Top First Dance Wedding Songs of All Time

Are you trying to compile your wedding playlist? Are you struggling to pick the perfect ceremony or first dance song? Well, we have a roundup of the top wedding songs of all time curated by Harold A. Johnson of Finer Touch Entertainment– a full-service DJ and entertainment company.

Take a look at his top picks and let us know which songs are your favorite below.

While this is a list that can be debated until the end of time, I have compiled a list of some of my favorite wedding first dance songs of all time. I personally started in this business over 2 decades ago, so many of my selections fall into what you would probably consider the “Classic” or “Throwback” category. While there has been some great music in the last few years, when it comes to 1st dance love songs, it’s the previous decades for the win in my book.

This is the case because wedding music has changed dramatically over the last several decades. With each new generation of brides and grooms, we see a real shift in the music that is meaningful to them. When choosing the right 1st dance song for YOUR big day, make sure the song is meaningful to YOU. Don’t worry about what others say or think. This is the soundtrack to the beginning of your future together, so make it special! Listen to the words and see if the song speaks to you. If it does, then you know it is the right choice!

So, here are just a few of my favorites based on the many, many choices Finer Touch couples have used to dance their 1st dance over the years.

Harold A. Johnson- Finer Touch Entertainment

*Note – This list has been shortened tremendously, but hopefully it will help you get some inspiration.

Enjoy!

Timeless Classics

• Love Ballad – L.T.D (1976)
• Always and Forever – Heatwave (1976) (Check out the 1994 remake by Luther Vandross too!)
• A House Is Not a Home – Luther Vandross (1981)
• Ribbon in the Sky – Stevie Wonder (1982)
• So Amazing – Luther Vandross (1986)

90’s Classics

• I Will Always Love you – Whitney Houston (1992)
• Endless Love – Maria Carey & Luther Vandross – (1994) (Two previous versions by Lionel Richie and one by Kenny Rogers were also hits, but this one was a great remake of a timeless classic.)
• You – Jesse Powell (1996)
• For You – Kenny Latimore (1996)
• I Believe in You and Me – Whitney Houston (1996) (Original version by the Four Tops in 1982 was also great but Whitney made it a 90’s wedding classic.)
• Every Time I Close My Eyes- Babyface (1997)
• All My Life – KC & JoJo (1997)
• I Gotta Be – Jagged Edge (1997)
• They Don’t Know – Jon B (1997)
• You Put a Move on My Heart – Tamia (1998) (One of my personal “favorite” favorites)
• Spend My Life – Eric Benet and Tamia (1999)
• Happily Ever After – Case (1999)
• Fortunate – Maxwell (1999)

2000’s Favorites

• Love- Musiq Soulchild (2000)
• My First Love – Avant & Keke Wyatt (2000)
• Love of My Life – Brian McKnight (2001)
• Dontchange – Musiq Soulchild (2002)
• The Closer I Get to You – Beyonce and Luther Vandross (2003) *(The original done by Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway was amazing, but this remake was really well done too.)
• Sent from Heaven – Keyshia Cole (2007)
• Adorn – Miguel (2012) (A little fast for a 1st dance but if you like that sort of thing, this is for you)
• A Couple of Forevers – Crisette Michelle (2013)
• You & I – Avant & Keke Wyatt (2013)
• All of Me – John Legend (2013)
• Fall for You – Leela James (2014) (This one is great! Check it out if you are not familiar)
• Why I Love You – Major (2016)
• I Get to Love You – Ruelle (2016) (Not an R&B song, but it spoke to me when I heard it. Take a listen!)
• Best Part – H.E.R (2017)

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