Making it Momentous & Magical with Music

The right music at the right time can create just the right moment, and many brides & grooms work with their DJ/band and other musicians (think string quartet during the Ceremony, pianist or soloist during Cocktail Hour) to come up with the perfect tunes for their big celebration.  Here's a list of some of the songs that are wowing wedding guests right now. I hope that it helps you create a list of some favorites for your next big event! That being said, try to have some flexibility and allow guests to make requests. A song you don't plan to play in advance could end up being the song of the night!

Pre-Ceremony/Ceremony-

A Thousand Years (Christina Perri or instrumental a la The Piano Guys)

All You Need is Love (Instrumental- Aramis String Quartet)

God Bless the Broken Road (Instrumental- Christian Wedding songs)
Kiss Me (Sixpence None the Richer, or Acoustic/Instrumental)

One Hand One Heart (Instrumental- The Lumiere String Quartet)

The Prayer (Instrumental- The O'Neill Brothers)

The Wedding Song, aka There Is Love (Instrumental- The O'Neill Brothers)

Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental- Vitamin String Quartet)

You Are So Beautiful (Instrumental- Wedding Music Artists- Ceremony Music)

Canon in D Major (Pachelbel)

Pathetique Sonata No. 8, Op. 13- Second Movement (Beethoven)

Arioso (Bach)

Air (Bach- strings)- This one is especially beautiful for the bride's processional. 
Bride's Chorus- (Wagner- LOVE the piano version here) 

Exogenesis Part 3 (Muse)

Recessional- Hornpipe (Handel), Water Music Suite No. 2 (Handel), Rondeau (Mouret), Trumpet Voluntary (The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra), Nocturne No. 2 in E Flat (Chopin), Menuett in D Major (Bach), Wedding March (Mendelssohn)
You Are So Beautiful (Instrumental from Romantic Love Songs)
Only Hope (Mandy Moore from A Walk to Remember, Beautiful instrumental version here)
Don't Stop Believing (Instrumental, Vitamin String Quartet)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours (Stevie Wonder)
Portuguese Love Theme (from Love Actually, especially for a Winter Wedding!)

Reception-

Wedding Party Entrances-

Love Never Felt So Good (Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake)
Say Hey, I Love You (Michael Franti & Spearhead)
Cheerleader (OMI)
Beautiful Day (U2)
I Gotta Feeling (Black Eyed Peas)
The Final Countdown (Europe or a capella version from the movie Pitch Perfect)
Gimme Some Lovin' (Spencer Davis Group)
I Feel Good (James Brown)
It's Not Unusual (Tom Jones)
Gonna Fly Now (Bill Conti- especially for Philly fans)

Just What I Needed (The Cars)

Higher (Jackie Wilson)

It's a Beautiful Day (Michael Buble)- fun song for entrance background music, but not great otherwise, as the lyrics are about a breakup)
Dance With Me Tonight (Olly Murs)

I'm On Top of the World (Imagine Dragons)
Call on Me (Eric Pyrdz)

In Your Wildest Dreams (Moody Blues)

Forever (Chris Brown)

Happy (Pharrell Williams)
Switch (Will Smith)
Sexy & I Know It (LMFAO)
Raise Your Glass (Pink)
Sexyback (Justin Timberlake)
Everytime We Touch (Cascada)
Marry You (Bruno Mars)
Best Day of My Life (American Authors)
You Make My Dreams Come True (Hall & Oats)
All I Do Is Win (DJ Khaled)
Now That We Found Love (Heavy D & the Boyz)
Everything is Awesome (from The Lego Movie)
Suit & Tie (Justin Timberlake)
Fancy (Iggy Azalea)
This Will Be an Everlasting Love (Natalie Cole, think The Parent Trap!)
Turn Down for What (DJ Snake, Lil Jon)
I Had the Time of My Life (Pitbull, Ne-Yo)
Bang Bang (Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj)
You Are the Best Thing (Ray LaMontagne)

First Dance- (Also good for slow songs)
Like I'm Gonna Lose You (Megan Trainor & John Legend)

