Best Wedding Songs: Finding the Perfect Wedding Songs for Your Big Day
Some of the best wedding moments revolve around music. Whether it is walking down the aisle or breaking it down with your wedding party and guests, having the right songs can make a big difference in your big day. That is where this list of the best wedding songs comes into play.
This list of the best wedding songs will help you find the perfect song for every stage of your wedding. You will be able to find all of the top wedding songs for your big day and will be able to make sure that you have the perfect wedding soundtrack.
Take a look through our list of the best wedding songs, and mark one more thing off of your wedding to-do list. If you are looking for even more wedding-related resources, make sure you visit our lists of the best wedding favors, best wedding dress designers, and best honeymoon destinations.
Top 40 Wedding Songs:
Processional Songs
Setting the tone for your big day starts with the processional song or songs. If you can find the perfect song for your wedding party to walk down to, you are going to set the mood that you are looking for. As that music begins to play, you realize that it has already started, and everything you have planned for is finally here!
1. “Canon in D”
Artist: Pachelbel
About Wedding Song: If you’re looking for a beautiful, instrumental wedding song, “Canon in D” is one of the classics. It is one of the best wedding songs for a traditional church wedding, while still being entirely appropriate for a secular wedding. Undoubtedly, everyone attending will be able to recognize it since it has been in the soundtracks of over 182 movies and TV shows.
2. “Married Life”
Artist: Michael Giacchino
About Wedding Song: If you have ever seen the movie “Up,” this is the song that plays during the precious montage of Carl and Ellie’s life together. It starts with the two of them as children, then young and falling in love, then getting married, and growing old together, all the while dreaming up the most exciting adventures. The story in this scene is beautiful, and the corresponding song “Married Life” carries through it the sounds of fun, adventure, tenderness, sadness, loss, delight, and love.
3. “Clarity”
Artist: Evan Duffy
About Wedding Song: This beautiful piano piece starts very slowly and beautifully and then transitions into a quick, elegant piece. It is profoundly emotional and stirs up feelings of both love and passion in the listener. When you’re looking for a powerfully moving wedding song, this is definitely a piece to consider. Plus, since it only requires a piano, it is more likely that you could find someone to play it live at your wedding.
Songs to Walk Down the Aisle To
If you are looking for a separate song for the bride as she walks down the aisle, this is the section for you. As one of these songs play, and everyone rises to their feet, the moment will truly be set. As you experience one of the most love-filled moments of your life, you will be able to have one of the best love songs of all time playing in the background.
4. “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”
Artist: Roberta Flack
About Wedding Song: Smooth and folksy, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” is a wedding song for the ages. It is slow-moving and poetic, highlighting three of the “firsts” there are in a relationship. For example, this is the second verse of the song: “The first time ever I kissed your mouth I felt the earth move in my hand. Like the trembling heart of a captive bird, that was there at my command, my love.”
5. “A Thousand Years”
Artist: Christina Perri
About Wedding Song: Originally written for “Breaking Dawn – Part 1” to lyricize Bella and Edward’s romance, this song became the anthem for the entire Twilight Saga. Regardless of whether or not you’re a fan of the series, you can’t deny the beauty of the chorus, “I have died every day waiting for you. Darling, don’t be afraid; I have loved you for a thousand years. I’ll love you for a thousand more.”
6. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”
Artist: Israel Kamakawiwoʻole
About Wedding Song: This ukelele take on “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” is both beautiful and beachy. Israel Kamakawiwo’ ole was a native Hawaiian with a smooth folk-reggae style, and his rendition of this classic song is both fun and graceful. “Somewhere over the rainbow way up high and the dreams that you dream of once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly. And the dreams that you dream of dreams really do come true.”
7. “Heartbeats”
Artist: José González
About Wedding Song: “To call for hands of above to lean on wouldn’t be good enough for me, no,” is the chorus to this song. Many people have tried to interpret the lyrics to this piece, resulting in a myriad of contradicting views. However, if you like the style of this Swedish-Indie artist, it is worth checking out “Heartbeats” to see if it’s the perfect wedding song for you.
