? Make one. We used this tutorial on how to make a corsage and boutonniere cheaply, and they came out great.

A corsage or flowers adds to the sense of occasion, and also gives you something special to give your daughter as a keepsake of your special night. My daughter still has corsages she’s kept since her first Daddy Daughter Dance!

(Daddy Daughter Dance 2012)

3. Shock her by Dressing on Theme! Is the dance Western themed? Maybe you get your cowboy hat and boots out of storage! Is the theme Hollywood? What about renting a tux?

I recently did that at my daughters dance with the help of Al’s Formal Wear. The fitting was easy, and the store manager Valerie suggested I match my vest and tie to my daughters dress! I would never have thought to do that! My daughter could not believe Dad dressed to match her!

The first step was stopping by Al’s Formal Wear for a fitting. I was measured quickly – and much to my surprise I’ve been wearing the wrong suit size for years! The folks at Al’s Formal Wear know what looks most flattering on you, and they will help you choose the right cut and fit!

Next, I picked out a suit jacket along with a vest and tie. Again, they acted as a fashion consultant, and suggested something I’d not have thought of, but absolutely loved. Al’s ordered it for me – and I was told I could pick it up 2 days before the Daddy Daughter Dance. Perfect!

A couple of days before the dance, the folks at Al’s called to let me know my tux was ready! I stopped by to try it on. It fit like a glove. But if it had needed any last minute nips or tucks – they could have been done in store, with plenty of time before the event. So no stress.

Renting a Tux from Al’s Formal Wear is easy and a lot of fun! Why not try out a look or style that’s new for you? Without the commitment of buying a new suit or Tux, you can go for something out of the box!

4. Get ready for the dance separately – and surprise each other with your Dance looks! Give that little girl a twirl, and let her show you her fancy duds. This is the perfect moment for telling her how beautiful she is – inside and out!

We surprised each other this year, and it was really fun. My daughter had never seen me in a Tux! Here is a quick look at our reveal to each other!

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A post shared by Michael @adaddyblog (@adaddyblog) on

5. Don’t be afraid to look a little stupid. Show your daughter Dance moves from your generation! Yes, she will think you’re corny. But lets be honest, she all already thinks that! Being willing to dance, being willing to be a little silly – reminds her that she can have fun with you. Being a parent can be serious business sometimes. And it’s nice to have a some moments where you lighten the script and just have a good laugh together.

It’s my experience, that the moments a daughter most remembers from these dances are the funny ones, and the ones where you both have an inside joke. So just for tonight – let yourself look foolish.

(Daddy Daughter Dance 2013)

A few Last Thoughts…

  • It’s totally normal for daughters to flit around the dance with their friends! She’ll find you as soon as she needs a glass of punch or a rest! While my daughter spends most of the dance with her daddy nowadays, I definitely recall when she was younger and the dance entailed a lot of watching her run around! But she had fun at both versions! So don’t think she is not having a good time with you – even if she isn’t actually dancing with you. Give it time!
  • Even if you already took photos before you left for the dance (which you definitely should!) be sure to hand your cell phone to someone at the dance – and get a photo on the dance floor! It can be a fellow dad, or a mom, or volunteer at the event. You wont regret having a few candid photos from your night.

(Daddy Daughter Dance 2019 – Hollywood Theme)

  • Bonus Tip. Want extra points? Pour mom a glass of wine, or a cup of tea before you leave for the dance – and let this be a few hours for her to relax! Or better yet, does your father in law live nearby? Consider, coordinating a little date for your wife on the night of the Daddy daughter Dance… with her own Dad!

Happy Dad and Daughter time!

Thank you to Al’s Formal Wear for providing my tuxedo to facilitate this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

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