Non-cheesy wedding songs

You’re searching for a few perfect songs. One for your first dance with your new spouse, another to dance with your dad, perhaps one to dance with your mom, and you’re still looking for love songs for the ceremony and reception. But “Wind Beneath My Wings” just isn’t your style, and really, can one more wedding survive Shania Twain’s “From this Moment”? Here are a few suggestions that keep the cheese in its proper place—on the hors d’oeuvre table.

Love songs for ceremony or first dance

• La La Love You by Pixies

• Out of Sight by James Brown (Youuuuuu! … got a sweet disposition”)

• My Baby Just Cares for Me by Nina Simone

• True Love Waits by Radiohead

• Grow Old with Me by John Lennon. This is sappy as all get-out, but I dare you to call John Lennon cheesy.

• Northern Sky by Nick Drake

• Naked as We Came by Iron & Wine

• I’m the Man Who Loves You by Wilco

• Baby, I Love You by Aretha Franklin

• The Wedding Song by Bob Dylan

• Just Like Heaven by The Cure

• At Last by Etta James

• Sea of Love, the Cat Power version

• If I Were a Carpenter by Johnny Cash and June Carpenter

Father-daughter dance

• Daughter by Loudon Wainwright III

Mother-daughter-son dance

• Loves Me Like a Rock by Paul Simon

Either parent dance

• You Are My Sunshine by Ray Charles

• Thank You by Led Zeppelin

• If I Needed You by Townes Van Zandt

• Never So Far by Greg Brown

• Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses (Warning: long solo might lose some on this, but, Sheryl Crowe also does a [cheesy] version without it)

• Rainbow Connection by Kermit the Frog or Willie Nelson