Thinking Out Loud (Ed Sheeran)
Everything (Michael Buble)

Can't Help Falling in Love (Elvis Presley)
She's Got a Way (Billy Joel)
You Are the Best Thing (Ray LaMontagne)

Free (Zac Brown Band)
I Will Stay With You (John Legend)
The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble or Tony Bennett)
In My Life (The Beatles)
To Make You Feel My Love (Billy Joel or Adele)
The Luckiest (Ben Folds)
God Bless the Broken Road (Rascal Flatts)
Faithfully (Journey)
Unforgettable (Nat King Cole/Natalie Cole)
You Are the Sunshine of My Life (Stevie Wonder or Frank Sinatra)
All of Me (John Legend)
Shining Star (The Manhattans)
Forever Like That (Ben Rector)
Stay With Me (Sam Smith)
A Thousand Years (Christina Perri)
The Lucky Ones (Radney Foster)
The Way I Am (Ingrid Michaelson)
Brighter Than Sunshine (Aqualung)
I Like to Be With Me When I'm With You (Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors)
Forever and Ever, Amen (Randy Travis)
One and Only (Adele)
Hold On (Michael Buble)- LOVE this one!
God Gave Me You (Black Shelton)
Love's Divine (Seal)
Lover Lay Down (Dave Matthews Band)
Love (Nat King Cole)
Lucky (Jason Mraz)
More (Frank Sinatra)

Parent Dances-

Wildflowers (Tom Petty)

My Little Girl (Tim McGraw)

You've Got A Friend (Randy Newman)
I Hope You Dance (Leann Womack)

Forever Young (Rod Stewart)

I Loved Her First (Heartland)

What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)

I've Got You Under My Skin (Frank Sinatra)
Sweet Pea (Amos Lee)
Never Grow Up (Taylor Swift)
Save the Last Dance for Me (Michael Buble)
Forever (The Beach Boys- even better by Uncle Jesse from Full House if you can find it)!
The Wedding Song/There is Love (Paul Stookey, from Peter, Paul & Mary)
Have I Told You Lately (Rod Stewart or Van Morrison)
Butterfly Kisses (Bob Carlisle)
Through The Years (Kenny Rogers)
My Wish (Rascal Flatts)
Isn't She Lovely (Stevie Wonder)
Cinderella (Steven Curtis Chapman)
She's Got a Way (Billy Joel)
My Girl (the Temptations)
Lullabye (Billy Joel)
Tiny Dancer (Elton John)
You Are So Beautiful (Joe Cocker)
Whenever I See Your Smiling Face (James Taylor)
Sunrise, Sunset (from the musical Fiddler on the Roof)
Rainbow Connection (The Muppets, Jason Mraz, The Carpenters, Willie Nelson)
Mamma's Song (Carrie Underwood)- good for a mother-daughter dance
A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes (Disney)
High Hopes (Ray Stevens or Frank Sinatra)

Cocktail Hour/Dinner/Slow Dancing Songs-

Like I'm Gonna Lose You (Meghan Trainor ft. John Legend)
Falling in Love (Ingrid Michelson)
Sweet Pea (Amos Lee)
Budapest (George Ezra)
Love Me Like You Do (Ellie Goulding)
Summer Wind (Michael Buble)
Magic (Coldplay)
More Than Words (Westlife)

Where You Are (Rascal Flatts)

just about anything by Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble, Coldplay, Billy Joel)

Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Israel Kamakawiwo'oke)

Endless Love (Glee Soundtrack)

Golden Slumbers (Ben Folds)

Drops of Jupiter (Train)

Hallelujah (Rufus Wainwright)
When I'm 64 (The Beatles)

Swallowed in the Sea (Coldplay)

Everything I do, I do it for You (Bryan Adams)

Crush (Dave Matthews Band)

Crash Into Me (Dave Matthews Band)

When the Sun Goes Down (Kenny Chesney)

Overwhelmed (Tim McMorris)

Stolen (Dashboard Confessional)

