400+ of the Best Wedding Songs For Every Part Of Your Day

Back when I got married, in the distant past of 2009, if you were picking the best wedding songs for your reception, you were probably also wrangling an iPod and wondering if you were going to be able to make a bumpin’ reception happen without a high-priced DJ. Thank goodness, in the intervening handful of years, we’ve ditched iPods, moved to iPhones, and some pretty awesome DJ apps have been launched, making “putting together your wedding playlist” the maybe the most fun item on your wedding to-do list.

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But whether you’re having a professional DJ or a self-selected shuffle, we’ve compiled a massive (and I do mean massive) list of wedding songs to help you pick music for every key moment of your wedding, without digging through a million posts and a zillion comments to find the best stuff. We’ve covered ceremony music from secular to modern, reception entrance songs, slow and sweet and bump and grind first dance songs, music for dancing with your dad (or mama), and power ballads to close out the night. Oh, and duh, we covered music to get ready to, with a side of feminism.

We hope this exhaustive wedding songs playlist (you can listen to it in full here) helps you pick music without breaking a sweat. Because that should be saved for the dance floor. (#rimshot)

getting ready wedding songs

1. 1. Beyoncé: “Formation”
   2. Destiny’s Child: “Independent Women (Pt 1)”
   3. Katy Perry: “Roar”
   4. Beyoncé: “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”
   5. Alicia Keys: “Girl on Fire”
   6. Spice Girls: “Wannabe”
   7. Missy Elliott: “Work It”
   8. En Vogue: “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)”
   9. Blondie: “Call Me”
   10. Martina McBride: “This One’s for the Girls”
   11. Janelle Monáe: “Electric Lady”
   12. Nicki Minaj: “Starships”
   13. Destiny’s Child: “Jumpin’ Jumpin’”
   14. No Doubt: “Just a Girl”
   15. Christina Aguilera, Lil Kim, Mya, and Pink ft. Missy Elliott: “Lady Marmalade”
   16. Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z: “Drunk in Love”
   17. Rihanna: “We Found Love”
   18. Katy Perry: “Teenage Dream”
   19. Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX: “Fancy”
   20. Beyoncé: “Run the World (Girls)”
   21. Aaliyah: “Are You That Somebody”
   22. M.I.A.: “Boyz”
   23. Jennifer Lopez: “Get Right”
   24. Kelis: “Milkshake”
   25. Ani DiFranco: “Face Up and Sing”
   26. Dixie Chicks: “Not Ready to Make Nice”
   27. Salt-N-Pepa: “None of Your Business”
   28. Jessie J: “Do It Like a Dude”
   29. Lesley Gore: “You Don’t Own Me”
   30. Joan Jett: “Bad Reputation”
   31. The Doubleclicks: “Nothing to Prove”

secular processional songs

1. Velvet Underground: “I’ll Be Your Mirror”
2. Johnny Cash: “I Walk the Line”
3. Yo La Tengo: “Our Way to Fall”
4. The Corrs: “Haste to the Wedding”
5. Ennio Morricone: “Once Upon a Time in the West”
6. The Beach Boys: “God Only Knows”
7. Siobhan McDonnell: “Twa Bonnie Maidens”
8. Cake: “Love You Madly”
9. The Muppets: “Life’s a Happy Song”
10. Keb’ Mo’: “Every Morning”
11. Death Cab For Cutie: “Stay Young, Go Dancing”
12. José Gonazalez: “Heartbeats”
13. The Ramones: “Baby, I Love You”
14. Josh Ritter: “Baby, That’s Not All”
15. City of Prague Philharmonic: “The West Wing Theme”

secular Wedding ceremony songs 

1. Sufjan Stevens: “For the Widows in Paradise”
2. Bob Dylan: “Forever Young”
3. Magnetic Fields: “The Book of Love”
4. The Weepies: “Somebody Loved”
5. Judy Collins: “How Can I Keep from Singing”

