The perfect wedding music is vital- as a song can set a certain mood, bring on a certain emotion or have a special meaning to you and your spouse-to-be and all of your guests.
You will need to choose the songs for every part of your wedding. From the song you will walk down the aisle to, your first dance, to the cutting of the cake and bouquet toss.
To make the planning of the wedding songs simpler, you can break up each section of the wedding and choose one to two songs for each part.
Below we have broken this down for you and you can click on each section to view more info including some traditional song options…
Wedding songs, for all the moments are vital, as a song can set a certain mood, bring on a certain emotion or have a special meaning to you, your spouse-to-be and all of your guests.
You will need to choose the songs for every part of your wedding; From the song you will walk down the aisle to, your first dance, to the cutting of the cake and bouquet toss.
To make the planning of the wedding songs simpler, you can break up each section of the wedding and choose one to two songs for each part.
Below we have broken this down for you and you can click on each section to view more info including some traditional song options…
- Wedding processional songs
- Wedding ceremony songs
- Wedding recessional songs
- Wedding reception songs
- First dance songs
- Father and daughter wedding songs
- Mother and son wedding songs
- Cake cutting wedding songs
- Mother and daughter songs
- Bouquet Toss songs
- Garter Toss songs
While all of your song choices are completely up to you and your fiance, bear in mind that you want the dance floor to be filled the entire night, with your guests having an amazing time that they will always remember. The music should flow, as you do not want to have a classical song followed by a heavy metal song.
Take your time when choosing the music for your wedding, as it will set the mood and contribute majorly to the wedding as a whole.
playlisted | Here are some hot more recent wedding tracks…
Kodaline – The One
Ed Sheeren – Thinking out loud
Adele – Sweetest devotion
Jamie Lawson – Wasn’t expecting that
Tom Odell – Grow old with me
Ellie Goulding – How long will I love you
Ben Howard – Only love
Jason Mraz – I won’t give up
This is the music that you and your bridal party will walk down the aisle to. It can be the traditional such as ‘Here comes the bride’ or a meaningful song that you chose for that exact moment.
Your wedding party walk in first; here are some traditional wedding songs to choose from;
- Trumpet Voluntary by J. Clark
- Trumpet Tune by H. Purcell
- Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by J.S. Bach
- March by Occasional Oratorio, G.F. Handel, Bride’s Entrance
Then it is the big moment when the bride will enter the room. Also known as the wedding march song, the song chosen will indicate when the bride will enter so that all the guests will be able to turn and look. Here are some traditional processional songs for the walk down the aisle;
- Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin by Richard Wagner also known as ‘Here Comes the Bride’
- Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel
- Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by Johann Sebastian Bach
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incidental music, Op. 61 Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn
The music that is chosen for the ceremony can express how you and your soon-to-be spouse feel about one another. You will have to choose the wedding ceremony music for the special moments in your wedding ceremony. Three of the most common music pieces are;
- The Lord’s Prayer by A. Malotte
- The Prayer by Celine Dion and Andre Bocelli
- O Perfect Love by J. Barnby
The recessional is the moment right after the bride and groom are pronounced man and wife. This is a special moment that will be remembered by you and your wedding guests. The recessional wedding song will bring on an excitement among you and your guests. Normally the song is quite upbeat, to create that emotion.
Here are some of the common recessional wedding songs that have been used;
- Beautiful Day by U2
- Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours by Stevie Wonder
- All You Need Is Love by The Beatles
- We Are Family by Dream Girls
- From This Moment by Shania Twain
- This Year’s Love by David Gray
The wedding reception is where all your guests will enjoy the rest of your wedding by celebrating and dancing all night long. The wedding music you choose is all about the bride and groom’s taste in music. You will have guests that are of all ages so it would be best to play a bit of everything, the older classics as well modern music. Good wedding music should be unique, personalized and fun for every guest. You will need to make a “play” and a “do not play” list for your band or DJ. So in this case you will not have music played at your wedding that you dislike. You need to make a list for you to see what will be played at the reception as well as for your DJ or band so he or she can see your likes and dislikes. Think of your wedding theme and what music would fit best with that. The choices of songs are completely up to you, the newlywed couple.
First Dance Songs
You have to decide if you want your first dance to be fun, romantic or sentimental. You should choose a song that both you and your fianc? will love. The first dance opens the floor for the guests, but in that moment it is where all eyes will be on the two of you. The first dance is the centerpiece of the wedding and has a special meaning; it can be the song that played when you first saw each other or it reminds you of a certain time in your relationship. It can be a romantic love song or a song that is unique to you. Once again the choice is yours.
However, here are some of the most common first dance wedding songs;
- Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton
- The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra
- At Last by Etta James
- Marry Me by Train
- All Of Me by John Legend
- I’m Yours by Jason Mraz
Father and Daughter Wedding Songs
You want to choose something special for your father and daughter wedding song. It must be meaningful, special and touching. In this moment, your father will see you as his little girl for the last time. The list is quite long for father and daughter dance music, here are some suggestions;
- Sweet Pea by Amos Lee
- You Are the Sunshine of My Life by Stevie Wonder
- Daughter by Loudon Wainwright III
- Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses
- My Girl by The Temptations
- I Loved Her First by Heartland
Mother and Son Wedding Songs
One of the important parts of the wedding reception is the mother and son dance. It is just as important as the father and daughter dance. This is where the mother expresses her happiness for the groom and his new bride. It is a special and sentimental moment for them both. Here are a few suggestions for song choices.
- Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd
- God only knows by The Beach Boys
- Child O Mine by Carole King
- Sweet Child O’ Mine by Sheryl Crow
- My Wish by Rascal Flatts
- You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban
The mother and daughter wedding song should be something wonderful that is shared between the bride and her mother. You will have a meaningful moment with your mother on your special day.
Here are some Mother and daughter songs that are popular;
- Oh How The Years Go By sung by Amy Grant
- Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler
- Where You Lead, I Will Follow by Carole King
- Mama’s Song by Carrie Underwood
- Somebody’s Hero by Jamie O’Neal
- A Mother’s Prayer by Celine Dion
Bouquet Toss Songs
This is where you will get all the single women in the middle of the dance floor and you will toss your bouquet for someone to catch. This is a fun experience for all who are involved. So you should choose a song that will excite your guests.
Here are some suggestions;
- Girls Just Want To Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper
- Single Ladies by Beyonce
- It’s Raining Men by Weather Girls
- California Girls by Katy Perry
- She’s A Lady by Tom Jones
- Sexy And I Know It by LMFAO
The tossing of the garter has been a tradition for many years.
It is fun and even awkward at times. It normally makes everyone laugh and sometimes gives others red faces. The song choice for this should be fun or even funny.
Here are some options, click to listen
- Bad To The Bone by George Thorogood
- Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf
- Hot In Here by Nelly
- I Like It, I Love It by Tim McGraw
- Right Round by Flo Rida
- You Shook Me All Night Long by ACDC
The tradition of the wedding cake has been around for a long time. Many different meanings have come up over the years for the traditional “cutting of the cake”. One of them being that the wedding cake showed the sweetness of the bride and groom. Not many couples will think of the song for the cutting of the cut ceremony. However it can be a fun way to express the moment. Here are a few suggestions for the cake cutting;
