37 Emotional Father-Daughter Dance Songs for Your Wedding Choose a tune to match how much your dad means to you—as soon as the opening notes hit, there won't be a dry eye in the room. Close Credit: Our Labor of Love 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. The most important thing when choosing your song is that it reflects you and your dad's relationship and personalities. For some, it's a slower ballad and for others it's a choreographed routine to popular hits. 01 of 37 "Lean on Me" Credit: Jesús Caballero This bride and her father danced to "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers a cappella. 02 of 37 "Your Joy" Credit: Sally Pinera Wedding Photography "Your Joy" by Chrisette Michele played during the pair's father-daughter dance. 03 of 37 "What a Wonderful World" Credit: Trevor Mark Photography Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" rang through the speakers as this father-daughter duo danced. 04 of 37 "Forever Young" Credit: 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. 05 of 37 "Just the Way You Are" Credit: Sally Pinera The bride and her stepfather danced to "Just the Way You Are" by Billy Joel. 06 of 37 "Aint No Sunshine" and "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" Credit: 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. 07 of 37 "Lullabye" Credit: Abby Jiu Photography This bride and her father chose Billy Joel's "Lullabye," a heartwarming and meaningful tune, for their special dance. 08 of 37 "I'll Always Be Your Baby" Credit: Ross Oscar Knight Natalie Grant's "I'll Always Be Your Baby" perfectly summed up the bond between the bride and her father. 09 of 37 "You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You" Credit: Jessica Antola 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 10 of 37 "Brown Eyed Girl" and "You Can Call Me Al" Credit: 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. 11 of 37 "You Are My Sunshine" Credit: Rachel Meagan Photography The pair swayed to "You Are My Sunshine," something he used to sing to her when she was small. 12 of 37 "Father and Daughter" Credit: Maria Lamb Photography This father-daughter duo had a blast on the dance floor to the tune of this Paul Simon classic. 13 of 37 "My First, My Last, My Everything" Credit: 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." 14 of 37 "The Time of My Life" Credit: 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." 15 of 37 "It Won't Be Like This for Long" Credit: Hannah Hudson Photography 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. 16 of 37 "I Hope You Dance" Credit: 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. 17 of 37 "What a Wonderful Life" Credit: 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." 18 of 37 "Wind Beneath My Wings" Credit: Ross Oscar Knight Dancing with her father to Gladys Knight's "Wind Beaneath My Wings" was an emotional moment for this bride. 19 of 37 "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" Credit: Gia Canali Grinning from ear to ear, dad held his daughter close as they swayed to "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" by Maurice Chevalier. 20 of 37 "Make You Feel My Love" Credit: 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. 21 of 37 "Ain't That Love" Credit: Jen Huang "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. 22 of 37 "Lovely Day" Credit: Jennifer Emerling 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. 23 of 37 "My Wish" Credit: 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. 24 of 37 "Lover's Concerto" Credit: Odalys Mendez Sharing the dance floor with the groom and his mother, this bride and her father opted for the tune by The Toys. 25 of 37 "In My Life" Credit: Our Labor of Love The bride and her dad twirled to "In My Life" by The Beatles. "My mom cried the whole time we were dancing," she said. 26 of 37 "It's All in the Game" Credit: Jessica Antola For their father–daughter dance, this bride and father of the bride chose "It's All in the Game," by Tommy Edwards. 27 of 37 "Come Fly With Me" Credit: Liz Banfield 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." 28 of 37 "My Girl" This bride's father took his daughter's hand for a dance set to The Temptations classic. 29 of 37 "Isn't She Lovely" Credit: Lang Thomas Photography For their big number, the bride and her dad chose Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely." 30 of 37 "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. 31 of 37 "The Way You Look Tonight" Credit: KT Merry A 12-piece band played Frank Sinatra's "The Way You Look Tonight" to accompany this father-daughter dance. 32 of 37 "God Only Knows" Credit: Jaclyn Simpson Photography The bride and her father danced to this classic by The Beach Boys. 33 of 37 "Fish on the Sand" Credit: 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. 34 of 37 "Butterfly Kisses" Credit: Landon Jacob 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. 35 of 37 "Try a Little Tenderness" Credit: Delbarr Moradi Photography 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. 36 of 37 "You Bring Me Joy" Credit: Justin & Mary The bride grew up dancing on her dad's feet to Anita Baker, so they chose her song "You Bring Me Joy" for their spin on the dance floor. 37 of 37 "When You're Smiling" Credit: Austin Gros Photography The bride and her dad swayed to "When You're Smiling," by Louis Armstrong. Explore more: Weddings Wedding Ceremony & Reception Wedding Songs & Music