First Dance Lessons to Shine on Your Big Day with a Simple Yet Impressive Wedding Dance

Wedding hymns are not the best source of first dance songs. And though there’s no right and wrong when it comes to choosing your first dance song, there are a few things worth considering.

The wedding dance should, as a general rule, accommodate the song you want to dance to, so the songs ought to be selected first. This is because it helps narrowing down the choice of the dance.

The following few tips will help make the process of choosing your wedding dance song easy and fun.

Choosing the length of your first dance song
Long songs can be tiring for you and may stop the guests joining you in on the floor. On the other hand, there’s no problem dancing to short songs because very few are shorter than two minutes.

If you aim to dance between two and three minutes, which is the average time a first dance lasts, there’s plenty of songs to choose from.

Example, All I Want is You by U2 lasts more than seven minutes. That is way too long, it ought to be shortened. Also, live bands tend to turn simple songs into very long wedding hymns and bore the guests to death. 

Choosing the first dance song lyrics
Being a popular or a favourite first dance song doesn't mean its lyrics are always fitting to a wedding occasion. Some songs have a personal story or event behind them, others were not written as wedding songs or with one’s wedding in mind.

Often first dance song lyrics are overlooked, but if you care as to what the words say or mean you should check your song's lyrics.

Example, Angels by Robbie Williams has odd lyrics. See more examples of odd first song lyrics at unusual first dance songs.

Choosing the tempo
Very slow songs are tricky to dance to. Also, if timing changes it may confuse the movement. By choosing a song not too slow and not too fast would be more enjoyable to dance. Also, it would be more entertaining for the guests as they can follow your first dance steps with ease.

Example, I Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith has sudden and quick rhythm changes especially towards the second half.

Choosing your first song from a variety songs
Considering more than one song gives you more chances to find your special song. It would also be more likely for the two of you to like it. It could be any number of songs you can choose from.

Usually, couples end up with an average of two to three potential first dance songs. Also, many songs have been performed by more than one artist or band. Each performance varies and it’s worth considering.

Example, How Deep is Your Love by Bee Gees is also performed by Take That.  

Always ask help for choosing your first dance song
You can always ask your teacher, a DJ or your friends. They may have very different opinions and preferences from yours, but you will find they are happy to help.

A dance teacher would likely suggest a song that is easy to dance to, a DJ some popular song hits. What you do is consider both and then decide the first dance song the two of you like most and want to dance to.

For a full list of first dances, please check the full list of First Dance Songs.