Choosing Your First Dance Song (with 200+ suggestions!)

Your first dance song is probably the most memorable song of your life. It is the song that defines your relationship and introduces you as a married couple. All eyes will be on you and all ears will be awaiting a romantic lyric or sweet tune. Choosing this all-important song is no easy feat. But don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with selections from country to acoustic, from traditional to modern, so that all your guests leave the dance floor with a tear in their eye whispering, “That song was so them!”

Newer Country First Dance Song

Do you want your first dance song to be to a newer top 40 country song? If you’re a modern country girl or guy, these tunes will have you tapping your cowboy boots and dreaming of romantic summer days relaxing with your sweetie. Which country crooner makes you move? Take a look at our list below, or check out our YouTube playlist with all 40 songs!

Making Memories of Us – Keith Urban
Then – Brad Paisley
Bless The Broken Road – Rascal Flatts
Hey Pretty Girl – Kip Moore
Til My Last Dane – Justin Moore
Come A Little Closer – Dierks Bentley
Love Story – Taylor Swift
History in The Making – Darius Rucker
Marry Me – Martina McBride & Train
God Gave Me You – Blake Shelton
You Are – Jimmy Wayne
Love Your Love The Most – Eric Church
Lost In This Moment – Big & Rich
Belongs To You – Emerson Drive
When You Got A Good Thing – Lady Antebellum
Center Of My World – Chris Young
Inside Your Heaven – Carrie Underwood
All For You – Keith Urban
She’s Everything – Brad Paisley
I Melt – Rascal Flatts
Your Man – Josh Turner
I Love You This Big – Scotty McCreery
Wanted – Hunter Hayes
Here – Rascal Flatts
Wrapped Up In You – Garth Brooks
Whatever It Is – Zac Brown Band
Our – Taylor Swift
I Could Not Ask For More – Sara Evans
The One – Gary Allan
Makin’ Plans – Miranda Lambert
Oh Love – Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood
A Thousand Horses – Smoke
Somebody Like You – Keith Urban
This Love – Leann Rimes
I’ll Take Care of You – Dixie Chicks
Who I Am – Jessica Andrews
I’ll Wait For You – Joe Nichols
I Need You – Tim McGraw and Faith Hill
To Know Love – Little Big Town
Love Song – Miranda Lambert

Older Country First Dance Song

So perhaps you’re a little bit country, but you’re also a little bit old school. Perfect! Country artists have been belting out love songs since before you were born. One of these songs would make a great first dance song – especially for those with deep country roots. Which traditional country tune makes you melt?

Take a look at our list below or check out our YouTube Playlist with all 40 songs:

I’ll Still Be Loving You – Restless Heart
I Cross My Heart – George Strait
I Swear – John Michael Montgomery
Could I Have This Dance – Anne Murray
I Don’t Dance – Lee Brice
Amazed – Lonestar
It’s Your Love – Tim McGraw & Faith Hill
When You Say Nothing At All – Alison Krauss
Look At Us – Vince Gill
Cowboy Take Me Away – Dixie Chicks
I Believe In You – Don Williams
You Saved Me – Patty Loveless
If I Needed You – Townes Van Zandt
Forever and Ever, Amen – Randy Travis
When Love Finds You – Vince Gill
She Said Yes – Rhett Akins
Walk Through This World With Me – George Jones
Your Love Amazes Me – John Berry
Me And You – Kenny Chesney
Love Me Tender – Elvis Presley
To Make You Feel My Love – Garth Brooks
Love of My Life – Sammy Kershaw
Can’t Help Falling In Love With You – Elvis Presley
Grow Old With Me – Mary Chapin Carpenter
Your Everything – Keith Urban
Just You and I – Crystal Gayle and Eddie Rabbitt
From This Moment On – Shania Twain
You Had Me From Hello – Kenny Chesney
When I Said I Do – Clint Black & Lisa Hartman Black
Lady – Kenny Rogers
I Do (Cherish You) – Mark Wills
All My Life – Kenny Rogers
Forever’s As Far As I’ll Go – Alabama
I Do – Paul Brandt
Forever Love – Reba McEntire
My Best Friend – Tim McGraw
There You Are – Martina McBride
Go There With You – Steven Curtis Chapman
Pledging My Love – Emmylou Harris
I Was Meant To Be With You – Diamond Rio

Instrumental First Dance Song

Sometimes you just want your first dance to be about you and your new spouse without any lyrics getting in the way. Instrumental tunes are a great choice to set a romantic scene and help bring the focus back to where it should be. Check out the list below, from classical to instrumental covers, for a sweet melody that doesn’t need any words to express your love.

