Best Father Daughter Dance Songs

The father daughter dance is a time-honoured tradition, one that is an essential part of the wedding reception and an element of the wedding that many people look forward to seeing. I always found this dance to be a very special one for weddings I have attended. It represents a woman leaving her father’s home and starting a new home with her husband. It has been said that the history of the father daughter dance goes back to times of the arranged marriage, where matrimony was about social ranking, wealth and forging political alliances rather than love. Back then, the father would dance with his daugher first, before “giving her away” to her new husband. Things have changed over the years. Nowadays, the father daughter dance often times happens after the bride and groom’s first dance.

Finding the right father daughter dance song may take a little time. There are definitely more options for the first dance as bride and groom. When you think about choosing a father daughter dance song for your wedding, you will need to consider what kind of song you would like for the occasion. Are you looking for something upbeat or would you prefer a slower song that is more sentimental? If you go the sentimental route, you will want to make sure your song provides the right sentiment without it sounding sexual. Although some couples may not think about the lyrics to the song they choose, I always consider the content of the song and what it means. If you choose an upbeat songs, it could be a song that you remember dancing with your father, like the twist for example or the polka. Would you want something a bit more modern or do you think a classic father daughter dance song might be best for your wedding? How long should the song be? You may want to consider how this dance will fit with the bride and groom dance and the mother/groom dance as well. Should you choreograph the dance or do you want to just let the music move you, as they say? There are several things to consider to find your perfect song. But, the best place to start is making a short list of the possible father daughter songs you like. Here are a few of my favourite song options, a mix of modern songs and classics to give you some ideas:

Stevie Wonder – Isn’t she lovely
Natalie Grant – Always be your baby
Luther Vandross – Dance with my Father
Chrisette Michele – Your Joy (double check this one)
Adele – Make you feel my love
James Morrison – Until the Stars Go Out
Whitney Houston – You’ll never stand alone
Christina Aguilera – I turn to You
Phil Collins – You’ll be in my heart
Frank Sinatra – The way you look tonight
Lee Ann Womack – I hope you dance
Celine Dion – These are the special times
Whitney Houston – Count on me
Dean Martin – I wish you love
Rascal Flatts – My wish

What are some of your favourite songs? What are you thinking of choosing for your father daughter dance song at your wedding? We’d love to hear some of your favourites! Choosing a song is very much a personal choice and will take some time to find, but it will all fall into place. All you need is time and some great music options to select the right song for you