Popular First Dance and Parent Dance Ideas for Your Wedding
As the owner of Spinning with Style, I, DJ Bri Swatek am often asked by my brides and grooms for First Dance, Bride and Father, Groom and Mother, and other Parent Dance song suggestions. While a special song should fit your unique style as a couple, looking at current trends in song choices can be a helpful place to start.
(Bride & Groom’s Dance, Set to Music by DJ Bri Swatek, Image Courtesy of Cheryl Bolton-Reuter Photography)
Reviewing requests from my brides and grooms over the past few months, the following artists and titles have been very popular choices for special dances during their recent weddings.
“New” First Dances
Alicia Keys – No One
Big & Rich – Lost In This Moment
Brad Paisley – Then
Brad Paisley – She’s Everything
Jack Johnson – Better Together
Jason Mraz – I’m Yours
Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat – Lucky
Keith Urban – Making Memories Of Us
Kenny Chesney – Me and You
Lifehouse – You And Me
Michael Buble – Everything
Norah Jones – Come Away With Me
Rascal Flatts – Bless The Broken Road
“Classic” First Dances
Aerosmith – I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
Alison Krauss – When You Say Nothing At All
Bryan Adams – (Everything I Do) I Do It For You
Elvis Presley – Can’t Help Falling In Love
Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight
Etta James – At Last
Frank Sinatra – The Way You Look Tonight
George Strait – I Cross My Heart
Harry Connick, Jr. – It Had To Be You
Journey – Faithfully
Journey – Open Arms
K-Ci & Jojo – All My Life
Lonestar – Amazed
Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World
Righteous Brothers – Unchained Melody
Savage Garden – Truly Madly Deeply
Tim McGraw – My Best Friend
Tim McGraw with Faith Hill – It’s Your Love
Bride & Father Dances
Chuck Wicks – Stealing Cinderella
Frank Sinatra – The Way You Look Tonight
Heartland – I Loved Her First
Steven Curtis Chapman – Cinderella
Temptations – My Girl
Tim McGraw – My Little Girl
Parent Dances for the Bride & Father, Groom & Mother, or other Family Dances
Beatles – In My Life
Billy Joel – Lullabye
Bob Dylan – Forever Young
Cat Stevens – The Wind
Elton John – Can You Feel The Love Tonight
Faith Hill – There You’ll Be
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole – Somewhere Over The Rainbow / What a Wonderful World
Lee Ann Womack – I Hope You Dance
Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World
Rascal Flatts – My Wish
Stevie Wonder – You Are the Sunshine of My Life
Looking at current wedding song trends may give you an idea of what you want (or don’t want!), but ultimately, finding that “perfect song” to reflect your feelings on your wedding day is always a personal choice that expresses your unique style.
________________________________________________________
DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style
Your Professional Disc Jockey and MC Service
in the Hudson Valley of New York
Email: briswatek@aol.com
Phone: 845.235.0080
Online: www.djbriswatek.com
Images from Cheryl Bolton-Reuter Photography
Please enjoy the following wedding images sent to me by one of the best photographers in the Hudson Valley, Cheryl Bolton-Reuter:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwbTlfYKQpY
The pictures speak for themselves of course, but Cheryl is also a wonderful person to work with. I highly recommend her and her work for your special day!
________________________________________________________
DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style
Your Professional Disc Jockey and MC Service
in the Hudson Valley of New York
Email: briswatek@aol.com
Phone: 845.235.0080
Online: www.djbriswatek.com
Black Friday? Try White Friday for Wedding Planning!
Black Friday? Try White Friday for Wedding Planning!
Whether you’re already engaged or thinking of getting engaged over the Holiday season, the weekend after Thanksgiving is more than just a great time to shop—it’s also a great time to do some wedding planning. Why now? Besides the fact that you may have a bit additional time off of work, there are two reasons why late November is a great time to dive into your wedding planning process.
#1. Let’s Get Together!
Many of your friends and family may also have some time off of work this weekend. Now’s a chance to get together, talk, share, or even go out looking for products and services you will need for your wedding. You know that everyone in your life has an opinion on your upcoming wedding. Take this opportunity to ask friends and family to help you with your wedding planning process, before everyone gets overly busy with their Holiday plans.
#2. Buy Now!
January and February are the traditional winter bridal show months. In the Hudson Valley, there will be over a dozen bridal expos in these two months. However, as the owner of Spinning with Style, a wedding DJ service in the Hudson Valley, I, DJ Bri Swatek, can tell you firsthand that more often than not, by February, key dates on that same year’s schedule are already filled. Many wedding vendors actually set up booths at these winter Hudson Valley bridal shows and expos looking to book weddings for the following year, as that current new year is already almost completely booked up. Your wedding date is like a piece of real estate. Just like a house, you’re building something on that particular day on the calendar—a once in a lifetime event for your family and friends. Many professional wedding vendors can (or choose to) only work at one wedding per day, and by mid-Winter, your date could already be booked. Consider signing contracts and paying retainers now, before you miss out on that great service or vendor you had your eye on.
Where to begin?
An Internet search for Hudson Valley wedding products, services, and vendors can be more than a little overwhelming. There are tons of wedding vendors out there, and the level of quality and professionalism varies widely. As the owner of Spinning with Style, a wedding DJ service in the Hudson Valley, I, DJ Bri Swatek, would recommend that you combine all those great referrals that you have (and will get) from your family and friends with some of the great services highlighted on this blog. On DJ Bri’s Blog: How to Plan Your Hudson Valley Wedding to Reflect Your Unique Style, you will find links to lots of great
- reception venues,
- photographers,
- videographers,
- florists,
- limo companies,
- wedding planners,
- and more!
