Let's Talk About.....The First Dance

The first time you met; the first time you kissed; your favourite holiday together: the first dance track is an essential feature of most wedding days, often signifying a special occasion unique to each couple. By marking your very first dance as a married couple, it can also be a truly unforgettable moment!  

But what happens if you don’t have a special song? How do you choose one? 

With more than 20 years behind the decks at Cooling Castle Barn and The Vines, our resident DJs James Johnson and Robin Chappell know a thing or two about tracks that set the stage for the rest of your lives.

We spoke to them to find out which songs are rocking your worlds right now – and what have been the most popular in getting the party started over the past decade. 

James said: “At the moment you are seeing a lot more original and unique choices, but over the years there have been some popular ones that have come up often – Ed Sheeran has definitely been one of the most requested artists.

“Right now, John Legend’s You and I (Nobody in the World) has to be up there in terms of popularity.

“Over the last decade, James Blunt’s You’re Beautiful; Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud and Perfect; Kodaline’s The One; James Arthur’s Say You Won’t Let Go and I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith, have all been popular choices.”

Robin agreed with Ed Sheeran as one of the most popular choices over the years but threw a few different names into the mix as well.

He said: “There was a time where one whole summer was either Ed Sheeran or John Legend. 

“Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud, Perfect and Tenerife Sea have all been popular, as well John Legend’s All of Me.

“Others include Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars, Lonestar’s Amazed and Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years.

“We had quite a unique one recently, Frank Sinatra’s My Funny Valentine, which was a bit out of leftfield, but I thought really cool.”

Our advice? If you don’t have a special song, you don’t have spend hours stressing out to pick the most unique song you can find. Find something you both like, that sounds nice, with romantic lyrics – and that you can both dance to - and enjoy the moment!