Check out our list below or check our YouTube Playlist:

A Thousand Years – Jun Sung Ahn violin cover
A Thousand Years – The Piano Guys
Iris – Vitamin String Quartet
Love Story – Vitamin String Quartet
Love Story – Wedding Piano
Beethoven’s 5 Secrets – The Piano Guys
Marry Me – Timothy Espinosa
My Heart Will Go On – James Horner
My Heart Will Go On – St. Martin’s Symphony of Los Angeles
Storybook Love (Princess Bride Theme) – Mark Knopfler
Romeo and Juliet Love Theme – Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Stay With Me – Vitamin String Quartet
Such Great Heights – The Section Quartet
Feels Like Home – Edwina Hayes
And I Love Her – United Guitar Players
With or Without You – 2Cellos
Light My Fire – Threeds
How To Save A Life – Piano Tribute Players
Open Arms – Scott D. Davis
Secrets – Dallas String Quartet
Forever – Josh Vietti
I Will Wait – 2Cellos
Love Me Like You Do – VioDance
Lay Me Down – Nicholas Yee
Your Song – Vitamin String Quartet
Hey There Delilah – Vitamin String Quartet
I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing – Vitamin String Quartet
Sweet Home Alabama – The Acoustic Guitar Troubadours
Hallelujah – Anders Widmark
Waltz No. 14 in E Minor – Wedding Piano
Trumpet Voluntary – Jeremiah Clarke
Sinfonia from Cantata, BWV 29 – Johann Sebastian Bach
Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major: Prelude, BWV 1007 – Johann Sebastian Bach
Prelude from Te Deum – Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Trois pièces brèves – Jacques Ibert
Abdelazer Suite: II. Rondeau – Henry Purcell
Water Music, Suite no 2, in D major – Händel
Rondeau from Sinfonies de fanfares – Jean-Joseph Mouret
Suite No. 3 in D major BWV 1068 – Johann Sebastian Bach
Prelude and Fugue in E-flat major – Johann Sebastian Bach

Contemporary Non-Country First Dance Song

If modern songs and radio hits better define your musical palette, check out the contenders for contemporary first dance songs below. Many of your favourite artists might surprise you with their sentimental lyrics perfect for a wedding day.

Check out our list below or view our YouTube Playlist:

All of Me – John Legend
She Keeps Me Warm – Mary Lambert
Marry You – Bruno Mars
Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
Marry Me – Train
Closer – Tegan & Sara
One and Only – Adele
Remedy – Adele
One Call Away – Charlie Puth
Over and Over Again – Nathan Sykes ft. Ariana Grande
Last Night On Earth – Green Day
Hold On – Michael Buble
XO – Beyonce
I Choose You – Sara Bareilles
I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz
How Long Will I Love You – Ellie Goulding
Latch – Disclosure ft. Sam Smith
Green Eyes – Cold Play
A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
Love On Top – Beyonce
You Are The Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne
I Think I’m In Love – Beck
I’ll Follow You Into The Dark – Death Cab For Cutie
True Love – Pink ft. Lily Allen
Lucky – Jason Mraz ft. Colbie Caillat
Home – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes
Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay
Coming Home – Leon Bridges
Run, Run, Run – Kelly Clarkson ft. John Legend
If I Ain’t Got You – Alicia Keys
Just The Way You Are – Bruno Mars
Everything – Michael Buble
Crazy In Love – Beyonce ft. Jay Z
You Got The Love – Florence + The Machine
Run – Leona Lewis
Still Into You – Paramore
Love – Matt White
Home – Phillip Phillips
You and I – Ingrid Michaelson
Better Together – Jack Johnson
I Get to Love you – Ruelle
Joseph Pfeifer – My Heart is Yours

Older Non-Country Song

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! There’s a reason these classic first dance songs are still being played by modern couples. Throw it back to your parents’ day and age with an oldie but a goodie. Which traditional first dance song perfectly sums up your forever?

