The 200 Best Wedding Ceremony Songs

Music plays a huge role in your wedding. From the moment your day begins to the moment everyone stumbles home at the end of a long night celebrating, there aren’t many parts of your wedding when music isn’t playing in some capacity.

And this goes for your wedding ceremony, too. Of course, one of the most important pieces of music at your wedding is the music you walk down the aisle to. But, there are plenty of other songs that will play during the ceremony itself.

But, exactly what songs play at a wedding ceremony and what songs should you pick to feature in your big day? There’s almost an endless choice out there, so narrowing it down can be a pretty tricky decision.

In this article, we’re going to run through the 200 best wedding ceremony songs, to make sure your ceremony is memorable, romantic and full of your personalities.

When are songs played during your wedding ceremony?

Songs play at various points throughout your wedding ceremony. They’ll play to welcome your guests into the venue while they find their seats and they’ll play as you and your new spouse leave alongside the applause of your elated guests. Music plays a big part in your celebrations and is woven into some of the most important moments.

Here are when songs are usually played during a wedding ceremony:

• Prelude: Usually between 15 and 30 minutes before the ceremony begins as guests begin to enter and take their seats.
• Processional: As the members of the wedding party enter. A separate song may then play as the bride walks down the aisle.
• Hymns/religious songs: In a religious ceremony, hymns and songs may be performed at certain points.
• Interludes: Music will often play as the couple signs the wedding register to provide background sound and entertain guests.
• Recessional: Once the couple is declared married and they leave the ceremony, an upbeat song will usually accompany them.
• Postlude: Music will often play as guests leave the ceremony venue.

How many songs do you need to choose for your wedding ceremony?

The number of songs you need to choose depends on the length of your ceremony and at what points you would like music to play.

• During the prelude, there will often be between 6 and 12 songs, depending on the length and how soon before the start of the ceremony you’d like the music to begin.
• During the processional, there will be a maximum of two songs, including the song you walk down the aisle to.
• If you have a religious ceremony, there are usually approximately two songs or hymns.
• During an interlude, such as when you’re signing the register, there will be time for one or two songs.
• During the recessional, one song will play.
• During the postlude, one or two songs will play, as this is usually enough time for your guests to leave the ceremony venue after you.

In total, there are usually between 10 and 15 songs that will play during your wedding ceremony.

How to choose the perfect wedding ceremony songs

Choosing the perfect wedding ceremony songs will depend on your taste and the style, formality and format of your wedding. Here are some things to think about to make sure you choose the best songs for your ceremony:

• Think about the key moments in your ceremony when music will help add romance, emotion and entertainment for your guests.
• Try to match your musical choices with the overall theme and style of your wedding. For example, with a movie-centric theme, you’ll likely want to choose music used in your favourite movies.
• Think about the acoustics of your venue and how different genres of music will sound.
• Try to choose music that reflects both your personalities and holds special meaning for you as a couple.
• Ensure there’s variation when it comes to tempo and tone. Try and tell a story with a beginning, middle and end.
• Consider your guests and what sort of songs they might like to listen to as well.
• Test your choices together and make sure they complement each other.

200 of the best songs to include in your wedding ceremony

When it comes to your wedding ceremony, you call the shots. And when it comes to the music at your ceremony, there are so many options available to you that it can be a rather daunting task to whittle  your choices down to just a handful.

That’s where we come in. Below, we’ve run down our picks for 200 of the best wedding ceremony songs to help ensure you have a memorable ceremony.

50 best guest arrival songs

Before the ceremony begins, music will play as your guests enter the venue and take their seats. The music that plays helps set the scene for what’s to come, so here are our picks for 50 of the best guest arrival songs.

Classic love songs

1. ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ – Elvis Presley

Key lyrics: ‘Take my hand, take my whole life too / For I can’t help falling in love with you.’

2. ‘Unchained Melody’ – The Righteous Brothers

Key lyrics: ‘Oh, my love, my darling / I’ve hungered for your touch.’

3. ‘Endless Love’ – Diana Ross & Lionel Richie

Key lyrics: ‘My love, there’s only you in my life / The only thing that’s bright.’

4. ‘At Last’ – Etta James

Key lyrics: ‘At last, my love has come along / My lonely days are over.’

5. ‘The Way You Look Tonight’ – Frank Sinatra

Key lyrics: ‘With each word, your tenderness grows / Tearing my fear apart.’

Modern romantic songs

6. ‘Perfect’ – Ed Sheeran

Key lyrics: ‘We were just kids when we fell in love / Not knowing what it was.’

7. ‘All of Me’ – John Legend

Key lyrics: ‘Cause all of me loves all of you / Love your curves and all your edges.’

8. ‘A Thousand Years’ – Christina Perri

Key lyrics: ‘I have died every day waiting for you / Darling, don’t be afraid.’

9. ‘You Are the Reason’ – Calum Scott & Leona Lewis

Key lyrics: ‘I’d climb every mountain / And swim every ocean.’

10. ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’ – James Arthur

Key lyrics: ‘I knew I loved you then, but you’d never know / ‘Cause I played it cool.’

