Wedding Songs

Waltz or Rumba For Your Wedding Dance?

Your first dance as husband and wife is a beautiful and unique event that will be remembered for years to come. The type of dance and the song that you choose for your wedding day is to reflect your deepest feelings and emotions. If you want something more than a simple slow dance for your special moment you can choose a waltz or a rumba dance, two other favorites among young couples.




Waltz is more formal than foxtrot. If you want something sophisticated you can consider the rumba, one of those Latin dances which are fun and great, but also require more time to learn the steps and movements.

The forerunner of the Waltz is considered to be a German folk dance called “Landler“. In the 18th century, was introduced a type of dance called the walzen, which in German language means to roll or glide. At the beginning it was regarded with indignation by older generations being the first dance where the man and the woman were dancing in a closer position and the man’s hand was around the woman’s waist.

Nevertheless, the Waltz became popular through Germany and Austria in the 1830s with the help of Franz Lanner and Johann Strauss, two great composers who set the standard for a faster version of the Waltz, the Viennese Waltz, characterized by a tempo of about 180 beats a minute.

It is a smooth dance implying traveling counter-clockwise around the ballroom at a high speed. It can be a little difficult if you are a beginner and you could get a little dizzy at first. The waltz was first danced in the US in Boston in 1834 by Lorenzo Papanti.

Another version of waltz was the Boston that evolved in America around 1870s and kept the characteristics of traveling and turning and a slower tempo, but more figures were including a dip.  Waltz is also famous as the “traditional American wedding dance” being often chosen for the Father-Daughter and Mother-Son moments.

Here are some of the most popular waltzes for your wedding day:
Rainbow Connection by Kermit the Frog

Fascination by Nat King Cole

If You Don’t Know Me by Now by Simply Red

Play Me by Neil Diamond

What The World Needs Now Is Love by Dionne Warwick

Moon River by Breakfast at Tiffany’s Soundtrack

Flora’s Secret by Enya

Open Arms by Journey

Annie’s Song by John Denver

Caribbean Blue by Enya
My Favorite Things – The Sound of Music
Kiss of the Rose by Seal

Catch The Wind by Donovan

I’ll Be by Edwin McCain

You And Me by Lifehouse

As for the Rumba, the term is a generic one and covers various names for this type of West Indian music and dancing. Originally, the rumba music was performed with a staccato beat and traditional instruments such as the maracas, the marimba, the guiro and bongo or timbales drums. The original Rumba was a very sexual dance with a fast beat and fast Cuban motion, meaning hip movements.

In present, Rumba is slower and romantic. It is also called the dance of love as the couple stare into each others eyes as they dance. Rumbas can be found in modern Country and Latin love songs. Here are some examples of Rumba songs:
Beautiful Maria of My Soul by Mambo Kings

Falling Into You by Celine Dion

Power of Two by Indigo Girls

Let’s Stay Together by Al Green

Innocent Man by Billy Joel

Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps – Strictly Ballroom soundtrack

I Do by Paul Brant

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