If you are struggling to select a first dance song for your wedding and do not want to give in and dance to an over-used, cliché song, an alternative first dance song may be perfect for you. Here, find five alternative first dance songs that can make your wedding reception all you dreamed it would be.
1. Sparks by Coldplay
The calm, slow melody of this song, coupled with Chris Martin’s soft, soothing voice, make it an ideal first dance ballad. With lines like, “I promise you this, I’ll always look out for you,” the tune is simple, yet poignant and romantic. The song concludes with a repetition of the line, “I saw sparks.”
2. Come Away With Me by Norah Jones
Sung at scarcely above a whisper, this tune is intimate and passionate. Perhaps the most memorable line is, “Come away with me, and I’ll never stop loving you.” This seems like a perfect mantra by which to begin a marriage.
3. Red Right Ankle by The Decemberists
This quirky, metaphorical melody is suitable for those couples who prefer to take the road less traveled. With the lines, “Oh, adhere to me, for we are bound by symmetry, and whatever differences our lives have been we together make a limb” this tune paints a picture of two coming together to make one.
4. The Luckiest by Ben Folds
Sentimental and sweet, this song may even bring tears to your eyes. A piano melody is played throughout, and the line, “And I know that I am, I am, I am the luckiest” serves as the chorus.
5. Oh by The Dave Matthews Band
This folksy tune is both spunky and sweet, making it an upbeat first dance song. The chorus, “I love you oh so well, enough to fill up Heaven overflow and fill Hell” is fitting for a wedding. The song ends seamlessly with the simple line, “Love you oh so well.”
Select one of the songs here to make your wedding reception a unique, personal experience. For more ideas for alternative wedding songs, explore music by artists such as Cat Power, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Shins, or Wilco.1