Kiss the Girl (Samuel E. Wright from The Little Mermaid)
Marry Me (Train)
You and I (Ingrid Michaelson)
Crash (Savage Garden)
Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol)
Feels Like Home (Chantel Kreviazuk)
Still the One (Orleans)
Paradise (Coldplay)
Only Heart (John Mayer)
The Best Is Yet To Come (Michael Buble)
Feelin' Good (Michael Buble)
This is the Time (Billy Joel)
Restless (Alison Kraus)

Stand By Me (Ben E. King)

Heart of Mine (Peter Salett)

Shining Star (The Manhattans)

I'll Be There (Jackson 5)

First Day of My Life (Bright Eyes)

All Will Be Well (Gabe Dixon Band)

God Only Knows (The Beach Boys)

Dancin' in the Moonlight (Toploader)

Stand By Me (Ben E. King)

Toes (Zac Brown Band)

The Best is Yet to Come (Michael Buble)

Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton)

You Are the Sunshine of my Life (Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder)

Somewhere Out There (Linda Ronstadt, Feivel Goes West)

Can't Help Falling in Love With You (Elvis Presley)
I Don't Dance (Lee Brice)- A great country love song, see the video here.
'Til There Was You (from The Music Man, recorded by many artists including The Beatles, Etta James and Peggy Lee)
You Belong to Me (This song has been recorded by many artists, including Michael Buble, Patsy Cline, Bing Crosby, Vonda Sheppard and Jason Wade. Jason Wade's version was in Shrek!)
Save the Last Dance for Me (Michael Buble)
Locked Away (R. City ft. Adam Levine) 

Songs to Dance to (Faster):
Can't Feel My Face (The Weeknd)
Shut Up and Dance (Walk the Moon)
Honey, I'm Good (Andy Grammer)
Love Never Felt So Good (Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake)
Time of Our Lives (Pitbull, Ne-Yo)
I Lived (One Republic)
Style (Taylor Swift)

Be Okay (Oh Honey)
Uptown Funk (Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars)
Rather Be (Clean Bandit Ft. Jess Glynne)
Fireball (Pitbull)
Bang Bang (Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj)
I Need A Hero (Bonnie Tyler)
Sky Full of Stars (Coldplay)
All About That Bass (Meghan Trainor)
Summer (Calvin Harris)
Geronimo (Sheppard)
Blank Space (Taylor Swift)
Animals (Maroon 5)
Shake It Off (Taylor Swift)
FourFiveSeconds (Rihanna, Kanye West, Paul McCartney)
Bailando (Enrique Iglesias)- "I Wanna Live Contigo"...LOVE this! (English version still has some Spanish)
Safe and Sound (Capital Cities)
Come Get It Bae (Pharrell)
Treasure (Bruno Mars)
Summer (Calvin Harris) 

Mmm Yeah (Austin Mahone ft Pitbull)

Happy (Pharrell Williams)

I Gotta Feeling (Black Eyed Peas)

We Found Love In A Hopeless Place (Rihanna)

All of Me (Tiesto remix of John Legend)

Best Day of My Life (American Authors)
You Make My Dreams Come True (Hall and Oats)
Are You Gonna Stay the Night? (Zed ft. Hayley Williams)
Apache/Jump On It (Sugar Hill Gang)
Love Somebody (Maroon 5)
Classic (MKTO)

I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Whitney Houston)

Cupid Shuffle (Cupid)
Turn Down for What (DJ Snake & Lil Jon)
Wobble Baby (V.I.C.)
Fancy (Iggy Azalea- you may want the clean version)

Without You (David Guetta)

Call Me Maybe (Carly Rae Jepson)
Call on Me (Eric Pyrdz)

Marry You (Bruno Mars)

Africa (Toto)

Hey Ya (Outkast)

You Shook Me All Night Long (AC/DC)

Hey Baby (DJ Otzi or Bruce Channel)