secular recessional wedding songs

1. The Temper Trap: “Sweet Disposition”
2. Bruce Springsteen: “Dancing in the Dark”
3. Justin Timberlake: “Mirrors”
4. Faith Hill: “This Kiss”
5. Frank Ocean: “Thinkin Bout You”
6. The Cure: “Just Like Heaven”
7. Beyoncé: “XO”
8. Michael Bublé: “Everything”
9. The Sundays: “Summertime”
10. Meiko: “Stuck On You”
11. Hedwig & The Angry Inch (Stephen Trask): “The Origin of Love”
12. Iron & Wine: “Time After Time”
13. Erasure: “Always”
14. Queen: “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”
15. Capital Cities: “Safe and Sound”

traditional wedding hymns 

1. “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
2. “Abide with Me”
3. “All Beautiful the March of Days”
4. “All Creatures of Our God and King”
5. “Amazing Grace”
6. “Ave Maria”
7. “Be Thou My Vision”
8. “Blessed Be the Tie That Binds”
9. “Canticle of the Sun”
10. “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
11. “Earth and All Stars”
12. “Eternal Father Strong to Save”
13. “Faith of Our Fathers”
14. “Gather Us In”
15. “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
16. “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”
17. “Love Divine All Loves Excelling”
18. “Oh God Our Help in Ages Past”
19. “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (1982 Hymnal #390)”
20. “Praise My Soul the Kingdom of Heaven”

modern wedding hymns

1. “All Are Welcome”
2. “Celtic Alleluia” 
3. “Covenant Hymn”
4. “Endless Is Your Love”
5. “For the Beauty of the Earth”
6. “How Great Thou Art”
7. “I Have Loved You with an Everlasting Love”
8. “Morning Has Broken”
9. “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go”
10. “O God, Beyond All Praising”
11. “Prayer for Peace”
12. “Psalm 95”
13. “Set Me as a Seal”
14. “Spirit of Life”
15. “The Servant Song”

religious ceremony wedding Music

1. Ella Fitzgerald: “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
2. Soweto Gospel Choir: “Amazing Grace”
3. Oranim Zabar Troupe: “Dodi Li”
4. Etta James: “Down by the Riverside”
5. Aretha Franklin and Mavis Staples: “Oh Happy Day”
6. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir: “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”
7. Cambridge Choir of Kings College: “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”
8. “You Satisfy the Hungry Heart”
9. “Bless the Lord, O My Soul”
10. Naomi Shemer: “Yerushalayim Shel Zahav”
11. Westminster Abbey Choir: “Ave verum corpus”
12. “Magnificat”
13. Cambridge Choir of St. John’s College: “Ubi caritas et amor”
14. Ribi David Kadoch: “Sheva Brachot”
15. “Thou Art the Vineyard”

classical ceremony music

1. Jeremiah Clarke: “Trumpet Voluntary”
2. Johann Sebastian Bach: “Sinfonia from Cantata, BWV 29”
3. Johann Sebastian Bach: “Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major: Prelude, BWV 1007”
4. Marc-Antoine Charpentier: “Prelude from Te Deum”
5. Jacques Ibert: “Trois pièces brèves”
6. Henry Purcell: “Abdelazer Suite: II. Rondeau”
7. Händel: “Water Music, Suite no 2, in D major”
8. Jean-Joseph Mouret: “Rondeau from Sinfonies de fanfares”
9. Johann Sebastian Bach: “Suite No. 3 in D major BWV 1068”
10. Johann Sebastian Bach: “Prelude and Fugue in E-flat major”

