Wedding Music: First Dance
 

So I am getting married very shortly and I am having a hard time picking out a song for our first dance. I want something that is appropriate, yet unique. I don't mind using one of the standard first dance songs, but I want to avoid too much cheese. Genre is not an issue, we love all kinds of music. If anyone has any good suggestions, I would really appreciate it. Thanks folks

The song won't be unique if somebody else already used it, eh? ;)

We used "Longer" by Dan Fogelburg; we'd been dating for 7 years.

EDIT: I just remembered, we had a similar thread early last year, Your "first dance" song at your wedding. Check that for ideas, or let us know more about the two of you so that we can make suggestions.

We didn't have dancing at our wedding. However, if we had I would have loved to dance to I Love You(for sentimental reasons) or The Very Thought of You. Instead we had those as our 2 solos during the wedding. I love the old standards and we got many compliments on our choice of music.

I would definitely stay away for the top 20 wedding songs. Personally, I find those very cliched. When I go to a wedding, I want to see personality in the bride and groom dance. The best wedding was when the bride and groom made their entrance to the Star Wars theme. I think that might have actually been their first dance, can't quite remember.

I would choose something that represents you as a couple. You can't go wrong there. :thumbsup:

We are using Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce

I LOVE Jim Croce.

We didn't have a dance at my wedding, but if we would have I would have had Arlo Guthrie's "Mapleview Rag" That would rock.

you know i was at a wedding last week and i head something very orginal..my friend decided to play
311 "love song"

and i have to admit i thought it was a great choice, very original and very "cute"
i was so impressed i had to personally congradulate him on the choice

sometimes its nice to not got "traditional"

Redlemon beat me to the link, but this dance is for YOU - just about any song will work if its something that has meaning to the both of you, whether that be through lyrics, memories associated with the song, or what have you.

My wife and I decided on "Tell Everybody I Know" by Keb Mo.

We used "Power of Two" by the Indigo Girls. We sang it as a duet during our ceremony too (it means a lot to us, and has for years.) *gush*

Elvis - Can't Help Falling in Love/Fools Rush in

^Probably the most kick ass romantic song ever.

If you go one VH1 website-they did a show about love songs-- had some good ones on there, some were cheesy, but they may help give you some ideas. Dan Hill has some good ones, Elvis (always!), and I personally like- More than words, by Extreme.

Apart from the personal reasons Jess mentions above, I also thought it was a good fit because:

1) It's a good song to dance to - slow, but not too slow.
2) Nobody really seems to know it.
3) The lyrics are really fantastic.

If you wanted something truly unique, I'd skip the entire traditional "first dance" thing altogether... otherwise you're just randomly picking a song and then doin what everyone else does.

Instead, try thinking of an alternative "first" that you could do together.

For example, if you two were pirates, "first plundering".

Get the idea?

Best way to be unique is to break monotonous tradition.

We opted for "Till There Was You" as sung by the Beatles (but originally from "The Music Man"). Our other choice was "The Best is Yet to Come" as sung by Frank Sinatra.

My cousin just got married, and his dance with his mom was 'In My Life" by the Beatles.

Ours was "Beautiful" by Gordon Lightfoot...

At times I just don't know
How you could be anything but beautiful
I think that I was made for you
And you were made for me
And I know that I will never change
Cause we've been friends through rain or shine
For such a long, long time

Laughing eyes and smiling face
It's seems so lucky just to have the right
Of telling you with all my might
You're beautiful tonight

And I know that you will never stray
Cause ya been that way from day to day
For such a long, long time

And when ya hold me tight
How could life be anything but beautiful
I think that I was made for you
And you were made for me

And I know that I will never change
Cause we've been friends through rain or shine
For such a long, long time

And I must say that it means so much to me
Just to be the one who's telling you
I'm telling you
That you're beautiful

My wife and I chose 'Dance me to the End of Love', written by Leonard Cohen, but we used the cover version by Kate Gibson. I love that song:

"Dance Me To The End Of Love"

Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic 'til I'm gathered safely in
Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Oh let me see your beauty when the witnesses are gone
Let me feel you moving like they do in Babylon
Show me slowly what I only know the limits of
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love

Dance me to the wedding now, dance me on and on
Dance me very tenderly and dance me very long
We're both of us beneath our love, we're both of us above
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love

Dance me to the children who are asking to be born
Dance me through the curtains that our kisses have outworn
Raise a tent of shelter now, though every thread is torn
Dance me to the end of love

Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin
Dance me through the panic till I'm gathered safely in
Touch me with your naked hand or touch me with your glove
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love
Dance me to the end of love

<edited cuz I noticed my dyslexia hit me hard today>

"sweetheart" by my morning jacket.

it's kind of short, but this song gets me every time.

Take Five by Dave Brubeck Quartet.

We used "The way you look tonight" by 'ol blue eyes (Frank Sinatra)

Tony Bennett does an excellent version of the song as well.

My cousin played and sang a stripped down version of Keith Urban's Making Memories of Us for his sister's (my cousin's) wedding. He really nailed the country voice thing, and he got nothing but compliments for the rest of the night. Its a little fast, so he slowed it down a bit.
Overall, I thought it was really cute, especially the fact that he sang it for his sister. Regardless, I thought it was an awesome song choice by the wedding party.

Sample of Song, Click on blue triangle to right of Making Memories of Us to play