by Cicely Richard

Created on: May 24, 2008

Weddings. That special day when two people vow to spend the rest of their lives together. So many memories encapsulate that brief moment in time. Walking down the aisle. Exchanging rings. Gazing into each other's eyes. The first kiss. All of these things are capped off by the first dance to the perfect song. R & B artists have sung songs of that special bond between man and woman and many a couple have danced to these hits.

"When A Man Loves a Woman" by Percy Sledge is a timeless song of the unconditional love of a man for a woman. For more than 40 years, this song has been used at weddings to commemorate the undying commitment of two people. Michael Bolton's remake of this classic hit is a poor substitute for the original song, with Sledge's soulful voice and that unforgettable introduction in the song.

"Loving You" by Minnie Riperton is another classic wedding song. Her sweet voice, with its multi-octave range captures how much love can exist between two people. The song has an innocence to it, almost like the feelings of two people about to embark on a new adventure. When she talks about walking each day in springtime, it represents a birth of something fresh, young, beautiful.

"Three Times a Lady," written by Lionel Richie while he was with the Commodores, is often used at weddings to show the magnitude of the man for the woman he is about to marry. However, many people don't know that Lionel Richie didn't write this song for one special lady. He supposedly wrote this song as a tribute to his mother, wife and daughter. In this song, he treats them as if they are one entity. Of all of his ballads, this is the one that is heard at wedding more than any of the others.

"Always" by Atlantic Starr has been a mainstay at many wedding for more than 20 years. The song is written and sung in the call and response format. It is as if the male and female vocalists are having a conversation with one another, sharing their feeling for one another and even talking about their future plans. The duet is perfect symbol of a couple uniting as one in marriage.

"Here and Now" by Luther Vandross summarizes that moment in time when a couple exchanges vows and look into each other's eyes. This song depicts their vow to love one another faithfully and to be united as one body. Even hearing the song on the radio makes you think of wedding where the couple danced to this song.

"I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston is probably one of the most misunderstood wedding songs of all time. Most people who choose this song as their wedding song only think about that one line in the song. They don't listen to the words and spirit of the song. This is actually a song of two people who are about to end a relationship because they can't be together. Thank goodness the songs couples dance to do not reflect on the way the marriage turns out. If it did, people who dance to this song are dooming their marriage.

Whether the song is old or new, they represent something personal to the couple getting married and evoke meanings that are unique to them. Oftentimes, this one song is a testament to the love these two people share for one another and, years later, hearing those songs can resurrect the feelings that symbolize new love.

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