There is something so romantic about many of Dolly Parton's songs that it is no coincidence that they are chosen by many wedding couples for their special day.
Sandals Will Throw Your Wedding for Free
Stay 7 nights in a Club or Butler suite and Sandals covers the wedding: a personal planner, the ceremony, a private cocktail reception, a two-tier cake, your bouquet and boutonniere, plus $200 toward photos and $200 toward video. No venue hunt, no vendor juggling.
Sadly, Dolly Parton passed away in August 2026 in Tennessee, but she leaves us with a rich legacy of her music and songs that are filled with her warmth and emotion. Importantly, her songs are loved by grandparents, parents, young couples, and teenagers alike, and they soon have everyone singing along to them.
I Will Always Love You
This track is probably Dolly Parton's most iconic. Emotional and romantic, she wrote it in 1973 as a farewell song to her business partner and mentor. She released the song in March 1974, and it topped the country billboard twice – in 1974 and again in 1982.
The song became a global sensation when it was sung by Whitney Houston in the 1992 movie The Bodyguard. I Will Always Love You is both romantic and emotional and is the ideal choice for the first slow dance at your wedding celebration… or the last.
Coat of Many Colors
Dolly wrote this song in 1969 while traveling on a tour bus, and she often described it as her favorite. It tells of her very hard childhood growing up in the Smoky Mountains and how her mother made her a coat from many coloured rags by hand.
While her mother stitched the coat, she told her the biblical story of Joseph and his many-colored coat. Dolly loved the coat and felt it portrayed her mother's deep love for her. It is the perfect choice for mother-and-son dances.
From Here to the Moon and Back
These words are often pledged by couples to each other about how their love will be everlasting and how they will always be there for each other. Dolly wrote this for her husband, Carl, and it is a lovely choice for the first romantic couple's dance.
Love Is Like a Butterfly
In this beautiful song, Dolly uses the metaphor of a butterfly to portray love as something very delicate, beautiful, and precious, with different moods that are like the multi-colored wings of the butterfly.
The metaphor of a butterfly is perfect for this love song, as love is delicate and fragile, and true love brings freedom. The flutters of the butterfly's wings are similar to the flutters in the stomach that a bride feels on her big day. The natural dancing lyrics make this song ideal for pre-ceremony music.
The Bargain Store
In the haunting lyrics of 'The Bargain Store,' Dolly describes herself as worn like secondhand merchandise. She uses this comparison as a metaphor for someone who has been damaged by a relationship that has gone wrong and how, with a little mending, they can become as good as new again.
For those who have had this sadness in their past, this song has an extra special meaning as they embark on a happy new life, having found true love.
Think About Love
This upbeat 1986 song is a blend of country and pop that will get all wedding guests up dancing! The lyrics are fun about not forgetting someone after a first meeting and feeling lovesick, and there will certainly be some guests singing along to it!
My Blue Tears
This sentimental song can certainly be a tearjerker, as it tells of a lady whose love has gone away and how her heart is yearning and longing.
Unashamedly sentimental, Dolly sings of mourning a lost love and the pain of heartbreak, and how she is embracing deep sadness with the blue tears she is shedding in solitude. Many brides choose this song for their first dance.
Islands in the Stream (With Kenny Rogers)
Perfect for: Group dance with all guests
This classic duet is a statement of unity and companionship, making it perfect for a lively group dance. Lyrics like, “Islands in the stream, that is what we are,” bring out a sense of solidarity among the guests.
Real Love (With Kenny Rogers)
This popular feel-good love song is a great way to get couples onto the dance floor! This 1983 hit was written by the Bee Gees and was one of several songs Dolly recorded with Kenny Rogers.
Free Wedding Planning Checklist
Stay organized from engagement to "I do" — get our comprehensive checklist covering every task, deadline, and detail.
The song talks about 'Islands in the Stream' – two people who are anchored in their love for each other as they navigate all the different currents in their life together.
Pure and Simple
Taken from the 2016 album of the same name, 'Pure and Simple' celebrates the simplicity of true love and how wonderful it is when you meet that special someone – romantic magic from Dolly that is perfect for the bridal couple's first dance together.
Why’d You Come In Here Lookin’ Like That
The lyrics of this song are popular because in them, Dolly describes how an ex-partner walks in wearing his tight jeans and a cowboy hat and looks so sexy that it drives her wild! This is a fun choice for all the bridesmaids and female guests to get dancing.
Together You and I
Capturing all the romance of love, this song compares it to the depths of the ocean and to how the sun shines every day.
It tells how love is forever and how "we will always be together, you and I." Playing this song will certainly be a winner with all those in love on your wedding day.
Love, You’re So Beautiful Tonight
The beautiful lyrics of this song will fill everyone's hearts with tenderness and will encourage lovers to get lost in each other's worlds. It is the perfect song to shine the spotlight on the wedding couple as they take each other in their arms for this truly romantic song.
Two Doors Down
This is another of Dolly's upbeat country pop songs that tells of someone crying after a romantic breakup and how, just two doors down the street, everyone is enjoying a party.
Wiping away the tears, she heads along the street to join in the fun and, to her delight, meets someone very special. The message this story tells everyone is that you never know when you are going to meet 'that someone'. This is a song everyone will enjoy dancing to, and some may well know the lyrics!
Here You Come Again
Another Dolly number that will lure everyone on the dance floor and encourage a great singalong! The lyrics tell of someone who thought they had gotten over their love and moved on – until he walks back in and all their emotional defenses quickly collapse in a heap.
When Love Is New
Mothers and daughters will be tempted onto the dance floor with "When Love Is New," as it is a song that tells of a conversation between a mother and her daughter about love, romance, and when "love is like a blushing rose." Dolly Parton sings this song as a duo with Emmy Rossum.
Just When I Needed You Most
Dolly Parton sings this Randy Van Warmer song beautifully, and the reprise of 'Just When I Needed You Most' reminds us all how precious love is and that it must be treasured. It is a good choice for couples towards the end of the celebration as the tempo slows…
Starting Over Again
The lyrics of this country classic tell of a married couple who divorce after 30 years of marriage and how difficult each finds living on their own. It was written by Donna Summer and her husband, Bruce Sudano, and is a lovely choice for a vow renewal service or second wedding.
Rockin’ Years (With Ricky Van Shelton)
Another popular song to fill the dance floor, "Rockin' Years" was written by Dolly's brother, Floyd, and sung as a duet by Dolly and Ricky Van Shelton. It reached the number one slot on the Hot Country Billboard in 1991.
The theme of the song is the lifelong commitment made by a couple and how important it is to stand by each other through all stages of your life together, from being a young couple to old age.
Applejack
This classic country folk song appeals to all ages, so the dance floor will be busy! Dolly tells the nostalgic tale of her friendship with an old man who lived in an apple orchard and played the banjo.
The chorus of the song suggests everyone should enjoy music together and tasty homemade applejack.
At the End of the Night
Dolly Parton songs are classics that are much loved at wedding celebrations because they are romantic and emotional, and this song combines both elements perfectly. The ideal final dance.
It tells of a young couple who have met, and you are both uncertain as the end of the evening approaches as to whether they have a future together – True emotion at its best.
