How to Select Songs for Your In-Law Wedding Dance

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.

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?

father-in-law mother-in-law dance songs

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?

New In-Law Dance Songs to Know

  • He’s My Man – Priscilla Block

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

DJs! Plan an In-Law Dance Song by BPM and Key

(Click on the Song, Artist, Key and BPM table columns for sorting)

SongArtistKeyBPM
Don't Worry Be HappyBobby McFerrin1B69
HeroesHaley Reinhart4B72
Chosen FamilyRina Sawayama12B73
Three Little BirdsBob Marley & The Wailers11B74
Lean on MeBill Withers8B75
Rich ManLittle Big Town9B76
What A Wonderful WorldLouis Armstrong7B77
These Are the DaysVan Morrison9B77
SmileNat King Cole4A79
WildfireMichael Martin Murphey12B80
Little WondersRob Thomas11B82
I'll Be There (feat. Trey Lorenz) - Live at MTV Unplugged, Kaufman Astoria StuLive at MTV Unplugged, Kaufman Astoria Studios, New York - March 1992dios, New York - March 1992Mariah Carey, Trey Lorenz7B82
Take Good Care Of My BabyBobby Vee3B83
Only TimeEnya5B83
Over the RainbowIsrael Kamakawiwo'ole8B86
WildflowersTom Petty7B87
Keep The Family CloseDrake8A88
The Good OnesGabby Barrett10B90
You've Got a FriendJames Taylor11B92
Family PortraitP!nk5A92
Family AffairMary J. Blige1A93
I'll Be ThereThe Jackson 57B93
Days Like ThisVan Morrison5A94
FamilyDrew Holcomb & The Neighbors9B95
Wonderful TonightEric Clapton9B96
Blended Family (What You Do For Love)Alicia Keys, A$AP Rocky11B97
I Wish You LoveNatalie Cole3B97
You'll Be In My HeartPhil Collins4B97
Life Is WonderfulJason Mraz1A98
Humble And KindTim McGraw1B101
Forever YoungRod Stewart12B102
BlessedElton John7B102
In My Life - Remastered 2009The Beatles11B103
Let Your Love FlowThe Bellamy Brothers5B109
I Can See Clearly NowJohnny Nash6B109
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)James Taylor8B109
HomeEdward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros10B112
You Are My Sunshine (with Chris Stapleton)Morgane Stapleton, Chris Stapleton, Southern Family10B112
Somebody To Love - Remastered 2011Queen4B112
Family Is FamilyKacey Musgraves7B112
A Wink and a SmileHarry Connick, Jr.9B112
I Just Want To Dance With YouGeorge Strait8B114
Count On Me - from "Waiting to Exhale" - Original SoundtrackWhitney Houston, CeCe Winans9A114
We Are FamilySister Sledge10B115
Let's DanceDavid Bowie4B115
You've Got a Friend in MeRandy Newman5A116
Stand By MeBen E. King11B118
Ain't That LoveRay Charles6B118
Because You Loved Me - LiveCéline Dion9B118
Isn't She LovelyStevie Wonder12A119
Don't Stop Believin'Journey12B119
Time After TimeCyndi Lauper2B120
The Best Is yet to ComeMichael Bublé7B121
HomePhillip Phillips8B121
Can You Feel The Love TonightElton John6B123
Family Man - 2017 RemasterFleetwood Mac9B124
Sweet Child O' MineGuns N' Roses2B125
Family TraditionHank Williams, Jr.12B126
Kooks - 2015 RemasterDavid Bowie11B127
There You'll BeFaith Hill4B129
Treat Her RightSawyer Brown5B131
Forever YoungAndrea von Kampen8B131
Ordinary MiracleSarah McLachlan10B132
I'm Happy Just To Dance With You - Remastered 2009The Beatles11A132
The Way You Look TonightFrank Sinatra4A132
Love Can Build A BridgeThe Judds1B133
FamilyDolly Parton3B134
I'll Stand by YouPretenders9B134
My WishRascal Flatts12B136
Like Jesus DoesEric Church3B137
SmileUncle Kracker12B141
Have I Told You LatelyRod Stewart6B143
I'll Stand by You (Duet with Helene Fischer)Josh Groban, Helene Fischer4B146
Teach Your ChildrenCrosby, Stills, Nash & Young10A147
I Hope You DanceLee Ann Womack6A151
Tell Me TwiceChayce Beckham11B154
LandslideFleetwood Mac6A159
Happy - From "Despicable Me 2"Pharrell Williams4A160
RemedyAdele10B162
Call My NameLukas Graham6B166
Hold My HandHootie & The Blowfish3B172
Lean on MeClub Nouveau8B177
On Me (feat. Ava Max) - From 'SCOOB!' The AlbumThomas Rhett, Kane Brown, Ava Max4B178
Seasons of Love - From the Motion Picture RENTCast Of Rent6B178
Every Little Thing She Does Is MagicThe Police9B206

*BPM and key pulled from SongData.io

Spotify In-Law Playlist

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).

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