Sure a wedding reception playlist should include a great number of upbeat songs to get everyone on the dance floor, but this doesn’t mean you should neglect the slow songs! 

Slow dancing is the heart and soul of any wedding and it’s not only your first dance we’re talking about!

Romantic and intimate, heartfelt ballads and emotional anthems will give your wedding guests the opportunity to feel the love in the room too! 

Create an unforgettable night with our top 40 wedding slow dance songs…

“Kiss the Girl,” by Brent Morgan

First on the list gets straight to the point! Just as the title suggests, this slow dance song is all about wanting to “kiss the girl”!

“She don’t got a lot to say but there’s something about her

And you don’t know why, but you’re dying to try

You wanna kiss the girl.”

“Hold You ‘Til We’re Old,” by Jamie Miller

Love can be eternal, as long as both partners put in the effort and make sure it never slips through their hands!

A perfect song for the parents’ and grandparents’ slow dance, Miller sings about love building with time and holding on to each other through the golden years. 

“Kiss me like the first time (the first time)

Even at the worst times (the worst times)

Even when it hurts, I swear you keep mе up

I’ll hold you ’til we’re

Old, old, o-o-o-old”

“Like My Father,” by Jax

We learn how to love from our parents; celebrate it with a heartfelt song like this…

“I guess I learned it from my parents

That true love starts with friendship

A kiss on the forehead, a date night

Fake an apology after a fight”

“If You Love Her,” by Forest Blakk

The most important promise in a marriage is to make your partner feel safe and happy till the end of time. This romantic tune would make a great first dance choice!

“If she gives you her heart

Don’t you break it

Let your arms be a place

She feels safe in

She’s the best thing that you’ll ever have

She’ll love you

If you love her”

“Thinking Out Loud,” by Ed Sheeran

As the bride and groom share a lovely dance, they might find themselves wondering, how did we fall in love? Ed Sheeran reveals the secret while thinking out loud.

“Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars

Place your head on my beating heart

I’m thinking out loud

Maybe we found love right where we are”

“My Person,” by Spencer Crandall

The best kind of love is when partners are also friends. Romance goes a long way, but nothing is more solid than the total understanding that comes with being with your “person.”

“Yeah, you’re my person

My heartbeat

My slow dance

My Sunday-morning-sippin’-on-coffee in bed

My know-when-you-know best friend”

“September,” by James Arthur

All lovers have a story. The first time they met, the moment they said “I love you” and the day they exchanged their vows. It’s always emotional dancing to the tunes of a memory…

“I remember when I met you just before September

You were dancing in the street rocking that pink and leather

Begged my friend for your number

I bet you don’t remember, that’s how we began”

“Addict of Magic,” by Picture This

Picture This is a band that’s known for singing edgy lyrics and approaching life in an avant-garde manner. This song might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s definitely an intense revelation of love!  

“Because I get withdrawals when

I can’t kiss your lips

So come over here, darlin’

‘Cause I can’t resist

I’m an addict of magic”

“Till Forever Falls Apart,” by Ashe

This is an interesting slow dance song that explores what happens to love in times of hardship.

“I swear that I’ll be yours forever

‘Til forever falls apart”

“Ilym,” by John K

This is for all the times she needs reassuring about how strong their love is…

“There will be times when your heart will forget

So I’ll say it over and over again

So you know for sure

Darlin’, I love you”

“Perfectly Imperfect,” by Declan J Donovan

Nobody is perfect, but lovers have a charming way of looking at each others imperfections.

“And it breaks my heart

That you’re perfectly imperfect

You’re hurting but you’re worth it

You don’t know why

I would waste my time

But I’m falling and I mean it”

“On Your Way Home,” by Patrick Droney

Patrick Droney sings about all the little details that people in love can relate to; it’s the perfect tune for the newly married couple’s first dance.

