[dropcap]T[/dropcap]here's no shortage of planning leading up to your Wedding Day. You have to find a venue, send save-the-dates, pick out flowers, choose bridesmaid dresses and design a seating arrangement that keeps your most dysfunctional family members a safe distance apart. While most tasks are stressful, there's one that usually isn't: choosing the perfect first dance song.
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For some couples, it's the song that reminds them of a special moment in their relationship -- a reminder of the moment they knew they'd found "the one." For others, the perfect song might come along when they least expect it -- even weeks or days before their wedding.
Sure, it's the tune that will kick off your wedding reception. But more importantly, it's the song you'll both always remember as "your song."
According to Brides, some of the most popular first dance songs of 2019 included The Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody," Tim McGraw's "My Best Friend," Aerosmith's "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing," Train's "Marry Me," John Legend's "All of Me," Etta James' "At Last," Lonestar's "Amazed," Frank Sinatra's "The Way You Look Tonight," Adele's "Make You Feel My Love," Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years," Elton John's "Your Song," Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud" and Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love With You."
The Knot included Ray LaMontagne's "You Are the Best Thing," Kacey Musgraves' "Golden Hour," Jack Johnson's "Better Together," Bright Eyes' "First Day of My Life," "I Won't Give Up," by Jason Mraz and "Everything" by Michael Bublé among their list of popular wedding songs.
Whether you prefer Ed, Elton, Elvis or Etta, we all could use a little help deciding on the perfect track to add to our Spotify wedding playlist. And who better to ask than professional musicians? Wide Open Country asked some of our favorite country and Americana artists to share their wedding songs and the stories behind their picks. From upbeat country love songs to Ol' Blue Eyes, here are the songs Carly Pearce, Steve Moakler, Russell Dickerson, Radney Foster and more chose to break in the dance floor on their big day.
Carly Pearce
"Made For You" by Jake Owen
"Michael and I chose 'Made For You' by Jake Owen as our first dance song at our wedding. We were lucky enough to have Jake perform the song for us himself! It was so sweet of him to play it on our special day, and we'll remember it forever," Pearce tells Wide Open Country.
Carly Pearce, who married fellow country artist Michael Ray last year, will release her self-titled sophomore album on Feb. 14.
Steve Moakler
"Forever Like That" by Ben Rector
"Our first dance was to a Ben Rector song called 'Forever Like That.' Gracie and I loved it the first time we heard it... it just sums up that 'I do' moment perfectly," Moakler says. "The best part about it was that Ben was in our wedding party and he performed it live for us!"
Steve Moakler released his latest album Blue Jeans on Jan. 17.
Russell Dickerson
"Hey Pretty Girl" by Kip Moore
"Kailey and I chose 'Hey Pretty Girl' by Kip Moore as our first dance," Dickerson says. "I remember I was on the road driving in my SUV that we used to tour in when I listened to that song for the first time. When I heard it, I got so excited and just couldn't wait to marry her; I was like, 'Babe, I think this is our song.'"
Russell Dickerson recently released his own love song inspired by his wife, "Love You Like I Used To."
Jon Wolfe
"Someone Like You" by Van Morrison
"Our first dance was 'Someone Like You' by Van Morrison. I'm such a music maniac, it felt like an impossible task to figure out the exact song Amber and I would have our first dance to on our wedding day -- I mean, we have so many songs together that are so meaningful to us in a multitude of ways," Wolfe says. "I remember one night, I was sitting out on my balcony listening to music and this song came on -- my eyes flooded with tears because I finally heard the lyrics differently than I had ever heard them before. I called Amber immediately and told her, 'This has to be our first dance!' She agreed that it was absolutely perfect for us. The reason this song really spoke to me is because of the journey Amber and I endured to get to this point in our lives together... Throughout the hardships we faced over the years, we had finally come together to make such a huge step in our lives together."
Jon Wolfe will release Live at the Legendary Gruene Hall on Feb. 21.
Jesse Langlais of Town Mountain
"Rose Room" by Art Hickman
"We choose an old jazz song written by Art Hickman called 'Rose Room.' It's a favorite melody of ours, a very beautiful tune," Langlais says. "Benny Goodman made it famous and his version, I believe, was used as the opening song to Jazz, the Ken Burns documentary. There's a certain nostalgia, whether born in the era or not, that those old jazz tunes provide. Timeless, beautiful melodies."
Bobby Britt of Town Mountain
"These Days" by Jackson Browne
Mari Sandvær Kreken of Darling West
"If I Were a Carpenter" by Joan Baez
Radney Foster
"Let It Be Me" by Everly Brothers
Courtesy of Radney Foster
Jarrod Dickenson
"Yes Sir, That's My Baby" by Frank Sinatra
Rachel Reinert
"Here Comes My Girl" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Susan Berry
"Walking down the aisle to 'Here Comes My Girl' was actually my husband Caleb's idea," Reinert says. "We both are huge Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers fans, and it just felt like such a cool/personal alternative to the traditional 'Here Comes The Bride,' especially since we had such an untraditional wedding. It was the absolute perfect choice, and that song will forever mark the most special day of our lives together."
Rachel Reinert will release her new album Into the Blue on March 13.
Teea Goans
"Change The World" by Eric Clapton
Darin & Brooke Aldridge
"On My Way to You" by Sonya Isaacs
Now Watch: The Best Country Love Songs of All Time
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