AKA the "dollar dance" or "money dance" this tradition has Polish roots. During the Bridal Dance, all of the guests line up for the chance to dance with the bride while Polka music plays. The Maid of Honor wears an apron and collects $1 (or $5, $10, etc) from each guest. After the dance, guests usually receive a small gift and then begin to circle around the bride as other guests take their turn. Once every guest takes a dance, the groom must break through the circle to retrieve his bride!
Initially, this tradition began with the bride and groom's family members baking hundreds of cookies to provide for the wedding guests to save the cost of purchasing a cake. Now, the cookies are a special extra treat, and a hallmark of every western Pennsylvanian wedding!
This is a fun way for guests to encourage the bride and groom to share a kiss! It started back in the Middle Ages as a way to cleanse any spirits that might be lurking in your drinks...weird!