My Girl (The Temptations)
Hey Mama (Mat Kearney- fun!)
I Love You More Today Than Yesterday (Spiral Staircase)
Falling for the First Time (Barenaked Ladies)
I Got My Mind Set On You (George Harrison)
I Saw Her Standing There (The Beatles)

Shout (The Isley Brothers)

Old Time Rock & Roll (Bob Seger)

Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd)

Paradise by the Dashboard Lights (Meatloaf)

Dynamite (Taio Cruz)

Sexy and I Know It (LMFAO)

Can't Hold Us (Macklemore)

Just Dance (Lady Gaga)

Crazy in Love (Beyonce)

Wagon Wheel (Old Crow Medicine Show)
Can't Hurry Love (Diana Ross)
I Want You Back (Jackson 5)
Love Shack (B52's)
Can't Hurry Love (Diana Ross)
Good Lovin' (Grateful Dead)
Danza Kuduro (Don Omar)
Proud Mary (Creedence Clearwater Revival or Tina Turner)
Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond)
Timber (Pitbull ft. Kesha)
Roar (Katy Perry)
Safe & Sound (Capital Cities)
Cotton Eye Joe- (Rednex)
Livin' on a Prayer (Bon Jovi)
All I Do is Win (DJ Khaled, Ludacris, Rick Ross, T-Pain & Snoop Dogg)
Brown Eyed Girl (Van Morrison)
Party Rock Anthem (LMFAO ft. Lauren Bennett & GoonRock)
Don't Stop Me Now (Queen)
Blurred Lines (Robin Thicke ft T.I. & Pharrell)
California Dreaming (Mamas & Papas, Benni Benassi Remix)
Zombie Nation (Kernkraft 400, Sportchant Stadium Remix)
Let's Marvin Gaye (Charlie Puth ft. Meghan Trainor)
Watch Me Whip (Silento)

Cake Cutting: 

Sugar (Maroon 5)
Sweet Disposition (Temper Trap)

Sugar, Sugar (Archies)
Theme song to Curb Your Enthusiasm

Cut the Cake (Average White Band)

Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani

Grow Old With You (Adam Sandler, from The Wedding Singer- love this!)

How Sweet It Is (James Taylor)
Sweetest Thing (U2)- Esp. if you have a blue-eyed boy and a brown-eyed girl!
I Can't Help Myself/Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch (The Four Tops)
Hit Me With Your Best Shot (Pat Benatar, a capella version from Pitch Perfect)
L-O-V-E (Nat King Cole)
Accidentally In Love (Counting Crows)
You and Me (Dave Matthews Band)
Everlasting Love (Natalie Cole)
I Got You Babe (Sonny & Cher)
I Do (Colbie Caillat)
Theme song from Up
Eat It (Weird Al)

Bouquet Toss:

Single Ladies (before- Beyonce)

Ladies Nighht (Kool & the Gang)
Put Your Hands Up in the Air (during- Danzel)

Rock it Til You Drop It (Fefe Dobson)
...then Shake It Off (after- Taylor Swift)
or Dirt Off Your Shoulder (Jay-Z)

Garter Toss: 

James Bond Theme Song
Gonna Fly Now (from Rocky Training Montage)
A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Action (Elvis)
Let's Get it On (Marvin Gaye)

Other fun Music Additions:
As food is coming out: Be Our Guest (Beauty & the Beast)
During a Wine Pour: Red, Red Wine (UB40) or The Days of Wine and Roses (Frank Sinatra)

Any other ideas? What songs did you love at your wedding or the last one you went to?! 

By the way...

Putting together bathroom baskets? Click here for great tips and inspiration! 

Are you (or your wedding party members) in a wedding party and not quite sure what to do next? Check out this post  to get prepped and rock it! 

Have you thought about what you'll do with your dress after the big day? This post has some great ideas!

Check out the most popular posts along the sidebar (scroll up!), including Weddings Across the Board- a series devoted to the cultural & traditional awesomeness that goes into wedding celebrations around the world- with coordinating Pinterest boards.

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Going to a Bachelorette Party? Check out these cute goodie bags for each of the ladies! 

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