Your Guide to the Parents Dance at Weddings and 60 Amazing Songs
Weddings are full of heartfelt and loving moments. Of all those moments, the parent’s dance stands out as the deepest expression of familial love.
It's that special time in a wedding where the married couple honors their parents who raised them before they enter into a new phase of life together.
Many couples ask these questions about the parent’s dance as they plan for their wedding:
Are there any parent dance traditions I need to know about?
When should I schedule the parent’s dance and how long should it last?
What if I want to honor a stepparent or other parental figure?
How does the parent’s dance work at LGBTQ or gender-neutral weddings?
Which song really captures my love for my parents?
We are expert wedding dance choreographers, here to give you all the answers and song choices you need to choose how you will plan the parent’s dance and make it a stellar addition to your wedding!
Table of Contents:
The Traditions and Variations of the Parent’s Dance
The parent’s dance is a wedding event where, in tradition, the bride dances with her father and the groom dances with his mother. These dances are commonly called the father-daughter dance and the mother-son dance.
The Father-Daughter Dance
The father-daughter dance is the original parent’s dance and the source of the tradition.
Dating back to a time when marriages were often arranged, the father was the most important man in his daughter’s life until she was married. At weddings, the bride would honor her father with a dance to symbolize this close bond. This father-daughter dance would often be the first dance of the wedding.
Then the father would hand the bride off to her husband, symbolically entrusting the groom with the care of his daughter.
As attitudes towards marriage and patriarchy have changed, so too has the father-daughter dance. Modern first dances are usually shared by the betrothed, with the father-daughter dance following thereafter.
The modern father-daughter dance is a heartfelt wedding tradition that symbolizes the love and appreciation shared between father and daughter.
The Mother-Son Dance
The mother-son dance is a more recent wedding tradition. This dance became popular as father-daughter dances became standard practice at weddings.
It was felt that mothers should also be shown appreciation and that grooms and their mothers should have a dance too.
The mother-son dance is an enjoyable wedding tradition that symbolizes the love and admiration shared between mother and son.
The Combined Parent’s Dance
As the name implies, the combined parent’s dance combines the father-daughter and mother-son dances into the same event. It is also sometimes referred to as the joint parent’s dance.
Couples may choose to combine the parent’s dances to save time, not be the center of attention, honor parents evenly, or to better fit a specific song.
✨ Want to make your parents dance WOW! rather than meh? ✨
Our dance choreography will help you become totally confident and even excited to dance at your wedding!
(The Deluxe package is a great choice if you want to do both your first dance and parent dance with us.)
Parents Dance Etiquette & Planning
Ultimately, the choice of sticking to tradition or going your own way is up to you!
We are here to answer any questions you may have about how to plan a traditional parent’s dance at your wedding if that’s your choice.
When to Have the Parent’s Dance at Your Wedding
Most couples plan the parent’s dance to take place after the first dance. Other popular time choices are after meal-oriented traditions like the toasts or the cutting of the cake.
When it comes to the order of parent dances, the father-daughter dance traditionally precedes the mother-son dance.
If you want to avoid putting one parent over the other, this procession can be bypassed with a combined parent’s dance.
Length of the Parent’s Dance
We recommend keeping your parent’s dance between 2 to 3 minutes long. Anything much above 3 minutes can feel like an eternity!
On the other hand, dances that are shorter than 2 minutes can make it difficult for wedding photographers to take good photos of your parent’s dance.
Including Other Parents or Stepparents In the Parent’s Dance
You can include any important parental figure in this dance. At the end of the day, picking a parental figure for the parent’s dance is entirely your choice.
Some brides and grooms will take turns with parental figures that they want to honor. Dancing with one and then letting another cut in.
You could also choose to play two short songs, one for each parental figure. Or choose one longer song of 4-5 minutes, creating more time to honor each person that is special to you.
The Parent’s Dance for Gender Neutral or LGBTQ Couples
Gender-neutral and LGBTQ couples can plan their parent’s dance however they and their parents like.
Want to have a father-son or mother-daughter dance? Go for it!
Were you raised by two fathers or two mothers? You can make plans to dance with both, as explained above.
Before committing to a plan, talk with your parents and come up with a parent’s dance that will be comfortable and enjoyable for everyone.
Choreographing The Parent’s Dance
You and your parents don’t know how to dance? Don’t worry! You can still take part in this special tradition at your wedding. You just need a little help.
Many couples and their parents will hire dancing coaches to teach them how to dance at their wedding. Some dancing coaches will even choreograph a dance, allowing couples and their parents to really shine on the big day.
At Steps to Love, we create custom dances that make your big day absolutely unforgettable!
