147 Best Father Daughter Dance Songs at Weddings (2023)
Father-daughter dance songs come in a really wide range of styles.
We asked over 250 brides and wedding DJs what they thought were the best father-daughter dance songs for 2023.
We have put together an awesome list of their answers (with audio samples) to help you out.
Here is what we cover:
- Our favorite father-daughter dance songs
- Slow father-daughter dance songs
- Upbeat father-daughter dance songs
- Country songs for the father-daughter dance
- Acoustic father-daughter dance songs
- Father-daughter dance songs FAQ
Ask yourself a couple of questions when choosing the best song to dance to with your father:
- Do you already have a favorite song that makes you think about your dad?
- Do you want the song to be emotional?
- Do you want a more upbeat and fun song?
- Do you love country music?
By choosing the perfect dad-and-daughter dance song, there won’t be a dry eye in the room.
Scroll down below and listen to some of the amazing choices (There is a really fun idea at the bottom for the bride looking to do something out of the ordinary for the father-daughter dance).
Once you are finished here, make sure you check out our best mother-son wedding dance songs. Plus you can check out our ultimate list of 197 of the best wedding reception dance songs.
Our Favorite Father-Daughter Songs
- “Cinderella” by Steven Curtis Chapman
- “Butterfly Kisses” by Bob Carlisle
- “Fathers & Daughters” by Boyce Avenue
- “Sweet Pea” by Amos Lee
- “How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You” by James Taylor
- “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole
- “My Little Girl” by Tim McGraw
- “I Loved Her First” by Heartland
- “Never Grow Up” by Taylor Swift
- “Daddy’s Little Girl” by The Shires
- “Ballerina Girl” – Lionel Richie
Slow Tempo Father-Daughter Wedding Dance Songs
- “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong
- “What A Wonderful World” by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole
- “Unforgettable” by Natalie Cole (Duet with Nat ‘King’ Cole)
- “When You Need Me” – Bruce Springsteen
- “Unforgettable” by Nat ‘King’ Cole
- “Times Of Your Life” by Paul Anka
- “Daddy’s Little Girl” by Michael Buble (we also have 19 other wedding songs by Michael Bublé if you’re a fan)
- “Little Miss Magic” By Jimmy Buffet
- “Fathers and Daughters” by Michael Bolton
- “Always Be Your Baby” – Natalie Grant
- “God Only Knows” – The Beach Boys
Medium/Upbeat Father-Daughter Wedding Dance Songs
- “Daughter” by Loudon Wainwright lll
- “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder (If you love songs like this from the 70s, we have put together an entire article that covers the best dance songs of the 70s to use at your wedding or party)
- “Father and Daughter” by Paul Simon
- “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)” by Marvin Gaye
- “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra (more Frank Sinatra wedding songs)
- “My Girl” by The Temptations
- “Forever Young” by Rod Stewart
- “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
- “Sweet Child O’ Mine” by Guns N’ Roses (If you love songs like this from the eighties, we have an article that contains over 300 songs from the 80s for your wedding).
- “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack
- “They Way you Look Tonight” – Adam Levine
- “Count On Me” – Bruno Mars
- “You’re My Best Friend” – Queen
- “There She Goes” – The LAs
- “Changes” – Ozzy Osbourne & Kelly Osbourne
Country Songs For Your Father-Daughter Dance
- “Just Fishin” by Trace Adkins
- “My Little Girl” – Tim McGraw
- “I Loved Her First” – Heartland
- “In My Daughters Eyes” by Martina McBride
- “Dance With My Daughter” by Jason Blaine
- “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts
- “I’ll Be Your Man (Song For A Daughter)” by Zac Brown Band
- “It Won’t Be Like This For Long” by Darius Rucker
- “Daddy” by Abby Anderson
- “Daddy Dance With Me” by Krystal Keith
- “Tough Little Boys” by Gary Allan
- “For My Daughter” by Kane Brown
- “Daddy’s Little Girl” – The Shires
- “There You’ll Be” – Faith Hill
- “When She Grows Up” – Craig Campbell
- “Always On My Mind” – Willie Nelson
If you want even more country song ideas, we have put together the ultimate list of country wedding songs to use on your big day (over 400 songs!)
The songs above got the most votes from our poll. Below are some of the honorable mentions that might give you a few additional ideas:
- “You Are The Sunshine of My Life“ by Stevie Wonder
- “The Wonder of You“ by Elvis Presley
- “A Wink and a Smile“ by Harry Connick Jr.