“Wanna just say “hi”

Tell me ’bout a good day

Or even just to cry

Call me on your way home”

“Like That,” by JP Saxe

Marriage means seeing each other at the best and worst, and there are certainly times when people get insecure.

Reassurance is key, and after dancing to a romantic song like this, you’ll remember forever what acceptance means.

“No one’s ever loved me like that

When I’m a mess or at my best

You’re the first thing I don’t second guess”

“Holding on to Letting Go,” by Scott Quinn

Partners for life can’t stand the idea of losing the one they love, but here’s a courageous soul who addresses that fear head-on:

“When I feel you slipping from my head

I Play the saddest songs to feel it all again”

“Still Into You,” by Dylan Brady

Time changes everything, except true love! Create an emotional moment with this tune:

“Let ’em wonder how we got this far,

‘Cause I don’t really need to wonder at all

Yeah, after all this time

I’m still into you”

“Crowded Room,” by Conor Maynard

Being in love is when the crowd disappears and you only have eyes for that one special person.

“I’m standing in a crowded room

But it doesn’t change that all I see is you

I swear that you’re perfect

I don’t deserve this night with you”

“This Is How You Fall in Love,” by Jeremy Zucker and Chelsea Cutler

This touching song describes the act of falling in love so beautifully; you just have to include it on your wedding playlist!

“What’s easy is right”, my mother’s advice

You are the reason I never think twice

Wherever we go, what glitters is gold

You’ll be my best friend until we grow old”

“Glad You Exist,” by Dan + Shay

This catchy tune is a true celebration of the union of two loving hearts:

“There’s a couple billion people in the world

And a million other places we could be, but you’re here with me

Take a moment just to take it in

‘Cause every high and every low led to this

I’m just so glad you exist”

“Can’t Help Falling in Love,” by Haley Reinhart

Destiny is what brings lovers together, so if you feel it was just meant to be…

“Like a river flows

Surely to the sea

Darling so it goes

Some things

Are meant to be”

“Come Away With Me,” by Nora Jones

This song has won many awards since its release in 2002 and millions of people around the world are still including it in their romantic playlists! It’s country music at its best, with simple lyrics and a romantic vibe.

“Come away with me and we’ll kiss

On a mountaintop

Come away with me

And I’ll never stop loving you”

“How Long Will I Love You,” by Ellie Goulding

These are some of the loveliest words a person can hear during a slow dance:

“How long will I give to you?

As long as I live through you

However long you say

How long will I love you?

As long as stars are above you

And longer if I may”

“Because You Loved Me,” by Celine Dion

There are few things more emotional than Celine Dion’s beautiful voice...

“See me as if you never knew

Hold me so you can’t let go

Just believe in me

I will make you see

All the things that your heart needs to know”

“How Deep Is Your Love,” by The Bee Gees

Few songs are as popular as this one and it’s easy to see why…

“I believe in you

You know the door to my very soul

You’re the light in my deepest, darkest hour

You’re my savior when I fall”

“Your Song,” by Elton John

It would be awesome if someone wrote a song for you, but the second-best thing is surely your partner whispering these words in your ear as you slow-dance:

“And you can tell everybody

This is the song

It may be quite simple, but now that it’s done

I hope you don’t mind

I hope you don’t mind

That I put down in the words

How wonderful life is while you’re in the world”

“You and I (Nobody in the World),” by John Legend

This is one of Legend’s sweetest songs. As he sings these wonderful lyrics in his warm vocals, every woman feels like “the one and only girl”!

“Out of all the girls

You’re my one and only girl

Ain’t nobody in the world tonight”

“Amazed,” by Lonestar

A lighthearted song, this cheerful tune would infuse the dancefloor with fun and joy.

“Baby, when you touch me

I can feel how much you love me

And it just blows me away”

“Speechless,” by Dan + Shay

It seems like country-duo Dan + Shay wrote this track just for weddings!