Wedding Ceremony Songs
Whether you are looking for songs to play while your guests await the wedding party or as they are leaving, these songs will have you covered. You will be able to maintain the mood that you are looking for, and your guests will also be able to enjoy some fantastic music.
8. “Ave Maria”
Artist: Schubert
About Wedding Song: While Schubert did not initially write “Ave Maria” with religious themes in mind, the classic song has been remade over time. Now it is a Latin-sung piece that is typically accompanied by piano and pays tribute to Mother Mary. The lyrics, when translated, say, “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and in the hour of our death. Amen.”
9. “I Choose You”
Artist: Sara Bareilles
About Wedding Song: Love letters are the stories of one’s true affections and a lasting document of the promises of love. “I Choose You” is a song about choosing love and letting marriage be a real-life love letter. Even though this verse is long, it is well worth quoting the whole thing here. “There was a time when I would have believed them if they told me you could not come true. Just love’s illusion, but then you found me, and everything changed. And I believe in something again. My whole heart will be yours forever. This is a beautiful start to a lifelong love letter . . . I choose you.”
Wedding Party Entrance Songs
It is time to celebrate! The ceremony has been completed, the pictures have been taken, you are married, and now it is time to celebrate! This means that you need the right wedding entrance song to set the mood. All of these songs will do precisely that. They will allow the wedding party to walk in feeling full of energy and ready to celebrate.
10. “Marry You”
Artist: Bruno Mars
About Wedding Song: Unlike the beautiful, serious songs you may have played during your wedding ceremony, this wedding song is about being wild and fun in love. Bruno Mars wrote this song to describe the feeling of being in Vegas, intoxicated, and wanting to do something crazy like marrying a woman he just met. Undoubtedly, this is one of the best wedding songs to use to announce the wedding party and to get the party started.
11. “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”
Artist: The Darkness
About Wedding Song: “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” is a great, upbeat rock and roll love song. With lyrics like, “Can’t explain all the feelings that you’re making me feel. My heart’s in overdrive, and you’re behind the steering wheel,” and epic guitar solos, this song is perfect for introducing a high-energy wedding party.
12. “Can’t Stop The Feeling!”
Artist: Justin Timberlake
About Wedding Song: First debuting in the movie Trolls, “Can’t Stop the Feeling” is a peppy pop song that has the power to make anyone smile and want to boogie. “Nothing I can see but you when you dance, dance, dance. Feel a good, good, creepin’ up on you, so just dance, dance, dance, come on. All those things I shouldn’t do but you dance, dance, dance. And ain’t nobody leavin’ soon, so keep dancin'” However, you should be warned that playing this song may cause a spontaneous dance party, even in your 102-year-old great grandmother.
Wedding Entrance Songs for Bride and Groom
The wedding party entrance is one thing, but the bride and groom need their own entrance song, and it needs to be awesome! You are freshly starting your new life together, and you want a song that is going to reflect how you feel in this moment. With one of these songs, you will be able to do precisely that.
13. “Just the Way You Are”
Artist: Bruno Mars
About Wedding Song: This song celebrates the bride’s beauty and the husband’s admiration of her, even when she doesn’t believe she is beautiful. It reveals that the couple’s love sees more than the other’s looks and truly loves them – no matter what. For example, here is a section of the lyrics: “When I see your face, there’s not a thing that I would change ’cause you’re amazing just the way you are. And when you smile the whole world stops and stares for a while ’cause, girl, you’re amazing just the way you are.”
14. “Happy”
Artist: Pharell Williams
About Wedding Song: If you want to walk into your wedding reception with a song that is nothing but fun, then “Happy” is one of the best choices you could make. Everything about this piece is cheerful, energetic, playful, and, of course, happy. The lyrics to the chorus are, “Because I’m happy, clap along if you feel like a room without a roof. Because I’m happy, clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth. Because I’m happy, clap along if you know what happiness is to you. Because I’m happy, clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do.”
15. “On Top of the World”
Artist: Imagine Dragons
About Wedding Song: If you like indie or alternative rock, “On Top of the World” by Imagine Dragons is a great wedding entrance song. “‘Cause I’m on top of the world, ‘ey. I’m on top of the world, ‘ey. Waiting on this for a while now. Paying my dues to the dirt. I’ve been waiting to smile, ‘ey. Been holding it in for a while, ‘ey. Take it with me if I can. Been dreaming of this since a child. I’m on top of the world.”
