Preparing for your wedding day involves making many key decisions together, and one of the biggest and most exciting things for a couple to agree on is their first dance song. How much weight you place on this moment is ultimately up to you, but the first dance is one of the most memorable moments at any wedding celebration!

Your choice of first dance song is a great way to make a statement about your personality as a couple. Will you choose something romantic and understated, or will you go loud and quirky to show off your fun side? However you decide to go about it, it’s important to choose a first dance song that represents you as a couple.

Getting Your Song Choice Right

Before we get to our list of the most popular first dance songs for weddings in 2020, here are some top tips to help you agree on the right song for you.

Don’t Be Afraid to Be Different

A lot of couples get put off by the usual music choices because they don’t want to have a first dance song that has been heard a billion times.

Consider alternative songs to stand out from the crowd. These can be songs that are special to your relationship and aren’t super popular, or just something a little bit crazy!

Couple enjoying their first dance at their wedding in front of band

Pay Attention to the Lyrics

You need to make sure you vet your potential first dance song for any profanity or possible offensive themes before you unleash it on your wedding night.

At the end of the day it’s up to you how much you care about this, but most couples will want to make sure no one gets offended by the music during this moment!

Don’t Pick a Song that’s Too Long

Yes, the first dance is an amazing moment at any wedding, but it shouldn’t last an eternity! When going through potential songs, remember you’re unlikely to be dancing through the whole song from start to finish alone. So, the best advice here is to do your first dance through the first verse and chorus. This way your guests can join you on the dance floor for the remainder of the song.

Communicate with Your Band

If you’ve hired a wedding band or live musicians to perform on your wedding night, you may have asked them to play your first dance song live.

If this is the case, make sure you communicate with them clearly and with enough time so they can do your song justice. Consider what style of band you have booked before you make first dance song requests too. You might find that some bands are unable to perform your song with their instrumentation.

Once you’ve considered all these points you can choose the perfect first dance song for your wedding day…

2020’s Most Popular First Dance Songs

  1. Thinking Out Loud — Ed Sheeran
  2. Marry You — Bruno Mars
  3. All of Me — John Legend
  4. Uptown Funk — Mark Ronson, featuring Bruno Mars
  5. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) — Whitney Houston
  6. Don’t Stop Believin’ — Journey
  7. Crazy in Love — Beyoncé, featuring Jay-Z
  8. A Thousand Years — Christina Perri
  9. I’m Yours — Jason Mraz
  10. Hey Ya! — OutKast
  11. Moon River — Frank Ocean
  12. R.E.M — Ariana Grande
  13. You Make It Easy — Jason Aldean
  14. Can’t Help Falling in Love — Elvis
  15. Just You and I — Tom Walker
  16. Everlong — Foo Fighters
  17. Beyond — Leon Bridges
  18. Perfect — Ed Sheeran
  19. Somebody Loves You — Enrique Iglesias
  20. Paris — The Chainsmokers
  21. Gonna Love Me — Teyana Taylor
  22. Say You Won’t Let Go — James Arthur
  23. Your Song — Lady Gaga
  24. Love Story — Taylor Swift
  25. Sugar — Maroon 5

Guest article by Joey Burdon of Warble Entertainment

Image from Gareth Newstead Photography