First Dance Songs for the Bride and Groom

The hunt for the perfect first dance song is enough to give anyone sweaty palms. But if you choose one that is meaningful to you, and makes you happy, that first dance will go swimmingly.

First, you'll want to decide how fast or uptempo of a first dance song you want. Most people choose something relatively slow with a 4/4 beat, because that's the easiest to dance to. Put on a few random tunes and dance in your living room to see what feels right.

Next, think about what music is especially meaningful to you. Was there music playing the first time you kissed, or when you got engaged? Are there lyrics that instantly make one of you think of the other? Is there a passage of music that always makes your heart swell? If your parents have a happy marriage, maybe you want to dance to the same music they did?

If asking these questions still doesn't lead you to that one perfect selection, don't worry: Plenty of couples don't have "their song" until they choose a first dance song. Instead, spend some time considering how you'd describe your love, and then seek lyrics and music that fit that description. If you've already chosen wedding readings, you might see themes about fidelity, trust, magic, or purity of love that can help you find a fitting first dance song.

It might take a little time to find the perfect first dance song, but the good news is that you can have lots of fun doing so.

You can also consult your vendors - your wedding band or DJ most likely has suggestions for you in their repertoire.

If you're having trouble coming up with a song, here's a list of popular first dance songs.

• "You Are My First, My Last, My Everything" (Barry White)
  
  
• "Take My Breath Away" (Berlin)
  
  
• "The Rose" (Bette Midler)
  
  
• "Our Love Is Here To Stay" (Billie Holiday)
  
  
• "Just The Way You Are" (Billy Joel)
  
  
• "She's Got A Way" (Billy Joel)
  
  
• "We've Got Tonight" (Bob Seger)
  
  
• "You Are My Special Angel" (Bobby Helms)
  
  
• "If" (Bread)
  
  
• "Everything I Own" (Bread)
  
  
• "Heaven" (Bryan Adams)
  
  
• "True Love Ways" (Buddy Holly)
  
  
• "Tonight And Forever" (Carly Simon)
  
  
• "You're The Inspiration" (Chicago)
  
  
• "Lady In Red" (Chris DeBurgh)
  
  
• "Longer" (Dan Fogelberg)
  
  
• "Endless Love" (Diana Ross & Lionel Richie)
  
  
• "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" (Elton John)
  
  
• "Friends" (Elton John)
  
  
• "The One" (Elton John)
  
  
• "Your Song" (Elton John)
  
  
• "Can't Help Falling In Love" (Elvis Presley)
  
  
• "Always" (Erasure)
  
  
• "At Last" (Etta James)
  
  
• "Let It Be Me" (Everly Brothers)
  
  
• "Songbird" (Fleetwood Mac)
  
  
• "The Best Is Yet To Come" (Frank Sinatra)
  
  
• "The Way You Look Tonight" (Frank Sinatra)
  
  
• "If I Loved You" (from Carousel)
  
  
• "As Time Goes By" (from Casablanca)
  
  
• "Some Enchanted Evening" (from South Pacific)
  
  
• "Somewhere" (from West Side Story)
  
  
• "Love Theme To Romeo & Juliet" (from Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet)
  
  
• "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" (Glenn Medeiros)
  
  
• "Here We Are" (Gloria Estefan)
  
  
• "Beautiful" (Gordon Lightfoot)
  
  
• "It Had To Be You" (Harry Connick, Jr.)
  
  
• "So This Is Love" (James Ingram)
  
  
• "Up Where We Belong" (Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warrens)
  
  
• "You Are So Beautiful" (Joe Cocker)
  
  
• "Woman" (John Lennon)
  
  
• "I Swear" (John Michael Montgomery)
  
  
• "Chances Are" (Johnny Mathis)
  
  
• "Beautiful In My Eyes" (Joshua Kadison)
  
  
• "So In Love" (k.d. lang)
  
  
• "Don't Know Much" (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville)
  
  
• "What A Wonderful World" (Louis Armstrong)
  
  
• "Here And Now" (Luther Vandross)
  
  
• "Dream A Little Dream" (Mamas & the Papas)
  
  
• "Hero" (Mariah Carey)
  
  
• "Grow Old With Me" (Mary Chapin Carpenter)
  
  
• "Embraceable You" (Nat King Cole)
  
  
• "Unforgettable" (Nat King Cole)
  
  
• "When I Fall In Love" (Nat King Cole)
  
  
• "Marry Me" (Neil Diamond & Buffy Lawson)
  
  
• "When A Man Loves A Woman" (Percy Sledge)
  
  
• "After All" (Peter Cetera & Cher)
  
  
• "Glory Of Love" (Peter Cetera)
  
  
• "Wedding Song (There is Love)" (Petula Clark)
  
  
• "Perhaps Love" (Placido Domingo & John Denver)
  
  
• "Forever and Ever, Amen" (Randy Travis)
  
  
• "You Are the Everything" (R.E.M.)
  
  
• "I Can't Fight This Feeling Anymore" (R.E.O. Speedwagon)
  
  
• "Unchained Melody" (Righteous Brothers)
  
  
• "Tonight I Celebrate My Love For You" (Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson)
  
  
• "Truly, Madly, Deeply" (Savage Garden)
  
  
• "Kiss From A Rose" (Seal)
  
  
• "Dreaming Of You" (Selena)
  
  
• "From This Moment" (Shania Twain & Brian White)
  
  
• "You're Still The One" (Shania Twain)
  
  
• "If I Never Knew You" (Shanice Wilson & John Secada)
  
  
• "True" (Spandau Ballet)
  
  
• "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" (Stevie Wonder)
  
  
• "I Believe (When I Fall in Love)" (Stevie Wonder)
  
  
• "Ma Cherie Amour" (Stevie Wonder)
  
  
• "Give a Little Bit" (Supertramp)
  
  
• "Eternal Flame" (The Bangles)
  
  
• "I Will" (The Beatles)
  
  
• "In My Life" (The Beatles)
  
  
• "Something" (The Beatles)
  
  
• "We've Only Just Begun" (The Carpenters)
  
  
• "In The Still of the Night" (The Five Satins)
  
  
• "I Only Have Eyes For You" (The Flamingos)
  
  
• "A Groovy Kind Of Love" (The Mindbenders)
  
  
• "Oh, How The Years Go By" (Vanessa Williams)
  
  
• "Will You Marry Me?" (Vonda Shepard)
  
  
• "Hold Me" (Whitney Houston & Teddy Pendergrass)
  
  
• "One Moment In Time" (Whitney Houston)