Last Dance Songs like I've Had The Time Of My Life

The last dance song closes out the reception and signals that it’s time for your guests to leave. They are a great way to book your wedding reception from the first dance to the last.

This will help everyone remember the night — especially the two of you. Discover a list of the most popular and unique last dance songs to end your reception.

Quick Tips

When picking out the song to dance the last dance of the wedding, you must consider the following 3 factors:

1. Do you want to end on a high note energy or a loving slow song?
2. Does the song’s meaning match the end of the event?
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 the mother-son dance. Songs are selected by the song’s meaning and popular hits by today’s brides. Besides the relationship type between the mother and groom, additional lists are grouped by genre to match your taste in music.

Last Dance Song by Vibe

We’re Married!

If you want to celebrate the fact that you are now a married couple, consider one of these songs.

Best Day Of My Life – American Authors
Black And White – Niall Horan
Dog Days Are Over – Florence & The Machine
First Date – Blink-182
Growing Old With You – Restless Road
Here’s To Us – Halestorm
Just The Two Of Us – Bill Withers and Grover Washington, Jr.
Makin’ Plans – Miranda Lambert
Marry Me – Train
Marry You – Bruno Mars
The Best Is Yet To Come – Drake White
Today – Brad Paisley
Today Was A Fairytale (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift

Romantic

If you want to have a romantic slow song with all of the couples on the dance floor, these songs fit perfectly.

All Your’n – Tyler Childers
At Last – Etta James
Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley
Dance Real Close – Jessie Payo
Die A Happy Man – Thomas Rhett
Forever After All – Luke Combs
From The Ground Up – Dan + Shay
I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing – Aerosmith
Joy Of My Life – Chris Stapleton
Love Of A Lifetime – Firehouse
Love Story – Taylor Swift
Love You Anyway – Devon Gilfillian
Perfect – Ed Sheeran
Simply the Best – Noah Reid
Stand By Me – Ben E. King
Tennessee Whiskey – Chris Stapleton
Thank God – Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown
Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
Until I Found You – Stephen Sanchez
What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
You Are The Best Thing – Ray Lamontagne

End on a High Note

If you want to have guests singing along and dancing to the final song at your reception, consider one of these popular and trending tracks.

A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay
Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
Don’t Stop Believin’ – Teddy Swims
Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
Firework – Katy Perry
Forever – Chris Brown
I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) – Whitney Houston
Lose Yourself – Eminem
Miracles Happen (When You Believe) – Myra
Never Let You Go – Jason Derulo, Shouse
New York, New York – Frank Sinatra
One More Time – Daft Punk
Piano Man – Billy Joel
Stole the Show – Kygo and Parson James
Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
The Horses – Daryl Braithwaite
This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) – Natalie Cole
Under The Sun – Ella Henderson, Switch Disco, Alok
We Found Love – Rihanna, Calvin Harris

What a Party!

These songs are similar to the high note but would be considered more of an extension of the party until the song is over.

All The Small Things – Blink-182
Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
Dancing In The Moonlight – King Harvest
Dancing Queen – ABBA
Friends In Low Places – Garth Brooks
Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi
Mr. Brightside – The Killers
My Way – Frank Sinatra
Never Gonna Give You Up – Rick Astley
September – Earth, Wind & Fire
Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield
We Are Family – Sister Sledge
You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC

Party’s Over – Time to Say Goodbye

These songs are a way to tell all of your guests that the wedding reception is over and it’s time to go home without saying it on the microphone.

Bang! – AJR
Bye Bye Bye – N Sync
Carry You Home – Alex Warren
Closing Time – Semisonic
Closing Time – The Chardon Polka Band
Come Away With Me – Norah Jones
Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home) – Elle King & Miranda Lambert
Final Song – MØ
Glad You Came – The Wanted
Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) – Green Day
Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) – Ron Pope, The National Parks
Happy Trails – The Avett Brothers
Hit The Road Jack – Ray Charles
Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
I Don’t Want This Night To End – Luke Bryan
(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
Incredible – James TW
It Was a Good Day – Ice Cube
Last Dance – Donna Summer
Memories – David Guetta Feat. Kid Cudi
Memories – Maroon 5
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye – Steam
No Goodbyes (Friends Forever) – Fitz & The Tantrums
One Last Dance – John Legend
Out Of Reach – BoyWithUke
Save The Best For Last – Vanessa Williams
Save The Last Dance For Me – Michael Buble
Save the Last Dance for Me – The Drifters
Send Me On My Way – Rusted Root
Take Me Home Tonight – Eddie Money
Take Me Home, Country Roads – KSHMR
Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver
Young Forever – Jay-Z feat. Mr. Hudson

