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Father/Daughter Dance Songs: Wedding Song Ideas

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What song will be played for this special moment with your dad?

Picking the right song for the father/daughter dance is key to creating a memorable moment

“Have you asked you dad what song he would like to dance to with you?”

When a bride tells me she doesn’t know what her Father/Daughter Dance song is going to be, the above question is one I always ask.

If your reply to that question is, “no,” then I need you to stop reading, pick up your phone and text, call, Facebook message or Snapchat your dad and ask him -- well never mind about Snapchat, you Dad probably isn’t on it.

Either way, he will love the fact you are connecting with him and you never know, he may have had song in mind ever since you two danced for the first time in your childhood home living room.

If both of you are still perplexed, take a look at these songs I have played at past weddings.

  • Bob Carlisle - Butterfly Kisses
  • Brandon Heath - Love Never Fails
  • Celine Dion/Josh Groban - The Prayer
  • Darius Rucker - It Won't Be Like This For Long
  • Edwin Mcain - Walk With You
  • Frank Sinatra - The Way You Look Tonight
  • George Strait - Love Without End
  • Kenny Chesney - There Goes My Life
  • LeAnne Womack - I Hope You Dance
  • Lionel Ritchie - Three Times a Lady
  • Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful World
  • Michael Buble - The Way You Look Tonight
  • Nat King Cole/Natalie Cole - Unforgettable
  • Temptations - My Girl
  • Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
  • Van McCoy - The Hustle
  • Heartland - I Loved Her First

Each year Mobile Beat Magazine releases a comprehensive list of popular songs that are being played at weddings throughout the United States. Here is a copy of that guide for you to download for free.

Also, here are some websites that offer even more suggestions:

Other Posts You May Be Interested In

Justin Kanoya is a wedding DJ based in San Diego. He has served as a DJ and host of more than 300 weddings over the past decade and is a recommended vendor at some of San Diego's finest wedding venues, including the Hotel del Coronado and the Lodge at Torrey Pines. 
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Review of Chroma Caps from DJ Tech Tools

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Chroma Caps Bring Style and Life to Your DJ Mixer

NOTE: For my complete video review of Chroma Caps, scroll to the bottom of this article. 

Chroma Caps from DJ Tech Tools are a great way to dress up your mixer while also adding practical functionality to your DJ performance. 

Chroma Caps from DJ Tech Tools are a great way to dress up your mixer while also adding practical functionality to your DJ performance. 

A dimly lit DJ booth or dark corner of a ballroom is a scene quite familiar to DJs. Without proper lighting over a mixing board, those stock knobs and faders -- with their dark black and gray colors -- can be hard to see. Also, since they are mostly made of plastic, the tactile feels isn’t great, something that DJs underestimate. When you consider how much we grab these things, several times throughout a gig, comfort should be a concern.

If you want to view your mixer in better in low light situations, while also customizing it so it’s unique when compared to all the same mixers out there, look no further than Chroma Caps from DJ Tech Tools.

What are Chroma Caps?
Chroma Caps are replacements for the factory stock knobs and faders that are installed on DJ mixers. They are designed to be slightly larger to enhance grip, and in a multitude of colors with wider position markers to enhance visibility. They are also a great way to “pimp” out your mixer while adding some practical use to it as well.

Chroma Caps come in 12 different colors and multiple sizes:

  • Fader (channel and crossfader)
  • Super knob (typically the smaller knobs found in EQ or gain sections)
  • Fatty knob (slightly larger than the super knob, works well for filters
  • Encoder (same as the fatty knob, but without a marker position; works well on knobs that have an infinite turn such as browse or loop functions)

You may think swapping out perfectly good knobs and faders is waste of time and money. But overhauling your mixer this way can also improve your workflow and performance.

For example, the Rane 64, four-channel mixer that I “chroma capped” now has a better, more categorized layout. If you look at the stock layout, there are three types of knobs (three different colors) and the black faders. The gray knobs are primarily used for equalizer functions, but also for different volume controls.

I reorganized, using the Chroma Cap colors as a visual cue. Now, all of the volume functions on my mixer have a red knob or fader. Equalization or pan knobs are blue and filter knobs are gray, using the larger “fatty knob.”

My favorite modification I made to the mixer is using the Encoder as my new ‘browse’ knob while keeping the stock smaller ‘loop’ knob.

Those two knobs are spaced close together that often times I was grabbing/pressing the wrong one. I was looping when I meant to load; and loading when I meant to loop. Now I know which one I am touching based on feel.

By the way, if you’re looking to overhaul a Rane 64, there are 40 replaceable knobs and four faders. Unfortunately due to the construction of the crossfader, that is not replaceable. The breakdown on my mixer is as follows.

  • Faders: 4
  • Super knobs: 27
  • Fatty knobs: 5
  • Encoder knobs: 2

I did not replace the FlexFx browse knob, session in, session out or balance knobs.

Conclusion
I would highly recommend a swap of your knobs and faders. They are great way to improve performance and also stand out from the crowd -- not that that matters, but it’s kinda cool anyway.  

A look at Chroma Caps by djtechtools.com and how I applied them on a Rane 64 mixer.