16. “Best Day of My Life”
Artist: American Authors
About Wedding Song: “This is gonna be the best day of my life, My li-i-i-i-i-ife,” is the chorus to this catchy alternative rock song. While there will hopefully be days in your marriage even more beautiful and exciting than your wedding, this song is undoubtedly appropriate to play while you enter the reception. Plus, there will probably be many guests that recognize the chorus and can sing along as you make your entrance as a new couple.
Wedding Cake Cutting Songs
Whether you are nice feeding each other cake, or maybe a little bit more “aggressive” having the right wedding cake cutting song still is essential. This is another celebratory moment in the night, and one of these songs will help you and your guest better enjoy it. And, who doesn’t get excited for a delicious piece of cake?
17. “Sugar”
Artist: Maroon 5
About Wedding Song: Pop band Maroon 5 released “Sugar” in 2014 as a disco, funk-pop love song. It spent over 20 weeks in the top 10 of the Top 100 list and is the perfect cake-cutting song. “I don’t wanna be needing your love. I just wanna be deep in your love. And it’s killing me when you’re away, ooh, baby. ‘Cause I really don’t care where you are. I just wanna be there where you are, and I gotta get one little taste.”
18. “Honey Bee”
Artist: Blake Shelton
About Wedding Song: Calling all country music fans. “Honey Bee,” which was recorded by Blake Shelton, is a majorly sweet love song. Check out these lyrics. “If you’ll be my soft and sweet, I’ll be your strong and steady. You be my glass of wine, I’ll be your shot of whiskey. You be my sunny day, I’ll be your shade tree. You be my honeysuckle, I’ll be your honey bee.”
First Dance Wedding Songs
Inside the celebration of the reception are still precious moments that can be slowed down and enjoyed, and this is definitely one of them. The first dance as between two newlyweds is magical and a moment that lasts a lifetime. So being able to have the perfect first dance song is only going to add to that moment. And while you may have a song that directly speaks to both of you already, if you don’t, these are excellent options.
19. “Thinking Out Loud”
Artist: Ed Sheeran
About Wedding Song: If you want a timeless first dance wedding song, you should seriously consider “Thinking Out Loud.” Whereas many love songs talk about the process of falling in love, this song stretches further to discuss a love that will carry on into old age and memory loss. Consider the words, “But baby now take me into your loving arms. Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars. Place your head on my beating heart. I’m thinking out loud that maybe we found love right where we are, oh.”
20. “Feel So Close”
Artist: Calvin Harris
About Wedding Song: If you’re looking for a more upbeat first dance, this electro-house, dance-pop song is simple in that it repeats one verse multiple times. “I feel so close to you right now, it’s a force field. I wear my heart upon my sleeve, like a big deal. Your love pours down on me, surrounds me like a waterfall. And there’s no stopping us right now; I feel so close to you right now.”
Father/Daughter Wedding Songs
Weddings are a big day for more than just the couple getting married. There are so many loved ones that have invested in the lives of both the bride and groom and maybe no one more than the father of the bride. The father/daughter dance is a great way to celebrate the father of the bride and what they have done for the bride over all of the years. It also shows that the father will still be there moving forward in life. All three of these wedding songs capture this sentiment perfectly.
21. “My Girl”
Artist: The Temptations
About Wedding Song: Even though this song is over 50 years old, it remains a classic in soul/R&B and is the perfect song for a father-daughter wedding dance. The lyrics of the song are written from a father who absolutely delights in his daughter. “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it’s cold outside, I’ve got the month of May. Well, I guess you’d say what can make me feel this way? My girl (my girl, my girl). Talkin’ ’bout my girl (my girl).”
22. “Cinderella”
Artist: Steven Curtis Chapman
About Wedding Song: When you read or watch the typical Cinderella story, it is coming from the point of view of a young couple in love. What this song about Cinderella speaks to is the loving relationship between father and daughter. It shows how much a father can love his daughter and how much he wants the best for her in life.
