How To Select The Perfect First Dance Song:
- Kay Moorcroft
- Jun 3
- 4 min read
“The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers.” — Roy Ayers
Performing a first dance song is a truly special honour, it is a moment of pure love and joy between newlyweds where all eyes are on you. Because of this special attention, it may feel like quite an overwhelming task to select the perfect first dance song. With my many years of experience and expertise, I am here to make this process stress free, starting with this guide that is designed to offer you a helping hand.
Top 5 Most Popular First Dance Songs:
Depending on you and your fiance’s music tastes, the best place to start is by doing a simple Google search. There are thousands of beautiful musical choices for you to consider for this intimate moment.
The songs below represent a mix of classic and modern choices.They are all songs that are well-loved and resonate with couples looking for a special way to start their wedding celebration.
Click the song name below to listen!
‘’A Thousand Years’’ by Christina Perri - This song is a modern classic, known for its heartfelt lyrics and romantic melody.
“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran - This song is known for its romantic lyrics and smooth tempo.
“All of Me” by John Legend - This song beautifully expresses the depth of love and commitment.
“At Last” by Etta James - This song is a timeless classic, this song embodies the joy and excitement of a wedding day.
“Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley - This iconic song is a beloved choice for its simple yet powerful lyrics. Not to mention the super popular female covers by Hailey Reinhart and Kina Grannis!
My Favourite First Dance Songs from our Repertoire:
As a professional wedding performer with a love of all music, I am able to cover a wide variety of songs and genres that can be found on my repertoire list. (and beyond the list!)
However, the songs below are my personal favourites to perform, they create an intimate experience for couples and have the perfect rhythm and melody for a traditional slow first dance.
‘’At Last’’ by Etta James.
“Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley.
“Your Song” by Ellie Goulding.
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley.
“Kodaline” by The One.
To listen to my cover of some of the songs above watch this video on my Youtube channel. Or visit our videos page here >> Videos
Selecting The Perfect Song for You:
Now that you have read through both the most popular songs and my personal favourites, hopefully it has started to give you an idea of possible songs.
The perfect first dance song should be unique and memorable to you as a couple. So I want you to think back to a time in your relationship that music has been a part of. The song's connection to you could be its meaningful lyrics, perhaps a special memory that reminds you of each other, or simply a song you both love!
Whether it was a song playing in the pub where you had your first date, the song you slow-danced to for the first time, or even a song you danced about like teenagers to in the kitchen. The most important thing to know is that there is no wrong choice! Whether you choose a song to slow-dance to or prefer something more lively and upbeat, the choice is entirely yours, whatever feels right to you as a couple - no matter what anyone thinks. It is your special day so choose something that truly represents you both.
Found your song?
Now you have a song in mind, my next piece of advice is to clear a space in your living room, grab your partner and crank it up on a speaker. The best way to test whether the song is “the one” is to play around with it and try dancing to it; It’s not about being a great dancer, it’s about what feels right or means the most. :)
What if I’m shy?
Most people we meet are super shy about having all eyes on them and generally they will call everyone up onto the dancefloor after the first verse or so, if that sounds like you, don’t panic! You won’t be on your own for long if that’s what you prefer!
Failing that - there’s always dance lessons! :-D
What's Next?
Once you have decided on your first dance song, the next step is to get in touch and let me know so we can get rehearsing asap! Don’t worry if it’s not already in our setlist! We’re happy to learn something new for you!
It’s important to note that there are a very select few songs that I won’t do. This will either be because there isn’t a right key that works for me vocally, or because the instrumentation in the background of the original song simply won’t sound like the vibe you want if it was to change to an acoustic version, however I will guide you the whole way and there is always a way to make it work for you! :)
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