After years of DJing weddings, I assembled a list of the best songs to play for dancing with your in-laws at your wedding. Why not include your father and mother-in-law in a special spotlight dance?
Quick Tips
When picking out the song to dance with your in-laws, you must consider the following 3 factors:
1. Does the song have a special meaning to both of you? 2. Does the song’s meaning describe your relationship? 3. What is the tempo of the song (fast or slow) to determine the style of dance that fits best?
As an experienced wedding DJ, I’ve assembled a list of songs for an in-law dance. Songs are selected by the meaning of the song and popular hits by today’s couples. Additional lists are grouped by genre to match your taste in music.
In-Law Wedding Songs by Theme
Fun & Unexpected
If you want to have a fun upbeat song to dance or dedicate to your new in-laws, check out these hits!
A Wink And A Smile – Harry Connick Jr.
Ain’t That Love – Ray Charles
Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
Don’t Worry, Be Happy – Bobby McFerrin
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic – The Police
Happy – Pharrell Williams
Home – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Home – Phillip Phillips
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) – James Taylor
I Can See Clearly Now – Johnny Nash
Lean On Me – Club Nouveau
Let’s Dance – David Bowie
Seasons Of Love – Cast Of Rent
Smile – Nat King Cole
Smile – Uncle Kracker
Somebody To Love – Queen
The Way You Look Tonight – Frank Sinatra
Family Theme
When getting married, not only do the couple become one but so do families join together. These songs celebrate your new family members.
Blended Family – Alicia Keys, A$AP Rocky
Chosen Family – Rina Sawayama
Family – Dolly Parton
Family – Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors
Family Affair – Mary J Blige
Family Is Family – Kacey Musgraves
Family Man – Fleetwood Mac
Family Portrait – P!nk
Family Tradition – Hank Williams, Jr.
Keep The Family Close – Drake
Kooks – David Bowie
Love Can Build A Bridge – The Judds
Rich Man – Little Big Town
We Are Family – Sister Sledge
Every Type of Relationship
Not every couple is close with their new in-laws at the wedding. These songs still have a nice moment without the lovey-dovey lyrics.
I Just Want To Dance With You – George Strait
Only Time – Enya
Over the Rainbow – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
Teach Your Children – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
These Are the Days – Van Morrison
Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
What A Wonderful – Louis Armstrong
Wildfire – Michael Martin Murphey
Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
Parent-Child Relationship
Just the opposite of the list above this one. These songs celebrate the closeness between the couple and their new in-laws.
Blessed – Elton John
Isn’t She Lovely – Stevie Wonder
Landslide – Fleetwood Mac
Like Jesus Does – Eric Church
Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns N’ Roses
Take Good Care Of My Baby – Bobby Vee
Tell Me Twice – Chayce Beckham
The Good Ones – Gabby Barrett
Treat Her Right – Sawyer Brown
You Are My Sunshine – Morgane & Chris Stapleton
Being There For Each Other
Here is a list of songs that celebrate being there for each other through thick and thin as the couple starts their new life as a married couple.
Call My Name – Lukas Graham
Count On Me – Whitney Houston, CeCe Winans
Hold My Hand – Hootie & The Blowfish
I’ll Be There – Jackson 5
I’ll Be There – Mariah Carey
I’ll Stand by You – Josh Groban, Helene Fischer
I’ll Stand By You – The Pretenders
I’m Happy Just To Dance With You – The Beatles
Lean on Me – Bill Withers
On Me – Thomas Rhett, Kane Brown, Ava Max
Stand By Me – Ben E. King
There You’ll Be – Faith Hill
You’ve Got A Friend – James Taylor
You’ve Got a Friend in Me – Randy Newman
Loving Each Other
Are your in-laws seen as parent figures in your life? These songs celebrate your special bond.
