Music Suggestions For Your
Wedding Activities

Some couples know the minute they get engaged what music they want for their ceremony, their traditional dances and other activities at their weddings. But most do not. Some couples aren’t even that “into” music and have a very difficult time thinking of songs that are suitable and appropriate for the various activities at their celebration.

The lists of suggestions that we provide is just that, suggestions. You are in no way limited to the titles on this list. It is merely meant to give you a little help and guidance if you do not have musical selections already in mind for the special activities at your ceremony and reception. Some of the titles listed may simply remind you of another song that isn’t on the list that you had forgotten about, but is one of your favorites. Keep in mind that many of the songs listed for one activity, might work very well for one of the other activities as well. Here are a few general rules that will be helpful.

Introductions: You can use the same tune to introduce your bridal party and yourselves or select different ones to make your entrance a bit more unique. Select something that either has some personal significance to you (i.e. favorite movie theme) or something that conveys to your guests a little bit about what the latter part of the reception will be like. If you plan on more of a party atmosphere after dinner, choose something more up tempo or fun. If you’re planning more of a cocktail party reception, you might want to stick to classical or jazz for the introductions.

Traditional Dances: For the traditional dances for the bride / groom, father / daughter, or mother / son, there are two primary points to consider. First, make certain that the lyrics to the song are appropriate and convey sentiments that are suitable for the occasion. Couples often pick a song because of the title or one phrase and loose sight of the overall meaning of the song. The Dance by Garth Brooks is not a love song. He is breaking up with her (but he wouldn’t have missed it for the world).  I Honestly Love You by Olivia Newton-John is about two people who have been cheating together and are calling things off.  Listen to the whole song to be sure you know what the lyrics are about. Second, make sure that the tempo of the song is one to which you will feel comfortable dancing. Also, remember who you’re dancing with. A more modern up-tempo song may be easy for you to dance to, but might not be as comfortable for your mother or father.

Regional and Ethnic Selections: To make your event special to your friends and family, be aware of any regional or ethnic backgrounds that might help you make the event special for them as well. If you have family or friends flying down from Pennsylvania, it might be nice to make sure we play a polka, even if you don’t want to dance to it yourself. Guests from most places in the north will relate to New York, New York, even if they don’t live in the “Big Apple” themselves.  If you have friends or family who are from the foothills or mountains in North Carolina, you can be sure that at least one of them will want to do a little flat footin’ to Rocky Top.  Shaggin’ to some beach music is popular with anyone in the state who spent any time around Myrtle Beach in their youth.  And the Hora should be a standard if either family is of Jewish decent. Depending upon your family’s background you might want a smattering of traditional Irish, Italian, German or Scottish music played, if only during dinner. This is a special day for you, but you are also throwing your reception to entertain your guests. Try to be aware of music that might enhance their enjoyment of the evening as well when you make out your request list.


(Just a sample.  More to come...)


Ceremony Music

Prelude music: Played prior to the ceremony, while guests are being seated.

Arioso (Bach)
As Time Goes By (Tony Bennett)
Ave Maria (Schubert / Gounod)
Brandenburg Concerto #2 (Bach)
Gloria (Vivaldi)
God Only Knows (The Beach Boys)
Greensleeves (Traditional)
Isn't It Romantic (Glenn Miller)
Moonlight Sonata (Beethoven)
Ode To Joy (Beethoven)
Rhapsody In Blue (Gershwin)
The Four Seasons (Vivaldi)
Unchained Melody (Righteous Brothers)
Water Music (Handel)

Processional & Bridal music: Played during the time the family, wedding party, and the bride walk down the aisle.

Ave Maria (Schubert / Gounod)
Bridal Chorus (Here Comes The Bride) from "Lohengrin" (Wagner)
Canon in D (Pachelbel)
Chapel of Love (Dixie Cups)
Forever In Love (Kenny G)
From This Moment On (Shania Twain)
Hawaiian Wedding Song (Elvis Presley / Andy Williams)
I Can't Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley)
In My Life (The Beatles)
Song Bird (Kenny G)
The Four Seasons (Handel)
The Wedding Song (Kenny G / Paul Stookey)
Trumpet Voluntary in D (The Prince of Denmark's March) (Clarke or Purcell)
Unforgettable (Nat King Cole)
Water Music (Handel)
Wedding March From Lohengrin (Wagner)
What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
When A Man Loves A Woman (Percy Sledge)

Interlude music (optional): The songs played during the ceremony.

