diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 3087192..e8df2d3 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -49,6 +49,13 @@ Or store a copy of your record collection for later reference:
     >>> rows.all()
     [<Record {"username": ...}>, <Record {"username": ...}>, <Record {"username": ...}>, ...]
 
+If you're only expecting one result:
+
+.. code:: python
+
+    >>> rows.first()
+    <Record {"username": ...}>
+
 Other options include ``rows.as_dict()`` and ``rows.as_dict(ordered=True)``.
 
 ☤ Features
diff --git a/records.py b/records.py
index 74c50c4..f65e8ff 100644
--- a/records.py
+++ b/records.py
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
 import os
-from code import interact
-from datetime import datetime
 from collections import OrderedDict
+from inspect import isclass
 
 import tablib
 from docopt import docopt
@@ -13,6 +12,17 @@ from sqlalchemy.ext.declarative import declarative_base
 DATABASE_URL = os.environ.get('DATABASE_URL')
 
 
+def isexception(obj):
+    """Given an object, return a boolean indicating whether it is an instance
+    or subclass of :py:class:`Exception`.
+    """
+    if isinstance(obj, Exception):
+        return True
+    if isclass(obj) and issubclass(obj, Exception):
+        return True
+    return False
+
+
 class Record(object):
     """A row, from a query, from a database."""
     __slots__ = ('_keys', '_values')
@@ -188,6 +198,34 @@ class RecordCollection(object):
     def as_dict(self, ordered=False):
         return self.all(as_dict=not(ordered), as_ordereddict=ordered)
 
+    def first(self, default=None, as_dict=False, as_ordereddict=False):
+        """Returns a single record for the RecordCollection, or `default`. If
+        `default` is an instance or subclass of Exception, then raise it
+        instead of returning it."""
+
+        # Try to get a record, or return/raise default.
+        try:
+            record = self[0]
+        except IndexError:
+            if isexception(default):
+                raise default
+            return default
+
+        # Ensure that we don't have more than one row.
+        try:
+            self[1]
+        except IndexError:
+            pass
+        else:
+            raise ValueError('RecordCollection contains too many rows.')
+
+        # Cast and return.
+        if as_dict:
+            return record.as_dict()
+        elif as_ordereddict:
+            return record.as_dict(ordered=True)
+        else:
+            return record
 
 class Database(object):
     """A Database connection."""
diff --git a/tests/test_records.py b/tests/test_records.py
index 1af26e9..722591f 100644
--- a/tests/test_records.py
+++ b/tests/test_records.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ from collections import namedtuple
 
 import records
 
+from pytest import raises
+
 
 IdRecord = namedtuple('IdRecord', 'id')
 
@@ -49,6 +51,42 @@ class TestRecordCollection:
         assert len(rows) == 10
 
 
+    # all
+
+    def test_all_returns_a_list_of_records(self):
+        rows = records.RecordCollection(IdRecord(i) for i in range(3))
+        assert rows.all() == [IdRecord(0), IdRecord(1), IdRecord(2)]
+
+
+    # first
+
+    def test_first_returns_a_single_record(self):
+        rows = records.RecordCollection(IdRecord(i) for i in range(1))
+        assert rows.first() == IdRecord(0)
+
+    def test_first_defaults_to_None(self):
+        rows = records.RecordCollection(iter([]))
+        assert rows.first() is None
+
+    def test_first_default_is_overridable(self):
+        rows = records.RecordCollection(iter([]))
+        assert rows.first('Cheese') == 'Cheese'
+
+    def test_first_raises_when_more_than_first(self):
+        rows = records.RecordCollection(IdRecord(i) for i in range(3))
+        raises(ValueError, rows.first)
+
+    def test_first_raises_default_if_its_an_exception_subclass(self):
+        rows = records.RecordCollection(iter([]))
+        class Cheese(Exception): pass
+        raises(Cheese, rows.first, Cheese)
+
+    def test_first_raises_default_if_its_an_exception_instance(self):
+        rows = records.RecordCollection(iter([]))
+        class Cheese(Exception): pass
+        raises(Cheese, rows.first, Cheese('cheddar'))
+
+
 class TestRecord:
 
     def test_record_dir(self):