First Dance Songs

I'm often asked what songs work best for a first dance at a wedding. It is of course a very personal decision. Its best to choose a song which the bride and groom will attach a deep meaning to, since it will be a song that is fondly remembered for many years to come. You'd think that every couple has "their song" and by default that should be their first dance.

However, recently many couples I speak to want something a bit different. Of course I don't mean that they all want to produce a YouTube viral phenomenon that's viewed by 200 million people, but it's becoming increasingly common for couples to want to make the moment a little more unique. In fact some couples I have played for have gone to the extent of taking dance classes to learn a dance together for the first dance. There's even dance class packages for wedding couples at dance schools in Kent including The Medway School of Dance.

I also have a videographer friend who had an unusual first dance a while back. It started off looking very much like the normal romantic dance we've all come to expect, but turned out to be quite different.

Whilst I haven't experienced a first dance quite like this one first hand, I do think its indicative of the way couples now want to make things a little more memorable. If you're after something different (but perhaps a little less quirky) a live singer, duo or band sing the song live is one way to make things a bit more interesting. Here's some of my favourite songs to play:

• Angels - Robbie Williams

• Stand By Me - Ben E. King

• Have I Told You Lately - Van Morrison

• How Sweet It Is (to be loved by you) - Marvin Gaye

• For Once In My Life - Stevie Wonder

• You've Got A Friend - James Taylor

• I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

• My Girl - The Temptations

• The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra

• Better Together - Jack Johnson

• At Last - Etta James

• A Million Love Songs - Take That

• What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

• Let There Be Love - Nat King Cole

• Your Song - Elton John

• Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton

• Have I Told You Lately - Van Morrison

• Just The Two of Us - Bill Withers

• Unforgettable - Nat King Cole

• When I Fall In Love - Nat King Cole

Ones to avoid...
There are a few songs which are best avoided for a first dance. Although each song will have a different meaning for each couple, regardless of what the songwriter intended, the back story to the song can on occasion be a touch inappropriate. For example, Every Breath You Take by Sting & The Police on first listening sounds like a perfect song for a wedding couple. However, in interviews Sting has said that this song is actually about a stalker watching his victim's every move. Not ideal!