Your first dance is the one song of the night that every guest stops to watch. It doesn't have to be the obvious choice. It just has to mean something to the two of you.
We've played well over a hundred weddings, and we've learned a lot of first dances along the way. Here are the songs couples actually ask us for, the one that stole the show, and the three we'd recommend if you're still deciding.
First dances couples have asked us to learn
Perfect · Ed Sheeran
The modern wedding classic. Slow, simple and made for swaying.
Thinking Out Loud · Ed Sheeran
The other Ed Sheeran favourite, with a bit more soul to it.
Dancing in the Moonlight · Thin Lizzy
For couples who'd rather bounce than sway. Easy-going and fun, and it gets everyone smiling.
I'll Follow You · Shinedown
A rock ballad you won't hear at many weddings. More on this one below.
Chasing Cars · Snow Patrol
Quiet start, huge chorus. One of our own favourites.
Still Into You · Paramore
Upbeat pop-punk about still being in love years down the line. Perfect if you've been together a while.
The one that stole the show
Our standout first dance has to be I'll Follow You by Shinedown. It was a deeply personal song for the couple, and it stood out because it wasn't a standard, clichéd request. You could feel how much it meant to them, and the guests loved it.
That's the best advice we can give. Pick the song that means something to you, not the one you think you're supposed to pick. Your guests will feel the difference.
Three first dances we'd recommend
If you want something that isn't a cliché but that your guests will still know, these three are hard to beat.
Chasing Cars · Snow Patrol
It builds slowly, so you can ease into the dance, and the chorus is one everyone in the room knows.
This Year's Love · David Gray
Gentle and honest, with a lyric that suits a wedding without being soppy.
Yellow · Coldplay
Warm, guitar-led and instantly recognisable from the first chord.
All three can carry a lot of meaning for a couple and still be recognisable to the guests watching. Chasing Cars and Yellow are already in our wedding specials, so they're ready to go.
When we'd play the recording instead
We're a three-piece: guitar and vocals, bass and drums. That line-up suits a lot of songs, but not every song. The two kinds we'd steer you away from playing live are:
- Songs by female-fronted bands, where the vocal is so much part of the song that it doesn't feel right sung by anyone else.
- Epics, the big, layered songs built on strings, piano or a full orchestra that three people simply can't recreate.
If your song falls into one of those, don't worry. We'll play the original recording through our PA, so you get your song exactly as you know and love it, and then we'll kick off the live set straight after.
How it works with us
- Tell us your first dance when you book, or as early as you can.
- We'll tell you honestly whether we can do it justice live.
- If we can, we'll learn it for you. If it's not on our list, that's fine. Most first dances aren't.
- If we can't, we'll play the recording through our PA so the moment is still perfect.
Still choosing?
Ask us. We're happy to talk through ideas and tell you which songs work best live.