“Starin’ at you, standin’ there, in that dress

What it’s doin’ to me, ain’t a secret

‘Cause watchin’ you is all that I can do

And I’m speechless”

“A Thousand Years,” by Christina Perri

Promising endless love is apt for a wedding slow dance, and that’s exactly what Christina Perri says in this classic wedding song!

“Darling, don’t be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years

I’ll love you for a thousand more”

“Lucky,” by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat

Feeling lucky to be with that special someone is part and parcel of being in love. This is a sweet sweet song that counts all the ways a person feels lucky…

“Every time we say goodbye

I wish we had one more kiss

I’ll wait for you, I promise you, I will

Lucky I’m in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again

Lucky we’re in love in every way”

“Just a Kiss,” by Lady A

Lovers feel a million things when the moment comes for them to kiss. They open up, they never hold back, and as they hold each other tight, they know it’s never “just a kiss.”

“I’ve never opened up to anyone

So hard to hold back

When I’m holding you in my arms”

“Just the Way You Are,” by Bruno Mars

People in love often wonder how their partners see them, why they chose them, and even why they’re still with them. Well, Bruno Mars has the answer to all of that…

“When I see your face

There’s not a thing that I would change

‘Cause you’re amazing

Just the way you are

And when you smile

The whole world stops and stares for a while

‘Cause girl, you’re amazing

Just the way you are”

“Yours,” by Russell Dickerson

People change when they fall in love. Usually, they “come to life”, and everything starts to suddenly have a different meaning. This song is a wonderful reminder of that.

“I came to life when I first kissed you

The best me has his arms around you

You make me better than I was before

Thank God I’m yours”

“Dressed Up in White,” by CAL

This is a song about how it feels when the dream of getting married comes true; appropriate much?!

“I wanna see you all dressed up in white

Baby I’m gonna love you for the rest of my life

And I told you since I met you

That you’d always be mine

And one day I

I was gonna make you my wife

Well baby tonight

Tonight I’m gonna make you my wife”

“I Am Yours,” by Andy Grammer

If you want a song with lyrics that will highlight your profound bond then this is the one for you…

“You got the universe swimming in your eyes

I’m an open book when you look in mine

You’ll find that I was put here to love you

I been lost, I been found

But I know I am now, I am yours”

“In Case You Didn’t Know,” by Brett Young

Nothing is left unsaid in this country-pop track… 

“In case you didn’t know

Baby, I’m crazy ’bout you

And I would be lyin’ if I said

That I could live this life without you”

“Take My Hand,” by Emily Hackett and Will Anderson

This is a wedding song that tells a story that every couple can relate to:

“Take my heart and take my hand

I’ll be your lover and I’ll be your friend

Take my heart and take my hand again, and again

Right where we stand”

“10,000 Hours,” by Dan + Shay With Justin Bieber

A cheery dance song with a touch of country, Dan + Shay’s romantic track will brighten the mood but keep all those romantic feelings at the surface:

“I’d spend ten thousand hours and ten thousand more

Oh, if that’s what it takes to learn that sweet heart of yours

And I might never get there, but I’m gonna try

If it’s ten thousand hours or the rest of my life

I’m gonna love you”

“Coming Home,” by Leon Bridges

What’s better than knowing that a special person is your “home”?

“Baby, baby, baby

I’m coming home

To your tender sweet loving

You’re my one and only woman

The world leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, girl

You’re the only one that I want”

“The One,” by Elton John

Every word in this epic song has a deep meaning that resonates with loving souls…

“And all I ever needed was the one

Like freedom fields, where wild horses run

When stars collide like you and I

No shadows block the sun

You’re all I’ve ever needed

Baby, you’re the one”

“You’re Still the One,” by Jonah Baker      

And finally, a beautiful declaration of love by Jonah Baker. This tune is known everywhere and continues to be a wedding favorite to this day:

You’re still the one I run to

The one that I belong to

You’re still the one I want for life

(You’re still the one)

You’re still the one that I love

The only one I dream of

You’re still the one I kiss good night