23. “One Call Away”
Artist: Charlie Puth
About Wedding Song: Charlie Puth’s “One Call Away” is a pop-soul song about a man who is always available to help and be there for his girl. For example, one of the verses says, “And when you’re weak I’ll be strong. I’m gonna keep holding on. Now don’t you worry, it won’t be long, darling. And when you feel like hope is gone, just run into my arms.”
Mother/Son Wedding Songs
There is a special relationship between a mother and son. In most cases, the mother would do anything for her son, and in return, the son recognizes all that she has done for him to become who he is now. And while this is all hard to capture in one song and dance, these songs will do their best to help make this moment as memorable as possible.
24. “My Wish”
Artist: Rascal Flatts
About Wedding Song: If you’re looking for some serious tears from mom, this is the perfect mother-son dance song. “My Wish” is all about the dreams that good things a mom wishes for her son in his life. This is best illustrated in the chorus, which starts, “My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to, your dreams stay big, your worries stay small, you never need to carry more than you can hold . . . Yeah, this, is my wish.”
25. “Days Like This”
Artist: Van Morrison
About Wedding Song: “When it’s not always raining, there’ll be days like this. When there’s no one complaining, there’ll be days like this, when everything falls into place like the flick of a switch. Well, my mama told me there’ll be days like this.” If you’re looking for a song that highlights a mother’s optimism and desire for good in her child’s life, this folk-rock piece is perfect, especially on a day as precious as your wedding day.
Getting the Party Started Songs
Weddings are supposed to be fun and full of energy! And while this sometimes happens naturally, having the right song selections can definitely help. All of these songs are designed to help encourage your wedding guests to get out on the dance floor and enjoy the party.
26. “Cupid Shuffle”
Artist: Cupid
About Wedding Song: Without a doubt, this is a dance party song that anyone can participate in. Since its moves are as simple as shuffling to the left and right, and a couple of kicks, all of the wedding guests can get involved in the group dance. Additionally, you only need a few people in the audience to know the dance for the rest to be able to follow. “Cupid Shuffle” is a great wedding dance song.
27. “Wobble”
Artist: V.I.C.
About Wedding Song: Down and dirty, “Wobble” has a catchy dance beat, perfect for those grown-up dance moves. This is another organized dance that will allow wedding guests to be able to follow along with other dancers and not feel left out. The original song does use some explicit language, so consider using the clean version to keep everything moving, and everyone having fun.
28. “The Twist”
Artist: Chubby Checker
About Wedding Song: As an oldie, but a goodie, “The Twist” is a classic that will make any older guests at your reception feel quite nostalgic (and possibly show off some of their old moves). With a fun tempo and inviting lyrics, such as, “E-yah, twist. Baby, baby, twist. Ooh yeah, just like this. Come on, little miss, and do the twist,” the whole crowd will be dancing like it’s 1960!
29. “Firework”
Artist: Katy Perry
About Wedding Song: Without question, every party needs a jumping song. You know, the song where the dance floor is full of people with arms raised, jumping to the beat of the music and singing as loud as they can? “Firework” will forever be one of those songs. Its chorus starts with, “‘Cause baby, you’re a firework. Come on, show ’em what you’re worth. Make ’em go ‘Oh, oh, oh!’ As you shoot across the sky-y-y.”
30. “Uptown Funk”
Artist: Bruno Mars
About Wedding Song: “Uptown Funk” is was recorded by Mark Ronson and features Bruno Mars. Altogether it is a fun mixture of funk, pop, and soul, with a touch of hip-hop. For instance, some of its lyrics include, “Come on, dance. Jump on it. If you sexy, then flaunt it. If you freaky, then own it. Don’t brag about it; come show me.”
Some of Our Personal Favorites
We love wedding songs so much that we decided to create an overflow section for this list of the top wedding songs. So while these songs aren’t listed by category, they can be subbed in or added to any of the sections that you would like. Because hey, it is your big day, and you can play whatever songs you want, whenever you want.
