Selecting a piece of music for your wedding dance, this, goes hand-in-hand with choosing a style of dance. The most traditional first dance is a waltz, and if elegance and grace is what you’re after, it may well be for you. The foxtrot is similar, but is easier to learn and suits just about any slow piece of music. But, besides ballroom, there are plenty of other exciting options.

For something that’s still classic, but also fun and a little bit wild, consider rock’n’roll or ceroc (French jive). If rhythm and brass gets your toes tapping, swing is fun, fast and funky. For lovers of Latino music, sensuous salsa will get those hips shaking, or the passionate Argentine tango will add a sultry flavour.

Once you’ve picked your music and wedding dance style, it’s time to turn your attention to the choreography of your first dance. Even if you’re both familiar with your chosen dance style, try to resist the temptation to improvise on the day. You don’t want to get an attack of the nerves and spectacularly ruin your special moment. You may never live it down, especially if your attempt is captured on video! To ensure you’re fully prepared to take the limelight, dance lessons are in order.

So now you’ll need to find an instructor to teach you some fancy footwork. This could be a friend or relative, but it may be wiser to get some lessons from a professional dance instructor. To find one, check out the internet, or keep an eye out for advertisements in the newspaper and on community noticeboards. You could also ask friends and colleagues for a recommendation.

Generally, there are two types of dance lessons. With group lessons your can expect to change partners often. While more expensive than group lessons, private lessons – where only the two of you are present – offer some very useful personalized instruction. Private lessons are also where you’ll learn a choreographed routine for your first dance.

Learning a style of wedding dance is like learning a foreign language. It takes commitment and regular practice to make any progress. If you’re brand new to a dance style, your best plan of action is to start off with some beginners’ group classes, ideally one a week. Then, once you’ve mastered the basics and feel reasonably confident, you’ll be ready for a few private lessons.

Six lessons of around one to two hours in length will probably be adequate for learning a routine. Keep in mind, though, that the earlier you start learning and the more often you practice, the more you’ll enjoy your lessons and the better prepared you’ll be for your big debut. It’s also well worth practicing in your own time, whether in your lounge or by simply going over the steps in your mind when you have a spare moment. Also, just playing the music while cooking dinner or doing the housework helps you commit the moves to memory.

You won’t need to bring much to your lesson, but always remember a recording of your music. (If you haven’t decided on a song, ask your teacher to suggest something before you go to your first private lesson.) Wear loose, cool and comfortable clothing you can move in easily, and soft shoes with soles that won’t stick to the floor. Brides should practice in shoes of similar height to their wedding shoes. If you have a video camera, bring it along so the teacher can film the two of you. Watch and learn from it later at home. Seeing yourselves dancing on screen could send you into fits of laughter or frighten the life out of you, but, nonetheless, you’ll find that video is a very useful practice tool.

Once you’ve got your first dance down pat, try to arrange a rehearsal or two at your reception venue. Performing in a new space can often be disorientating, so familiarizing yourself with the dance area will help reduce any nervousness you may feel on the day.