125 Best First Dance Songs For Your Wedding in 2023

Details: Category: blog; Updated: 23rd January 2023

Choosing a first dance song can often be the source of much debate between soon-to-be-wed couples. Unless you have an undisputed special song, you may well need a little bit of inspiration to get the creative juices flowing.

That's why we've put together this definitive list of the very best first dance wedding songs out there. Whether you're looking for bang up-to-date, modern first dance songs, a classic movie soundtrack or something a little bit vintage, you've come to the right place.

Your first dance song doesn't need to be a smoochy love song if you don't want it to be; there are unlimited options on the table, from fun upbeat TV theme tunes to the downright silly and utterly unique.

If you're stuck for that perfect first dance song, here are some of the best wedding songs to get you started.

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Modern First Dance Songs

The most popular first dance songs for 2022

Perfect - Ed Sheeran
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Better Half of Me - Tom Walker
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All of Me - John Legend
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A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
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If You Love Me - Lizzo
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One In A Million - Rex Orange County
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Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran
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Leave the Door Open - Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak
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Love Me Like You Do - Ellie Goulding
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Everything – Michael Buble
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Nervous - John Legend
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Marry You - Bruno Mars
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Ho Hey - The Lumineers
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All My Love - George Ezra
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Smiling All The Way Back Home - Tom Odell
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Sleep Tight - Holly Humberstone
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Lovesong - beabadoobee
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My Generation

Modern classics for Millenials

Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
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One Day Like This – Elbow
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You've Got the Love - Florence + the Machine
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You and Me Song - The Wannadies
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You Give Me Something - James Morrison
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Drops Of Jupiter – Train
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Baby I'm Yours - Arctic Monkeys
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Better Together - Jack Johnson
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Marry Me – Train
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Songbird - Eva Cassidy
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Taylor Swift - Love Story
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Greatest Day – Take That
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I'm Yours - Jason Mraz
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Make You Feel My Love - Adele / Bob Dylan
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She's The One - Robbie Williams
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Canonball - Damien Rice
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You Give Me Something - James Morrison
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Oldies But Goodies

Classic First Dance Song Ideas

Your Song - Elton John
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Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
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Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Andy Williams
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The Way You Look Tonight - Rod Stewart
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The First time Ever I Saw Your Face - Various Artists
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Have I told you Lately – Van Morrison
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All You Need is Love - The Beatles
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Stand By Me - Ben E. King
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It Must Be Love - Madness
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Happy Together - The Turtles
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Perfect Day - Lou Reed
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Something - The Beatles
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Move Closer - Phyllis Nelson
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She - Elvis Costello
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True Love Ways - Buddy Holly
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Frankie Valli - Can't Take My Eyes Off You
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Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
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What a Wonderful World – Sam Cooke
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You’re My Best Friend – Queen
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God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
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Extreme - More than Words
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You're Still The One - Shania Twain
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At Last - Etta James
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Blackbird - The Beatles
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Nothing Else Matters - Metallica
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Movie Soundtracks

The best first dance songs from popular movie soundtracks

Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers (Ghost)
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Take My Breath Away - Berlin (Top Gun)
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Up Where We Belong - Joe Cocker (An Officer and a Gentlemen)
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(I’ve had) The Time of my Life – (Dirty Dancing)
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I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston (The Bodyguard)
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Everlasting Love (Love Affair)
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When You Say Nothing At All - Ronan Keating (Notting Hill)
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Grow Old With You - Adam Sandler (Wedding Singer)
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Hungry Eyes - Eric Carmen (Dirty Dancing)
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Iris - Goo Goo Dolls (City of Angels)
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Can You Feel The Love Tonight - Elton John (Lion King)
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Because You Loved Me - Céline Dion (Up Close and Personal)
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Just For Fun!

Tongue in cheek 1st dance songs to entertain your guests

I’ll Be There For You -The Rembrandts
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Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
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Best Day Of My Life – American Authors
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Sister Sledge – We Are Family
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I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers
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Maniac – BOF Flashdance
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Barry White - My First My Last My Everything
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Let's Get it On - Marvin Gaye
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I Can't Help Falling In Love - UB40
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Crooner Classics and Timeless Hollywood Hits

Jazz and swing first dance songs

Frank Sinatra - The Way You Look Tonight
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When I Fall in Love - Nat King Cole
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My Funny Valentine - Frank Sinatra
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L-O-V-E - Nat King Cole
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La Vie En Rose - Louis Armstrong
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Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra
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I Left My Heart In San Francisco - Tony Bennett
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Can't Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley
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That's Amore - Dean Martin
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Dream A Little Dream of Me – Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald
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The Very Thought of You – Billie Holiday
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Moon River – Andy Williams
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Epic Love Songs

Romantic wedding song ideas

I Don't Want to Miss a Thing – Aerosmith
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Everlong - Foo Fighters
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(Everything I Do) I Do It For You - Bryan Adams
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Always – Bonjovi
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Sky Full of Stars - Coldplay
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When a Man Loves a Woman - Percy Sledge
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November Rain - Guns 'n' Roses
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Fix You - Coldplay
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Pure Stilton

(Cheesy 1st dance wedding songs!)

Endless Love - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
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Can't fight this Feeling – REO Speedwagon
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Amazed - Lonestar
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You're Beautiful - James Blunt
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It's All Coming Back To Me Now - Meatloaf
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Too Cool For School

The Luckiest - Ben Folds
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Toothpaste Kisses - The Maccabees
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First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes
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Sigur Rós - Hoppípolla
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XO - John Mayer
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There is a Light That Never Goes Out – The Smiths
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Jose Gonzalez - Heartbeats
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Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Follow You into the Dark
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Tom Odell - Grow Old with Me
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Pulp - Something Changed
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You and Me – Lifehouse
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Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men
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Soul & R&B

Nothing Can Change This Love - Sam Cooke
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Three Times a Lady - Commodores
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If I Ain't Got You - Alicia Keys
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That’s How Strong My Love Is - Otis Redding
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You Are The Sunshine Of My Life - Stevie Wonder
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Beyoncé - Love On Top
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Isn’t She Lovely – Stevie Wonder
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This Old Heart Of Mine – The Isley Brothers
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Reach Out (I'll Be There) - Four Tops
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Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) - Frank Wilson
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Should your wedding band play the first dance song?

Most wedding bands will learn the first dance for free whereas others may charge a fee. If you decide you'd like the band to perform the first dance, it's usually best to kick in with their first set immediately afterwards. Bearing this in mind, it's often a good idea to delay the first dance slightly instead of bringing the band's first set forward. From a band's point of view, it's never nice to start too early in the evening - some guests may need a drink or two before committing to the dance floor, especially us Men!

Wedding Song Ideas

Need some more ideas to get your wedding soundtrack in order? Check out our other awesome lists featuring the best father and daughter songs, the most popular wedding hymns and last dance wedding songs.