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Choosing the perfect wedding song
Written by Terri Altergott, PBC™
Something Borrowed, Something New Events
After determining where everyone will sit at the reception, the issue that causes brides the most stress seems to involve selecting that perfect song to walk down the aisle to or have played as they take the dance floor for the first time as man and wife. As Wedding Planners, we find ourselves helping our brides with everything from choosing the right dress to offering advice about appropriate music selections to enhance their special day.
When I got married a really long time ago (ok, it was 1978), Rod Stewart’s song “Hot Legs” was a major hit and was being played on AM radio every ten minutes on one station or another. I joked to my future husband that I thought that it would be the perfect song to walk down the aisle to. While it seemed really funny back then, I’m glad that we chose something a bit more traditional like the Bridal Chorus.
There seems to be this rite of passage for every generation that they should do something a bit more outrageous when it comes to traditional events than the previous generation. Personally, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with making a wedding your own and one that embodies who you are as people, but this must be handled with a certain amount of care and thought. You have invited many friends and family members to your wedding. You do have a responsibility to think about their comfort as well as your own. They are your guests after all.
Thinking back to that initial idea of having “Hot Legs” played as my Processional music, while I wouldn’t have minded walking down the aisle to that song, my Dad certainly would have been embarrassed. Since he was paying for the affair, it seemed only reasonable to consider his feelings in the matter too.
The bottom line is whatever music you choose today, is going to stay with you forever. It will be in all of your wedding videos, written in your wedding program, and will act as fodder for stories until the day you die and then it might still come up in your eulogy. If you really want to skate on the edge, save some of those riskier musical choices for the reception where everyone is in a party mood and will be much more accepting of “Hot Legs” finding its way onto the playlist.
To help you narrow down the possibilities, please take a look at the list below. According to DiscJockeys.com, these are the songs most requested today by brides and grooms in each musical category.
*Ceremony music:
Prelude music: Music played as guests arrive and prior to the ceremony
- Moonlight Sonata (Beethoven)
- Isn’t It Romantic (Glenn Miller)
- Water Music (Handel)
- Ave Maria (Schubert / Gounod)
- The Four Seasons (Vivaldi)
- Greensleeves (Traditional)
- Rhapsody In Blue (Gershwin)
- God Only Knows (The Beach Boys)
- As Time Goes By (A Kiss Is Just A Kiss) (Tony Bennett)
- Arioso (Bach)
- Ode To Joy (Beethoven)
- Brandenburg Concerto #2 (Bach)
- Gloria (Vivaldi)
- Unchained Melody (Righteous Brothers)
Processional & Bridal music: Processional music is for family members and bridesmaids.
Bridal music is a piece selected specifically for the bride and her escort to walk to.
- Bridal Chorus (Here Comes The Bride) from “Lohengrin” (Wagner)
- Trumpet Voluntary in D (The Prince of Denmark’s March) (Clarke or Purcell)
- Canon in D (Pachelbel)
- The Four Seasons (Handel)
- Water Music (Handel)
- What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
- Unforgettable (Nat King Cole)
- I Can’t Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley)
- When A Man Loves A Woman (Percy Sledge)
- In My Life (The Beatles)
- March From Lohengrin (Wagner)
Interlude music: Any songs selected to be part the ceremony.
- Ave Maria (Schubert)
- Amazing Grace (Traditional)
- La Traviata (Verdi)
- Sheep May Safely Graze (Bach)
- And I Love Her (The Beatles)
- Primavera: First Movement, Allegro (Vivaldi)
- Love Me Tender (Elvis Presley)
- Für Elise (Beethoven)
- We’ve Only Just Begun (The Carpenters)
- Have I Told You Lately (Van Morrison)
Recessional music: The song played as the bride and groom walk back up the aisle
- Wedding March (from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”) (Mendelssohn)
- Ode To Joy (from The Ninth Symphony) (Beethoven)
- Hallelujah Chorus (from “The Messiah”) (Handel)
- Trumpet Tune (Purcell)
- Magnificat In D (Bach)
- The Long And Winding Road (The Beatles)
- I Got You (I Feel Good) (James Brown)
- How Sweet It Is (James Taylor)
- Then He Kissed Me (The Crystals)
- I Got You Babe (Sonny and Cher)
Reception music:
First Dance music: First dance as husband and wife.
