A huge detail that will greatly influence your wedding is the soundtrack to your big day. The music played during your wedding ceremony and reception will make a statement as it tells a story and expresses your personalities as a couple. There are so many great love songs that exist and it challenging to choose the right song for the right occasion. Plus finding songs for your wedding is a fun activity to do with your partner.
There are strategies you can take to make the process of finding songs for your wedding easier and less stressful. First, take it one song at a time. Carefully imagine each part of the wedding. Ask yourself what you want it to be like and feel like. Then think about what a song would need to convey to capture that feeling. From there you can begin thinking of some songs that would make a great moment.
In our list of songs, we are breaking down each piece of your big day that will need a song and some classic examples of great songs for these moments of your wedding.
Processional Songs
Your processional is one of the biggest moments of the entire day. The processional is the portion of the wedding ceremony in which everyone will walk down the aisle, leading up to the reveal of the bride. Typically the bride will walk down to her own song, and everyone else will walk to the tune of another. However this can be done in many ways. Some choose to only use one song with careful timing of the bride walking down to a specific part of the song. Others choose to have many songs dedicated for grandparents, parents, bridal party, and finally the bride.
For these songs, you may want to go for instrumental variations, as words can be distracting or not convey the moment you were going for. Luckily in the time of the internet and Bridgerton, we have access to many cover versions of songs that are romantic enough for a wedding. These tend to be more serious and romantic, as the couple will be locking eyes and seeing each other for the first time all day.
Wedding Party Processional
Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová
Latch by Sam Smith
Marry Me by Train
La Vie En Rose by Louis Armstrong
Today Was a Fairytale by Taylor Swift
Until I Found You by Stephen Sanchez
Birds of A Feather by Billie Eilish
She is Love by Parachute
Make You Feel My Love by Adele
You’re Still the One by Shania Twain
Bride Walking Down the Aisle
At Last by Etta James
Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles
1000 Years by Christina Perri
Lover by Taylor Swift
Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley
The Only Exception by Paramore
You & Me by Lifehouse
Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland
Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift, Bridgerton Instrumental Cover
Golden Hour by JVKE (Orchestra Instrumental Version)
Recessional Song
The Recessional is the very end of your wedding ceremony. After you’ve been proclaimed married by the officiant and seal it with a kiss, the Recessional will begin. This starts with the couple walking down the aisle, followed by the bridal party and possibly immediate family. This song should certainly be about love and can also be a little more fun and less serious than the processional songs.
This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) by Natalie Cole
You Make My Dreams Come True by Hall & Oates
Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Stevie Wonder
Marry You by Bruno Mars
I Choose You by Sara Bareilles
Better Together by Jack Johnson
L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole
I Do by Colbie Calliat
Ain’t No Mountain High by Marvin Gaye & Tami Terrell
Best Day of My Life by American Authors
Introduction Song
Your wedding introduction or entrance is just that – walking into your reception to get the festivities started. You may choose to have your entire bridal party participate in the introductions, which can be fun and even choreographed. Others opt to just introduce the married couple. This should be a lively song that will get the energy of the room up and pump everyone up to have a great time.
I Got a Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas
24k Magic by Bruno Mars
Thunderstruck by AC/DC
Bring Em Out by T.I.
Love on Top by Beyonce
Shut Up And Dance by Walk the Moon
Turn Down for What by DJ Snake & Lil Jon
Sucker by Jonas Brothers
For Once in My Life by Stevie Wonder
Fireball by Pitbull
Dances
The Dances are a very special part of a wedding reception. Traditionally, the married couple will have the First Dance, followed by dancing with parents. Usually these are Father-Daughter and Mother-Son but you can do however you choose. Your first dance song should be a meaningful one, as this is typically the song you’ll refer to as “our wedding song” for the rest of your life. Parent songs tend to be meaningful and emotional as well. However, if you’re a fun bunch, or even dancers, you can certainly switch it up and entertain the crowd with a routine!
First Dance
Can’t Help Falling In Love with You by Elvis Presley
Speechless by Dan + Shay
All of Me by John Legend
Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran
All My Life by K-Ci & JoJo
Love Story by Taylor Swift
Say You Won’t Let Go by James Arthur
Just the Two of Us by Bill Withers
Perfect by Ed Sheeran
Amazed by Lonestar
Father-Daughter Dance
My Girl by The Temptations
I Loved Her First by Heartland
Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder
Sweet Pea by Amos Lee
Stand By Me by Ben E. King
God Only Knows by The Beach Boys
Wildflowers by Tom Petty
Best Day by Taylor Swift
Raise Me Up by Josh Groban
Daughters by John Mayer
Mother-Son Dance
My Wish by The Rascal Flatts
A Song for Mama by Boyz II Men
Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
I’ll Be There by The Jackson 5
I Hope You Dance by LeeAnn Womack
You’ll be in My Heart by Phil Collins
Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
You are the Sunshine of My Life by Stevie Wonder
Lean on Me by Bill Withers
Hero by Mariah Carey
Fun Reception Traditions
After dinner and before open dancing, you may want to partake in some fun wedding traditions. There are a slew of option you can choose from, but the most popular are the bouquet toss, garter toss, and of course, cake cutting. These songs are meant to be very fun and upbeat. If you choose to have a garter toss, you can even make things a little sexy – but beware, keep in mind who will be in the room. If you know a parent or grandparent may not be happy with how you’re going about things, it may be best to keep it PG.
Bouquet Toss
Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
Wannabe by Spice Girls
Dear Future Husband by Meghan Trainor
Just A Girl by No Doubt
Man, I Feel Like A Woman by Shania Twain
Toxic by Britney Spears
Who Run the World (Girls) by Beyonce
Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen
I Wanna Dance with Somebody by Whitney Houston
Ladies’ Night by Kool and the Gang
Garter Toss
You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate
Suit & Tie by Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z
Pony by Ginuwine
American Woman by Lenny Kravitz
Get Lucky by Daft Punk and Pharrell Williams
Yummy by Justin Bieber
Smooth by Santana and Rob Thomas
Whatta Man by Salt N Pepa
Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins
Mission: Impossible Theme Song by Lalo Schifrin
Cake Cutting
I Can’t Help Myself by Four Tops
Sugar, Sugar by The Archies
Sugar by Maroon 5
Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard
Cake by the Ocean by DNCE
On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons
Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles
Cake by Flo Rida
Sweet Nothing by Calvin Harris and Florence and the Machine
Candyman by Christina Aguilera
Needing more inspiration for finding the most perfect songs for your wedding? Check out this Spotify Playlist filled with Wedding Songs!