With Father’s Day approaching, I thought it might be an appropriate time to offer some suggestions to brides that are thinking about a special dance with their dad. A while back, I provided a list of songs that work well for a groom and his mom, which you can find here. Allow me to present some things to consider when thinking about this spotlight dance on your wedding day.

First, I realize that many brides won’t have the privilege or the pleasure of sharing a dance with their father. I’d be happy to offer suggestions based on your individual situation. There are ways to pay tribute to your dad and/or express your appreciation to other significant people in your life. For this article, I’d like to assume that your father will be there on your wedding day, and you are looking forward to this dance.

When beginning your search for songs to dance with your Father, you should first decide whether this dance is ‘from you to him’ or ‘from him to you’. Once you decide this, your song selection will naturally narrow itself to songs with lyrics appropriate for either situation. Also, certain songs will feel more fitting based on whether they are sung by a male or female artist. Another aspect of the perception of the dance which you might want to consider in the early stages is your dad’s opinion. You might want to see if your father has a preference of songs or ideas about the dance. I am sure there are some fathers who have been anticipating this day much longer than the bride has… believe it!

My second bit of advice is to avoid making the song selection a surprise. With all that is going on at the moment you dance, it’s not likely that the impact of a song you delicately chose will make the impression you hoped for. One of the last things on your father’s mind at this moment is to listen to the lyrics of a song to try and figure out why you chose it. On the contrary, if you provide him with a copy of the selected song in advance, he can listen to and absorb it so that when he hears the first note, his emotions will be triggered.

Finally, as I have mentioned in some of my previous posts, think about the dance. Picture how you anticipate it happening… really put yourself in the moment. Will you dance formally with proper posture (dad holding your hand at shoulder height), will you be sobbing and hugging him, or will he be twirling you around? Depending on the importance of the dance, you might want to give it a go once before the big day. Get the kinks out so you can focus on the reality and significance of the dance.

The three-page list of songs contained in this post is a collection of songs that I have either discovered over the years or that my clients have used. I’m sure there are many more possibilities. I hope this list might give you a few ideas that you might otherwise have not considered.