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Choosing your first dance song may seem like another big decision to add to your wedding plans. You might think "How can we distill our identity as a couple into just one song?!" Just like all the other details of your wedding and reception, you want the song you choose to represent the two of you uniquely. Some couples may already have a special song that has been meaningful to them since the start of their relationship. For other, it can feel difficult to find that one song that encapsulates your special kind of love.

Here are some ideas to help you narrow down the options and ultimately chose that unique tune that will bring you back to your first dance everytime you hear it in the future.

Current Hits:

Sometimes a song can bring you back to a moment in time, and maybe if you haven't already found a song for your first dance, it might help to look over popular playlists from the time you first met. What was popular on the radio then? Was there a song that you heard often when you were first dating? Selecting a popular piece from the time of your courtship will be like a opening a time capsule each time you hear it. Even your friends and family might hear the song and be transported back to this special moment of your lives.

These are some current popular choices for wedding couples:

"Lucky" by Jason Mraz featuring Colbie Caillat

"Somewhere over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole  

"You and Me" by Lifehouse

"Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts

Classics:

A classic never goes out of style. There are certain songs that will always be associated with weddings. Some timeless wedding favorites include:

"At Last" by Etta James

"Can I Have This Dance?" by Anne Murray

"It Had to Be You" by Harry Connick Jr.  

" L-O-V-E" by Nat King Cole

"What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong

Songs like these are always an appropriate choice because the meaningful lyrics are so relevant to the feelings associated with the romance and joy of wedding days. From young to old, guests at your wedding will be warmed by these familiar tunes and happy to see you taking your first steps together in elegant style.

Medleys:

Lots of couples are breaking from tradition and finding that just one song isn't enough to show the facets that make their relationship special. For these brides and grooms, making a medley allows them the freedom to express themselves in more than one way. Although a medley can be made up of more then two songs, many couples opt to combine a slow, romantic song with an upbeat or funky one to show off their fun side.
Don't make things too hard on yourselves by biting off more then you can chew, though! Mixiing more than two songs not only requires you to work more on cutting and splicing, but also involves you having to learn additional  dances and patterns, which can be tough on your brains and bodies-you've got enough on your plates already!

Here's your chance to be creative and bring in the entertainment factor if you're going with a medley. If you're combining families from diverse ethnic backgrounds, pick a song from each culture.

Or maybe choose a contemporary song and combine it with a favorite song from the decade you grew up in.

Use your creative liscense here and make it fun or even silly. Your dance instructor will have plenty of ideas to bring out the best of both songs and make it one of the reception highlights that your guests will talk about for years to come.

Tips:

Things to keep in mind when selecting your song:

• Know your venue size- if you have a tiny floor, you may not be able to do that dramatic waltz you are thinking of. Confer with your teacher for what will work with the space you have and chose a song/dance that will fit your needs.
  

• Cut that song!!!!- did you know that even professional competitive dancers generally have routines 2 minutes or less? A long song will not only put more pressure on the two of you to learn enough "stuff" to continue dancing throughout the song, but will also likely lose the interest of your guests very quickly. Four minutes may not seem like a long time, but it will be when you are dancing. It's best to keep the dance to a solid minute and a half or a little over two minutes if you are doing a medley.

• Work within your limits- if you've put off learning your first dance till the week before the wedding, it's best not to select a dance that is difficult to learn. Songs with extreme tempos, either very fast or very slow, are challenging and with all the things you'll be thinking of on your wedding day, you don't want your first dance to be something to worry about. Select a mid tempo song and consult with your dance instructor to be sure you'll have enough time to be comfortable for that first dance. The best idea is to prepare ahead of time and start to learn a few months out before the wedding date.
  

Your first dance song is a souvenir that will always remind you of your wedding day. Over the years when you hear it, you'll both think back to that wonderful moment and enjoy hearing the song that is "our song".