reception entrance wedding Music

1. Walk The Moon: “Shut Up and Dance”
2. Justin Timberlake ft. Jay-Z: “Suit and Tie”
3. The Beatles: “Good Day Sunshine”
4. Natalie Cole: “This Will Be (an Everlasting Love)”
5. Kanye West ft. T-Pain: “Good Life”
6. Elmer Bernstein: “National Geographic Theme”
7. Talking Heads: “Burning Down the House”
8. Calvin Harris: “Feel So Close”
9. John Williams: “Cantina Theme” from Star Wars
10. Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars: “Uptown Funk”
11. Curtis Mayfield: “Superfly”
12. Steve Wonder: “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours”
13. Neon Trees: “Animal”
14. DJ Snake and Lil Jon: “Turn Down for What”
15. Dean Martin: “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head”
16. Nicki Minaj: “Starships”
17. David Bowie: “Young Americans”
18. Bob Marley: “Could You Be Loved”
19. Florence + The Machine: “Dog Days Are Over”
20. Pharrell Williams: “Happy”
21. Chaka Khan ft. Rufus: “Tell Me Something Good”
22. Noah and the Whale: “5 Years Time”
23. Survivor: “Eye of the Tiger”
24. Michael Franti and Spearhead: “Say Hey (I Love You)”
25. Robert Plant: “Rainbow”

first dance wedding songs

1. Andra Day: “Forever Mine”
2. James Vincent McMorrow: “Higher Love”
3. Beyoncé: “XO”
4. Midland: “Make a Little”
5. Des’ree: “I’m Kissing You”
6. Diana Ross (& Lionel Richie): “Endless Love”
7. Rihanna: “Love on the Brain”
8. Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers: “Islands in the Stream”
9. Aqualung: “Brighter Than Sunshine”
10. Whitney Houston: “My Love Is Your Love”
11. Ryan Adams: “When the Stars Go Blue”
12. Cyndi Lauper: “Time After Time”
13. Sade: “By Your Side”
14. Chris Stapleton: “Tennessee Whiskey”
15. Luther Vandross: “Here and Now”
16. Joe Cocker: “You Are So Beautiful”
17. Christina Perri: “A Thousand Years”
18. Brian McKnight: “Back at One”
19. Sarah Bareilles: “I Choose You”
20. Eric Clapton: “Wonderful Tonight”
21. John Legend: “All of Me”
22. The Righteous Brothers: “Unchained Melody”
23. Alanis Morissette: “Head Over Feet”
24. Elton John: “Your Song”
25. Keane: “Somewhere Only We Know”
26. Michael Bublé: “Everything”
27. Ingrid Michaelson: “Can’t Help Falling in Love”
28. Ray LaMontagne: “You Are the Best Thing”
29. Coldplay: “Green Eyes”
30. Landon Pigg: “Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop”
31. Rilo Kiley: “I Never”
32. Beyoncé: “Halo”
33. Van Morrison: “Into the Mystic”
34. U2: “All I Want Is You”
35. Band of Horses: “No One’s Gonna Love You”
36. David Gray: “This Year’s Love”
37. The Zombies: “This Will Be Our Year”
38. The Beatles: “When I’m Sixty-Four”
39. Stevie Wonder: “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”
40. Old Crow Medicine Show: “Wagon Wheel”
41. Ray Charles: “Hallelujah (I Just Love Her So)”
42. James Brown: “I Got You (I Feel Good)”
43. Lauryn Hill: “I Can’t Take My Eyes off of You”
44. Marvin Gaye: “Let’s Get It On”
45. Al Green: “Let’s Stay Together”
46. Nina Simone: “Feeling Good”
47. Nat King Cole: “Let’s Face the Music and Dance”
48. The Wombats: “Let’s Dance to Joy Division”
49. Chantal Kreviazuk: “Feels Like Home”
50. Patty Griffin: “Heavenly Day”
51. Norah Jones: “Turn Me On”
52. The Beach Boys: “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”
53. The Beatles: “All You Need Is Love”
54. Etta James: “At Last”
55. Journey: “Faithfully”
56. Sam Cooke: “You Send Me”
57. Peter Gabriel: “In Your Eyes”
58. Stevie Wonder: “I Just Called to Say I Love You”
59. P!nk ft. Lily Allen: “True Love”
60. Mary Lambert: “She Keeps Me Warm”
61. Jason Mraz ft. Colbie Caillat: “Lucky”
62. The Lumineers: “Ho Hey”
63. Adele: “Make You Feel My Love”
64. Neutral Milk Hotel: “In an Aeroplane over the Sea”
65. Otis Redding: “That’s How Strong My Love Is”