Amazing Grace (Traditional)
And I Love Her (The Beatles)
Ave Maria (Schubert)
Für Elise (Beethoven)
Have I Told You Lately (Van Morrison)
La Traviata (Verdi)
Love Me Tender (Elvis Presley)
Primavera: First Movement, Allegro (Vivaldi)
Sheep May Safely Graze (Bach)
We've Only Just Begun (The Carpenters)

Recessional music: Music played as the new husband and wife walk up the aisle together.

Can You Feel The Love (Elton John)
Celebration (Kool & the Gabg)
Circle of Love (Elton John)
Hallelujah Chorus (from "The Messiah") (Handel)
How Sweet It Is (James Taylor)
I Got You (I Feel Good) (James Brown)
I Got You Babe (Sonny and Cher)
Looks Like We Made It (Barry Manilow)
Magnificat In D (Bach)
Ode To Joy (from The Ninth Symphony) (Beethoven)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered (Stevie Wonder)
The Long And Winding Road (The Beatles)
Then He Kissed Me (The Crystals)
Trumpet Tune (Purcell)
We've Only Just Begun (Carpenters)
Wedding March (from "A Midsummer Night's Dream") (Mendelssohn)
 


Reception music

First Dance music: First dance as husband and wife.

•       A Moment Like This (Kelly Clarkson)
A Whole New World (Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle)
All My Life (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville)
•        Amazed (Lone Star)
As Time Goes By (A Kiss Is Just A Kiss) (Michael Feinstein)
At Last (Etta James)
Can I Have This Dance? (Ann Murray)
Can't Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley)
•        Could I Have This Dance (Anne Murray)
Don't Know Much (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville)
Endless Love (Diana Ross and Lionel Richie)
Everything I Do {I Do For You} (Bryan Adams)
Faithfully (Journey)
From This Moment On (Shania Twain)
•       Have I Told You Lately (Rod Stewart / Van Morrison)
Here And Now (Luther Vandross)
I Can Love you Like That (John M. Montgomery)
I Cross My Heart (George Strait)
•       I Do Cherish You (98 Degrees / Mark Wills)
•       I Don't Want To Miss A Thing (Aerosmith)
I Swear (John M. Montgomery or All 4 One)
I'll Be There (Mariah Carey)
It Had To Be You (Harry Connick, Jr.)
•       It's Your Love (Tim McGraw and Faith Hill)
•       Keeper of the Stars (Tracy Byrd)
•       Love of My Life (Jim Brickman and Michael W. Smith)
No Ordinary Love (Sade)
On Bended Knee (Boyz II Men)
Our Love Is Here To Stay (Harry Connick, Jr.)
Power Of Love (Celine Dion)
The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra)
•       Then (Brad Paisley)
Tonight I Celebrate My Love (Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson)
Unchained Melody (The Righteous Brothers)
Unforgettable (Nat King Cole)
What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
When A Man Loves A Woman (Percy Sledge or Michael Bolton)
When You Say Nothing At All (Allison Krauss)
•       Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton)

Father/Daughter Dance music: The dance between the new bride and her father.

A Song For My Daughter (Steve Moser, Mikki Viereck, Ray Allaire)
A Whole New World (Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle)
Because You Loved Me (Celine Dion)
•       Beautiful In My Eyes (Joshua Kaddison)
Butterfly Kisses (Bob Carlisle)
Can You Feel The Love Tonight (Elton John)
Daddy's Girl (Peter Cetera)
Daddy's Hand (Holly Dunn)
Daddy's Little Girl (Kippi Brannon / Mills Brothers / Al Martino)
Father's Eyes (Amy Grant)
Friends (Elton John)
Have I Told You Lately (Rod Stewart)
Have I Told You Lately (Van Morrison)
Hero (Mariah Carey)
How Do You Fall In Love (Alabama)
In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel)
Isn't She Lovely (Stevie Wonder)
Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)
Landslide (Fleetwood Mac)
Lullabye (Billy Joel)
My Dad (Paul Petersen)
My Girl (The Temptations)
My Heart Will Go On (Celine Dion)
Sunrise, Sunset (Fiddler On The Roof - Sndtrk)
Thank Heaven For Little Girls (Gigi)
Thank Heaven For Little Girls (Gigi)
The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra / Tony Bennett)
The Wind Beneath My Wings (Bette Midler)
Through The Years (Kenny Rogers)
Times of Your Life (Paul Anka)
Unforgettable (Nat King Cole / Natalie Cole)
What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)

Mother/Son Dance music: The dance between the husband and his mother.

