The daddy-daughter dance is one of the most tear-jerking moments of the whole wedding day. While the vows at the ceremony are meaningful and the bridal party speeches are touching, nothing can compare to the moment the bride and her father take the dance floor.
While the two sway back and forth in each others’ arms, your father is saying goodbye one last time. Goodbye to being the only one who holds your heart. Goodbye to being the first one you run to when you’re sad. Goodbye to being the guardian of a single daughter.
You will always be his little girl, but your relationship will shift from the moment your father-daughter dance ends. The song itself should be carefully selected as it provides the musical backdrop to this meaningful moment. It transforms this final goodbye into a tear-jerking music video that all your guests have the honor of observing.
If you find yourself stumped, unsure of what song can appropriately serve this worthy purpose, look no further! Sift through the below lists to select your perfect father-daughter wedding dance song.
Oldies
You can’t really go wrong with any of these ‘oldies but goodies.’ Are you and your father are fellow old souls? Do you have many fond memories of crooning together to these and similar tunes on the guitar? Or of belting the lyrics while cooking in the kitchen? Then maybe one of these classics will work for you!
- The Way You Look Tonight — Frank Sinatra
- My Girl — The Temptations
- Stand By Me — Ben E. King
- Unforgettable — Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole
- Isn’t She Lovely — Stevie Wonder
- It’s For My Dad — Nancy Sinatra
Pop
While you can appreciate the oldies, maybe you and your dad prefer jamming out to the newest hits on the radio. Thankfully for you, the most current artists have and continue to produce songs that could work well for your father-daughter dance.
- Daddy — Beyonce
- Daddy’s Little Girl — Michael Buble
- The Best Day — Taylor Swift
- Always Be Your Baby — Natalie Grant
- Count on Me — Bruno Mars
- Because You Loved Me — Celine Dion
- Make You Feel My Love — Adele
Country
Even if you’re not a country girl, it is still easy to fall in love with the songs and lyrics in this musical genre. Give these songs a listen and consider whether or not you can see them having a place in your wedding.
- My Wish — Rascal Flatts
- When You Say Nothing At All — Alison Krauss
- I Loved Her First — Heartland
- My Little Girl — Tim McGraw
- I’ll Be There — Josh Turner
- Just Fishin’ — Trace Adkins
- Tough Little Boys — Gary Allan
Indie Folk
Yes, you could go with one of the songs that are overtly father-daughter by nature. Or, you could select a tune that is still beautiful yet subtle, like these indie tunes.
- Daughters — John Mayer
- Sweet Pea — Amos Lee
- Constellations — Jack Johnson
- When We’re Together — Mark Harris
- Tenerife Sea — Ed Sheeran
- This Is Just So Beautiful — Jenny & Tyler
Ballads
If you know you and your dad will be crying anyway, why not get all your guests in on the action by playing one of these ballads during your father-daughter dance! These songs are guaranteed tear-jerkers when heard on the radio, much less when heard with the visual of a dad cradling his adult daughter in his arms.
- Cinderella — Steven Curtis Chapman
- Daughter — Loudon Wainwright III
- Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel) — Billy Joel
- Butterfly Kisses — Bob Carlisle
- Daddy Dance With Me — Krystal Keith
- You Are So Beautiful — Joe Cocker
- I Will Be Here — Steven Curtis Chapman
Listen to a handful of these tunes. Give some songs a try from sections you might not immediately gravitate towards. You might be surprised by what songs speak to you and seem to suit you and your father’s relationship best. Please comment with any other suggestions you have for a father-daughter wedding dance song!
