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Choosing the right songs for the right parts of your wedding day can seem a little overwhelming, but this is a part of planning that you and your partner can have a lot of fun with. Let’s tackle the ceremony, *Top Tip* make it personal to you both, it’s a great place on your wedding day to show both of your personalities! Choose songs that are full of memories, and that you would then listen to in the car that will take you right back to your special day.
Some quick Top Tips before we get into the nitty gritty:
1.If you’re looking for acoustic covers, have a look at Matt Johnston, he has endless beautiful covers of love songs and some stunning duets of wedding classics.
2.If you’re looking for classical string covers of modern songs, Vitamin String Quartet and Duomo have this covered. I can also personally recommend Cairn String Quartet as live musicians to play during your ceremony and reception. They have a huge catalog to choose from (they can also learn new songs on request- Amazing!) and are super friendly and professional to work with.
3.There are no rules, whatever feels right for you and your partner will be the right thing for YOUR wedding day. Whether it’s live music or tracks played through your venue’s sound system, the scene will be perfectly set for you and your guests, as they are there to celebrate the real stars of the show, the happy couple.
Right, back to business, it can be tricky to know where to start, but let’s mix it up a little and start with the song you and your partner will walk, strut, or boogie out to as blooming newlyweds.
Recessional songs
Crowd Pleasers
Sign, Sealed, Delivered – Stevie Wonder
Kick off with the funkiest song to celebrate one of the biggest moments of your lives! We LOVE to see newly married couples with a joyous spring in their step party out their ceremony to this one, and it sets a super fun mood for your guests for the rest of the day! The original track played through the venue’s sound system is an obvious winner, but a live saxophone player would also bring so much life and soul to this moment!
Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles
Whether it be a pianist, harpist, string quartet or acoustic singer, this song sets the sweetest scene for a couple walking into married life and brighter future together!
Acoustic Chill
Latch – Sam Smith - An acoustic cover or simple piano cover would just be *chefs kiss*.
I Will Wait – This is the Matt Johnston duet covers I’m talking about, super soft but could be a lovely personal touch to Mumford and Son’s fans. Or if you have live entertainment, this could be covered by a pianist, acoustic singer, harpist, or string quartet beautifully.
Film Fun
This Will Be—Natalie Cole
From the hilarious “Bride Wars”, this is one of our feel-good favorite's right? From the dreaded blue hair disaster to the sweet moments of true love we share with our soulmates and best mates. This is such a fun and cheerful song to dance back up the aisle to with your new husband or wife, with your besties following right behind you! This would be great simply played through a sound system or played by a life jazz band.
L-O-V-E – Nat “King” Cole
I don’t know about you, but “The Parent Trap” is one of the most nostalgic and iconic films for us 90’s/ early 00’s kids. There is something about Elizabeth James and Nick Parker’s wedding on the QE2, that hits us right in the feels! A string quartet or solo acoustic singer could make this the dreamiest recessional song, where classic meets timeless and would be the perfect song to walk into married life as newlyweds.
I’m A Believer – The Monkees
What a fun way to celebrate the love and vows just shared during your ceremony, this will get the crowd going for sure! Our dearly beloved “Shrek” is filled with brilliant songs that could be used in this moment during our wedding day; I’m On My Way – The Proclaimers, Accidentally in Love – Counting Crows too! Slower and softer covers of these songs would create a fun yet sweet vibe to this part of your day.
Miracles Happen – Myra
You’ve guessed it, the iconic moment when Mia gets her kiss and her foot *Pops*, isn’t it the fairytale we’re all after… to be princess of Genovia right?!! Only kidding, the real dream is to fall in love and marry our best friend! This is your fairytale moment, own it with this super fun *pop* song!
Bridal Entrance
Let’s go to the moment we’ve all been waiting for, the show stopping entrance of the bride. Whether you’re accompanied by a loved one or taking this moment for your own, this is the moment you have dreamt of.
Canon in D – Pachelbel
This is really the most iconic piece to walk down the aisle to. However, if you are looking to combine tradition with a fresh style, Stephen Beerkens’ TikTok page has a vast variety of piano covers, where he starts with Canon and then seamlessly changes to pretty much any genre of music and makes it sound so sentimental and beautiful! From AC/DC, to Harry Styles or even a movie soundtrack, this could be inspiration for you and your entertainer of choice!
I Guess I’m in Love – Clinton Kane
A romantic yet passionate love letter to your loved one waiting at the top of the aisle for you.
