The Best Songs to Play for Your Reception's Anniversary Dance

For the married couples in attendance

written by

Updated Nov 19, 2019

Older couple dancing — Hero Images/ Getty Images

You know that moment during a wedding reception when the bandleader or DJ asks all couples that have been married for a certain amount of years to hit the dance floor? That's called the anniversary dance, and it's one of the sweetest traditions around. As the bride and groom embark on the first day of their marriage, many guests have been together for 20, 30, and even 40 years or more, and that's definitely something worth celebrating. If you want to include this custom during your reception, now's a good time to pick the song you want to play for that moment.

Any tune with a message of everlasting love is a good selection. We're big fans of Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years" and Billie Holliday's "As Time Goes By." Even better? Songs that look forward to even more years of happiness, like Al Green's "Let's Stay Together." Chances are, you've already considered one of these for your first dance song, so why not get a chance to play two songs that speak to you? Give our playlist a listen and get ready for the emotional moment when all those longtime couples hit the dance floor.

01 of 40

"Still Crazy After All These Years," by Paul Simon

Lyrics of Love: "I met my old lover/On the street last night/She seemed so glad to see me/I just smiled"

02 of 40

"You're Still the One," by Shania Twain

Lyrics of Love: "You're still the one I run to/The one that I belong to/You're still the one I want for life"

03 of 40

"Amazed," by Lonestar

Lyrics of Love: "Every time our eyes meet/This feeling inside me/Is almost more than I can take"

04 of 40

"As Time Goes By," by Billie Holiday

Lyrics of Love: "As time goes by/And when two lovers woo/They still say I love you"

05 of 40

"By Your Side," by Sade

Lyrics of Love: "When you're lost and you're alone/And you can't get back again/I will find you/Darling and I will bring you home"

06 of 40

"Here, There and Everywhere," by Paul McCartney

Lyrics of Love: "I want her everywhere, and if she's beside me I know I'd need never care/But to love her is to need her"

07 of 40

"I Got You Babe," by Sonny and Cher

Lyrics of Love: "I got flowers in the spring/I got you to wear my ring/And when I'm sad, you're a clown/And if I get scared, you're always around"

08 of 40

"It Had to Be You," by Frank Sinatra

Lyrics of Love: "For nobody else gave me a thrill/With all your faults, I love you still/It had to be you, wonderful you"

09 of 40

"Just the Way You Are," by Billy Joel

Lyrics of Love: "I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble/We never could have come this far/I took the good times; I'll take the bad times/I'll take you just the way you are"

10 of 40

"Just The Two Of Us," by Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers

Lyrics of Love: "And darling when the morning comes/And I see the morning sun/I wanna be the one with you"

11 of 40

"Let's Stay Together," by Al Green

Lyrics of Love: "I'm I'm so in love with you/Whatever you want to do/Is all right with me"

12 of 40

"Unforgettable," by Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole

Lyrics of Love: "Never before has someone been more/Unforgettable in every way"

13 of 40

"The Best Is Yet To Come," by Michael Bublé

Lyrics of Love: "The best is yet to come, and babe won't it be fine/You think you've seen the sun, but you ain't seen it shine"

14 of 40

"This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)," by Natalie Cole

Lyrics of Love: "Loving you/Is some kind of wonderful/Because you've shown me/Just how much you care"

15 of 40

"You Are the Sunshine of My Life," by Stevie Wonder

Lyrics of Love: "You are the apple of my eye/Forever you'll stay in my heart"

16 of 40

"Your Song," by Elton John

Lyrics of Love: "I hope you don't mind/That I put down in words/How wonderful life is while you're in the world"

17 of 40

"Endless Love," by Lionel Richie

Lyrics of Love: "My love, there's only you in my life/The only thing that's bright"

18 of 40

"Have I Told You Lately," by Rod Stewart

Lyrics of Love: "Fill my heart with gladness, take away all my sadness/Ease my troubles, that's what you do"

19 of 40

"The Best of My Love," by Eagles

Lyrics of Love: "But here in my heart/I give you the best of my love"

20 of 40

"Crazy Love," by Van Morrison

Lyrics of Love: "Yeah when I'm returning from so far away/She gives me some sweet lovin' brighten up my day"

21 of 40

"Dancing in the Moonlight," by King Harvest

Lyrics of Love: "Dancing in the moonlight/Everybody's feeling warm and bright/It's such a fine and natural sight"

22 of 40

"Two People Fell In Love," by Brad Paisley

Lyrics of Love: "Every single choice we make/Every breath we get to take/Is all because two people fell in love"

23 of 40

"Can't Remember Never Loving You," by Ian James

Lyrics of Love: "The only hand I've ever held on to/No, I can't remember never loving you"

24 of 40

"Because You Loved Me," by Celine Dion

Lyrics of Love: "I'm everything I am/Because you loved me"

25 of 40

"Thank You," by Dido

Lyrics of Love: "I want to thank you for giving me the best day of my life/Oh just to be with you is having the best day of my life"

26 of 40

"Wonderful Tonight," by Eric Clapton

Lyrics of Love: "I feel wonderful because I see/The love light in your eyes/And the wonder of it all/Is that you just don't realize how much I love you"

27 of 40

"Always Be My Baby," by Mariah Carey

Lyrics of Love: "You'll always be a part of me/I'm part of you indefinitely"

28 of 40

"This I Swear Is True," by The Skyliners

Lyrics of Love: "This love will be eternally/Cross my heart/And hope to die"

29 of 40

"You've Made Me So Very Happy," by Brenda Holloway

Lyrics of Love: "You made me so very happy/I'm so glad you came into my life"

30 of 40

"Everything I Do (I Do It for You)," by Bryan Adams

Lyrics of Love: "You know it's true/Everything I do/I do it for you"

31 of 40

"So Amazing," by Luther Vandross

Lyrics of Love: "It's so amazing to be loved/I'd follow you to the moon in the sky above"

32 of 40

"When I Said I Do," by Clint Black and Lisa Hartman Black

Lyrics of Love: "When I said I do, I meant that I will/Til' the end of all time/Be faithful and true, devoted to you"

33 of 40

"After All These Years," by Journey

Lyrics of Love: "Since those days our world has changed/Our love remains the same"

34 of 40

"Forever and for Always," by Shania Twain

Lyrics of Love: "'Cause I'm keeping you/Forever and for always/We will be together all of our days"

35 of 40

"Through the Years," by Kenny Rogers

Lyrics of Love: "I swear we've been through everything there is/Can't imagine anything we've missed/Can't imagine anything the two of us can't do"

36 of 40

"You Make Loving Fun," by Fleetwood Mac

Lyrics of Love: "You, you make loving fun/And I don't have to tell you but you're the only one"

37 of 40

"You Decorated My Life," by Kenny Rogers

Lyrics of Love: "By paintin' your love all over my heart/You decorated my life"

38 of 40

"I'd Love You All Over Again," by Alan Jackson

Lyrics of Love: "I've always heard marriage made one seem like two/But you're looking better than you did back then/You still make this old heart give in"

39 of 40

"The Rest of Our Life," by Faith Hill and Tim McGraw

Lyrics of Love: "Oh, as long as you're here by my side/Oh, we'll be young, oh we'll be young"

40 of 40

"You're The First, The Last, My Everything," by Barry White

Lyrics of Love: "You're my sun, my moon, my guiding star/My kind of wonderful, that's what you are"