101 Best Indie First Dance Songs for Your Wedding

bride and groom having their first dance — Photo by Gracie Byrd Jones

If you're looking for the best indie songs to round out your wedding day playlist, you're in luck. We've curated a mix of 101 indie and alternative tunes for your walk down the aisle, your reception, and, most importantly, your first dance. With sweet Ingrid Michaelson tunes and swoon-worthy Bon Iver wedding songs, this indie playlist is everything you'll need for a night full of dancing and celebrating with your family and friends.

Want a little preview of what's below? We have Daniela Andrade's acoustic version of Beyoncé's "Crazy in Love" and Jack Johnson's live version of "Angel/Better Together," two tracks that make for the sweetest indie first dance songs. What's more, you'll find tunes from Haim, Awake or Sleeping, Ingrid Michaelson, Band of Horses, and Young the Giant—a curation of bands and artists that will certainly be able to provide a mix of romantic and dance-worthy vibes throughout your reception.

Ahead, keep reading for the best indie first dance wedding songs—plus, a variety of tracks you can play at any moment during your big day.

01 of 101

"Sleepwalking," by Modest Mouse

Lyrics of Love: "I fell in love and I needed a road map/To find out where you lived so excited, now"

02 of 101

"Walking on a Dream," by Empire of the Sun

Lyrics of Love: "On and on and on we are calling out and out again/Never looking down I'm just in awe of what's in front of me"

03 of 101

"Everything Has Changed," by Ed Sheeran ft. Taylor Swift (Jasmine Thompson & Gerald Ko Cover)

Lyrics of Love: "'Cause all I know is we said, 'Hello'/And your eyes look like coming home"

04 of 101

"California Daze," by Peace

Lyrics of Love: "She tastes like sunlight/And she's always gonna be there in the back of your mind"

05 of 101

"You Really Got a Hold on Me," by Smokey Robinson (She & Him Cover)

Lyrics of Love: "You've really got a hold on me/You've really got a hold on me, baby"

06 of 101

"Jackson," by Johnny Cash (Florence + The Machine ft. Josh Homme Cover)

Lyrics of Love: "We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout,/We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went out"

07 of 101

"There Will Be Time," by Mumford & Sons ft. Baaba Maal

Lyrics of Love: "And in the cold light, I live to love and adore you/It's all that I am, it's all that I have"

08 of 101

"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)," by The Proclaimers (Sleeping at Last Cover)

Lyrics of Love: "And when I'm dreamin', well I know I'm gonna dream/I'm gonna dream about the time when I'm with you"

09 of 101

"Only You," by Joshua Radin

Lyrics of Love: "All I needed was the love you gave/All I needed for another day"

10 of 101

"Sweeter," by Awake or Sleeping

Lyrics of Love: "I don't wanna wake up without you by my side/I don't wanna fall asleep until you say goodnight"

11 of 101

"This Year's Love," by David Gray

Lyrics of Love: "When ya kiss me on that midnight street/Sweep me off my feet/Singing, 'ain't this life so sweet?'"

12 of 101

"Can't Help Falling In Love," by Elvis Presley (Ingrid Michaelson Cover)

Lyrics of Love: "So take my hand, and take my whole life too/'Cause I can't help falling in love with you"

13 of 101

"Turning Page," by Sleeping at Last

Lyrics of Love: "I've waited a hundred years/But I'd wait a million more for you"

14 of 101

"Skinny Love," by Bon Iver

Lyrics of Love: "Come on skinny love just last the year/Pour a little salt we were never here"

15 of 101

"Say You Won't Let Go," by James Arthur (Boyce Avenue Cover)

Lyrics of Love: "And I wanna stay with you/Until we're gray and old/Just say you won't let go"

16 of 101

"Angel/Better Together," by Jack Johnson

Lyrics of Love: "She gives me everything I could wish for/She gives me kisses on the lips just for coming home"

17 of 101

"Colors," by Amos Lee

Lyrics of Love: "When you're gone all the colors fade/When you're gone no New Year's Day parade"

18 of 101

"Home," by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Lyrics of Love: "Well, holy moly, me oh my/You're the apple of my eye/Girl, I've never loved one like you"

19 of 101

"The General Specific," by Band of Horses

Lyrics of Love: "In time I'd find a little way to your heart/Down to the general store for nothing specific"

