Choosing The Ultimate First Dance Song
Read our and the wedding industry experts' top tips for choosing the best first dance song for your wedding, including fun upbeat songs and romantic classics.
Read time:
6 minutes
The first dance is a pivotal moment at any wedding. The formalities are done and it's time for everyone to let their hair down on the dance floor. So choosing your first dance song is a big decision. You want a song that you love, that holds a secret (or not so secret) meaning to you both. Something you both feel comfortable dancing to and something that will create a magical moment you and your guests will treasure forever.
Slow, fast, old-school, cult movie classic - anything goes! Along with your help on Insta stories, we have compiled our top picks for the best first dance songs to suit all tastes. Head to our dedicated Spotify Playlist to hear them all in one place, and read on below to get some serious inspiration and top tips from the best in the wedding industry. Don't expect to see the expected John Legend or Ed Sheeran...
SLOW & ROMANTIC SONGS
A slow and romantic dance is a more traditional choice for a wedding, but it doesn't mean it has to be cheesy! A moment for you both to enjoy and savour, it's not often that we find ourselves enjoying a slow dance with the love of our lives! If you're going for a slow song, think outside the box and choose a song that's really going to create a magical and unique atmosphere.
Credit: Stuart Dudleston
Credit: First Light Photography
PARTY-STARTER SONGS
We LOVE this kind of first dance. The kind of dance where, as a guest, you're itching to join the fun of the dancefloor! Upbeat, fun, full of energy - the perfect way to set the tone for the dancefloor for the rest of the night.
We've chosen some of our favourite crowdpleasers from our Spotify Playlist (including a few from our own first dances!)
Credit: Alex Beckett
OLD SCHOOL CLASSICS
Old-School Classics - everyone loves these from your Bridesmaid to your Granny. A definitive 'can't go wrong' choice when picking your first dance song. We've chosen a few of our favourites from our Spotify Playlist.
MOVIE MOMENTS
Re-create iconic movie moves, or create your own, with these classic soundtrack songs. Full of fun and laughter, these are perfect for surprising your guests and getting the party going.
Here are our music tips that will turn your first dance into a movie moment:
GET INSPIRED
THE WEDDING EXPERTS' TIPS FOR THE FIRST DANCE SONG
We have also caught up with our industry friends, who have bestowed their wisdom. From choosing the perfect gown to addressing the finer details of the dancefloor, here are their top tips for making that first dance a truly unforgettable moment.
Credit: Joshua Tucker Photography
From Ceremony to Celebration
According to the wedding photographer, Ben Wigglesworth, the first dance is a great way to transition from the more formal elements of a wedding into the party atmosphere that by this stage the majority of wedding guests are craving for. There are so many different ways that a first dance can be done; from formal to choreographed to the very very casual. From a photographer's perspective, they all work beautifully when they tie in with the general style of the wedding and suit the couple.
Ben's advice is just to go with it, pick a song you both love and tie-in something at the end with a bang to encourage everyone to charge on the dance floor and join you! Lights, confetti canons, mass balloon drops, bridesmaids spraying champagne (?!) or just a big drop in the music all works so well!! Enjoy it and smile, the best photos are the ones where the couple are totally immersed in the moment.
"I think something upbeat and funny always works best for a first dance. My favourites are the ones that are unexpected and surprise all the guests. I also think that top-down lighting makes a huge difference on camera; it also makes the dance floor look great."
Dancing in Wedding Dress
One of the things Louise Selby gets asked the most, as a wedding dress designer, is how to hook up a train for that all-important first dance. "Everyone loves a train, but they can look messy when hooked up; why spoil the glamour when it is easy to rectify?"
Credit: Ailsa Reeve Photography
According to Louise, it is all about proportions—if your train is short, the loop should be a bit longer so that there is enough to drape when it is over your wrist, and if your train is very long, it should be shorter so that it doesn’t dangle too much. Long trains can have a couple of extra loops at the sides to scoop up any surplus. Louise advises avoiding the ruched, curtain look and making sure the loop is large enough to go over your wrist so your hand is free.
Credit: Matt Gutteridge
BEYOND CLASSICS
A wedding planner with nine years of experience under her belt, Susie Evans has seen a fair few first dances. And she has wisdom to share: "My first bit of advice is to choose a song that is unique to you, that actually has a meaning behind it. So often I see couples choosing a song from a list of top 10 first dance choices, rather than actually choosing a song that has a story behind it."
Susie recommends avoiding popular or traditional first dance songs, and reminds couples it doesn't have to be a love song! "If something like 'Stuck in the Middle With You' is your all-time favorite song and reflects you both, then go for it!"
She also emphasizes that with viral videos being so common these days, surprise dances are less surprising. If you want an element of surprise, Susie suggests considering a professionally choreographed dance or adding another element like a costume change.
MAKE IT PERSONAL
Lucy, the founder of House of Lemon music agency, emphasizes that picking the perfect first dance song is all about making it personal. She advises to choose a song that means something to you both, with lyrics that resonate and mean something to you. Lucy also recommends giving as much notice as possible to your band, in case they need a bit of extra time to learn your song.
Credit: Helen Abraham
"One of my favourite parts of a wedding is watching our bands perform the bride and groom's first dance. All of our bands are happy to learn a first dance song if they don't already know it, and even special versions if you have one that works with any choreography that you have worked on."
"A lot of couples normally really appreciate our advice on all the music for the night," says Laura Harvey, the director of SpinSisters, "but the one song they are certain of is the first dance, usually something that means something to them." The first dance can be a bit nerve-wracking for some couples, and so Laura would suggest you dance to it together a lot in the build-up to the wedding so on the day you feel more relaxed.
Couples could also consider getting their DJ to do a mashup of two or three of their favourite songs. According to Laura, this is a great way to add an element of surprise to a first dance (who doesn't love a mashup?). and a fun way to start with something a bit slower and build up to a floor-filler where all your guests can join in.
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE DETAILS
The first dance is the perfect moment for the newlyweds to get completely caught up in each other’s eyes and forget everyone is watching. Whether you’re planning something natural and romantic or upbeat and choreographed to surprise your guests, for Georgie Chenery from Luminaire Events the favourite touch is to add low fog to give the impression of dancing on the clouds.
She emphasizes that it’s so important to light your dance floor properly, this way the photographer can capture the magical moment without any awkward shadows. "Lighting really is key! We like to use soft, warm spotlights to gently light the couple. "
Credit: Ben Wigglesworth
Now that you've got the perfect first dance song picked out (thanks to our expert tips and top picks), why not keep the inspiration flowing? We've created the ultimate first dance song playlist on Spotify for you to enjoy—it's a mix of old-school classics, iconic movie moments, and modern hits.
In the midst of all the wedding planning? Don't forget to create your bespoke gift list with The Wedding Present Company.
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