The first dance song for your wedding day will be something you remember forever. No matter when you hear that song, it will instantly take you back to that moment on the dance floor when you first danced together as a married couple. Choosing the right one should make you smile for many, many years!
But, how do you choose the right one?! For many couples, there are lots of songs that they love, but choosing the one that really relates to your relationship is the key to choosing a great first dance song.
Make It Fun
Here’s a fun date-night activity; a bottle of wine and a good list. Sit down together, but each make your own list. Set a time limit, and go!
Things to think about:
- The song that was playing on your first date
- What song defines a strong memory of when you first fell in love?
- Special lyrics that give you all the feels
- A romantic song you have always loved
- How about a song from a TV show you both love?
- Childhood songs that evoke strong memories of love and comfort. Think Disney!
Then, once you both have your list, compare and look for:
- Are there any songs that you both included?
- Do you have similar genres of music on the list?
- Are there multiple songs of an artist you both love?
- Are there unconventional songs you feel define who you are as a couple?
Ask Friends and Family What their First Dance Song Was
It can be fun to find out the songs that your parents and your relatives danced to! “Color My World” was a great song in the seventies, and maybe you want to bring it back, old school style!
Or maybe, there’s a newer version of an oldie but a goodie you can choose that ties the story of your relationship together. Even if you don’t end up considering the choices, crowd-sourcing information like this is always good for a laugh, to discover your “hard nos,” and to reminisce about great music. We believe that music really does bring people together!
Think of Songs that Tell Your Story
Were you high school sweethearts? Star-crossed lovers, who met again and found each other? No matter what you’ve been through, there’s a song for that! Some of them may be songs you’ve never heard before, so do a search and spend some time listening to tunes.
Live performances and musical scores can also be great inspirations for a wedding dance song. A song does not have to be “popular” to be perfect. If the lyrics resonate with you and your relationship, that’s all you need.
What’s the Theme of Your Wedding?
Sometimes a song wins out because it just fits the tone of the wedding. If you’re both big-time Star Wars fans, then there is nothing that will delight your friends and family more if your first dance is Yoda’s Theme.
A first dance song does not have to be traditional to be awesome and memorable!
Consider the Length and Style of the Dance
Maybe you both love Latin music, but you’re not ones for doing the Tango on your wedding day in front of your guests. Instead, choose a song that has Latin influences or beats but is still easy to dance to.
Also, consider the length of the song. For example, Israel Kamakawiwo Ole’s version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is 4 minutes and 51 seconds long. That’s a LONG time to be on the dance floor with all eyes on you!
A good rule of thumb for most people is songs in the 2-3 minute range. If you love a particular song that is longer, our wedding DJs are happy to customize it for you to shorten the length, so you still get the song you love without the awkwardness of being in the spotlight for too long.
Let’s Talk About Tempo
There is no rule that a first dance must be a slow dance. While many of our couples do choose a romantic love song, it’s not everyone’s vibe. If you love an upbeat song, don’t discard it from the list because it’s not a classic wedding song!
Practice with a few songs you love in the living room. How do you feel when you dance together? Does it feel fun, romantic, and make you want to hit the dance floor together? If it does, it’s a winner, and go ahead and make it your own.
The Role of Your Wedding DJ
Our Sound By Design wedding DJs are there to make your night memorable, start to finish, and that starts before your wedding by helping you choose the right music for your first dance!
If you’re struggling with what would work best for you for your first dance song, consider us your resource for discovering the perfect first dance song for your wedding.
We’ve done some searching for you, filling up our Spotify playlist with over 150 great first dance songs. We’re always adding to this list, and we bet there are some on there that you’ve not considered that will have you both saying, “Oh, I love that song!”
Discover Great First Dance Songs Sound By Design Loves
Curated Dance Songs for Every Part of your Day
We didn’t just stop at compiling the perfect songs for the first dance, though. We’ve got lists of great songs for every part of your day! Our wedding collections list has music for the mother and son dance, father and daughter dance, cocktail hour music, grand march music, the epic last song of the night, and more.
The Best Wedding Day Playlists EVER
Your Personal Music Portal
Each one of our clients gets their custom music portal designed just for them. Inside you’ll find all the songs we’ve discussed, some your DJ knows will rock your world, and you can add your favorite songs as well. Save the tunes to listen to them whenever you want to relive your epic wedding day.
20+ Years and We’re Not Done Rocking Milwaukee’s Weddings
When you hire a Sound By Design DJ, you’re hiring an expert in wedding entertainment. We meet with all of our couples one-on-one to understand who you are as a couple and what your musical tastes are. We’ll handpick the perfect professional DJ not only to play the perfect tunes but to be the Master of Ceremonies to keep your day running smoothly.
Your DJ will take care of everything, reading the room, taking requests, and making sure you and your guests are having a great time. We use nothing but top-notch equipment and lighting to ensure that your day looks and feels amazing.
Did we mention our DJs are not only professional but super fun people to be around? We think you have to be to DJ the best day of people’s lives. Every one of our DJs is highly vetted to ensure that our service lives up to the stellar reputation that Sound By Design has in the industry.
With thousands of weddings under our belt in Southeastern Wisconsin, you can count on Sound By Design to bring the party. All you have to do is show up and dance!
Getting married in Milwaukee and looking for Wisconsin’s most sophisticated and modern DJ services?
Let us help you throw the biggest party of your life!
