This Year’s Top 40 Wedding First Dance Songs

Are you and your partner struggling to decide on a song for your first dance? Look no further than this blog, for we have the answers you desire! Within this text, you will find 40 of the best songs suited specifically for this once in a lifetime opportunity to love your partner... Through song and dance.

The songs selected are split into 4 categories; old but gold, movie based, upbeat tunes, and romantic symphonies - each a different genre to suit your tastes and all can be peformed live when you hire one of our professional wedding bands.

The first dance is one of the highlights of a wedding, where the couple dance together for the first time in front of their friends and family, then to encourage the rest of the guests to take to the dance floor. Depending on how you view it, the themes can vary from romantic, intimate, upbeat, lively, inspirational... You get the gist. However all first dances have one thing in common - they evoke emotion in not only the newly weds, but the guests too. It is not just an honour express the love two people share through a dance, but it is also an honour for the guests to bask in the love of their close friends/family.

Yes, the right dress, the right suit, or the right lighting is incredibly important, but the biggest part to play during a first dance is - you guessed it - the music! The tune that is selected will ultimately set the theme and tone for the couple... So which song to pick?

We know that the song choice can be crucially significant in order to present or fit the desired theme of the wedding, and the chosen song can also signify the relationship between a married couple. This is why we take wedding music seriously, and want to provide you with the best possible potential track choices for the very special first dance. The first dance is a unique moment in time that will be forever cherished, and the song associated with this moment will always take the couple back every time it is listened to - so lets make it a good one!

Old but Gold - Well known and classic hits:

If you and your partner are looking for a blast from the past to solidify the setting for the first dance, choose one of these songs:

1. Can’t Help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley (1961)
   
   
   
   
   
2. Can You Feel The Love Tonight - Elton John (1994)
   
   
   
   
   
3. My Heart Will Go On - Céline Dion (1995)
   
   
   
   
   
4. Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra (1964)
   
   
   
   
   
5. Be My Baby - The Ronettes (1963)
   
   
   
   
   
6. I Only Have Eyes For You - The Flamingos (1959)
   
   
   
   
   
7. Isn’t She Lovely - Stevie Wonder (1976)
   
   
   
   
   
8. Lay All Your Love On Me - ABBA (1980)
   
   
   
   
   
9. What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong (1967)
   
   
   
   
   
10. Come and Get Your Love - Redbone (1973)
    
    
    
    
    

Movie Based - Reminisce with your favourite soundtracks:

If the newly weds would like to take inspiration from a favourite movie/tv show, these pieces are for them:

1. A Thousand Years - Christina Perry (2011)
   Features in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2
   
   
   
   
   
2. Turning Page - Sleeping at Last (2011)
   Features in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1
   
   
   
   
   
3. War of Hearts - Ruelle (2019)
   Features in Shadowhunters
   
   
   
   
   
4. Once Upon a Dream - cover by Lana Del Rey (2014), original by Mary Costa & Bill Shirley (1959)
   Features in Maleficent
   
   
   
   
   
5. You’re The One That I Want - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John (1978)
   Features in Grease
   
   
   
   
   
6. Flower of the Universe - Sade (2018)
   Features in A Wrinkle in Time
   
   
   
   
   
7. O Children - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (2004)
   Features in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
   
   
   
   
   
8. A Million Dreams - Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams & Ziv Zaifman (2017)
   Features in The Greatest Showman
   
   
   
   
   
9. Flightless Bird, American Mouth - Iron & Wine (2007)
   Features in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1
   
   
   
   
   
10. Take My Breath Away - Berlin (1986)
    Features in Top Gun
    
    
    
    
    

Upbeat Tunes - Get the party started with these songs:

If romantic, slow, traditional music is not your style, but lively, upbeat music is more to your taste, these are the tracks will maintain a warm, harmonious, and joyous feel:

1. Puppy Princess - Hot Freaks (2013)
   
   
   
   
   
2. We Found Love - Calvin Harris ft. Rhianna (2011)
   
   
   
   
   
3. Electric Love - Børns (2015)
   
   
   
   
   
4. Paper Rings - Taylor Swift (2019)
   
   
   
   
   
5. I Hear a Symphony - Cody Fry (2017)
   
   
   
   
   
6. Rock Your Body - Justin Timberlake (2002)
   
   
   
   
   
7. Sugar - Robin Schulz ft. Francesco Yates (2015)
   
   
   
   
   
8. Crazy On You - Heart (1975)
   
   
   
   
   
9. A Sky Full of Stars - Coldplay (2014)
   
   
   
   
   
10. Marry You - Bruno Mars (2010)
    
    
    
    
    

Romantic Symphonies - Capture the essence of your love perfectly:

These songs are the classic hits to listen to and immediately think “love”, which is perfect for a couple who values their connection more than anything:

1. Yellow - Coldplay (2000)
   
   
   
   
   
2. All of Me - John Legend (2013)
   
   
   
   
   
3. Je te laisserai des mots - Patrick Watson (2010)
   
   
   
   
   
4. The Night We Met - Lord Huron (2015)
   
   
   
   
   
5. Perfect - Ed Sheeran (2017)
   
   
   
   
   
6. Dandelions - Ruth B (2017)
   
   
   
   
   
7. Golden Hour - JVKE (2023)
   
   
   
   
   
8. Only - RY X (2016)
   
   
   
   
   
9. Video Games - Lana Del Rey (2012)
   
   
   
   
   
10. Somewhere Only We Know - cover by Lily Allen (2013), original by Keane (2004)
    
    
    
    
    

After reading this blog, dont feel restricted - we arent forcing you to choose one of these songs. The options are unlimited, varying from lyric to lyric, tune to tune, genre to genre, time to time - unless youre absolutely hooked on one of these hits already, please feel inclined and encouraged to seek out the song that feels right for both you and your partner. Additionally, please feel free to be open-minded with your options; you could hire a band to perform the song, write your own song, or maybe even ask a friend or family member to give their best Hollywood performance at your wedding!

If you’re feeling stuck on any other aspects of your wedding, click here for other blogs on our website to help with any issues you may have regarding any components - we have all the solutions!

In the meantime...

Final Tips for Selecting a Song:

It should be a song that is important to the couples relationship - the first dance signifies the love they share, and hence should the song.
Make sure the song and the choreography match - it won’t feel right if you’re doing the salsa to What a Wonderful World!

Finally, enjoy the moment - this is the most important factor!