subject: Wedding Music - We Research the Top 10 First Dance Songs [print this page] Wedding Music - We Research the Top 10 First Dance Songs
We take a look at one of the quirker asects of the role of wedding entertainment and music.
Signifying the couple's first dance as a married couple and starting off the evening reception, the first dance has become as much a traditional part of a wedding as cutting the cake, giving the speeches or walking down the aisle. To those uninitiated to the world of the wedding obsessive, it may seem a no brainer. Simply choose your favourite song and then dance to it as best you can. They would be wrong. There is a whole host of considerations that need to be taken into account. Many couples agonise for hours over their choice of first dance song, having to take into account factors such as suitability, choice of entertainment, dancing to the chosen song and significance of the song to the couple.
Whilst some couples worry about dancing in front of their guests and opt for a traditional slow dance shuffle, allowing this to dictate their song choice, others prefer to choose a more upbeat song and show off their dancing skills. It has become more and more fashionable in recent years for the bride and groom to take dancing lessons leading up to the big day with some even planning whole routines to wow family and friends. An even newer trend is to then upload videos of these routines online for all the world to see. For the couples who feel unable to perform anything more than a shuffle when placed in the limelight there are other options. They could compromise on their first choice to choose a song they can dance to and reserve their more upbeat song for their second dance or last dance when family and friends are likely to be joining them on the dancefloor. Or many couples now request family and friends to join in the first dance so that they aren't dancing alone.
Having researched this topic on online wedding forums, asking the opinions of brides and some grooms, I discovered a wide range reasons for their choices. There were couples who disagreed over which song to choose and therefore compromised on a song that both bride and groom liked, felt able to dance to and was special to them. There were couples who had a song choice that meant a lot to them, 'their song', but was wholly unsuitable to play at a wedding, and so another song choice was made for that reason. There were couples who loved a song that neither felt able to dance to so a second choice was made. And there were couples whose choice of wedding entertainment restricted their choice, for example by hiring a band whose style of music affected the song, such as a ceilidh, or a band who were not prepared to learn the first dance song and provided other choices for the couple to choose from.
This last restriction is perhaps quite a sad one, because a good wedding entertainment act will be prepared to learn a song that is special to the bride and groom, particularly with many couples paying a fair price for the pleasure of booking the act for their big day. A good entertainment act will make all the difference to this special moment, because a jazz band, indie band, acoustic guitarist or singer will all put their individual spin on the chosen song, making the wedding day version truly 'their song' and a personal memory to look back on fondly. On the forums I read accounts of a groom who was in a band whose band members performed the song for their friends and a friend of the bride singing a version of their chosen song.
In terms of music genre there doesn't seem to be a trend towards a particular style. Whilst it is true to say that there has been a slight increase in recent years towards club classics and indie band hits, the golden oldies are just as popular today as they were in years gone by, with a rich diversity of artists and acts including The Cure, Frank Sinatra, Jack Johnson, Oasis, Bon Jovi, The Beatles and Chaka Kahn.
The Top Ten First Dance Songs as compiled with the invaluable assistance of the forum users of www.hitched.co.uk and www.thedeadwood.co.uk are:
Frank Sinatra - The Way You Look Tonight
Lonestar - Amazed
Jack Johnson - Better Together
The Beach Boys - God Only Knows
Van Morrison - Have I Told You Lately
Aerosmith - Don't Wanna Miss A Thing
The Wannadies - The You And Me Song
Take That - Rule The World
Van Morrison - Someone Like You
Adele - Make You Feel My Love
Whether it is through naivety or a conscious decision to stick with a favourite song despite its unsuitability, there are plenty of couples out there who choose inappropriate songs for their first dance. With that in mind here's a lighthearted top ten of the most inappropriate first dance songs.
The Top Ten Inappropriate First Dance Songs:
The Righteous Brothers - You've Lost That Loving Feeling
Candi Statton - Young Hearts Run Free
Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
Queen - I Want To Break Free
Morrissey - You're The One For Me Fatty
George Michael - Careless Whisper
The Police - Every Breath You Take
Tammy Wynnette - D-I-V-O-R-C-E
Guns and Roses - Used To Love Her
Wedding entertainment is such a tricky thing to get right, especially with the first dance playing such an important part in the wedding day. After the first dance is over, the entertainment act needs to ensure that the evening reception is memorable and enjoyable for all concerned, and finishes off the wedding day is style. Using an online wedding entertainment service, which draws together a whole range of quality acts in a variety of locations and to suit different budgets, will help to make sure that the lasting impression of the couple's big day is a good one and that the first dance song is talked about for years to come.
To find some of the best wedding entertainment acts in the UK, visit I Do Music.
