The Best Wedding Songs to Level up your Wedding Reception
One thing that I’ve noticed in my time as a wedding photographer is that music, for a lot of couples, is an afterthought.
No, seriously. Couples tend to think that their music choices don’t make that much of a difference to their wedding. But, this couldn’t be further from the truth!
Why picking the best wedding songs matters
Picking wedding music that shows off your personality is a must, because, you know, it’s your wedding day. And let’s be honest: do we all want to hear
“A Thousand Years” again?
Naw, I don’t really. It’s a lovely song, but the point here is crafting wedding music that fits your guys’ wedding and relationship. So, if you’re a massive Twilight fan then sure, go for it!
For everything else, though, let’s break it down.
Breaking down the best wedding songs by genre
Yes, like I just mentioned, your wedding music should sort of line up with you as a person. If I never listen to anything like metal or rock but had some AC/DC songs thrown into my wedding day playlist, it wouldn’t make sense.
To make it easy for you, I’ve highlighted some wedding songs across a few different genres of music to help you curate your playlist.
So, let’s start with the best wedding pop songs…
Pop wedding music choices
“Hold My Hand” - Jess Glynne
“Lover - First Dance Remix” - Taylor Swift
“I Love You Always Forever” - Donna Lewis
“Tokyo Sunrise” - LP
“Good Feeling” - Flo Rida
“Biblical” - Calum Scott
“I Wanna Remember” - NEEDTOBREATHE, Carrie Underwood
“Shut Up and Dance” - WALK THE MOON
Pop is such a wide genre for wedding songs because it presents such a wide range of artists and styles. It’s always a good time when you use badass, dance-inducing numbers like “Good Feeling,” then pair it with a more lower-key “Lover” mix by Ms. Taylor Swift.
These wedding song choices also provide powerful lyrics, generally, which is nice to hear at your wedding, especially if it’s a song you and your partner have a connection with.
Yes, some can always be cheesy, too. But hey, that’s part of the game.
And you caught me: “Shut Up and Dance” is played at a ton of weddings, but dammit it’s a great one.
Rock wedding music choices
“I’m A Believer” - Smash Mouth/The Monkees
“I’ll Be” - Edwin McCain
“You’re the Inspiration” - Chicago
“Summer Of ‘69” - Bryan Adams
“Fly Away” - Lenny Kravitz
For you traditional rock purists, this list is also a little broad, so try to keep those keyboard arguments to a minimum. But c’mon, do you know how hearing “I’ll Be” when you’re getting a dance in with your new husband or wife will make you feel? Pretty magical.
Plus, do you know how many generations “Summer Of ‘69” can connect with? A lot.
Want even more wedding tips and inspiration?! Check out some of my other blog posts:
Hip-hop wedding music choices
“Wedding Day” - SAINt JHN
“Push It” - Salt-N-Pepa
“Bring Em Out - Amended” - T.I.
“In Da Club” - 50 Cent
“Yeah!” - Usher, Lil Jon, Ludacris
“Turn Down for What” - DJ Snake, Lil Jon
You sort of forget about the bass-heavy beats of hip-hop or rap music for weddings, but there are some goodies out there if that’s your style.
Again, I want to remind you that you can, and should, play whatever you want to play at your wedding. Of course, maybe be aware of the audience you have, but still. If you want to crank Cardi B go for it!
Country wedding music choices
“This Kiss” - Faith Hill
“God Gave Me You” - Blake Shelton
“The Long Way” - Brett Eldredge
“I Want It All” - Kat & Alex
“Heaven” - Kane Brown
“I Don’t Dance” - Lee Brice
“Then” - Brad Paisley
Ahh good ‘ole country wedding music. You’ve probably heard a lot of country songs at wedding receptions, as there are plenty of recurring themes of love within the genre.
The best part about country music is that there is a huge variety of pacing, even from your favorite artists, so getting some acoustic or “dance” versions isn’t too difficult.
Obviously, these lists aren’t all-inclusive, as there are a million different songs to choose from.
The reality is to have a mix of hits and special songs. This way, you keep your guests interested but also include enough personal choices to keep the day about you and your partner.
It’s a balancing act, like all things related to weddings are!
In the end, the idea is that your wedding playlist drives the day and creates the pace of events to come. So, yeah, you’ll want to choose wisely!