Check out our list below, or view the videos in our YouTube playlist:

1) Faithfully – Journey
2) Open Arms – Journey
3) Tiny Dancer – Elton John
4) Your Song – Elton John
5) In Your Eyes – Peter Gabriel
6) Truly, Madly, Deeply – Savage Garden
7) Because You Loved Me – Celine Dion
8) Someone Like You – Van Morrison
9) The Best of Times – Styx
10) Feeling Good – Nina Simone
11) Nothing Can Change This Love – Sam Cooke
12) Make You Feel My Love – Bob Dylan
13) It Had To Be You – Frank Sinatra
14) Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
15) I’ll Be There – Jackson 5
16) All I Want Is You – U2
17) What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
18) Stand By Me – John Lennon
19) Everywhere – Fleetwood Mac
20) Songbird – Fleetwood Mac
21) That’s How Strong My Love Is – Otis Redding
22) These Arms of Mine – Otis Redding
23) Unforgettable – Nat King Cole
24) Song for The Asking – Simon and Garfunkel
25) Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
26) At Last – Etta James
27) The Way You Look Tonight – Tony Bennet
28) Let’s Do It – Ella Fitzgerald
29) I’ll Cover You – Rent (The Musical)
30) As The World Falls Down – David Bowie
31) That’s All – Nat King Cole
32) Harvest Moon – Neil Young
33) La Vie En Rose – Louis Armstrong
34) Blackbird – The Beatles
35) When I’m 64 – The Beatles
36) Hallelujah – Ray Charles
37) Could I Have This Dance – Anne Murray
38) You Are The Sunshine Of My Life – Stevie Wonder
39) You and I – Stevie Wonder
40) By Your Side – Sade

Acoustic First Dance Song

The first dance is the perfect time to slow it down with a heartfelt minimalist acoustic tune. See below for a list of acoustic originals and covers that aren’t afraid to get romantic. Which one of these stripped down songs will you and your sweetie be swaying to?

Take a look at the list below of check out some of the songs in our YouTube playlist:

1) You and Me – You+Me
2) You Are In Love – Mackenzie Johnson
3) Wonderwall – Ryan Adams
4) I Was Made For You – She and Him
5) L.O.V.E. – Joss Stone
6) Angel – Jack Johnson
7) I Want To Grow Old With You – Adam Sandler
8) Forever – Ben Harper
9) XO – John Mayer
10) Stay With Me – Angus & Julia Stone
11) Better Together – Us the Duo
12) We Found Love – Boyce Avenue
13) Happy – Skylar Stecker
14) Imagine – Jack Johnson
15) 500 Miles – Haley and Michaels
16) Heaven – Brandi Carlile
17) All of Me – Boyce Avenue
18) Electric Love – Madilyn Bailey
19) Your Song – Ellie Goulding
20) Can’t Help Falling In Love With You – Hailey Reinhart
21) Crazy In Love – Daniela Andrade
22) Yours Forever – Dara Maclean
23) We Found Love – Tyler Ward
24) Paris In June – Johnnyswim
25) Room – Jillian Edwards
26) The Girl – City and Colour
27) Conversations With Stars – Brightwood
28) Oh Darling – Plug In Stereo
29) Easy to Love – Ivan and Alyosha
30) Wings (Acoustic) – Birdy
31) I See Love – Passenger
32) Can’t Help Falling In Love – Ingrid Michaelson
33) Somewhere Only We Know – Lily Allen
34) My Love (Acoustic) – Jess Glynne
35) Is This Love – Allen Stone
36) Let’s Stay Together – Duan and Only
37) You Are The Sunshine of My Life – Macy Gray
38) Heaven – Boyce Avenue ft. Megan Nicole
39) Hallelujah – Kate Voegele
40) Kindly Unspoken – Kate Voegele