Traditionally, there are three main dances at a reception, the first dance with the bride and groom, a father daughter dance with the bride and her father, and a mother son dance with the groom and his mother. However, there are many family situations where these may not work, or there are other special people in the wedding couple’s life.

The question comes up, what do you do if there are step-parents involved? What do you do if there is no father in the picture (for whatever reason)? The answer is actually very simple… you do what is right for you. No one should tell you that you can’t dance with your stepfather or stepmother. And an ever increasing trend is to have a Mother Daughter dance (along with mothers walking their daughters down the aisle). So, if there are special people in your lives that you want to honor with a special dance, then do it!

The only word of advice I would give is if you have two parents you want to dance with, dance with your biological parent first and then with your step parent. But, that choice is ultimately up to you too. Always remember that this is YOUR wedding.

So, on to the next question… how do you choose songs for these dances? The same lists as the father daughter songs and mother son songs can be used. It’s all about love and your relationship with the person. Choose one that is right for you.

Technorati Tags: Songs for Weddings

At the end of the reception, one final song is played to close out the dancing. This song should be chosen with care, just as the other special songs in your reception. You want to think about the close of your evening; should it be fun and upbeat or slow and romantic? What kind of message sums up the wedding day and starts you on your married life? How you choose to close the reception is up to you and you should not leave it to the band or DJ’s discretion.

If you decide you want to end the night on a high and have an upbeat last dance song, here are a number of suggestions from different genres to consider:

Standards

• “Buona Sera” (Louis Prima)
• “Bye Bye Baby” (Marilyn Monroe)
• “Come Fly With Me” (Frank Sinatra)
• “Fly Me To The Moon” (Frank Sinatra)
• “For Once In My Life” (Frank Sinatra)
• “Goodnight My Love” (Jesse Belvin)
• “Let’s Get Lost” (Frank Sinatra)
• “Sentimental Reasons” (Charlie Spivak)
• “The Best Is Yet To Come” (Tony Bennett)
• “The Lullaby of Broadway” (Frank Sinatra)
• “The Tender Trap” (Frank Sinatra)
• “There Is No Greater Love” (Ben Webster)

Classic Pop/Rock

• “After Midnight” (Eric Clapton)
• “Blinded By Love” (The Rolling Stones)
• “Build Me Up Buttercup” (The Foundations)
• “Don’t Stop” (Fleetwood Mac)
• “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” (James Taylor)
• “Kiss” (Prince)
• “Kokomo” (The Beach Boys)
• “Late in the Evening” (Paul Simon)
• “Let’s Go Crazy” (Prince)
• “One Love” (Bob Marley)
• “Pride And Joy” (Stevie Ray Vaughan)
• “Surfin’ USA” (The Beach Boys)
• “Sweet Caroline” (Neil Diamond)
• “What I Like About You” (The Romantics)

Classic R&B/Soul

• “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (Diana Ross and The Supremes)
• “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now” (McFadden & Whitehead)
• “All Night Long” (Lionel Richie)
• “Come And Get Your Love” (Redbone)
• “I Second That Emotion” (Smokey Robinson & The Miracles)
• “Twist And Shout” (The Isley Brothers)
• “You Gotta Be” (Des’ree)
• “You Sexy Thing” (Hot Chocolate)

Pop/Rock/Contemporary

• “Believe” (Cher)
• ““I’ll Be There For You” (The Rembrandts)
• “Thank You” (Alanis Morissette)
• “Waiting For Tonight” (Jennifer Lopez)

Shows/Movies

• “We Go Together” (John Travolta/Olivia Newton John, from the Grease Soundtrack)

Technorati Tags: Last Dance Songs, Songs for Weddings

A growing trend for first dances is to have it choreographed.  This makes a dramatic statement when the couple enters the dance floor for the first time as husband and wife and really show off.  It is especially potent when no one knows in advance that the couple can really dance.

You may be thinking that you could never do this, you don’t know how to dance formally.  It’s just not taught now-a-days.  However, you and your partner can learn to dance.  It takes practice, but it can be done, even by people who are not naturally gifted with a sense of rhythm.  There are several ways you can learn to dance.

The easiest and most expensive way is to take private dance lessons.  You can either take these at a dance studio or some instructors will come to your house.  The advantage of having a private instructor is that they can teach you a particular dance that fits your style.  They can assess each partners strengths and really work with you to get it right.  They can also put together a choreographed dance for you, so you can be as dramatic as you want.  They can also teach you the basics of the dance and you can dance freeform.  There are many possibilities.

Another way to learn to dance is to look for group classes.  Dance studios often offer these and community centers also often offer these.  The advantage is that you learn several different dances, and you can determine which one you like.  You will not get the individual attention that a private lesson gives and you will be required to switch partners while learning to dance.  The advantage to switching partners is that you don’t rely on someone’s “quirks” as cues.  For example, if someone always squeezes your hand before they turn their partner, the partner can come to rely on that cue.  Group classes are a lot of fun and they are cheaper than private lessons.