- Unforgettable (Nat King Cole)
- Can’t Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley)
- Can I Have This Dance? (Ann Murray)
- The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra)
- It Had To Be You (Harry Connick, Jr.)
- What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
- Endless Love (Diana Ross and Lionel Richie)
- I Cross My Heart (George Strait)
- I Swear (John M. Montgomery or All 4 One)
- A Whole New World (Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle)
- As Time Goes By (A Kiss Is Just A Kiss) (Michael Feinstein)
- When You Say Nothing At All (Allison Krauss)
- Faithfully (Journey)
- No Ordinary Love (Sade)
- Here And Now (Luther Vandross)
- I Can Love you Like That (John M. Montgomery)
- Power Of Love (Celine Dion)
- Tonight I Celebrate My Love (Roberta Flack & Peabo Bryson)
- Everything I Do {I Do For You} (Bryan Adams)
- When A Man Loves A Woman (Percy Sledge or Michael Bolton)
- All My Life (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville)
- I’ll Be There (Mariah Carey)
- On Bended Knee (Boyz II Men)
- At Last (Etta James)
- Don’t Know Much (Linda Ronstadt & Aaron Neville)
- From This Moment On (Shania Twain)
- Our Love Is Here To Stay (Harry Connick, Jr.)
- Unchained Melody (The Righteous Brothers)
Father/Daughter music:
- My Girl (The Temptations)
- Thank Heaven For Little Girls (Gigi)
- Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)
- Unforgettable (Nat King Cole / Natalie Cole)
- The Wind Beneath My Wings (Bette Midler)
- My Dad (Paul Petersen)
- Hero (Mariah Carey)
- Butterfly Kisses (Bob Carlisle)
- Times of Your Life (Paul Anka)
- A Song For My Daughter (Steve Moser, Mikki Viereck, Ray Allaire)
- Can You Feel The Love Tonight (Elton John)
- The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra)
- Have I Told You Lately (Rod Stewart)
- Because You Loved Me (Celine Dion)
- My Heart Will Go On (Celine Dion)
- Have I Told You Lately (Van Morrison)
- What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
- Through The Years (Kenny Rogers)
- Daddy’s Hand (Holly Dunn)
- Daddy’s little Girl (Kippi Brannon)
- Daddy’s Girl (Peter Cetera)
- Sunrise, Sunset (Fiddler On The Roof - Sndtrk)
- Lullabye (Billy Joel)
- A Whole New World (Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle)
- How Do You Fall In Love (Alabama)
- Isn’t She Lovely (Stevie Wonder)
- Landslide (Fleetwood Mac)
- Thank Heaven For Little Girls (Gigi)
- Father’s Eyes (Amy Grant)
- Friends (Elton John)
- In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel)
Mother/Son music:
- Don’t Know Much (Linda Rondstadt and Aaron Neville)
- Butterfly Kisses (Bob Carlisle)
- I.O.U (Jimmy Dean)
- Moon River (Andy Williams)
- Moon Dance (Van Morrison)
- ‘Til The End Of Time (Perry Como)
- Through The Years (Kenny Rogers)
- Have I Told You Lately (Rod Stewart)
- Because You Loved Me (Celine Dion)
- Just The Way You Are (Billy Joel)
- Unforgettable (Nat King Cole / Natalie Cole)
- What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstong)
- In This Life (Bette Midler)
- You’re The Inspiration (Chicago)
- Wind Beneath My Wings (Bette Midler)
- Friends (Elton John)
