On Being the Eldest of 20...

(personal photo)

...grandchildren, that is!

Brother Barrettes and I have the luxury of being able to start family wedding traditions in our generation. He is marrying exactly 5 weeks before me at a resort in the Poconos and I'm trying to think of something we can both do at our weddings that all of our younger cousins can participate in. At 29, I'm the oldest, Brother Barrettes is 27, and at the youngest end of the spectrum we have a little princess, who on our wedding day will turn 4 years old.

I was dancing in my living room while sprucing up the place, and it occurred to me that at every family event, we always end up doing line dances.  I know, the Electric Slide and Macarena are pretty lowbrow, but everyone in our family participates! All of my cousins will hit the dancefloor and they (especially the little ones) can move. Feeling their energy, even Mr. Barrettes has been known to breakdance.

I'm thinking about some sort of 'Dance-off' and the Bride and Groom would pick the winner. We'd engrave the winner's name onto a small trophy and he/she would keep it until the next family wedding. I'm going to run this idea by Brother Barrettes and Soon-to-be SIL and see what they think!

Can you imagine starting a Dance-off at every wedding hereafter in our family? Good idea or Bad Idea? What reception family traditions have you witnessed? What else could I do that my cousins could incorporate in their weddings in the years to come?