- “The Best Day“ by Taylor Swift
- “Hero“ by Mariah Carey (If you are a fan of 90s songs like this, we put together an entire article on the best 90s songs for your wedding or dance party)
- “Daddy“ by Beyonce
- “Landslide“ by Fleetwood Mac
- “She’s a Rainbow“ by The Rolling Stones
- “Come Fly With Me“ by Frank Sinatra (more Frank Sinatra wedding dance songs)
- “Wide Open Spaces“ by The Dixie Chicks
- “Stealing Cinderella“ by Chuck Wicks
- “Your Song“ by Elton John
- “Constellations” – Jack Johnson
- “When My Little Girl Is Smiling” – The Drifters
- “Nothing Can Change This Love” – Sam Cooke
- “First Man” by Camila Cabello
- “Zoe Jane” by Staind
- “You Are So Beautiful” – Joe Cocker
- “Ain’t That Love” – Ray Charles
- “Three Little Birds” – Bob Marley
- “You Got It” – Roy Orbison
- “Lean On Me” – Bill Withers
Acoustic Father-Daughter Dance Songs For A Wedding
These acoustic dance songs are some of our personal favorites from the entire list. Many of these songs are acoustic covers of some of the more famous father-daughter dance songs. Definitely give a few of these a listen.
- “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” – Music Travel Love (Such a beautiful acoustic version)
- “Butterfly Kisses” – Lauryn Evans (This is our favorite song on this entire list)
- “Stand By Me” – Music Travel Love (Ben E. King cover)
- “Cinderella” – Mass Anthem (An amazing cover)
- “My Wish/I Hope You Dance Mashup” – Lauryn Evans (Amazing voice!)
- “Isn’t She Lovely” – Callum J Wright (Stevie Wonder cover)
- “Landslide” – Music Travel Love
- “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” – Lauryn Evans (Randy Newman cover)
- “Wonderful Tonight” – Boyce Avenue (Eric Clapton cover)
- “Stand By Me” – Boyce Avenue
A few brides that we talked to gave us some great ideas for those whose fathers have passed away. Here are some of the thoughts/ideas that they shared:
- Have a mother-daughter dance instead (We are putting together a list this week for mother-daughter dance songs. Come back shortly to see it)
- Dance with the person you chose to walk you down the aisle, or another important person in your life (your brother, uncle, godfather, etc.) “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra is a great choice for this.
- Play one of your father’s favorite songs and have everyone join in on the dance floor for a celebration (we loved this idea!)
Frequently Asked Questions About Father-Daughter Dance Songs For A Wedding
Here are some of the most common questions that couples have about father-daughter dance songs for a wedding. If you have a question that you want an answer to, please leave a comment below and we will answer it for you.
Does the bride dance with her father first?
Typically the couple shares the first dance right after being announced into the wedding reception. The father-daughter dance happens next followed by the mother-son dance. If you want to space things out, you can also do the parent dances right after dinner.
What is the best Father-Daughter Wedding Song Dance?
The best song choice for the father-daughter dance at a wedding is the song that has the most meaning to you and your dad. If you can’t think of a good song, ask your dad if he has a song that reminds him of you. Or you can simply choose one of his favorite songs.
How do you choose a father-daughter dance song?
Choosing the perfect song for the father-daughter dance at a wedding can be a lot of fun. Think of a few songs that remind you of your dad. Or ask your dad if he has a few songs that remind him of you. Once you have your list, listen to the lyrics and pick your favorite.
What does the father-daughter dance symbolize?
The father-daughter dance is the perfect opportunity for the bride to honor her dad on the wedding day. It’s a very sweet moment that allows the bride and her father to share and show the special bond that they have together.
If you are looking to do something different and fun for your father-daughter dance, we found this amazing video! You should definitely watch it for some fun ideas:
Check out more of our wedding song choices and additional wedding planning resources:
- Make sure to follow us on Pinterest for daily wedding planning tips and loads of photo inspiration.
- Since this article is all about fathers and daughters, check out these 18 amazing father-daughter first look wedding photos (including videos and tips)
- Best songs for your wedding first dance.
- If you are doing a joint father-daughter & mother-son dance together, here are the best-combined parent dance songs.
- We polled 350 wedding DJs and wedding couples/guests about the best reception music. We have put together the ultimate list of wedding reception songs to dance to.
- 57 best songs for the parent’s entrance at a wedding reception.
- Now that you have picked out the perfect song for you and your dad, it’s time to listen to our best mother-son wedding dance songs. We even have a post on the best heavy metal and hard rock wedding songs or the best Elvis Presley wedding songs.
- The most important questions to ask your wedding DJ.
- Songs to use for a brother and sister dance.
- We put together a wedding planning timeline and checklist to keep you on track with all of those big (and little) decisions.
- If you are looking to attend a bridal show in Pennsylvania, here is a great list of PA bridal shows.
- We update our blog a few times per week. Check back often for more wedding planning tips and advice.
- Make sure to follow PA Unveiled on Instagram. We post daily photos filled with wedding planning inspiration and advice (plus you will love our wedding-related memes in our Instagram Stories)