Song Ideas by Genre

Rock

Out Of Reach – BoyWithUke
Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home) – Elle King & Miranda Lambert
Dance Real Close – Jessie Payo
Best Day Of My Life – American Authors
Marry Me – Train
Happy Trails – The Avett Brothers
I Believe in a Thing Called Love – The Darkness
Mr. Brightside – The Killers
I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing – Aerosmith
Closing Time – Semisonic
Here’s To Us – Halestorm
Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) – Green Day
Send Me On My Way – Rusted Root
Love Of A Lifetime – Firehouse
It’s The End Of The World As We Know It – R.E.M.
Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi
Take Me Home Tonight – Eddie Money
Africa – Toto
Don’t Stop Believin’ – Journey
Thunderstruck – AC/DC
You Shook Me All Night Long – AC/DC
Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
Don’t Stop – Fleetwood Mac
Fat Bottom Girls – Queen
Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
Piano Man – Billy Joel
American Pie – Don McLean
Moondance – Van Morrison
Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
All You Need Is Love – The Beatles
Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley

Pop

Don’t Stop Believin’ – Teddy Swims
Today Was A Fairytale (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift
Bang! – AJR
Black And White – Niall Horan
Incredible – James TW
Memories – Maroon 5
Perfect – Ed Sheeran
Worth It – Fifth Harmony
Say You Won’t Let Go – James Arthur
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
A Sky Full of Stars – Coldplay
Firework – Katy Perry
Marry The Night – Lady Gaga
Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
Shut Up And Dance – Walk The Moon
A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
Marry You – Bruno Mars
Save The Last Dance For Me – Michael Buble
Come Away With Me – Norah Jones
Bye Bye Bye – N Sync
Miracles Happen (When You Believe) – Myra
The Horses – Daryl Braithwaite
(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
Never Gonna Give You Up – Rick Astley
New York, New York – Frank Sinatra
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye – Steam
My Way – Frank Sinatra
Save the Last Dance for Me – The Drifters

Country

Forever After All – Luke Combs
The Best Is Yet To Come – Drake White
In Case You Didn’t Know – Brett Young
From The Ground Up – Dan + Shay
Today – Brad Paisley
Die A Happy Man – Thomas Rhett
I Don’t Dance – Lee Brice
I Don’t Want This Night To End – Luke Bryan
Then – Brad Paisley
Makin’ Plans – Miranda Lambert
Love Story – Taylor Swift
You’re Still The One – Shania Twain
Friends In Low Places – Garth Brooks
Could I Have This Dance – Anne Murray
Take Me Home, Country Roads – John Denver

R&B

Love You Anyway – Devon Gilfillian
About Damn Time – Lizzo
One Last Dance – John Legend
Love On Top – Beyoncé
If Only for One Night – Luther Vandross
All My Life – K-Ci & Jojo
Save The Best For Last – Vanessa Williams
I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) – Whitney Houston
Just The Two Of Us – Bill Withers and Grover Washington, Jr.
September – Earth, Wind & Fire
This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) – Natalie Cole
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
Hit The Road Jack – Ray Charles
My Girl – The Temptations
Stand By Me – Ben E. King
At Last – Etta James
Shout – The Isley Brothers

Folk

Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) – Ron Pope, The National Parks
Simply the Best – Noah Reid
Ho Hey – The Lumineers
Home – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
You Are The Best Thing – Ray Lamontagne
Wagon Wheel – Old Crow Medicine Show

EDM & Dance

Never Let You Go – Jason Derulo, Shouse
Can’t Stop The Feeling! – Justin Timberlake
Stole the Show – Kygo and Parson James
We Found Love – Rihanna, Calvin Harris
Get Lucky – Daft Punk, Pharrell Williams
Glad You Came – The Wanted
I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
Forever – Chris Brown
One More Time – Daft Punk
Memories – David Guetta Feat. Kid Cudi
Boom Boom (Let’s Go Back to My Room) – Paul Lekaki

Disco

Celebration – Kool & the Gang
We Are Family – Sister Sledge
Last Dance – Donna Summer

Do you have a favorite last dance song not on my list? Please share your song below in the comments.

Tips

The last dance can be a romantic moment. If you want to end on a high note, there are many songs to choose from here. You can also see our list of party songs for singing and dancing.

If you want to have a private moment at the end of the reception, see a slow dance song playlist too.

Fun Facts

The song played at the end of a wedding is the recessional, playing as the wedding couple walks out after the first kiss. Your recessional could incorporate a few songs as the wedding party and guests leave. See a list of wedding recessional songs to help guide you.

First – it’s whatever you want! The last dance could include 2 songs. The first is a slow song to get the couples on the dance floor. Then, kick the music in high gear with a party song with everyone singing and dancing to end on a high note and be excited about the send-off.

Couples typically end their wedding reception with the last dance, slow song, or on a high note. Then, guests proceed outside the reception venue for a final send-off with bubbles, sparklers, or fireworks.

Other Playlists To Check Out: