As you plan your wedding you will have to choose songs/select music for various parts of the wedding. As a bandleader I am always asked to recommend songs for the bride and groom’s first dance as husband and wife. They also ask about parent dance songs, bridal entrance music and music to be played while the bride and groom cut their wedding cake. There are the popular songs and the ones that may raise your eyebrow and say, “that’s cool!” Below you will find many song recommendations on several song lists:
1) Bride and groom’s first dance
2) Parent dances: Bride’s dance with dad & Groom’s dance with mom
3) Bridal entrance song
4) Cake cutting song
Before you get married you will have a chance to choose your first dance song. This is the song you dance to with your spouse for the first time as husband and wife. There are many considerations:
Are you going to take dance lessons?
Do you have a song that has special meaning to both of you?
Will you choose a contemporary song (Ed Sheerin, Adele) or a traditional song (Frank Sinatra/Tony Bennett)?
Considering the length of the song, do you want to dance the whole song alone or add the guests in the middle of the song?
We have compiled this list from hundreds of weddings we have performed at. It is as varied as the brides and grooms we have played for. There are songs from a variety of artists ranging from Taylor Swift to James Brown, Michael Buble to Keith Urban, Elvis Presley to Sade and The Goo Goo Dolls to Camera Obscura. It’s your wedding and anything goes.
1) First Dance Songs
1,2,3,4 – Plain White T’s
Always – standard
Always & Forever – Heat Wave
Amazed – Lonestar
As Time Goes By – Casablanca Movie Soundtrack
At Last – Etta Jame
Beautiful In My Eyes – Joshua Cadison
Best Is Yet To Come – Frank Sinatra
Better Together – Jack Johnson
By Your Side – Sade
Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley
Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You – Frankie Valli/Lauren Hill
Close Your Eyes – Michael Buble
Come To Me – Goo Goo Dolls
Could I Have This Dance – Anne Murray
Crazy Love – Van Morrison
Endless Love – Lionel Richie
Everlasting Love – Natalie Cole
Everything – Michael Buble
Everything I Do – Bryan Adams
Fly Me To The Moon – Frank Sinatra
From This Moment On – Shania Twain
Have I Told You Lately – Morrison/Stewart
Here & Now – Luther Vandross
I Could Not Ask For More – Edwin McCain
I Finally Found Someone – Streisand/Adams
I Got You Babe – Sonny & Cher
I Love How You Love Me – Camera Obscura
I Only Have Eyes For You – standard
I Will – Beatles
I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz
I’ll Be There – The Jacksons/Mariah Carey
I’ve Got You Under My Skin – Frank Sinatra
Just The Way You Are – Billy Joel
L.O.V.E. – Nat ‘King’ Cole
Love Me Tender – Elvis Presley/Norah Jones
Love Story – Taylor Swift
(Our) Love Is Here To Stay – Ella Fitzgerald/Louie Armstrong
Lucky – Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat
(The) Luckiest – Ben Folds
Make You Feel My Love – B Joel, Adele
Making Memories of Us – Keith Urban
Marry Me – Tran
My One and Only Love – John Coltrane
One In A Million You – Larry Graham
Nothing Can Change This Love – Sam Cooke
Perfect – Ed Sheerin
Power of Love – Celine Dion
Sea Of Love – The Honeydrippers
Something About The Way You Look Tonight – Elton John
Sunshine of My Life – Stevie Wonder
Stand By Me – The Drifters
Thank You – Led Zeppelin
That’s How Strong My Love Is – Otis Redding
That’s Where It’s At – Sam Cooke
These Are The Days – Van Morrison
Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheerin
True Companion – Marc Cohn
Try Me – James Brown
Unforgettable – N. Cole
Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra
Whatever It Is – Zac Brown Band
Wonder of You – Elvis Presley
You Are So Beautiful – Joe Cocker
You Are The Best Thing – Ray LaMontagne
Your Smiling Face – James Taylor
Your Song – Elton John
You’re All I Need To Get By – Marvin Gaye
You’re My Best Friend – Queen
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When you go over your music ideas, song list and details of your wedding with your bandleader or DJ, he/she will ask you about parent dance songs. Part of the ceremony or formality of a wedding reception is for the bride and groom to dance with their parents – the bride dances with her dad (father/daughter dance) and the groom dances with his mom (mother/son dance). There are exceptions to this as when a parent is deceased. In that case, an aunt or uncle or a brother or sister sometimes is a comforting substitute. Below are some suggestions for parent dance songs. In some cases the gender is obvious as in “My Girl” by The Temptations or “Father Daughter” by Paul Simon. Some songs you just have to listen to or read the lyrics to make that determination. Other songs are gender neutral such as “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. It’s always a good idea to speak to your bandleader or DJ to find out if he/she has some favorites.
Father/Daughter Dance & Mother/Son Dance Songs (Parent Dance Songs)
Because You Loved Me – Celine Dion
Bless The Broken Road – Rascal Flatts
Butterfly Kisses – Bob Carlyle
Can You Feel The Love Tonight – Elton John
Child of Mine – Carol King
Cinderella – Steven Curtis Chapman
Could I Have This Dance – Anne Murray
Daddy’s Little Girl – Al Martino
Father and Daughter – Paul Simon
Fly Me To The Moon – Frank Sinatra
Forever Young – Bob Dylan
Forever Young – Rod Stewart
Greatest Love of All – Whitney Houston/George Benso
Have I Told You Lately – Van Morrison/Rod Stewart
I Am Your Child – Barry Manilow
I Hope You Dance – LeAnn Womack
I Just Called To Say I Love You – Stevie Wonder
I Loved Her First – Heartland
I Will – The Beatles
I’ll Be There – The Jacksons/Mariah Carey
I’ve Got You Under My Skin – Frank Sinatra
In My Life – The Beatles
Isn’t She Lovely – Stevie Wonder
Just The Way You Are – Billy Joel
Kind And Generous – Natalie Merchant
Lean On Me – Bill Withers
LOVE – Nat ‘King’ Cole
Lovely Day – Bill Withers
Love Is Here To Stay – Ella Fitzgerald/Louis Armstrong
Lullabye – Billy Joel
Mama – Boyz II Men
My Girl – The Temptations
My Little Girl – Steve Kirwin
My Little Girl – Tim McGraw
My Wish – Rascal Flatts
Something About The Way You Look Tonight – Elton John
Stand By Me – The Drifters
Sunrise Sunset – Fiddler On The Roof
Sunshine of My Life – Stevie Wonder
Thank Heaven For Little Girls – Maurice Chivalier
Through The Years – Kenny Rogers
Times of Your Life – Paul Anka
Unforgettable – N. Cole
Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra
What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
Wind Beneath My Wings – Bette Midler
You Are My Special Angel – Bobby Helms
You Are So Beautiful – Joe Cocker
You Raise Me Up – Josh Groban
You’ll Be In My Heart – Phil Collins
Your Smiling Face – James Taylor
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At some weddings the entire bridal party is introduced that includes parents, bridesmaids, groomsmen, maid (or matron) of honor and best man. So, the question that is always asked is; “How many songs do we need to choose?” That answer may depend on how many people are being introduced.
I have found the two best ways to handle this is;
1) Choose a song for the entire bridal party and then a second song for the bride and groom, or…
2) Choose one song. Play the verse of the song for the bridal party and save the chorus for the bride and groom.
Bridal Party Entrance Music
All Night Long – Lionel Richie
Apache (Jump On It) – Sugarhill Gang
Beautiful Day – U2
Best Day of My Life – American Authors
Bittersweet Symphony – The Verve
Bring Em Out – T.I.
Can’t Turn You Loose – Blues Brothers
Crazy In Love – Beyonce
Dance The Night Away – Van Halen
Enter Sandman – Metallica
Everlasting Love – U2/Gloria Estefan
Get Ready For This – 2 Unlimited
Get The Party Started – Pink
Get Up Offa That Thing – James Brown
Good Times – Chic
Highway To Hell – AC/DC
Holiday – Madonna
I Got You (I Feel Good) – James Brown
Let’s Get Loud – J-Lo
Let’s Get It Started – Black Eyed Peas
Life Is Better With You – Michael Franti
Love Train – The O’Jays
Marry You – Bruno Mars
My First My Last, My Everything – Barry
Party in the USA – Miley Cyrus
Raise Your Glass – Pink
Right Now – Van Halen
Rock and Roll All Night – Kiss
Rock & Roll Part II – Gary Glitter
Rock You Like A Hurricane – Scorpions
Say Hey – – Michael Franti & Spearhead
Sexy and I Know It – LMFAO
Sexyback – Justin Timberlake
Signed Sealed Delivered – Stevie Wonder
Simply The Best – Tina Turner
Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns N Roses
Teenage Dream – Katy Perry
The Way You Look Tonight – Sinatra
Thunderstruck – AC/DC
Walking on Sunshine –Katrina/The Waves
Where The Streets Have No Name – U2
You’re My Best Friend – Queen
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Song suggestions while the bride and groom cut their wedding cake
Cake Cutting songs
1,2,3,4 – Plain White T’s
All of Me – John Legend
Best Day of My Life – American Authors
Better Together – Jack Johnson
Brown Sugar – Rolling Stones
Cake By The Ocean – DNCE
Grow Old With You – Adam Sandler
Cuts Like A Knife – Bryan Adams
Happy Together – The Turtles
Here Comes The Sun – The Beatles
Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
How Sweet It Is – James Taylor/Marvin
I Do – Colbie Caillat
I Got You Babe – Sonny & Cher
Ice Cream – Sarah McLachlan
Just The Way You Are – Billy Joel
Life Is Better With You – Michael Franti & Spearhead
LOVE – Nat ‘King’ Cole
Love and Marriage – Frank Sinatra
Love Song – Sara Bareilles
Love Story – Taylor Swift
Marry Me – Train
Marry You – Bruno Mars
Meant To Be – Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgie Line
My Best Friend – Tim McGraw
One Way or Another – Blondie
Perfect – Ed Sheerin
Pour Some Sugar On Me – Def Leppard
Say Hey – Michael Franti & Spearhead
Sugar – Maroon 5
Sugar Pie Honey Bunch – The Four Tops
Sugar Sugar – The Archies
Sweet Emotion – Aerosmith
Sweetest Thing – U2
Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheerin
This Love – Maroon 5
This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) – Natalie Cole
Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
When I’m 64 – The Beatles
You and Me – Dave Matthews Band
You’re My Best Friend – Queen
Bands DJs Strings Lighting 