Only Love – Ben Howard
A slower and softer acoustic cover would be an absolute dream
2 Become 1 – Spice Girls
A simple piano cover of this would create a fun yet soft and subtle 90’s vibe.
I Get to Love You – Ruelle
Crying real tears here!!
Grow Old With Me – Tom Odell
Molly Hockings acoustic cover of this will have guests watery eyed before the ceremony has even begun.
Marry Me – Train
“Forever can never be long enough for me” I mean what an opener, you definitely need the lyrics with this one! If it’s live or the original track, this song will melt your partner’s and guests’ hearts.
You are the Reason – Calum Scott,
The duet with Leona Lewis is also *Stunning*
Hold Up… Who Said it’s all About the Bride?
Grooms deserve their moment to! It is very on trend to have a flower man fabulously throwing petals or have the Groom and his team make a confident entrance dancing and high fiving guests! Here is a short list of songs that will get everybody going!
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson
Turn Down for What – DJ Snake & Lil Jon
This is how we do it – Montell Jordon
Give me everything tonight – Pitbull
Want to be more unique? Use covers for enterance, original for exit…
Double up! What a sweet sentiment it would be to have an acoustic cover to elegantly walk into and then the original track to dance out to. There are some great options listed below, but if there is a song that means something special to you and your partner, that’s the one for you!
Everywhere – Original: Fleetwood Mac, Cover: Bailey Rushlow
First Date – Original: Blink 182, Cover: Taylor Acorn – A piano cover of this would pull on some heart strings.
Home – Original: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Cover: Paravi
Holy – Original: Justin Bieber & Chance the Rapper, Acoustic Version: Justin Bieber
Send Me on My Way – Original: Rusted Root, Cover: Guy Meets Girl – We were at a wedding this summer with this song, and it was stunning!
Signing of the register - love songs sent from the 60’s
Did our grandparents get it right or did they get it right? There are some timeless classics from the 60’s that still captivate us and our guests in wedding magic today. Songs from this genre have a smooth and cozy feel to them that captivates us and sets a sentimental tone to the signing of the register moment, a piece of the day often overlooked but one of the most important parts!
At Last – Etta James
The Wonder of You – Elvis Presley
Bring it on Home to me & You Send Me – Sam Cooke
Everlasting Love – Love Affair
My Girl – The Temptations
These could be the original tracks, modern covers or played by the live entertainment of your choice.
Popular But Perfect!
And to finish off, a list of wedding classics that have us swooning over the happy couple. These could be used for any part of the ceremony, maybe even the first dance too!
Your Song – Elton John
God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
Can’t Help Falling in Love – Elvis, or the Kina Grannis Cover is simply stunning!
This is What Dreams are Made of – Hilary Duff, or the Brent Morgan cover is amazing!
Somewhere Only We Go – Keane, or the Lily Allen cover is so dreamy too!
All you Need is Love – The Beatles
(What A) Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong, or this song played in any form is just perfection!
Iris – Goo Goo Dolls
You Make My Dreams Come True – Hall & Oates, Alex Francis has a super cute cover of this too!
The One – Kodaline
From This Moment – Shania Twain
Isn’t she Lovely – Stevie Wonder
Tenerife Sea – Ed Sheeran, or another shout out to Matt Johnston for this one!
All of Me – John Legend
A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
Wildest Dreams – Taylor Swift
This is how to live the Bridgerton Dream, whether you’re a “Swiftie” or not, this song creates the most idyllic scene. This would be played perfectly by a string quartet, whether it be live or through the venue’s sound system. Or have a single pianist play pretty much any Taylor Swift song and your guests will be whisked away on a whimsical journey, from Lover, to Begin Again, to Our Song, to Invisible String, or Today Was a Fairytale, there are endless possibilities here!
Lots of Love, Us…
We are both now happily married and have shared below the songs and live musicians we chose to set the scene at our ceremony and throughout our wedding day.
Amy- Jo: Live Harpist – Marie Main
Bridesmaids – When You Wish Upon A Star – Cliff Edwards (from Pinocchio)
Bridal Entrance – So This Is Love – Ilene Woods & Mike Douglas (from Cinderella)
Signing of the Register – Beyond the Sea – Bobby Darin (From Finding Nemo)
Recessional – (What A) Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
Chloe: Live String Quartet - The Cairn String Quartet
Bridesmaids – Wildest Dreams – Taylor Swift
Bridal Entrance – PM’s Love Theme – Craig Armstrong (from Love Actually)
Signing of the register – Stand by Me - Ben E King & Can’t Help Falling in Love - Elvis
Recessional – Here Comes the Sun – The Beatles