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