The sound of your first-dance song will transport you back to your wedding day for years to come. But choosing the right one is easier said than done. Love songs are a dime a dozen, so choosing one for your first dance sounds like a simple feat. Yet a lot of couples find it surprisingly daunting to choose the tune that best encapsulates them.
Though your band or DJ will undoubtedly have a list of standards you can peruse, you should think of your first dance the same way you do other carefully considered details of your celebration. “You customize the dress, the colors, the flowers—and the songs,” says Emerald City Band owner and lead singer Deno Taglioli, who urges couples to choose something reflective of their tastes. “There are perfect country songs and perfect old-school songs—and new songs, too.”
If you’re leaning toward the latter, it’s important to consider the lifespan of a modern-day song. For their 2019 wedding, Sarah and Colin South chose “Dance with Me” by Morgan Evans and Kelsea Ballerini—a pair of once-wed singers who divorced in 2022. “It was a good song that didn’t age well,” Sarah now admits.
If one partner is more passionate about music, delegate the task to them—just make sure the final choice is representative of you both. When assigned with finding their song, groom Jacob Brown says he considered artists he thought his wife, Mikayla, would appreciate. “We listened to a lot of John Mayer and Jack Johnson, but they were more her than they were me,” he remembers. “One night, we were listening to the radio and ‘Sun to Me’ by Zach Bryan came on. There’s a lyric that says, ‘Find someone who grows flowers in the darkest parts of you.’ We both have heard the song hundreds of times and knew the words, so as we said that line out loud, we stopped, looked each other in the eye, and said almost in sync, ‘That’s it!’ ”
Deno stresses that a personal connection is far more important than a song’s popularity. “Ask yourself if there’s something in your memory bank already that touches you every time you hear it. That will make more sense when you hear it over the years, because it’s just a deeper sentimental value.”
And if not? Deno suggests utilizing a streaming service like Spotify, which will recommend artists similar to those you like, to open your musical horizons. And be patient—you never know where or how you’ll stumble upon the song that hits the right notes. Says bride Claudia Brower of her and husband Mason’s choice, “I Will Follow You” by Toulouse, “We heard it for the first time in an Apple commercial!”
Strike a Chord
D Weddings’ staffers share the stories behind their first-dance songs to help inspire your search.
Shared Experiences
“I Always Knew” by Willie Shaw
“We randomly saw Willie sing live while we were on a trip in Nashville, loved the song, and literally walked up to him after the show and asked him if he’d sing it at our wedding. He flew into Dallas just to do it for us!”
—Melissa Tallo, social media strategist
Personal History
“Grows Old” by Thirdstory
“Our mutual love for this band was one of our initial points of friendship, so it was an easy decision when our wedding came around.”
—Grace John, production manager
Meaningful Lyrics
“I Guess I’m in Love” by Clinton Kane
“I heard this song randomly on Spotify. I read the lyrics and was brought to tears as I reflected on everything that led me to my husband and the life we were starting. I played it for him as soon as I got home, and we both sat there and cried, and that was it!”
—Sarah Risi, editorial programs manager
Practicality
“The Way I Love You” by Michal Leah
“We landed on this song because the lyrics spoke to us. Not to mention, the run time is only two and a half minutes.”
—Zoe Roberts, online managing editor
Staying Power
“Nothing Can Change This Love” by Sam Cooke
“My husband is a music fanatic, so I asked him to spearhead our search. We almost went with ‘Coming Home’ by Dallas’ own Leon Bridges—who was just breaking through at the time—but worried we’d regret it, should he become a one-album wonder. (Turns out, we didn’t need to worry about that!) In the end, we ultimately chose a classic we knew would never go out of style and injected a little Texas pride into our private last-dance choice: Willie Nelson’s ‘I’ve Loved You All Over the World’.”
—Jessica Otte, executive editor