Each one of these vendors is a high quality wedding professional that I have worked with on numerous occasions and I can personally recommend as someone who wants nothing but the best wedding for their brides and grooms on your wedding day!
________________________________________________________
DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style
Your Professional Disc Jockey and MC Service
in the Hudson Valley of New York
Email: briswatek@aol.com
Phone: 845.235.0080
Online: www.djbriswatek.com
The Vow Factor: Great Wedding Planning Ideas
Just a quick note to remind all the brides and grooms out there in the Hudson Valley about Sarah Bradshaw’s wonderful wedding planning blog, The Vow Factor, located at
It’s a great wedding planning resource that I highly recommend!
________________________________________________________
DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style
Your Professional Disc Jockey and MC Service
in the Hudson Valley of New York
Email: briswatek@aol.com
Phone: 845.235.0080
Online: www.djbriswatek.com
The Links at Union Vale’s Bridal Brunch: A Unique Experience for the Bride and Groom and their Families
Teri Stellato, Banquet Manager at The Links at Union Vale, a beautiful reception location in LaGrangeville, NY invites brides, grooms, and their families and friends to a Bridal Brunch on Sunday, November 15, 2009 from 12 Noon to 3 p.m.
This intimate, relaxed and informative event is designed especially for the couple who want a distinguished reception site and individualized attention. It is a no-pressure opportunity for couples and their families to tour our facilities and explore the many reception packages and options available at The Links at Union Vale. You’ll be able to take advantage of special limited-time opportunities, value-added incentives and a chance to win some great prizes!
In addition, a panel of select professional Hudson Valley wedding vendors, including myself, DJ Bri Swatek of Spinning with Style, will be presenting an informal question and answer panel entitled “Dream Weddings for Any Budget.” Come for the Mimosas and stay for some great wedding planning ideas!
Details about the Bridal Brunch and information about making a reservation are located here:
http://www.thelinksatunionvale.com/golf/proto/thelinksatunionvale/event01/event01.htm
________________________________________________________
DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style
Your Professional Disc Jockey and MC Service
in the Hudson Valley of New York
Email: briswatek@aol.com
Phone: 845.235.0080
Online: www.djbriswatek.com
Beautiful Memories: Earth, Air, Fire, Water (and so much fun!)
Please visit this great blog post
http://beautifulmemoriesvideo.blogspot.com/2009/09/earth-air-fire-water-and-so-much-fun.html
by my friends at Beautiful Memories Digital Videography. Titled Earth, Air, Fire, Water (and so much fun!), the post captures Maeghan and Dan’s unique, fun, wonderful wedding at West Park Winery.
Courtesy of Beautiful Memories Digital Videography
Thanks to Michelle, Brittany, and the rest of the great staff at West Park Winery, as well to our friends Maureen Gates at Sharp Images Photographic and Heather Lundy at A Night in Bloom Floristfor all taking part in such a magical night! Congratulations Maeghan and Dan!
________________________________________________________
DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style
Your Professional Disc Jockey and MC Service
in the Hudson Valley of New York
Email: briswatek@aol.com
Phone: 845.235.0080
Online: www.djbriswatek.com
Involving Your Friends and Family in Your Wedding Day
As a DJ, I get sent a lot of YouTube and Facebook video clips of “crazy” wedding entrances or first dances. Most brides and grooms have seen at least one clip of the Evolution of Dance or a ballad with a scratching sound followed by “Thriller.” This clip I received of a ceremony entrance did highlight some of the pros and cons of the practice:
http://www.break.com/index/jill-and-kevins-unexpected-wedding-entrance.html
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0
After my initial reaction of a few laughs, my second thought about this entrance was how much time and effort the bride and groom and their friends and family put into this choreographed number. I can only imagine the work and the fun that went into practicing this routine.
While a staged entrance or dance like this might not fit your wedding or your style as a couple, it does ask the question: what could you do to set your tone at your wedding, and in particular, how could you involve all of the wonderful friends and family who are in your wedding party? Could you use more than one song in your entrance to set different moods for different groups of family or friends? What about having two first dances, one for you as a couple, and a second one where your guests join in, creating two different moods at the very beginning? Who have you asked to give speeches such as blessings or toasts, and have you considered spreading these speeches out at different points throughout the wedding, depending on the speaker and their personality? Could you dedicate a song to special family members or friends who were there for you, particularly throughout all the excitement and stress of planning your once-in-a-lifetime event? Have you considered adding a photo slideshow or Memory Montage during dinner at your wedding, highlighting all of your memories with these special people though the years?
As the owner of Spinning with Style, I, DJ Bri Swatek, always like to ask my brides and grooms, “who’s coming to your wedding?” It’s a simple question with a complicated answer: all the people who are closest to you and your fiancee. How can you make certain to express your friendship, gratitude, and love for these people on your wedding day? It doesn’t have to be an over-the-top dance routine–it’s the thought that counts.
________________________________________________________
DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style
Your Professional Disc Jockey and MC Service
in the Hudson Valley of New York
Email: briswatek@aol.com
Phone: 845.235.0080
Online: www.djbriswatek.com
Wedding Humor from the Folks at NPR: The Least Appropriate Wedding Songs Ever
As wedding season is in full swing, here’s a little wedding humor I had sent to me on Facebook. It’s courtesy of the folks at National Public Radio:
NPR: The Least Appropriate Wedding Songs Ever.
I hope it’s good for a laugh or two during your wedding planning! Enjoy,
Bri
________________________________________________________
DJ Bri Swatek, Spinning with Style
Your Professional Disc Jockey and MC Service
in the Hudson Valley of New York
Email: briswatek@aol.com
Phone: 845.235.0080
Online: www.djbriswatek.com







leave a comment