If you don’t like the idea of going somewhere to take dance lessons, you can always buy a DVD to teach you the basics of how to dance.  This is the most economical route and you can learn in the privacy of your own home.

It’s a lot of fun to learn to dance with your fiancee. Just make sure to keep it fun while you are learning and don’t get frustrated with each other. Take a break if that starts to happen.

Technorati Tags: Wedding First Dance Songs

Music has changed its way of delivery once it got popular on the internet. This is a great thing if you’re looking for one particular song. You can often get just the one song for a low price and not have to buy the entire album which you may never listen to. However, if you buy an album, it is cheaper than buying all the songs individually.

When looking for wedding songs, is it best to buy individual songs or wedding albums? The advantage to an album is that you get multiple songs that are usually appropriate for weddings. Take the “Time Life Wedding Songs” album for example. You get two discs with 24 songs total. All but one of these songs are great for weddings. (More on the one that doesn’t belong in another post.) This is a great album with the songs being sung by the original artists.  If you want a nice array of great wedding music this is a good album to have.

The advantage to individual songs is that you can buy exactly the songs you want.  There won’t be any extras.  However, this can get expensive if you end up buying a lot of songs to really mull over the choice of the songs you will use in the end.  Another advantage to individual songs is that you can find them performed by different artists.  The wedding albums don’t give you the choice of artists.

One thing to be on the look out for is the artist singing the song.  Many wedding albums are sung by a wedding cover band rather than the original artists.  You may like this, or you may not.  Make sure you check this before you make a purchase.  In addition, many wedding songs have been recorded as instrumentals.  This is great if you want to find an instrumental version, but again, you need to check the album to make sure you are not surprised by your purchase.

Start the process by listening to clips on the internet of the songs you are considering.  Narrow down your choice and then either buy an album that has many of the songs you like, or the individual songs.  MP3′s can be burned to a CD, so it should not be a problem to play them at your wedding using traditional equipment.

Technorati Tags: Songs for Weddings

On your wedding day, you want to pick the perfect wedding dance songs. There are many Wedding First Dance Songs, Father Daughter Songs, Mother Son Wedding Songs, and general songs for weddings. Choosing the perfect songs can be difficult because you want each one to be memorable and meaningful. We’ve put together the top wedding songs to help you in your quest to find the perfect music for the perfect day!

Top Wedding Songs

The Way You Look Tonight	Frank Sinatra	Listen
From This Moment On	Shania Twain	Listen
True Companion	Marc Cohn	Listen
Now And Forever	Richard Marx	Listen
Butterfly Kisses (The Country Remix)	Bob Carlisle	Listen
Grow Old With Me	Mary Chapin Carpenter	Listen
This I Promise You	N Sync	Listen
The Look Of Love	Diana Krall	Listen
I Swear	All-4-One	Listen
The Prayer	Celine Dion; Andrea Bocelli	Listen
Unchained Melody	The Righteous Brothers	Listen
Valentine	Martina McBride; Jim Brickman	Listen
Unforgettable [Duet with Nat King Cole]	Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole	Listen
A Groovy Kind Of Love	Phil Collins	Listen
More	Harry Connick, Jr.	Listen
Always And Forever	Heatwave	Listen
Truly Madly Deeply	Savage Garden	Listen
You’re Still The One	Shania Twain	Listen
All My Life	Linda Ronstadt featuring Aaron Neville	Listen
Longer	Dan Fogelberg	Listen
Here And Now	Luther Vandross	Listen
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life	Stevie Wonder	Listen
Have I Told You Lately	Rod Stewart	Listen
Tonight, I Celebrate My Love	Peabo Bryson with Roberta Flack	Listen
Wedding Song [There Is Love]	Noel Paul Stookey	Listen
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You	Bryan Adams	Listen
Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me	Gladys Knight & The Pips	Listen
I Knew I Loved You	Savage Garden	Listen
Making Memories Of Us	Keith Urban	Listen
Love Of My Life	Jim Brickman	Listen
Colour My World	Chicago	Listen
Give Me Forever (I Do)	John Tesh	Listen
Dreaming Of You	Selena	Listen
Forever And For Always	Shania Twain	Listen
For Once In My Life	Harry Connick, Jr.	Listen
A Song For Mama	Boys II Men	Listen
My Little Girl (from My Friend Flicka)	Tim McGraw	Listen
For You I Will	Monica	Listen
Love Never Fails	Jim Brickman	Listen
You Are So Beautiful	Joe Cocker	Listen
When I Fall In Love	Céline Dion; Clive Griffin	Listen
On The Wings Of Love	Jeffrey Osborne	Listen
Beautiful In My Eyes	Joshua Kadison	Listen
All My Life	K-Ci & JoJo	Listen
Amazed	Lonestar	Listen

Technorati Tags: Father Daughter Songs, Mother Son Wedding Songs, Songs for Weddings, Top Wedding Songs, Wedding First Dance Songs