A father and daughter wedding dance is not something you’ll see at every wedding, and sadly it seems to be a tradition that is often forgotten in modern day UK weddings, but it’s always a beautiful moment.
I think people sometimes forget just how emotional a wedding is for the father of the bride. Handing over his daughter to another man is a big moment in his life, so it’s nice to mark the moment with a father and daughter dance.
Song Suggestions
I think it’s important to choose a song that has a personal meaning for you both, but here are a few song ideas which I’ve seen done before that were perfect:
- Because You Loved Me — Celine Dion
- Dance With My Father — Luther Vandross
- Isn’t She Lovely — Stevie Wonder
- The Way You Look Tonight — Frank Sinatra
- Just The Way You Are — Billy Joel
- Father’s Eyes — Amy Grant
- Daddy’s Little Girl — Michael Bolton
- My Girl — The Temptations
- How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You — James Taylor
- There You’ll Be — Faith Hill
When Should the Father and Daughter Wedding Dance Take Place?
A lot of people wonder where to place the father and daughter wedding dance. Traditionally you would have your first dance, ask the bridal party to join you on the dance floor, and then the father and daughter dance before the rest of the guests join you on the dance floor. To be honest though, in all my days of performing at weddings I’ve never seen it done quite like this. I think these days people just prefer to get the party going!
We often place the father and daughter wedding dance at the end of the band’s first set. I think that’s quite a nice place to put it, and a lovely way of ending the first set. Occasionally it has also worked well at the end of the night too.
Do You Have to Do It?
I found a lot of people online saying they don’t want to dance with their father at their wedding. Perhaps they aren’t that close to their dad or have more than one ‘father figure’ in their lives. It’s absolutely not essential, and unless you have a very traditional family I don’t think anyone will be expecting you to do it. It’s really a personal decision, and I don’t think there should be any pressure on you to do it if you’re not comfortable. It can however be a hugely touching and memorable moment too.
Guest post by Sera Golding of MIB Music
Image from Anna Hardy Photography
