“Czepek Dance” Dollar Dance: This tradition follows the unveiling ceremony and everyone will get a chance to dance with the bride and groom for a donation. For that donation, you get a jigger of wine, whiskey or candy and a chance to dance with the bride or groom. It is bad luck if you do not dance with the bride or groom at a Polish wedding. It is customary for the groomsmen to encourage all the women and the brides maids to encourage all the men in the crowd to pay for a dance with the bride and groom. They work the hall and engage the guests to take part in this lovely and old tradition. There are other names for this dance such as dollar dance, money dance, brides dance, wine dance and/or the bride and groom dance. In the olden days, the dollar bills were pinned to the brides dress after each person danced with her. Today, a few bills are pinned to her apron to symbolize the jester and the money is put in a bowl and collected at the table. The money collected was passed on to the newlyweds to take on their honeymoon. Again, rarely enough money is collected for a honeymoon, but the symbolism is still relevant. When the dance comes to the end, the groom pulls out his wallet and buys the last dance!
Video from the wedding of Phillip Wilcox and Kathy Ann Mazurkiewicz in Bryan, Texas
Jim Mazurkiewicz is a Texas native whose family originally settled in Washington County, Texas at the turn of the twentieth century. His family still owns and operates the family farm in Chappell Hill. He graduated from Waller High School and received a B.S. and Ph.D. from Texas A&M University and a Masters from Texas Tech University. Dr Jim is currently a Professor and Extension Specialist for Leadership Programs as TALL Director for Texas AgriLife Extension a member of The Texas A&M System and its statewide Agriculture Program. Jim takes great pride in his Polish heritage and plays Polish music on his concertina accordion.