20 of 101

"Stuck On You," by Meiko

Lyrics of Love: "You are so dreamy/Feel like I'm in the movies/I feel so happy I'm stuck on you"

21 of 101

"Electric Feel," by MGMT

Lyrics of Love: "I said ooh girl/Shock me like an electric eel/Baby girl/Turn me on with your electric feel"

22 of 101

"Silver Lining," by Rilo Kiley

Lyrics of Love: "Hooray hooray/I'm your silver lining/Hooray hooray/But now I'm gold"

23 of 101

"Primadonna," by Marina and the Diamonds

Lyrics of Love: "Got you wrapped around my finger, babe/You can count on me to misbehave/Primadonna girl"

24 of 101

"You've Got the Love," by Florence + The Machine

Lyrics of Love: "Sometimes I feel like saying 'Lord I just don't care'/But you've got the love I need to see me through"

25 of 101

"Maps," by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Lyrics of Love: "Wait, they don't love you like I love you/Wait, they don't love you like I love you"

26 of 101

"First Day of My Life," by Bright Eyes

Lyrics of Love: "Yours was the first face that I saw/I think I was blind before I met you"

27 of 101

"Closer," by Tegan and Sara

Lyrics of Love: "All I want to get is a little bit closer/All I want to know is, can you come a little closer?"

28 of 101

"Towers," by Bon Iver

Lyrics of Love: "In the towers of your honeycomb/I'd have tore your hair out just to climb back, darling"

29 of 101

"Are You Gonna Be My Girl," by Jet

Lyrics of Love: "Take my hand and come with me/Because you look so fine/And I really wanna make you mine"

30 of 101

"Rhythm of Love," by Plain White T's

Lyrics of Love: "We'll watch the world from above/As it turns to the rhythm of love"

31 of 101

"I Will Follow You Into the Dark," by Death Cab for Cutie

Lyrics of Love: "Love of mine, someday you will die/But I'll be close behind and I'll follow you into the dark"

32 of 101

"You and I," by Ingrid Michaelson

Lyrics of Love: "Don't you worry, there my honey/We might not have any money/But we've got our love to pay the bills"

33 of 101

"Everybody," by Ingrid Michaelson

Lyrics of Love: "Trying to make your heart fit like a glove/What it needs is love, love, love"

34 of 101

"January Wedding," by The Avett Brothers

Lyrics of Love: "I understand because my heart and hers are the same/And in January we're gettin' married"

35 of 101

"Toothpaste Kisses," by The Maccabees

Lyrics of Love: "Lay with me, I'll lay with you/We'll do the things that lovers do/Put the stars in our eyes"

36 of 101

"Do You Realize??," by The Flaming Lips

Lyrics of Love: "Do you realize that you have the most beautiful face/Do you realize we're floating in space"

37 of 101

"Still Together," by Mac DeMarco

Lyrics of Love: "In time she'll see that her and me/Were meant to be, together"

38 of 101

"Video Games," by Lana Del Rey

Lyrics of Love: "It's you, it's you, it's all for you/Everything I do"

39 of 101

"Sea of Love," by Cat Power

Lyrics of Love: "Come with me/My love/To the sea/The sea of love"

40 of 101

"Stubborn Love," by The Lumineers

Lyrics of Love: "It's better to feel pain, than nothing at all/The opposite of love's indifference"

41 of 101

"Ho Hey," by The Lumineers

Lyrics of Love: "I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart/I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweet' (ho)"

42 of 101

"Young and Beautiful," by Lana Del Rey

Lyrics of Love: "Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful?/Will you still love me when I got nothing but my aching soul?"

43 of 101

"Falling Slowly," by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

Lyrics of Love: "I don't know you/But I want you"

44 of 101

"Dying Day," by Brandi Carlile

Lyrics of Love: "How I miss you and I just want to kiss you/And I'm gonna love you 'til my dying day"

45 of 101

"Dog Days Are Over," by Florence + The Machine

Lyrics of Love: "Leave all your love and your loving behind you/Can't carry it with you if you want to survive"

46 of 101

"All This and Heaven Too," by Florence + The Machine

Lyrics of Love: "And the heart is hard to translate/It has a language of its own"

47 of 101

"Thinking Out Loud," by Ed Sheeran

Lyrics of Love: "Oh me I fall in love with you every single day/And I just wanna tell you I am"

48 of 101

"I'll Follow You," by Jon McLaughlin

Lyrics of Love: "As long as you're around I'll follow you/You won't ever be alone"