A Song For My Son (Steve Moser, Mikki Viereck, Ray Allaire)
•       A Song For Mama (Boyz II Men)
Because You Loved Me (Celine Dion)
Blessed (Elton John)
Butterfly Kisses (Bob Carlisle)
Don't Know Much (Linda Rondstadt and Aaron Neville)
Ever I Saw Your face (Roberta Flack)
Friends (Elton John)
Greatest Love Of All (Whitney Houston)
Have I Told You Lately (Rod Stewart)
Hero (Mariah Carey)
I Wish You Love (Natalie Cole)
I.O.U (Jimmy Dean)
In My Life (The Beatles)
In This Life (Bette Midler)
In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel)
Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)
Moon Dance (Van Morrison)
Moon River (Andy Williams)
Stand By Me (Ben E. King)
Sunrise, Sunset (Fiddler On The Roof – Soundtrack)
Thanks Again (Ricky Skaggs)
Through The Years (Kenny Rogers)
'Til The End Of Time (Perry Como)
Unforgettable (Nat King Cole / Natalie Cole)
What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
Wind Beneath My Wings (Bette Midler)
Wishing Tree (Sonia Dada)
You're The Inspiration (Chicago)

Bridal Party Dance music: The dance including the Bride & Groom, Bridesmaids & Groomsmen, and family members.

Can You Feel The Love Tonight (Elton John)
Celebration (Kool & the Gang)
Friends (Elton John)
Friends In Low Places (Garth Brooks)
Heroes and Friends (Randy Travis)
In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel)
That's What Friends Are For (Dionne & Friends)
We Are Family (Sister Sledge)

Cake cutting music: Played while the Bride & Groom cut the cake.

Axel F (Harold Faltermeyer)
Cut the Cake (Average White Band)
Happy Together (The Turtles)
Hit me With Your Best Shot (Pat Benatar)
How Sweet It Is (James Taylor / Marvin Gaye)
I Got You Babe (Sonny & Cher)
I Wanna Grow Old With You (Adam Sandler)
Love & Marriage (Frank Sinatra)
Oh Yeah! (Yello)
Peter Gunn Theme
Pour Some Sugar On Me (Def Leppard)
Recipe For Love (Harry Connick Jr.)
Sugar, Sugar (The Archies)
That's Amore' (Dean Martin)
When I'm 64 (The Beatles)

Garter And Bouquet Toss music: Played during the bouquet toss and garter toss.

*Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper)
*Girls Night Out (The Judds)
*Miss America Theme (Various)
*Whipped Cream {Dating Game Theme} (Herb Alpert)
Another One Bites The Dust (Queen)
Bad Boys (Inner Circle)
Curly Shuffle (Jump n' The Saddle)
Do Ya Think I'm Sexy (Rod Stewart)
Freak Me (Silk)
Gimme All Your Lovin' (ZZ Top)
Heaven (Bryan Adams)
Hungry Eyes (Eric Carmen)
Kiss (Prince)
Legs (ZZ Top)
Let's Get It On (Marvin Gaye)
Macho Man (Village People)
Oh Yeah! (Yello)
Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison)
Shameless (Garth Brooks)
The Stripper (David Rose)
Theme from Mission Impossible (Danny Elfman)
U Can't Touch This (MC Hammer)
Wild Thing (The Troggs or Tone Loc)
You Sexy Thing (Hot Chocolate)

*Songs for Bouquet Toss Only.

Last Dance music: The last song of the night for the Bride & Groom and their remaining guests.

Always And Forever (Heatwave)
Closing Time (Semisonic)
Could I Have This Dance (Anne Murray)
From This Moment On (Shania Twain & Bryan White)
Good Riddance {Time Of Your Life} (Green Day)
Goodnight Sweetheart (Spaniels)
Goodnight, Sweetheart (David Kersh)
How Your Love Makes Me Feel (Diamond Rio)
I've Had The Time Of My Life (Bill Medly & Jennifer Warnes)
Last Dance (Donna Summer)
New York, New York (Frank Sinatra)
Save The Best For Last (Vanessa Williams)
The Dance (Garth Brooks)
The Party's Over (Nat King Cole)
Truly, Madly, Deeply (Savage Garden)
Unforgettable (Nat King Cole / Natalie Cole)
What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
Wonderful Tonight (David Kersh)
You're Still The One (Shania Twain)

      
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