father-daughter wedding songs

1. The Beatles “In My Life”
2. 10,000 Maniacs “How You’ve Grown”
3. Bob Dylan: “Forever Young”
4. Rod Stewart: “Forever Young”
5. Stevie Wonder: “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”
6. The Rolling Stones: “She’s a Rainbow”
7. Neil Young: “Here for You”
8. Queen: “You’re My Best Friend”
9. David Bowie: “Let’s Dance”
10. Fleetwood Mac: “Songbird”
11. Louis Armstrong: “What a Wonderful World”
12. Bobby McFerrin: “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”
13. The Beatles: “Here Comes the Sun”
14. Wilco: “My Darling”
15. Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole: “Unforgettable”
16. Andy Williams: “Moon River”
17. Ben Folds: “Gracie”
18. The Byrds: “Turn! Turn! Turn!”
19. Billy Joel: “Vienna”
20. Joni Mitchell: “Both Sides Now”
21. Nanci Griffith: “Turn Around”
22. Devendra Banhart: “Baby”
23. Carole King: “Child of Mine”
24. Talking Heads: “And She Was”
25. Eric Clapton: “May You Never”
26. Paul Simon: “Father and Daughter”
27. Josh Groban: “You Raise Me Up”
28. Box Tops: “I See Only Sunshine”
29. The Beach Boys: “God Only Knows”

mother-son wedding songs

1. The Flaming Lips: “Do You Realize?”
2. The Jackson 5: “I’ll Be There”
3. Scissor Sisters: “Take Your Mama”
4. Des’Ree: “You Gotta Be”
5. Israel Kamakawiwo’ole: “Over the Rainbow”
6. Rod Stewart: “Forever Young”
7. The Carpenters: “Rainbow Connection”
8. 10,000 Maniacs: “How You’ve Grown”
9. Madonna: “I’ll Remember”
10. Kanye West: “Hey Mama”
11. Jackie Wilson: “Higher & Higher”
12. Iron and Wine: “Upward Over the Mountain”
13. Mac Miller: “I’ll Be There”
14. Otis Redding: “Glory of Love”
15. Good Charlotte: “Thank You Mom”
16. Boyz II Men: “A Song for Mama”
17. James Taylor: “You’ve Got a Friend”
18. The Beatles: “In My Life”
19. Taylor Swift: “The Best Day”
20. The Intruders: “I’ll Always Love My Momma”
21. Bruce Springsteen: “If I Fall Behind”
22. Tom Petty: “Wildflowers”
23. Blake Shelton: “The Baby”
24. Crosby & Nash: “Carry Me”
25. The Temptations: “My Girl”
26. Carole King: “Child of Mine”
27. Bon Jovi: “Thank You for Loving Me”
28. Patti LaBelle: “You Are My Friend”
29. Whitney Houston: “My Love Is Your Love”
30. Boys II Men: “The Color of Love”
31. Cyndi Lauper: “Time After Time”
32. Lee Ann Womack: “I Hope You Dance”
33. Beach Boys: “God Only Knows”
34. Rascal Flatts: “My Wish”
35. Otis Redding: “That’s How Strong My Love Is”
36. Phil Collins: “You’ll Be In My Heart”
37. Chicago: “Colour My World”
38. Queen: “Best Friend”
39. Paul Simon: “Loves Me Like a Rock”
40. Sophie B. Hawkins: “As I Lay Me Down”
41. Paul McCartney: “Maybe I’m Amazed”
42. The Byrds: “Turn, Turn, Turn”
43. Keith Urban: “God’s Been Good to Me”
44. Mariah Carey: “Hero”
45. Atlantic Starr: “Always”
46. Louis Armstrong: “What a Wonderful World”
47. Manhattans: “Shining Star”
48. Joe Cocker: “Up Where We Belong”
49. Natalie Cole: “I Wish You Love”
50. Vanessa Williams: “Oh How the Years Go By”
51. 2Pac: “Dear Mama”
52. Lauryn Hill: “To Zion”