31. “Making Memories of Us”
Artist: Keith Urban
About Wedding Song: A country music classic, “Making Memories of Us,” hits all the wedding notes. Some of the more apropos lyrics include, “And I’m gonna love you like nobody loves you and I’ll earn your trust making memories of us. I’m gonna be here for you from now on, this you know somehow. You’ve been stretched to the limits, but it’s all right now.”
32. “Grow Old with Me”
Artist: Mary Chapin Carpenter
About Wedding Song: One of the last songs written by John Lennon, “Grow Old with Me,” is a classic wedding song. Lyrics include, “Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be. Spending our lives together, man and wife together, world without end.”
33. “I Won’t Give Up”
Artist: Jason Mraz
About Wedding Song: Folksy and acoustic, Mraz’s “I Won’t Give Up” is an emotional wedding song. Some of the song lyrics consist of, “Well, I won’t give up on us, even if the skies get rough. I’m giving you all my love, I’m still looking up…[and] I don’t wanna be someone who walks away so easily, I’m here to stay and make the difference that I can make.”
34. “Mirrors”
Artist: Justin Timberlake
About Wedding Song: A pop and R&B ballad, “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake, has seen enormous popularity in recent years. Lyrics include, “Cause I don’t wanna lose you now, I’m lookin’ right at the other half of me. The vacancy that sat in my heart is a space that now you hold.”
35. “Have I Told You Lately?”
Artist: Rod Stewart
About Wedding Song: Written by Van Morrison in the 1980s, Stewart’s 1993 version of “Have I Told You Lately?” saw great popularity. Today, it is a popular wedding song because of lyrics like, “Have I told you lately that I love you. Have I told you there’s no one else above you? Fill my heart with gladness, take away all my sadness, ease my troubles, that’s what you do… There’s a love that’s divine, and it’s yours, and it’s mine like the sun.”
36. “I Do (Cherish You)”
Artist: 98 Degrees
About Wedding Song: “I Do (Cherish You)” was originally released as a country music song, boy band pop group 98 Degrees popularized the song in 1999. Lyrics include, “I do cherish you for the rest of my life – you don’t have to think twice. I will love you still, from the depths of my soul, it’s beyond my control. I’ve waited so long to say this to you, if you’re asking do I love you this much, I do.”
37. “I Knew I Loved You”
Artist: Savage Garden
About Wedding Song: An emotional ballad released the same year as “I Do (Cherish You),” “I Knew I loved You” by Savage Garden, was an instant hit. Wedding apropos lyrics consist of “I knew I loved you before I met you, I have been waiting all my life. There’s just no rhyme or reason, only this sense of completion, and in your eyes, I see the missing pieces I’m searching for.”
38. “Bless the Broken Road”
Artist: Rascal Flatts
About Wedding Song: Recorded by several country music artists, the Rascal Flatts version of “Bless the Broken Road” has gained the most popularity. Lyrics include, “I think about the years I spent just passing through. I’d like to have the time I lost and give it back to you. But you just smile and take my hand, you’ve been there you understand – it’s all part of a grander plan that is coming true… This much I know is true, that God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you.”
39. “This I Promise You”
Artist: NSYNC
About Wedding Song: A popular ballad by boy band NSYNC, “This I Promise You” has classic wedding lyrics: “I’ve loved you forever, in lifetimes before, and I promise you never will you hurt anymore. I give you my word; I give you my heart. This is a battle we’ve won. And with this vow, forever has now begun.”
40. “Thank You for Loving Me”
Artist: Bon Jovi
About Wedding Song: A prime example of what Bon Jovi does best; “Thank You for Loving Me” is a heartfelt and emotional wedding song. Lyrics include, “Thank you for loving me, for being my eyes when I couldn’t see, for parting my lips when I couldn’t breathe – Thank you for loving me, thank you for loving me… I never knew I had a dream until that dream was you.”
Best Wedding Songs Conclusion
Hopefully, this list of the best wedding songs has helped you fill out your playlist or at least get you moving in the right direction. After all, music is a personal preference, and it should be entirely up to you what songs fit your big day and go into planning your wedding.
Regardless of what songs you choose, though, make sure to visit our list of the best free music sites. You will be able to make sure that you can find all of these songs for your big day.
If you have a specific song that should be on this list or that you would recommend, please let us know in the comments below.
