Your first dance might be one of the few times you and your new spouse get to spend together on your wedding day. After the hustle and bustle of getting ready, the ceremony, portraits, and everything else the day has in store, the first dance is a beautiful way to take a breath and remember why everyone is gathered together. It is also a great way to snag some candid images of both of you and your guests, too–but that’s more on my end of things. 

This wedding day tradition can come with just a hint of unplanned stress. This will be your song that will memorialize some of your first moments as newlyweds. Every time this song plays, you and your guests will reflect back on the moment you looked into your spouse’s eyes as you floated across the dance floor. That feels like a lot of pressure, right?

Let’s  take away some of this stress.

I have compiled a list of classic first dance songs. Pick any of these, and you’ll be doing just fine: 

“Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley
“Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers
“Like I’m Gonna Lose You” by Jasmine Thompson
“Give Me Love” by Ed Sheeran
“A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri

Feeling a little more midwest? Check out these timeless country songs for your first dance: 

“Yours” by Russell Dickerson
“Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts
“Speechless” by Dan and Shay
“Blessed” by Thomas Rhett
“Cowboy Take Me Away” by The Chicks

As I watch the wedding industry evolving, I see these intimate ceremonies becoming more unique–fully customized to the couples getting married. Having a traditional wedding is becoming less, well, traditional. Couples are taking what makes them unique and fully integrating it into their wedding day. So, if a good ol’ boot-scootin boogie isn’t really your style, and you’re looking for small, yet meaningful ways for your wedding day to stand out, check out the following songs. I believe these songs are on their way to future first dance classics. 

“Home to You” by Sigrid
“Lighthouse Keeper” by Sam Smith
“Don’t Stop” by Todrick Hall
“Coffee in Bed” by Pentatonix
“We Find Love” by Daniel Cesar

There’s no right way to do a first dance–any song that is important to you will fit right in on your wedding day. No matter how popular the song, your first dance is just for you and your new spouse. Be authentically you.

One of the joys of wedding photography is seeing what choices the couple makes to create a wedding unique to them. Things like your first dance song are a simple but powerful way to show just how thoughtful your love is.

Embrace that.