- Wishing Tree (Sonia Dada)
- Blessed (Elton John)
- Hero (Mariah Carey)
- In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel)
- A Song For My Son (Steve Moser, Mikki Viereck, Ray Allaire)
- Sunrise, Sunset (Fiddler On The Roof - Sndtrk)
- In My Life (The Beatles)
- Ever I Saw Your face (Roberta Flasck)
- Greatest Love Of All (Whitney Houston)
- I Wish You Love (Natalie Cole)
- Thanks Again (Ricky Skaggs)
- Stand By Me (Ben E. King)
Bridal Party Dance music: (for that time when the entire bridal party takes the floor)
- That’s What Friends Are For (Dionne & Friends: Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder)
- Can You Feel The Love Tonight (Elton John)
- Friends In Low Places (Garth Brooks)
- We Are Family (Sister Sledge)
- Friends (Elton John)
- Heroes and Friends (Randy Travis)
- In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel)
- Celebration (Kool & The Gang)
Cake cutting music:
- Cut the Cake (Average White Band)
- I Wanna Grow Old With You (Adam Sandler)
- How Sweet It Is (James Taylor)
- Sugar, Sugar (The Archies)
- Hit me With Your Best Shot (Pat Benatar)
- When I’m 64 (The Beatles)
- Recipe For Love (Harry Connick Jr.)
- That’s Amore’ (Dean Martin)
- Happy Together (The Turtles)
- Pour Some Sugar On Me (Def Leppard)
- I Got You Babe (Sunny & Cher)
- Love & Marriage (Frank Sinatra)
- Oh Yeah! (Yello)
- Axel F (Harold Faltermeyer)
- Peter Gunn Theme
Garter And Bouquet Toss music:
- The Stripper (David Rose)
- Legs (ZZ Top)
- You Sexy Thing (Hot Chocolate)
- Oh Yeah! (Yello)
- Macho Man (Village People)
- Theme From Mission Impossible (Danny Elfman)
- Wild Thing (The Troggs or Tone Loc)
- Let’s Get It On (Marvin Gaye)
- Bad Boys (Inner Circle)
- Another One Bites The Dust (Queen)
- Curly Shuffle (Jump n’ The Saddle)
- Kiss (Prince)
- Do Ya Think I’m Sexy (Rod Stewart)
- Gimme All Your Lovin’ (ZZ Top)
- Pretty Woman (Roy Orbison)
- Freak Me (Silk)
- Hungry Eyes (Eric Carmen)
- Heaven (Bryan Adams)
- U Can’t Touch This (MC Hammer)
- Shameless (Garth Brooks)
- *Girls Night Out (The Judds)
- *Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper)
- *Whipped Cream {Dating Game Theme} (Herb Alpert)
- *Miss America Theme (Various)
*Songs for Bouquet Toss Only.
Last Dance music: (The last song of the night for the bride, groom, and remaining guests)
- Last Dance (Donna Summer)
- New York, New York (Frank Sinatra)
- Good Riddance {Time Of Your Life} (Green Day)
- From This Moment On (Shania Twain & Bryan White)
- Save The Best For Last (Vanessa Williams)
- Wonderful Tonight (David Kersh)
- Could I Have This Dance (Anne Murray)
- You’re Still The One (Shania Twain)
- Closing Time (Semisonic)
- Unforgettable (Nat King Cole / Natalie Cole)
- I’ve Had The Time Of My Life (Bill Medly & Jennifer Warnes)
- How Your Love Makes Me Feel (Diamond Rio)
- Goodnight, Sweetheart (David Kersh)
- The Party’s Over (Nat King Cole)
- Goodnight Sweetheart (Spaniels)
- What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
- The Dance (Garth Brooks)
- Truly, Madly, Deeply (Savage Garden)
- Always And Forever (Heatwave)
*Lists provided by www.discjockeys.com
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