When it comes to a wedding dance, there is plenty of emphasis thrown on the dances and dance tracks between the bride and the groom.
Rightly so, after all. It is their special day! They can be sweet, they can be energetic, they can be funny, they can be bleeding-heart and sob-filled.
This little list isn’t about those kinds of dances. Well, at least not entirely.
This particular list is dedicated to that tradition that you’ll find at many weddings across the country and the world, the dollar dance!
If you’re thinking about having a dollar dance section at your wedding reception, then you have to check out this list of the best songs for dollar dances that we have picked out for you!
From classics to comedic songs, there’s plenty on offer in this particular list of ours! (Don’t be surprised to see some overlap. That’s just how good some of these songs are!)
The dollar dance is a fun way to involve your guests and to raise some extra cash for your honeymoon or other expenses.
With this list of 36 wedding songs for your dollar dance, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from to keep your guests dancing and donating all night long.
What Is A Dollar Dance?
Before we get any further into this guide, we should probably first explain what a dollar dance is.
After all, while many new couples will have one, dollar dances aren’t a tradition that every person will know about, at least at first glance.
Effectively, dollar dances are where either the groomsmen of the wedding will pay the groom to dance with the bride for a while, or vice versa, where the bridesmaids will pay the bride to dance with the groom.
These dances are usually in good spirits, and the money that is given will usually go towards a bigger item that the bride and groom will spend it on, such as a honeymoon, perhaps helping reimburse the cost of the wedding, or even a down payment for a mortgage if they are trying to be first-time homeowners.
While some people like to give the bride and groom this money in payments before or after the wedding, doing it during a dollar dance is just a little more fun, you know?
And, with that out of the way, we can finally get to the song lists!
Best Classic Dollar Dance Songs
So, if we’re going to cover a list of songs that you can play dollar a wedding dollar dance, what better place to start than with the classics? These are some of our favorite songs when it comes to
The Way You Look Tonight, By Frank Sinatra
Because how could anyone turn their nose up at a little Frank Sinatra?
Isn’t She Lovely, By Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder is always a popular choice at weddings, regardless of what kind of dance you’re up for.
Dancing Queen, By ABBA
You really can feel the beat of the tambourine, can’t you? Perfect for any dollar dance, and any other dance, for that matter!
This Will Be An (Everlasting Love), By Natalie Cole
Natalie Cole just does not miss. This R&B classic is the perfect wedding song, including for dollar dances!
Thank You For Being A Friend, By Andrew Gold
This absolute bop of a song by Andrew Gold is the perfect song to dance to at a wedding, not just with your partner, but especially with groomsmen and bridesmaid friends!
Save The Last Dance For Me, By Michael Bublé
Bublé just has the perfect voice for a wedding dance, and the same goes true for a dollar dance!
That’s What Friends Are For, By Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, And Elton John
This slow, heartfelt iconic 80s song collaboration is enough to make a grown man cry, and for good reason. Dance with your partner to this, or during a dollar dance!
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You), By James Taylor
While we do love the original rendition by Martin Gayer, we just had to include James Taylor’s cover of this song.
Thank You For Bring A Friend, By Cynthia Fee
The perfect song if you’re a fan of the classic TV series ‘Golden Girls’, and want to dance with your golden gal pals!
What A Wonderful World, By Louis Armstrong
This slow song by the ever-iconic Jazz icon will always be a timeless classic to play at a wedding dance, and the same is true for the dollar dance as well!
I Wanna Dance With Somebody Who Loves Me, By Whitney Houston
Come on, it’s Whitney god-dang Houston! How are we not going to include this song on a list of songs to play at weddings!?
You’ve Got a Friend in Me, By Randy Newman
Made immortal by its appearance in Toy Story, this is the perfect song to dance to with your fellow groomsmen and bridesmaid, especially those Disney-Pixar big kids!
(Shout out to the James Taylor cover of this song as well)
Marry You, By Bruno Mars
If we’re talking about modern classic wedding songs, this one by Bruno mars is sure to feel contemporary, while still hitting those musical sweet spots for a wedding dance.
Can You Feel The Love Tonight, By Elton John
Elton John has already appeared once or twice in this particular list (and why shouldn’t he? The guy’s a legend). So of course we’re going to mention his iconic track for ‘the Lion King’.
I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing, By Aerosmith
Aerosmith might feel like a strange pick for a wedding at first. But one listen to this song is all you’ll need to change your mind!
Faithfully, By Journey
Journey has a ton of banger hits to play at weddings. For us, however, we love having this one in particular!
Over The Rainbow, By Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
We do love the original Judy Garland from The Wizard of Oz, there’s just something about Israel’s version of the song that just hits you in the heart, you know?
Have I Told You Lately, By Rod Stewart
Another classic love song from yesteryear, that will be a great addition to any wedding playlist!
Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You, By Franki Valli
It’s an old song, but there’s a good reason that it’s stuck around for so long, especially for weddings!
I’ll Be There, By Mariah Carey
While the Jackson 5 version is truly iconic, we feel that this cover by Mariah Carey is perfect for a dollar dance.