49 of 101

"The Wire," by Haim

Lyrics of Love: "Always keep your heart locked tight/Don't let your mind retire"

50 of 101

"Crazy in Love," by Beyoncé (Daniela Andrade Cover)

Lyrics of Love: "Got me looking so crazy right now/Your love's got me looking so crazy right now"

51 of 101

"Boom Clap," by Charli XCX (Lennon & Maisy Cover)

Lyrics of Love: "Boom clap/You make me feel good/Come on to me come on to me now"

52 of 101

"Tongue Tied," by Grouplove

Lyrics of Love: "I loved you then and I love you now/Oh yeah/Don't take me tongue-tied/Don't wave no goodbye"

53 of 101

"Houdini," by Foster the People

Lyrics of Love: "Well you got whatcha want you never knew/Perfect gift from me to you"

54 of 101

"My Body," by Young the Giant

Lyrics of Love: "My body tells me no!/But I won't quit/'Cuz I want more, 'cuz I want more"

55 of 101

"Little Talks," by Of Monsters and Men

Lyrics of Love: "I don't like walking around this old and empty house/So hold my hand, I'll walk with you, my dear"

56 of 101

"Poison & Wine," by The Civil Wars

Lyrics of Love: "Oh, your hands can heal, your hands can bruise/I don't have a choice but I'd still choose you"

57 of 101

"Eyes," by Rogue Wave

Lyrics of Love: "I can handle a lot/But one thing I'm missing is in your eyes"

58 of 101

"The Way I Am," by Ingrid Michaelson

Lyrics of Love: "If you were falling, then I would catch you/You need a light, I'd find a match"

59 of 101

"Oh, It Is Love," by Hellogoodbye

Lyrics of Love: "Oh, it is love/From the first time I set my eyes upon yours/Thinking, 'Oh, is it love?'"

60 of 101

"When We First Met," by Hellogoodbye

Lyrics of Love: "All I see is where our days repeat/And our love goes on/As our hair grows long"

61 of 101

"The Luckiest," by Ben Folds

Lyrics of Love: "That I first saw your lovely face/Now I see it every day/And I know/That I am, I am, I am, the luckiest"

62 of 101

"We Found Each Other in the Dark," by City and Colour

Lyrics of Love: "So bright, the flames burned in our hearts/That we found each other in the dark"

63 of 101

"Yellow," by Coldplay

Lyrics of Love: "So then I took my turn/Oh what a thing to have done/And it was all yellow"

64 of 101

"Magic," by Coldplay

Lyrics of Love: "Call it magic/Call it true/I call it magic/When I'm with you"

65 of 101

"You Make My Dreams," by Hall & Oates

Lyrics of Love: "Oh yeah, well well you/You make my dreams come true"

66 of 101

"Grow Old With Me," by Tom Odell

Lyrics of Love: "Grow old with me/Let us share what we see/And oh the best it could be"

67 of 101

"Heartbeats," by José González

Lyrics of Love: "Ten days of perfect hues/The colors red and blue/We had a promise made/We were in love"

68 of 101

"Ophelia," by The Lumineers

Lyrics of Love: "Oh, Ophelia, you've been on my mind girl since the flood/Oh, Ophelia, heaven help a fool who falls in love"

69 of 101

"Sweet Disposition," by The Temper Trap

Lyrics of Love: "So stay there/'Cause I'll be coming over/And while our blood's still young/It's so young, it runs"

70 of 101

"A Thousand Years," by Christina Perri (Jasmine Thompson Cover)

Lyrics of Love: "I have died every day waiting for you/Darling, don't be afraid I have loved you/For a thousand years"

71 of 101

"Chasing Cars," by Snow Patrol

Lyrics of Love: "We'll do it all/Everything/On our own"

72 of 101

"Take Me to Church," by Hozier

Lyrics of Love: "If I'm a pagan of the good times/My lover's the sunlight/To keep the Goddess on my side"

73 of 101

"Somewhere Only We Know," by Keane

Lyrics of Love: "And if you have a minute, why don't we go/Talk about it somewhere only we know?"