Because You Loved Me – Celine Dion
Can You Feel The Love Tonight – Elton John
Have I Told You Lately – Rod Stewart
Heroes – Haley Reinhart
In My Life – The Beatles
Life Is Wonderful – Jason Mraz
Ordinary Miracle – Sarah McLachlan
Remedy – Adele
Time After Time – Cyndi Lauper
You’ll Be In My Heart – Phil Collins
Good Will for the Future
These songs share a feeling of wishing the couple well from the eyes of the parents to the newlyweds.
Days Like This – Van Morrison
Forever Young – Andrea von Kampen
Forever Young – Rod Stewart
Humble and Kind – Tim McGraw
I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack
I Wish You Love – Natalie Cole
Let Your Love Flow – Bellamy Brothers
Little Wonders – Rob Thomas
My Wish – Rascal Flatts
The Best Is Yet To Come – Michael Buble
Wildflowers – Tom Petty
Song Ideas by Genre
Rock
Life Is Wonderful – Jason Mraz
Little Wonders – Rob Thomas
Beautiful Day – U2
Days Like This – Van Morrison
Hold My Hand – Hootie & The Blowfish
I’ll Stand By You – The Pretenders
Wildflowers – Tom Petty
Forever Young – Rod Stewart
Family Man – Fleetwood Mac
Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns N’ Roses
Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic – The Police
Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
Somebody To Love – Queen
Landslide – Fleetwood Mac
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) – James Taylor
You’ve Got A Friend – James Taylor
Kooks – David Bowie
Teach Your Children – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
In My Life – The Beatles
I’m Happy Just To Dance With You – The Beatles
Country
Rich Man – Little Big Town
The Good Ones – Gabby Barrett
You Are My Sunshine – Morgane Stapleton with Chris Stapleton
Humble and Kind – Tim McGraw
Family Is Family – Kacey Musgraves
Like Jesus Does – Eric Church
My Wish – Rascal Flatts
There You’ll Be – Faith Hill
I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack
Treat Her Right – Sawyer Brown
I Just Want To Dance With You – George Strait
Family – Dolly Parton
Love Can Build A Bridge – The Judds
Family Tradition – Hank Williams, Jr.
Wildfire – Michael Martin Murphey
Oh, Pretty Woman – Roy Orbison
R&B
Chosen Family – Rina Sawayama
Blended Family (What You Do For Love) – Alicia Keys feat. A$AP Rocky
To shorten the time for your formal dances, you can choose to have a combined parent wedding dance.
If you have step-parents, select a song just for your relationship! Have a dance to a stepmom and stepson song and a stepdad and stepdaughter song.
Fun Facts
It is up to you, as the wedding couple, how much attention to focus on these dances but we’d like to inspire you to think beyond tradition.
Father-in-law dance songs are played at a wedding reception while the bride dances with her new father-in-law. There are many options for the formalities of this dance.
Option 1 would be for the bride to dance with her father for the father-daughter dance. Then, have her new father-in-law cut in to finish the song?
Option 2 is to have the bride and father-in-law have their own special song to dance to.
Option 3 is to play a song for both couples to dance – a bride with her father-in-law and the groom with his mother-in-law.
Mother-in-law dance songs are played at a wedding reception while the groom dances with his new mother-in-law. There are many options for the formalities of this dance.
Option 1 would be for the groom to dance with his mother for the mother-son dance. Then, have his new mother-in-law cut in to finish the song?
Option 2 is to have the groom and mother-in-law have their own special song to dance to.
Option 3 is to play a song for both couples to dance – a bride with her father-in-law and the groom with his mother-in-law.
The wedding couple can make the in-law dances immediately following the father-daughter and mother-groom dances. Additionally, the in-laws can tap in mid-dance. If you choose this option be sure to coordinate with your professional DJ.
It’s worth noting that the more formal dances you have, the more time guests are waiting to cut loose and dance themselves. I would recommend announcing that the bridal couple has a special song with their in-laws and inviting everyone to join in with their dance(s).
I have always had a love for music and the way it makes you feel. My passion grew for wedding celebrations with years as a wedding DJ. Now, as a wedding music planner, I research popular and unique wedding songs to create personalized playlists for couples and help wedding pros curate crowd-cheering music. Let's get the party started! - Read More About Me