Mother-Daughter Dance Songs

1. Natalie Merchant: “Kind and Generous”
2. The Muppets: “Rainbow Connection”
3. Paul Simon: “Love Me Like A Rock”
4. John Prine: “Unwed Fathers”
5. Christina Aguilera: “Oh Mother”
6. Iron & Wine: “Upward Over the Mountain”
7. Celine Dion: “Because You Loved Me”
8. Lauren Alaina: “Like My Mother Does”
9. Barbra Streisand: “Not While I’m Around”
10. Beyoncé: “Blue”

REcent Popular Wedding Songs

1. Beyoncé: “Die With You”
2. Christina Perri: “A Thousand Years”
3. Ed Sheeran & Beyoncé: “Perfect Duet”
4. John Mayer: “You’re Gonna Live Forever in Me”
5. Harry Styles: “Sweet Creature”
6. Katy Perry: “Chained to the Rhythm”
7. Bleachers: “Let’s Get Married”
8. Camila Cabello: “Havana (remix)”
9. Portugal. The Man: “Feel It Still”
10. Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee: “Despacito”
11. Beyoncé: “All Night”
12. Taylor Swift: “I Don’t Want to Live Forever”
13. DJ Snake & Justin Bieber: “Let Me Love You”
14. Bruno Mars: “24k Magic”
15. Rihanna: “Love on the Brain”
16. John Legend: “Love Me Now”
17. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk: “I Feel It Coming”
18. James Arthur: “Say You Won’t Let Go”
19. The Chainsmokers ft. Daya: “Don’t Let Me Down”
20. Calvin Harris ft. Rihanna: “This Is What You Came For”
21. Andy Grammar: “Honey I’m Good”
22. One Republic: “Counting Stars”
23. Natalie La Rose Ft. Jerimih: “Somebody”
24. Pitbull Ft. Ke$ha: “Timber”
25. Ed Sheeran: “Thinking Out Loud”
26. Band of Horses: “No One’s Gonna Love You”
27. Taylor Swift: “Shake It Off”
28. Meghan Trainor: “All About That Bass”
29. John Legend: “All of Me”
30. Lumineers: “Ho Hey”

most requested wedding songs

1. Bruno Mars: “24k Magic”
2. Icona Pop: “I Love It”
3. Walk The Moon: “Shut Up and Dance”
4. Rihanna: “We Found Love”
5. Katy Perry: “Teenage Dream”
6. Old Crow Medicine Show: “Wagon Wheel”
7. Pitbull Ft. Ke$ha: “Timber”
8. Christina Perri: “A Thousand Years”
9. Justin Timberlake: “Suit & Tie”
10. Black Eyed Peas: “I Gotta Feeling”
11. Jason Mraz: “I’m Yours”
12. Adele: “Make You Feel My Love”
13. Chainsmokers: “Closer”
14. Kanye West: “Stronger”
15. Carly Rae Jepsen: “Call Me Maybe”

