When it comes to planning a wedding, there are a ton of decisions that need to be made. It can be overwhelming! Just thinking about picking one of so many options of wedding first dance songs can make your brain swim.
From figuring out how to stay on budget to choosing your dress, deciding the invitation list and the seating… Well, we can go on and on but you get the picture. That’s why it’s helpful to have friends, family, and of course, the Internet to help you out.
One of the details you don’t want to look over when you’re planning your wedding is your first dance song. This is the first dance that you are going to do as a married couple!
It’s your moment, your time to shine, and your time to especially make it all about you. Of course, you want the song to resonate with you.
It should be a song that you both like; one that you know you’ll listen to for years to come and think back to your special day together. If you already have a “couples” song, that’s great! Go with that as your first dance song. But if you don’t, that’s okay – you’re definitely not alone.
Picking the First Dance Song
To help you out, here are some great, popular choices to choose from for your wedding first dance. But, be sure to listen to it with your partner and pay attention to the lyrics.
You want to choose a wedding first dance song you both love, and one that kind of tells your love story, too. We’ve also included some lyrics from the song that really showcases love, too.
Newer Songs for the First Dance at Your Wedding
- “All of Me” by John Legend
“Give your all to me/ I’ll give my all to you/ You’re my end and my beginning./ Even when I lose, I’m winning” - “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran
“When your legs don’t work like they used to before/ And I can’t sweep you off of your feet/ Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love/. Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks” - “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran and Beyonce
“But darling, just kiss me slow/ Your heart is all I own/ And in your eyes, you’re holding mine” - “Kiss Me” by Ed Sheeran
“Settle down with me/ Cover me up/ Cuddle me in/ Lie down with me/ And hold me in your arms” - “Lucky” by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
“I’m lucky I’m in love with my best friend/ Lucky to have been where I have been/ Lucky to be coming home again/ Lucky we’re in love in every way/.” - “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri
“And all along I believed I would find you/ Time has brought your heart to me/ I have loved you for a thousand years/ I’ll love you for a thousand more” - “You Make It Easy” Jason Aldean
“You’re my sunshine in the darkest days/My better half, my saving grace/. You make me who I wanna be/You make it easy” - “Lover” by Taylor Swift
“Can I go where you go?/Can we always be this close forever and ever?/And ah, take me out, and take me home (forever and ever)” - “Adore You” by Harry Styles
“Oh, honey (ah)/ I’d walk through fire for you/ Just let me adore you/ Like it’s the only thing I’ll ever do”
Ugh, these sappy songs are just the heart-warmers for a wedding’s perfect first dance song!
Early 2000s Songs
- “Marry Me” by Train
“Forever can never be long enough for me/ To feel like I’ve had long enough with you/ Forget the world now, we won’t let them see/ But there’s one thing left to do/ Now that the weight has lifted/ Love has surely shifted my way” - “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys
“Some people want it all/ But I don’t want nothing at all/ If it ain’t you, baby / If I ain’t got you, baby” - “Make You Feel My Love” by Adele
“I’d go hungry, I’d go black and blue/ I’d go crawling down the avenue/ No, there’s nothing that I wouldn’t do/ To make you feel my love” - “I Choose You” by Sara Bareilles
“Tell the world that we finally got it all right/ I choose you / I will become yours and you will become mine/ I choose you”
First Dance Songs from the 90s
These are great for the millennial wanting to bring some nostalgic vibes to their wedding’s first dance song.
- “I’ll Be” by Edwin McCain
“And I’ll be your cryin’ shoulder/ I’ll be love’s suicide/ And I’ll be better when I’m older/ I’ll be the greatest fan of your life” - “My Best Friend” by Tim McGraw
“I fall in love all over every time I look at you/ I don’t know where I’d be without you here with me/ Life with you makes perfect sense/ You’re my best friend” - “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” Bryan Adams
“There’s no love, like your love/And no other, could give me more love/There’s nowhere, unless you’re there/All the time, all the way” - “Amazed” by Lonestar
“I don’t know how you do what you do/ I’m so in love with you/. It just keeps gettin’ better/ I wanna spend the rest of my life/ With you by my side/ Forever and ever”
Older Classics
- “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley
“Take my hand/ Take my whole life, too/ For I can’t help falling in love with you” - “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” by Elton John
“There’s a time for everyone if they only learn/ That the twistin’ kaleidoscope moves us all in turn/ There’s a rhyme and reason to the wild outdoors/ When the heart of this star-crossed voyager beats in time with yours” - “At Last” by Etta James
I found a dream that I could speak to/ A dream that I can call my own/ I found a thrill to press my cheek to/ A thrill that I’ve never known” - “You Are” by Lionel Richie
“You are the sun/ You are the rain/ That makes my life this foolish game/ You need to know/ I love you so/ And I’d do it all again and again” - “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” by Aerosmith
‘Cause even when I dream of you (even when I dream) / The sweetest dream would never do / I’d still miss you baby/ And I don’t wanna miss a thing” - “Your Song” by Elton John
“I don’t know how you do what you do/ I’m so in love with you/ It just keeps gettin’ better/ I wanna spend the rest of my life/ With you by my side/ Forever and ever”
Final Thoughts On The Best Wedding First Dance Songs
If you’ve been looking for that perfect first dance wedding song, we hope this list has helped! It’s truly amazing how many options are out there but don’t be daunted by the task.
Remember what that special day is all about and it shouldn’t take you long to pin down a song that is most meaningful to you and your partner. Best of luck and happy dancing!
About the Author
Michelle graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelors of Arts ’13 and a Master of Arts ’14. She’s currently working in corporate America with a side of freelance writing. She wants you to learn from her experiences and mistakes so your 20s can be your best decade. When she’s not working, she’s likely planning her escape to a tropical island.
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