At Last, By Etta James
It was an iconic love song in 1960 when it was first released, and it’s still an incredible song to this day!
L-O-V-E, By Nat King Cole
It’s Nat King Cole. How were we not going to include any song of his on this list? We just so happened to pick this one!
Kiss The Bride, By Elton John
What can we say? We just love a little Elton John at a good wedding dollar dance!
Let’s Dance, By David Bowie
This is the perfect faster, more upbeat, disco-dancey song to have at your dollar dance!
Private Dancer, By Tina Turner
Who doesn’t a little Tina Turner at a wedding dance? If there is someone, we don’t want to hear about it!
Dance The Night Away, By Van Halen
We’re fans of Van Halen, so we’re happy to throw one of their best partying dance songs into this list for a good dollar dance!
Can’t Help Falling In Love, By Elvis Presley
It is Elvis at some of his best here, and is the perfect gentle, heartfelt song for a dollar dance, especially with brides, grooms, groomsmen, and bridesmaids that are good friends!
Best Comedic/Ironic Dollar Dance Songs
While a classic or heartfelt song is great for a wedding, sometimes you also want a track that’s a little more jovial.
A little more lighthearted. Something to bring out the giggles and chuckles while you’re dancing, you know?
With that in mind, these are our favorite songs that are sure to make you crack a smile, for how they mention money in their lyrics!
Material Girl, By Madonna
I guess Madonna was right: It is a material world that we live in!
Billionaire, By Travis McCoy Ft. Bruno Mars
We can’t promise that you’ll be a millionaire by the end of this song when it plays at your dollar dance. But we can say that it’s going to be a fun one!
Rich Girl, By Gwen Stefani
Now, are we surprised that the classic song from ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ also goes this hard when adapted for a pop song? Maybe. But it’s still a great song for a dollar song, no doubt!
Money (That’s What I Want), By Barrett Strong
This is certainly an appropriate song to play for a dollar dance!
Money For Nothing, By The Dire Straits
This classic 80s song is absolutely one to jam out to for your wedding dollar dance!
Money (In God We Trust), By Extreme
If you’re a lover of rock and just a little heavy metal, this is the song for your dollar dance!
(We recommend playing the clean version of the song, though, especially if this is a whole family wedding!)
24k Magic, By Bruno Mars
There’s certainly a hell of a lot of magic in the air at a wedding, that’s for sure!
Mony, Mony, By Billy Idol
Not to be confused with the similarly named song by ABBA (not this time guys), this is full of upbeat 80s vibes, perfect for a real dance-filled wedding!
Can’t Buy Me Love, By The Beatles
You certainly can’t buy love, but you can buy an amazing honeymoon vacation!
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How Do You Do A Dollar Dance?
All in all, that’s a pretty big selection of songs for you to play for your dollar dance, or even just for a wedding dance playlist in general.
However, if you have never had or been told about a dollar dance wedding, you may be wondering how exactly it works, or how you even do a dollar dance in the first place.
Well, not to worry, because we have you covered! At least, for how they’re done in the US, at least!
- Firstly, the DJ at a wedding will usually be the one to announce when the dollar dance is about to begin. They’ll usually announce to the gathered guests that they can give whatever they want (usually giving a shoutout to the bride and groom of honor that will be gathering any money that they are giving)
At this point, the money from a dollar dance is gathered in one of two ways.
Either:
- The maid and/or groom of honor will stand with a basket or box for collecting money in, and the family members, brides, and grooms of the wedded couple will form two lines if they want to take part (one lien for dancing with the groom, one line for dancing with the bride), then having their dance.
Or:
- The guests will pin the money to a bride or groom’s gown or suit while they dance.
And that’s it! Have fun with your dollar dance ideas!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Should You Give At A Dollar Dance?
Generally speaking, most people would give a dollar at a dollar dance. The clue is in the name, after all!
However, guests can give as much as they want.
How Long Does A Dollar Dance Usually Last?
Effectively, a dollar dance lasts as long as a bride and groom want it too. However, you should also try to consider just how practical it is to keep up a dance for this long!
Each dance should be anywhere from 30 to 60 seconds, and the whole dollar dance should be covered in 2 to 3 songs.
Can You Do Something Else Instead Of A Dollar Dance?
Of course, a dollar dance isn’t a compulsory wedding practice that you have to do.
Aside from it being the wedded couple’s choice, the bride or groom might find it a little too taxing to dance, especially if they’re a lot of guests, or even physically cannot.
Sometimes, money can also be an issue for some guests who don’t unfortunately have that much to give.
If these are the case for your wedding, we have a few alternative ideas in mind.
If you don’t want money to be a concern, ask guests to write a note wishing good luck to the new couple, or even adorable flower petals.
If you want to avoid dancing, try having dollar selfies instead!
Final Notes
We hope that our list here has given you plenty of inspiration for your wedding dollar dance if you choose to have one!
Serena & Dominic are a married couple and parents to 3 wonderful children. They plan weddings, run multiple small businesses, and curate wedding events.
By giving you everything you need to make your dream wedding attainable, you can eliminate stress, get the ‘wedding glow,’ and focus on spending this rocking day with the person you adore. Discover their podcast for more information