5 Tips for Choosing The First Dance At Your Wedding

These tips are brought to you by Mark Gilroy, a member of York Wedding Deals

Mark Gilroy

Selecting a great first dance song that you both love is just one of those great decisions that you get to make as a couple in the lead-up to your wedding. So many couples already have a first dance picked out, very often a special song that has a particular meaning, and one which will mark a key moment on the big day.

But what if you’re one of those couples who simply doesn’t have a track which you can call “our song”? I’m so often asked by couples who have booked me to perform at their wedding to help pick out their first dance for them, I thought I’d share my top tips, to help you pick out something that will forever become “your song”.

1) Make it personal
Choosing a song that reflects your personalities is fundamental – your wedding day and first dance is (first and foremost), all about you. Why not individually write down a list of songs that evokes a memory of your relationship, share, then cross-reference to see if you both picked one that matches?

2) Make it memorable
First dances don’t have to be a classic slow dance. If you’re not into slow dancing or ballads in general, pick something more upbeat that you both love and strut your stuff! The first dance marks the signal for everyone at your reception that the party has started, and the dancefloor (hopefully) will remain full all night – there’s no rule to say you shouldn’t kick off with a party anthem. There are even companies that can teach you both a ‘Strictly’-style dance routine to a song of your choice, which you can learn separately and then perform together for the first time on your big day – just think how impressed your guests will be!

3) Check the lyrics
Music is a funny thing – sometimes a song’s melody can make you feel happy even when the lyrics are really quite dark (see Foster The People’s ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ for a prime example). If you find a song that you like the tune of, don’t forget to have a quick scan through the lyrics to check that there aren’t any unwanted meanings! I can think of a number of times when I’ve had to make sure that couples were absolutely sure about their first dance choice after noticing that the lyrics were in-fact about breaking-up (Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’), infidelity (Elvis’s ‘Suspicious Minds) or coming out of the closet (The Feeling’s ‘Rose’)!

4) Timing
Even four minutes can seem like an eternity when you’re out there on the dance floor with everyone watching. If your hearts are set on a 10-minute epic, make sure you give your guests the cue to come join you on the dancefloor.

5) Have it performed for you, live
If you’ve got a DJ supplying music for your reception, they will always be able to play your first dance. If, however, you’ve arranged live music (a band, vocalist or group), ask them to perform your first dance live (providing it’s not too obscure). What a treat to be serenaded by live music during your first dance as a married couple! When I’m performing for weddings and am lucky enough to be asked to look after this part of the day, I always ask if they would like any different interpretation of their song. Reworking a classic rock ballad as an acoustic piano piece, or an old jazz number as a chilled reggae track can really add an extra dimension and will be something you and your guests will never forget.

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Mark Gilroy has been working as a professional singer & musician for over a decade, entertaining wedding parties all over the U.K. With a variety of packages to cater for all budgets, Mark can perform during your ceremony or drinks reception. Equally, he can also provide background music during your wedding breakfast, or a full-blown party set to make your evening reception really sparkle. Get in touch to discuss your ideas! For testimonials, music clips, videos and more, visit Mark’s website and discover how you can treat yourself to a set from Mark to set the mood perfectly for your special day.