Father-Daughter Dance Songs for Your Wedding

Marriage doesn't change the fact that you'll always be Dad's little girl. That's probably why father-daughter dances are so emotional—they're a tribute to the man who raised you into the married woman you are today, but who still sees you exactly as you were when you were small. It's no surprise, then, that the song you and your father decide to dance to is beyond special. Whether it's a tune he used to sing you sleep or simply a melody that reminds you of your bond, the music should hold weight and meaning for both of you.

We've seen a lot of emotional father-daughter dances in our day, which is why we've rounded up the very best from beautiful real weddings to inspire your own. Ready for the ultimate father-daughter dance playlist? Scroll through to check out all the options for yourself.

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"Lean on Me"

emily scott wedding dancing with the bride — Jesús Caballero

This bride and her father danced to "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers a cappella.

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"Your Joy"

ryan shep wedding reception emotional father daughter dance — Sally Pinera Wedding Photography

"Your Joy" by Chrisette Michele played during the pair's father-daughter dance.

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"What a Wonderful World"

reception father dancing with bride in red jumpsuit — Trevor Mark Photography

Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" rang through the speakers as this father-daughter duo danced.

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"Forever Young"

cat denis wedding bride with father — Jessica Lorren Photography

At her Palm Beach, Florida, wedding, Cat and her father swayed to Rod Stewart's "Forever Young." The words, "But whatever road you choose, I'm right behind you win or lose," make this song particularly salient for the close-knit duo.

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"Just the Way You Are"

jamie and michael wedding father daughter dance — Sally Pinera

The bride and her stepfather danced to "Just the Way You Are" by Billy Joel.

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"Aint No Sunshine" and "You're the First, the Last, My Everything"

bride and dad dancing on patio at wedding reception — Liz Fogarty Photography

The bride and her father chose two songs to dance to for their time on the dance floor together, and neither disappointed.

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"Lullabye"

jessica brian wedding dad dance — Abby Jiu Photography

This bride and her father chose Billy Joel's "Lullabye," a heartwarming and meaningful tune, for their special dance.

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"I'll Always Be Your Baby"

bride and father of bride dancing — Ross Oscar Knight

Natalie Grant's "I'll Always Be Your Baby" perfectly summed up the bond between the bride and her father.

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"You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You"

The bride and her father shared a sweet moment while swaying to Dean Martin's version of "You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You."

Father of the Bride Speeches That Knocked it Out of the Park

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"Brown Eyed Girl" and "You Can Call Me Al"

emily adhir wedding couple dancing with family — Brandon Kidd Photography

This duo made sure to dance to all of the bride's childhood favorites, including Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" and Paul Simon's "You Can Call Me Al," before her mom and sister joined in for a family favorite—"The Twist" by Chubby Checker and the Fat Boys.

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"You Are My Sunshine"

wedding father and daughter hug — Rachel Meagan Photography

The pair swayed to "You Are My Sunshine," something he used to sing to her when she was small.

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"Father and Daughter"

Father Daughter Dance Songs — Maria Lamb Photography

This father-daughter duo had a blast on the dance floor to the tune of this Paul Simon classic.

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"My First, My Last, My Everything"

fathers daughter moments olivia leigh black and white — Olivia Leigh Photographie

As a dancer, it was only fitting that the bride choreographed her and her dad's dance. They wowed guests with an upbeat routine to Barry White's "My First, My Last, My Everything."

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"The Time of My Life"

madelyn jon wedding father-daughter dance — Patricia Lyons Photography

The bride and her dad danced to "The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes—an homage to one of the bride's oldest memories. "One of my first childhood memories was watching Dirty Dancing with my dad the night my younger sister was born," she said. "It has always been one of our favorite family songs. My sister also used it for her first dance, and we both ended our receptions with it as well."

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"It Won't Be Like This for Long"

Darius Rucker's "It Won't Be Like This for Long," a song all about enjoying a moment while it lasts, played while the bride and her father shared a special moment on the dance floor.

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"I Hope You Dance"

fathers daughter moments jessica lorren black white — Jessica Lorren

"My Dad surprised me with the song and made a little speech before it played, saying to listen to the lyrics because it really embodied his hopes for me—what any dad hopes for their daughter," the bride said. She and her father took a spin to "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womak.

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"What a Wonderful Life"

lisa louis wedding dancing — Michael Radford

This couple opted to do their parent-child dances together. The group took to the dance floor to the tune of Elvis Presley's "What a Wonderful Life."

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"Wind Beneath My Wings"

bride and father tearful dance — Ross Oscar Knight

Dancing with her father to Gladys Knight's "Wind Beaneath My Wings" was an emotional moment for this bride.

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"Thank Heaven for Little Girls"

fathers-daughter-moments-gia-canali — Gia Canali

Grinning from ear to ear, dad held his daughter close as they swayed to "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" by Maurice Chevalier.

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"Make You Feel My Love"

father daughter dance crissy farah — Christine Farah

Adele's remake of Bob Marley's "Make You Feel My Love" brought an emotional touch to the bride and her father's dance.

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"Ain't That Love"

"During the father-daughter dance, I almost tripped on my dress, but my dad made it look like a dip," recalls the bride of her father's swift moves as they swayed to the Ray Charles tune.

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"Lovely Day"

The bride and groom made it a combination father-daughter and mother-son dance, when they joined their father and mother, respectively, for this song by Bill Withers.

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"My Wish"

lori john wedding california dancing — Steve Cowell Photography

While dancing to this Rascal Flats melody, the bride and her father "both got a bit teary, and he tried to show off his dance moves," she recalls.

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"Lover's Concerto"

susan-cartter-wedding-dancing-13850008-s111503-0914.jpg — Odalys Mendez

Sharing the dance floor with the groom and his mother, this bride and her father opted for the tune by The Toys.

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"In My Life"

The bride and her dad twirled to "In My Life" by The Beatles. "My mom cried the whole time we were dancing," she said.

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"It's All in the Game"

For their father–daughter dance, this bride and father of the bride chose "It's All in the Game," by Tommy Edwards.

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"Come Fly With Me"

When the bride was younger, her father gave her a shirt that read "Daddy's Little Co-Pilot." As a nod to that memory, the two danced to Frank Sinatra's "Come Fly With Me."

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"My Girl"

This bride's father took his daughter's hand for a dance set to The Temptations classic.

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"Isn't She Lovely"

For their big number, the bride and her dad chose Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely."

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"Stairway to the Stars"

For the bride and her dad's dance, this song was a natural choice—he'd taught her to dance to the tune when she was six. "Anytime we hear the Ella Fitzgerald version, we dance to it. We've had a lot of practice over the years," she says.

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"The Way You Look Tonight"

A 12-piece band played Frank Sinatra's "The Way You Look Tonight" to accompany this father-daughter dance.

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"God Only Knows"

The bride and her father danced to this classic by The Beach Boys.

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"Fish on the Sand"

carrie-dan-reception-bride-father-dance-053114-r-081-s111627.jpg — Rylee Hitchner

"Their dance was an incredible display of unfiltered joy," said the groom of his wife's spin to George Harrison's "Fish on the Sand" with her father.

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"Butterfly Kisses"

The bride's grandfather, whom she calls Papa, danced with her to "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle during the reception. The song choice was easy and obvious; he would often play the track in his truck's tape player when he picked her up from the bus stop after school. "I remember him telling me we'd dance to it at my wedding one day, and we did," she says.

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"Try a Little Tenderness"

After the first dance, this couple enjoyed a sweet father-daughter, mother-son spin to "Try a Little Tenderness," sung by the groom's good friend Jimmy Delgadillo.

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