Using your choice of songs, we will create your custom choreography on the spot! You can have no dancing experience and two left feet. That statement describes 95% of our clients. We are experts in making it fun, non-intimidating, and totally possible for you to learn to dance together.
Dance lessons with Steps to Love will not only give you and your parents the confidence to dance at your reception, but it is also a good opportunity to spend quality time together and learn something new.
Schedule a consult call with us here to see which package is best for your parent’s dance.
(The Deluxe package is a great choice if you want to do both your first dance and parent dance with us.)
60 Amazing Parent Dance Wedding Songs
20 Loving Combined Parent’s Dance Songs
These 20 songs are wonderful expressions of parental love that encompass any parental figure. Great picks for combined parent dances, non-traditional parent dances, and LGBTQ parent dances.
Wilco - My Darling (Alternative)
Phil Collins - You’ll Be In My Heart (Children's Music)
Bruno Mars - Count on Me (Contemporary Folk)
Trace Adkins - Then They Do (Country)
Paul Anka - Times of Your Life (Easy Listening)
Crosby, Stills, and Nash - Teach Your Children (Folk)
James Taylor - How Sweet It Is (Folk)
Arcade Fire - Baby Mine (Pop)
Billy Joel - Lullabye (Goodbye My Angel) (Pop)
Christina Aguilera - I Turn To You (Pop)
Elton John - Blessed (Pop)
Josh Groban - You Raise Me Up (Pop)
Taylor Hicks - Do I Make You Proud (Pop)
Mariah Carey - Hero (Pop)
Van Morrison - Have I Told You Lately (Pop)
Amos Lee - Sweet Pea (R&B Soul)
Bill Withers - Lean On Me (R&B Soul)
Stevie Wonder - You Are the Sunshine of My Life (R&B Soul)
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time (Rock)
The Beatles - All You Need Is Love (Rock)
20 Endearing Father-Daughter Dance Songs
These 20 curated father-daughter songs all speak to that special one-of-a-kind bond shared between father and daughter.
Natalie Merchant - Kind & Generous (Alternative)
Fleetwood Mac - Landslide (Blues)
Natalie Grant - Always Be Your Baby (Easy Listening)
Bruce Springsteen - When You Need Me (Folk)
Loudon Wainwright III - Daughter (Folk)
Tom Petty - Wildflowers (Folk)
Amy Grant - My Father’s Eyes (Gospel)
Ben Folds - Gracie (Pop)
Bette Midler - Wind Beneath My Wings (Pop)
Beyoncé - Daddy (Pop)
Camila Cabello - First Man (Pop)
Céline Dion - Because You Loved Me (Pop)
John Mayer - Daughters (Pop)
Ray Allaire - A Song for My Daughter (Pop)
Jax - Like My Father (R&B Soul)
Michael Bolton - Daddy’s Little Girl (R&B Soul)
The Drifters - When My Little Girl is Smiling (R&B Soul)
The Temptations - My Girl (R&B Soul)
Guns & Roses - Sweet Child of Mine (Rock)
Paul Simon - Father & Daughter (Rock)
20 Heartfelt Mother-Son Dance Songs
Choose a song that expresses the deep love and gratitude you share with your mother. These 20 curated mother-son songs are all excellent selections.
Adekunle Gold - Mama (Afrobeats)
Kathryn Beaumont - Your Mother and Mine (Children Music)
Jason Matthews - That’s What Mamas Do (Country)
Reba McEntire - He Gets That From Me (Country)
Sugarland - Mother (Country)
Lucero - Mom (Folk)
Carole King - Child of Mine (Pop)
Frankie Valli - My Mother’s Eyes (Pop)
Lady Antebellum - Never Alone (Pop)
Paul Simon - Mother and Child Reunion (Pop)
Paul Todd - The First Lady In My Life (Pop)
Aloe Blacc - Mama Hold My Hand (R&B Soul)
Boys II Men - A Song For Mama (R&B Soul)
Ciara - I Got You (R&B Soul)
MAJOR. - A Mother’s Love (R&B Soul)
The Intruders - I’ll Always Love My Mama (R&B Soul)
Good Charlotte - Thank You Mom (Rock)
Edwin McCain - Letter to My Mother (Rock)
Paul Simon - Loves Me Like a Rock (Rock)
Scissor Sisters - Take Your Mama (Rock)
Bay Area Wedding Dance Lessons with Steps to Love
Invest in the epic parent’s dance of your dreams!
We can help you become totally prepared and confident to dance with your parents. You’ll be ready to dazzle your guests, truly enjoy yourselves, and create an iconic memory you will cherish for the rest of your lives.
(The Deluxe package is a great choice if you want to do both your first dance and parent dance with us.)
