Music is one of my favorite aspects of the wedding day, as it’s so personal to every couple. Music makes you feel, tells a story, and sets the tone for the day. As a musical theater lover, I am a huge proponent of picking songs that have special meaning to you, as they literally tell the story of your love. While most people know you need to pick a processional song and your first dance song, there are actually a ton of moments throughout your wedding day where you can bring music in. Take a look at the wedding songs you need to think about before your big day.

Ceremony Songs

During your wedding ceremony, there are several opportunities to incorporate music. Now, all of this depends on your specific ceremony and what you want to include, but these are a few examples. The first song you will need to decide is your wedding party processional. If you are having a wedding party process down the aisle, you’ll want them to have their own wedding song to enter into. Next, if you and your partner want to walk down the aisle to your own songs, you each should select one.

I recommend about 30-40 seconds for each of your songs, and up to a minute and a half for the wedding party processional depending on how many people you have walking in. Once you’ve said “I do”, it’s time to head back down the aisle! Feel free to pick something upbeat and celebratory, and you can let it play through the end of the song as people walk out.

Wedding Reception Songs

After you’ve said your vows, it’s time to party! Now that it’s reception time, you may want to have a special entrance. If you would like your wedding party to be introduced in, pick a special song for them to come into. If you have a larger wedding party, some couples like to split the group in two and have everyone from one side enter at once and then everyone from the other side enter in. Then, it’s time for the big reveal. If you want to be introduced into the reception, pick an upbeat song and enter in! I usually recommend going straight into your first dance after your entrance. This is where you can pick a little slower, more romantic song to dance to as newlyweds.

After dinner, you still have a few more wedding songs to go through! If you are having any family dances, you’ll want to select those. Whether you’re dancing with your mom, dad, siblings, or other family members, the skies the limit. You’re welcome to do a tear jerker song with a lot of meaning, or you can keep it light and fun. I recommend keeping these to about a minute long- time moves slower when all eyes are on you. If you are going to cut a cake, you may want to pick a song during the moment. Finally, I highly recommend picking out what song will be the last song of the night. That way, you end the night off on your favorite song together instead of something random!

Of course, every wedding will be different, but this is a good start to picking out what wedding songs you will play throughout the day. I love how personal music can be to everyone, so really take the time to find songs that have special meaning to you. Thanks for reading and see you next time!