party wedding songs

1. Jackson 5: “ABC”
2. The Temptations: “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”
3. Aretha Franklin: “Chain of Fools”
4. Martha Reeves & The Vandellas: “Dancing in the Streets”
5. Jerry Lee Lewis: “Great Balls of Fire”
6. Elvis Presley: “Burning Love”
7. Four Tops: “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)”
8. Ritchie Valens: “La Bamba”
9. Wilson Picket: “Mustang Sally”
10. Aretha Franklin: “Respect”
11. The Four Seasons: “Sherry”
12. Isley Brothers: “Shout (Parts 1 & 2)”
13. The Supremes: “Stop! In the Name of Love”
14. Buddy Holly: “That’ll Be the Day”
15. Righteous Brothers: “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”
16. The Flaming Lips: “She Don’t Use Jelly”
17. Michael Jackson: “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough”
18. Jackson 5: “I Want You Back”
19. The Temptations: “My Girl”
20. Jackie Wilson: “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher”
21. Sam Cooke: “Wonderful World”
22. Four Tops: “(Reach Out) I’ll Be There”
23. The Romantics: “What I Like About You”
24. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons: “December, 1963 (Oh What a Night)”
25. Kool and The Gang: “Get Down on It”
26. Earth, Wind & Fire: “September”
27. The Cars: “Just What I Needed”
28. The Cure: “Close to Me”
29. Queen: “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”
30. The B-52s: “Love Shack”
31. Kool and the Gang: “Celebration”
32. New Order: “Love Vigilantes”
33. New Order: “Age of Consent”
34. Bruce Springsteen: “Dancing in the Dark”
35. Dexys Midnight Runners: “Come on Eileen”
36. David Bowie: “Modern Love”
37. Talking Heads: “Psycho Killer”
38. The Smiths: “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out”
39. The Clash: “Rock the Casbah”
40. Stevie Wonder: “Superstition”
41. Simple Minds: “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”
42. Big Country: “In a Big Country”
43. Toto: “Africa”
44. The Proclaimers: “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”
45. Blondie: “Heart of Glass”
46. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: “American Girl”
47. The Clash: “Train in Vain”
48. The Buggles: “Video Killed the Radio Star”
49. Traveling Wilburys: “End of the Line”
50. Whitney Houston: “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”
51. Daft Punk ft. Pharrell: “Get Lucky”
52. Fat Joe ft. Ashanti: “What’s Luv?”
53. Daft Punk: “Harder, Better, Faster”
54. Daft Punk: “One More Time”
55. Ghost Town DJs: “My Boo”
56. Hall & Oates: “You Make My Dreams”
57. The Outfield: “I Don’t Want to Lose Your Love Tonight”
58. Queen and David Bowie: “Under Pressure”
59. Beyoncé: “Countdown”
60. Taylor Swift: “Shake It Off”
61. Weezer: “El Scorcho”
62. Miley Cyrus: “Party in the USA”
63. Styx: “The Best of Times”
64. Arcade Fire: “Wake Up”
65. The Be Good Tanyas: “The Littlest Birds”
66. MC Hammer: “U Can’t Touch This”
67. Boys II Men: “Motown Philly”
68. Mariah Carey: “Always Be My Baby”
69. Carly Rae Jepsen: “Call Me Maybe”
70. Icona Pop: “I Love It”
71. Jimmy Soul: “If You Want to Be Happy”
72. M.I.A.: “Paper Planes”
73. MGMT: “Time to Pretend”
74. RUN-DMC: “It’s Tricky”
75. Salt-N-Pepa: “Shoop”

last song of the night

1. David Bowie: “Magic Dance”
2. Bon Jovi: “Livin’ on a Prayer”
3. The Eagles: “Already Gone”
4. Little Eva: “The Locomotion”
5. Lady Gaga: “Bad Romance”
6. Michael Jackson: “Thriller”
7. Outkast: “Hey Ya!”
8. The Black Eyed Peas: “I Got a Feeling”
9. The Beatles: “Twist and Shout”
10. Al Green: “Let’s Stay Together”
11. The Contours: “Do You Love Me”
12. Ellie Goulding: “Anything Could Happen”
13. Donna Summer: “Last Dance”
14. Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes: “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”
15. Garth Brooks: “Friends in Low Places”
16. Queen: “You’re My Best Friend”
17. Neil Diamond: “Sweet Caroline”
18. Ray Charles: “(Night Time Is) The Right Time”
19. Etta James: “At Last”
20. Frank Sinatra: “The Nearness of You”
21. Patty Griffin: “Heavenly Day”
22. Louis Armstrong: “What a Wonderful World”
23. Otis Redding: “That’s How Strong My Love Is”
24. Queen: “Bohemian Rhapsody”
25. The Drifters: “Save the Last Dance”

What’s your favorite wedding song you played (or are planning to play)?