First dance songs, with where to fade each one
35 songs · Updated 27 September 2026
Your first dance is about three minutes long and everyone will remember the song more than the steps. Pick something you both actually like, not the one you think a wedding is supposed to have.
These are real recordings that work on a dance floor, grouped by feel. Each note says how it moves, roughly how long it runs and where to fade it if you would rather not dance for four and a half minutes.
Slow classics
Songs your grandparents danced to, and still the easiest to sway through.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
Modern love songs
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
Or dance to a song about the two of you
How you met, the first trip, the inside joke nobody else gets. Share a few stories and TunedForYou writes and records a song around them. Nobody else at the wedding will have heard it before, and neither will anyone after.
One we made, to hear what it sounds like
3:55Forever And Always
For Sarah & Tom From Best Man Jake
"Here's to Sarah, here's to Tom A love story that's just begun May your days be filled with laughter Happily ever after..."
You tell us about them, we write and sing it, and you hear a preview before you decide.
Country
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
Upbeat surprises
For couples who would rather have fun, or who plan to switch halfway.
- 30
- 31
- 32
- 33
- 34
- 35
Before the dance
Three minutes is plenty
Most couples feel ready to stop around the two and a half minute mark. Pick a fade point in advance and tell the DJ; the notes above suggest one per song.
Practise at home, twice
Once to find the long instrumental bits, once in the shoes you will wear. You do not need steps, just an idea of when to turn.
Read the whole lyric
Plenty of songs sound romantic in the chorus and turn out to be about leaving in the verses. Check the words in full before you commit.
Plan the handover
Decide whether guests join for the last chorus or the DJ moves straight into the party. It avoids the awkward pause after the last note.
Questions people ask
How long should a first dance be?
Two and a half to three minutes suits most couples. If your song is longer, pick a fade point, usually after the second chorus, and tell the DJ before the reception.
Do we need dance lessons?
No. Swaying side to side with one turn looks lovely. A lesson or two helps if you want a routine, but it is not expected.
Can the first dance be an upbeat song?
Yes. Many couples choose something fun, or start slow and have the DJ switch to an upbeat track halfway through.
When does the first dance happen?
Either as you enter the reception or after dinner and speeches, followed by the parent dances. Talk to your venue about which fits the evening.
Should the song be one that is special to us?
If you have one, use it, even if it is not a typical wedding song. The song you heard on your first date will mean more than a chart ballad.
Can we have a song written for our first dance?
Yes. TunedForYou writes a personal song from your story, so the words are about the two of you. You hear it first and keep it only if it feels right.
More song lists
Looking for a song written just for them? Wedding songs made to order · Anniversary songs · A song for your wife · A song for your husband
Or dance to a song about the two of you
Their name, your stories, the things only the two of you would get. Written and sung for them.
Write our first dance song