We’ve written before about the history of the first dance and its place in European royalty. Though we couldn’t find information about the background of the various parent-child dances, it’s still an important part of current wedding traditions so we wanted to shine a light on it.
Typically, after the couple’s first dance, it is customary for newlyweds to dance with their parents. Traditionally, it’s with the parent of the opposite sex for a father-daughter or mother-son moment, but we’ve seen mother-daughter dances, too, so follow your heart. The dance holds space for the person to honor their parent and share the bond they have with their friends and family.
Kelly here: As a product of unconventional parenting, this dance has always been something I’ve never entirely understood, and my guess is I’m not alone, but anyone can appreciate setting a special moment to music.
We asked a few members of the team at Renaissance Publishing to share their parent dance songs to compile an inspirational playlist for anyone still searching.
“Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole and his daughter Natalie Cole
“Here for You” by Neil Young
“Days Like This” by Van Morrison
“What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong
“Butterfly Kisses” by Bob Carlisle
“I Loved Her First” by Tim McGraw
“Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
“Vienna” by Billy Joel
“Make You Feel My Love” by Adele
“You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me” by John Mayer
“I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack
“Daughters” by John Mayer