74 of 101

"Work Song," by Hozier (Amanda Mustapha Cover)

Lyrics of Love: "I just think about my baby/I'm so full of love I could barely eat"

75 of 101

"Issues," by Julia Michaels

Lyrics of Love: "Yeah, I got issues/And one of them is how bad I need you"

76 of 101

"Only Love," by Ben Howard

Lyrics of Love: "Darling you're with me, always around me/Only love, only love"

77 of 101

"Still Falling for You," by Ellie Goulding

Lyrics of Love: "This love got me rolling the dice/Don't let me lose/Still falling for you"

78 of 101

"How Long Will I Love You," by Ellie Goulding

Lyrics of Love: "How long will I love you/As long as stars are above you"

79 of 101

"Your Song," by Elton John (Ellie Goulding Cover)

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

80 of 101

"Flightless Bird, American Mouth," by Iron & Wine

Lyrics of Love: "Have I found you?/Flightless bird, jealous, weeping"

81 of 101

"Closer," by The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey (Boyce Avenue ft. Sarah Hyland Cover)

Lyrics of Love: "You look as good as the day I met you/I forget just why I left you, I was insane"

82 of 101

"Fast Car," by Tracy Chapman (Boyce Avenue ft. Kina Grannis Cover)

Lyrics of Love: "You got a fast car/And I got a plan to get us out of here"

83 of 101

"On My Mind," by Ellie Goulding (Boyce Avenue ft. Jacob Whitesides Cover)

Lyrics of Love: "But my heart don't understand/Why I got you on my mind"

84 of 101

"If You Ever Wanna Be in Love," by James Bay

Lyrics of Love: "I'll come around/If you ever want to be in love/I'm not waiting, but I'm willing if you call me up"

85 of 101

"Hold Back the River," by James Bay

Lyrics of Love: "Hold back the river, let me look in your eyes/Hold back the river, so I/Can stop for a minute and see where you hide"

86 of 101

"Saw You in a Dream," by The Japanese House

Lyrics of Love: "I saw you in a dream/You came to me/You were the sweetest apparition, such a pretty vision"

87 of 101

"Safe," by Bay Ledges

Lyrics of Love: "We played in the stars when the sun comes up getting to my bed/I don't want to speak too soon but I think I love you"

88 of 101

“No One’s Gonna Love You,” by Band of Horses

Lyrics of Love: “And no one is ever gonna love you more than I do/No one’s gonna love you more than I do”

89 of 101

“Cosmic Love,” by Florence + the Machine

Lyrics of Love: “No dawn, no day, I'm always in this twilight/In the shadow of your heart”

90 of 101

“Bloom,” by The Paper Kites

Lyrics of Love: “Can I be close to you?/Ooh, ooh”

91 of 101

“To Be Alone With You,” by Sufjan Stevens

Lyrics of Love: “To be alone with me/You went up on a tree”

92 of 101

"Marry Me," by Train

Lyrics of Love: "Together can never be close enough for me/Feel like I am close enough to you/You wear white and I'll wear out the words I love you"

93 of 101

"Baby I'm Yours," by Breakbot

Lyrics of Love: "How can I go on without falling apart?/Love's so hard to find/When someone's on your mind"

94 of 101

"Touching Heaven," by JOHNNYSWIM

Lyrics of Love: "If touching love is touching God/No wonder I'm in heaven, when I'm holding you"

95 of 101

"Wedding Bell," by Beach House

Lyrics of Love: "I chose ya/You're ringing the only wedding bell/And we're swimming the seas we know so well"

96 of 101

"Tightrope," by Walk the Moon

Lyrics of Love: "Easy now, with my heart/Easy now, oh with my heart/Walk a tightrope, walk a little tightrope"

97 of 101

"I Found You," by Nate Smith

Lyrics of Love: "I thought this wild heart of mine was meant to run 'til the end of time/Out on the loose, that was almost true/Then I found you"

98 of 101

"I and Love and You," by The Avett Brothers

Lyrics of Love: "Three words that became hard to say/I and love and you/What you were then, I am today"

99 of 101

"The One," by 1GN

Lyrics of Love: "Searching for love to fill these spaces/Tried it my way, but it left me alone/You were always there"

100 of 101

"You Send Me," by Kelvin Harrison, Jr.

Lyrics of Love: "At first I thought it was infatuation/But whoa, it's lasted so long/Now I find myself wanting/To marry you and take you home"

101 of 101

"Forever," by Lewis Capaldi

Lyrics of Love: "I never said that we would die together/That doesn't mean it was a lie/They'll never take those long summer days/When love was untamed"

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