No wedding is the same. Of the nearly 80 weddings I have shot over the past seven and a half years, not one has been the same… and that’s to be expected of course! From DIY weddings to upscale ballroom receptions, I’ve seen it all. From weddings that have a garter toss to weddings that don’t; weddings that have a dollar dance to weddings with the hora; but I will say this, despite all of the varying weddings out there, every single wedding I have shot has had a First Dance with the bride and groom.
Joshua and me during our First Dance almost 8 years ago!
This tradition is one that is so much fun for the couple. I love how intimate and personal is it, yet all of the guests get to celebrate with the couple in this sweet moment. I smile as I watch my couples share a funny story and laugh with each other; as they snuggle and kiss; as they lean on each other, soaking up the moment of being husband and wife. Some sway back and forth, while others do twirls and spins. Others have taken dance classes and waltz around on the floor, while others are silly and make their guests laugh. It takes me back to my First Dance with Joshua. If you know anything about Joshua and me, you can probably guess what we did at our wedding!
Some couples know immediately which song is perfect for them. Others don’t have a specific song that has a connection to them, so they need to look for some. If you’re looking for a First Dance song, sit down together and figure out the story of your relationship and how you want a song to reflect that as best it can. Do you want something classic? Do you want a song that is more modern? Do you want to do a long song or cut part of it short? Do one of you hate being in front of crowds and the idea of a First Dance terrifies you? Talk through all of those things. If no song immediately comes to you, check out some lists online or ask friends and family for some ideas.
Josh and I knew that “L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole was perfect for us. When we were dating, Josh used to sing this song to me all the time, so dancing to it for our First Song was a perfect fit! We didn’t even consider anything else. Plus, this is a good First Dance song even if we hadn’t had the background to the story. We even did some letters “Y-M-C-A” style in our dance. We definitely had our guests cracking up and laughing at us. It was so much fun!
“L-O-V-E” “Y-M-C-A” style 🙂 Joshua is doing his big “V” and I’m doing a little one. 
I have posted 15 Awesome First Dance Songs!
1. “Unforgettable,” Nat King Cole: “That’s why, darling, it’s incredible/That someone so unforgettable/Thinks that I am/unforgettable too”
2. “At Last,” Etta James: “And here we are in heaven/for you are mine/at last”
3. “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You,” Frankie Valli: “I love you baby and if it it’s quite all right/I need you baby to warm the lonely nights/I love you baby, trust in me when I say”
4. “Make You Feel My Love,” Adele: “Nothing that I wouldn’t do/Go to the ends of the Earth for you/To make you feel my love”
5. “Marry Me,” Train: “Together can never be close enough for me/To feel like I am close enough to you/You wear white and I’ll wear out the words, ‘I love you’ ”
6. “How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You),” James Taylor: “With sweet love and devotion, deeply touching my emotion/I want to stop and thank you baby”
7. “It Had to Be You,” Dooley Wilson: “And it had to be you, it just had to be you/It had to be you”
8. “Everything,” Michael Bublé: “And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times/It’s you, it’s you, you make me sing/You’re every line, you’re every word, you’re everything”
9. “Fly Me to the Moon,” Frank Sinatra: “Fill my heart with song/Let me sing forever more/You are all I long for/All I worship and adore”
10. “L-O-V-E,” Nat King Cole: “Love is all that I can give to you/Love is more than just a game for two/Two in love can make it”
11. “Lucky,” Colbie Caillat and Jason Mraz: “Lucky I’m in love with my best friend/Lucky to have been where I have been/Lucky to be coming home again”
12. “Stand by Me,” Ben E. King: “No I won’t be afraid/Oh, I won’t be afraid/Just as long as you stand, stand by me”
13. “The Best Is Yet to Come,” Frank Sinatra: “Come the day you’re mine/I’m gonna teach you to fly/We’ve only tasted the wine/We’re gonna drain the cup dry”
14. “The Luckiest,” Ben Folds: “And where was I before the day/That I first saw your lovely face?/Now I see it every day/And I know/That I am/I am/I am/The luckiest”
15. “A Thousand Years,” Christina Perri: “Darling, don’t be afraid/I have loved you/For a thousand years/I’ll love you for a thousand more”