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Elizabeth and Jonathan’s Dance Party - Quail Haven Farm Wedding

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Elizabeth walks down the aisle during her wedding ceremony at Quail Haven Farm.

Jonathan and Elizabeth's San Diego area wedding at Quail Haven Farm (October 17, 2015) was a wonderful event with plenty of unique DIY touches. From the centerpieces, to the signage and even the wine -- which was hand crafted by both the father of the bride and his brother. 

But what was most remarkable was the surprise gift given to the couple, a hand made quilt that was contributed to by several different family members. It was a presentation that I have never seen in all my years of hosting weddings.

Friends and family presented Jonathan and Elizabeth with a handmade quilt as a wedding gift.

My favorite sign of the night was this one. Elizabeth and John are both officers in the San Diego Police Department. I joked that this was the earliest the cops had shown up at party, but luckily we didn't get shut down. 

And this cake ... it might just be the best wedding cake I've ever seen.

This wedding took place at Quail Haven Farm, technically listed in North San Diego County in Vista, but almost seems like Fallbrook. It's a great, secluded venue. It's perfect for couples looking for a rustic, outdoor wedding.

It was a great night, with a lot of 90s, a favorite of the couple. Here's a quick video and the setlist below:

This is a brief  video of Elizabeth and Jonathan's dance party, shot at their wedding reception at Quail Haven Farm. 

Wedding Party Entrance

  • Maroon 5 - Sugar (Select Mix Remix)

First Dance

  • Goo Goo Dolls - Come To Me (Clean)

Father/Daughter Dance

  • Darius Rucker - Won’t Be Like This For Long

Open Dancing (First Set)

  • Al Green - Let's Stay Together
  • Frank Sinatra - The Way You Look Tonight
  • Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
  • Mark Ronson f./Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk
  • Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
  • Flo Rida, Robin Thicke, Verdine White - I Don't Like It I Love It (Select Mix Remix)
  • Earth Wind & Fire - Sing A Song (Hot Classics Remix)
  • KC & The Sunshine Band - Boogie Shoes (Hot Classics Remix)
  • Markie Mark & The Funky Bunch - Good Vibrations (Select Mix Remix)
  • Deee-Lite - Groove Is In The Heart (Select Mix Remix)
  • Tone Loc - Wild Thing
  • OMC - How Bizarre (Select Mix Remix)
  • Marvin Gaye - How Sweet It Is
  • Emotions - Best Of My Love
  • Frank Sinatra - Summer Wind
  • Louie Armstrong - Cheek to Cheek
  • Toploader - Dancing In The Moonlight
  • Hootie & the Blowfish - Only Wanna Be with You
  • Backstreet Boys - I Want it That Way
  • Beyonce - Love on top
  • Silento - Watch Me

Cake Cutting

  • Colbie Caillat - I Do

Open Dancing (Second Set)

  • Matoma ft Notorious B.I.G. & Ja Rule & Ralph Tresvant - Old Thing Back (Clean)
  • Elvis Crespo - Suavemente
  • Celia Cruz - La Vida Es Un Carnaval
  • Cupid - Cupid Shuffle
  • Taylor Swift - Shake It Off
  • Walk The Moon - Shut Up And Dance
  • Justin Bieber - What Do You Mean? (Promo Only Intro Edit)
  • Journey - Don't Stop Believin' (Live)
  • Inner Circle - Bad Boys
  • Charlie Puth f./Meghan Trainor - Marvin Gaye
  • Eagle Eye Cherry - Save Tonight

Vendor Love
Venue: Quail Haven Farm
Photographer: Cate Batchelor Photography

Other weddings hosted by DJ Kanoya Productions

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Melissa and Gus’ Slow Motion Wedding Video - Hotel Del Coronado

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For their San Diego wedding reception (here is their setlist) at the Hotel Del Coronado, the slow motion video booth was rolled out for Melissa and Gus. Lots of dancing, glittery dresses and glitter all around. 

And here's the full video from the booth! 

A slow motion video booth is a great way to remember the people that attended your event as well as all of the fun they had while they were there. For more information, submit your event details on the "request for quote" page. 

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The Perfect Groom’s Speech - San Diego Wedding

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Joshua and Jonathan were married on September 1, 2015 at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot.

Joshua and Jonathan were married on September 1, 2015 at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot.

I know saying “never” is, ahem, never a good thing. But in this case I hope to hold to that promise.

Today I am writing about a same-sex wedding, and I’m promising to “never” write about it again. Especially to never categorize a wedding as “same-sex," since after all, it’s a wedding, no labels needed.

When I served as a wedding DJ for my first same-sex wedding, I decided to write about it because the experience made me realize seeing two people on their wedding day essentially looks the same regardless of gender. And I just wanted to document that. That’s really all I had to say on the matter.

But then I DJ’d Joshua and Jonathan’s wedding and it was even more, dare I say, “unusual.”

In paraphrasing Joshua’s own words, it was a same sex, interracial wedding taking place on a military base …. on a Tuesday.

I had actually made that observation in my head early on in the evening, but when it came time for the two of them to address their guests, Joshua delivered one of the most perfect grooms speech I’ve ever heard.

And I wanted to make sure you heard it too.