Most of the special moments listed below are part western wedding traditions. During a wedding party, the focus of the people will be mostly on each song that is played, and they may dance, or sing along to it. However, during the special moments mentioned below, the focus will be mostly on the people involved or the event that is occurring (like fireworks) and less on the song that is played. With this in mind, my suggestion is to not worry too much about picking the perfect song for each moment as it only serves a supporting role rather than being the dominant part. Keeping that in mind, feel free to draw inspiration from the examples below.

Walk down the isle (processional)

  • Roberta Flack – The first time ever I saw your face
  • Haley Reinhart – Can’t help falling in love
  • Jodi Benson – Part of your world
  • Christina Perri – A thousand years
  • Des’ree – I’m kissing you
  • Ingrid Mapson – La vie en rose
  • Beyonce – Halo
  • Israel Kamakawiwoʻole – Somewhere over the rainbow
  • Audrey Hepburn – Moon river
  • José González – Heartbeats

Walk back up the isle (recessional)

  • Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Home
  • Franki Valli & The Four Seasons – Can’t take my eyes off of you
  • The Turtles – Happy together
  • Stevie Wonder – Signed, sealed, delivered
  • Florence + The Machine – Dog days are over
  • Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – Ain’t no mountain high enough
  • The Beach Boys – Wouldn’t it be nice
  • Amy Adams, Jason Segel, Chris Cooper – Life’s a happy song
  • Wilco – I got you (At the end of the century)

Grand entrance into the reception

Grand entrance songs are typically upbeat, high energy songs that are played loudly and proudly while the bridal parties and the bride and groom enter.

  • The Black Eyed Peas – I gotta feeling
  • Kool & The Gang – Celebration
  • Michael Buble – Everything
  • Bruno Mars – Treasure
  • Billy Idol – Upwtown girl
  • Calvin Harris – Feel so close
  • Bob Sinclar feat. Gary Pine – Love generation
  • U2 – Beautiful day
  • Chris Brown – Forever
  • American Authors – Best day of my life
  • Imagine Dragons – On top of the world
  • Justin Timberlake – Can’t stop the feeling
  • Flo Rida feat. David Guetta – Club can’t handle me

Cake cutting

  • The Archies – Sugar, sugar
  • Maroon 5 – Sugar
  • Marvin Gaye & James Taylor – How sweet it is (To be loved by you)
  • Def Leppard – Pour some sugar on me
  • Flo Rida – Sugar
  • Shanks & Bigfoot – Sweet like chocolate
  • Christina Aguilera – Candyman
  • U2 – Sweetest thing
  • The Four Tops – I can’t help myself (Sugar pie, honey bunch)
  • DNCE – Cake by the ocean

First dance

  • Adele – Make you feel my love
  • Ed Sheeran – Thinking out loud
  • Etta James – At last
  • Ben Folds – The luckiest
  • John Legend – All of me
  • Ed Sheeran ft. Yebba – Best part of me
  • Peter Gabriel – The book of love
  • Cat Power – Sea of love
  • Bright Eyes – The first day of my life

Fireworks

  • Louis Armstrong – What a wonderful world
  • Katy Perry – Firework
  • Coldplay – A sky full of stars

Father/ daughter dance

  • The Temptations – My girl
  • Stevie Wonder – Isn’t she lovely
  • The Beach Boys – God only knows
  • The Beatles – Here comes the sun
  • Bob Dylan – Forever young
  • Heartland – I loved her first
  • Steven Curtis Chapman – Cinderella
  • Van Morrison – Tupelo honey
  • Charlie Puth – One call away
  • Nancy Sinatra – It’s for my dad
  • Loudon Wainwrigh – That’s my daughter in the water

Mother/ son dance

  • Rascal Flatts – My wish
  • Boyz 2 Men – A song for mama

Bouquet toss

  • Beyonce – Single ladies (Put a ring on it)
  • Cindy Lauper – Girls just wanna have fun
  • Shania Twain – Man, I feel like a woman
  • Gwen Stefani – Hollaback girl
  • Spice Girls – Wannabe
  • Lenny Kravitz – American woman

Garter toss

  • Justin Timberlake – Sexyback
  • Ginuwine – Pony
  • Joe Cocker – You can leave your hat on
  • Right Said Fred – I’m too sexy

Last dance

  • Journey – Don’t stop believing
  • Michael Buble – Save the last dance for me
  • Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes – I’ve had the time of my life (Theme from ‘Dirty dancing’)
  • Donna Summer – Last dance
  • Semisonic – Closing time
  • Coldplay – A sky full of stars
  • Bruno Mars – Marry you

Farewell/ closing songs

A farewell/ closing song is typically a famous, downtempo song that everybody can sing along to.

  • INXS – Never tear us apart
  • Oasis – Wonderwall
  • Coolio – Gangsta’s paradise
  • Green Day – Good riddance
  • Billy Joel – Piano man
  • The Eagles – Hotel california
  • Coldplay – Viva la vida
  • Robbie Williams – Feel
  • The Beatles – Hey jude
  • Train – Marry me
  • Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalfa – Young, wild & free
  • Backstreet Boys – I want it that way