Acoustic and indie songs

11. ‘First Day of My Life’ – Bright Eyes

Key lyrics: ‘Yours was the first face that I saw / I think I was blind before I met you.’

12. ‘Better Together’ – Jack Johnson

Key lyrics: ‘Love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart.’

13. ‘Home’ – Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

Key lyrics: ‘Home, let me come home / Home is wherever I’m with you.’

14. ‘I Choose You’ – Sara Bareilles

Key lyrics: ‘Tell the world that we finally got it all right / I choose you.’

15. ‘Lucky’ – Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat

Key lyrics: ‘Lucky I’m in love with my best friend / Lucky to have been where I have been.’

Instrumental songs

16. ‘Meant to Be’ – Steve Petrunak
17. ‘Canon in D’ – Johann Pachelbel
18. ‘Moon River’ (Instrumental) – Henry Mancini
19. ‘River Flows in You’ – Yiruma
20. ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ (Instrumental) – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

Pop and contemporary hits

21. ‘Halo’ – Beyoncé

Key lyrics: ‘I can see your halo / You know you’re my saving grace.’

22. ‘Love on Top’ – Beyoncé

Key lyrics: ‘Baby, it’s you / You’re the one I love.’

23. ‘Marry You’ – Bruno Mars

Key lyrics: ‘Hey baby, I think I wanna marry you.’

24. ‘I’m Yours’ – Jason Mraz

Key lyrics: ‘Well, you done, done me in; you bet I felt it / I tried to be chill.’

25. ‘Falling Like the Stars’ – James Arthur

Key lyrics: ‘I swear to God, when I come home / I’m gonna hold you like I’m never gonna let you go.’

Soul and R&B classics

26. ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell

Key lyrics: ‘Ain’t no mountain high, ain’t no valley low, ain’t no river wide enough, baby.’

27. ‘For Once in My Life’ – Stevie Wonder

Key lyrics: ‘For once in my life, I have someone who needs me.’

28. ‘You Make My Dreams’ – Hall & Oates

Key lyrics: ‘What I want, you’ve got / And it might be hard to handle.’

29. ‘This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)’ – Natalie Cole

Key lyrics: ‘This will be an everlasting love / This will be the one I’ve waited for.’

30. ‘Let’s Stay Together’ – Al Green

Key lyrics: ‘I’m so in love with you / Whatever you want to do is alright with me.’

Feel-good songs

31. ‘Here Comes the Sun’ – The Beatles

Key lyrics: ‘Here comes the sun, and I say / It’s alright.’

32. ‘Count on Me’ – Bruno Mars

Key lyrics: ‘You can count on me like 1, 2, 3 / I’ll be there.’

33. ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ – Stevie Wonder

Key lyrics: ‘Isn’t she lovely? Isn’t she wonderful?’

34. ‘Happy’ – Pharrell Williams

Key lyrics: ‘Because I’m happy / Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof.’

35. ‘Love Someone’ – Lukas Graham

Key lyrics: ‘Cause when you love someone / You open up your heart.’

Timeless instrumental classics

36. ‘Arioso’ – J.S. Bach
37. ‘Marry Me’ – United Guitar Players
38. ‘Spring’ from The Four Seasons – Vivaldi
39. ‘Air on the G String’ – J.S. Bach
40. ‘Serenade’ – Franz Schubert

Soft rock and folk

41. ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ – Guns N’ Roses

Key lyrics: ‘Where do we go? Where do we go now?’

42. ‘Forever Young’ – Rod Stewart

Key lyrics: ‘May the good Lord be with you / Down every road you roam.’

43. ‘Stand by Me’ – Ben E. King

Key lyrics: ‘So darling, darling stand by me / Oh, stand by me.’

44. ‘Better Together’ – Luke Combs

Key lyrics: ‘Some things just go better together / And probably always will.’

45. ‘Ho Hey’ – The Lumineers

Key lyrics: ‘I belong with you, you belong with me / You’re my sweetheart.’

Romantic songs

46. ‘Kiss Me’ – Sixpence None the Richer

Key lyrics: ‘Kiss me beneath the milky twilight / Lead me out on the moonlit floor.’

47. ‘The Luckiest’ – Ben Folds

Key lyrics: ‘I am the luckiest / What if I’d been born fifty years before you in a house on a street where you lived?’

48. ‘Better Together’ – Us The Duo

    Key lyrics: ‘Mmm, it’s always better when we’re together.’

49. ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ – Frankie Valli

Key lyrics: ‘You’re just too good to be true / Can’t take my eyes off of you.’

50. ‘Real Love’ – The Beatles

Key lyrics: ‘Seems that all I really was doing was waiting for love.’

25 best wedding processional songs

Set the mood and let your guests know that your special moment is about to begin with a processional song that hits home as your nearest and dearest walk down the aisle. But what sort of vibes should you go for? Here are 25 of the best wedding processional songs for you to consider.

Romantic classics

1. ‘Songbird’ – Fleetwood Mac

Key lyrics: ‘And I wish you all the love in the world / But most of all, I wish it from myself.’

2. ‘Here, There and Everywhere’ – The Beatles

Key lyrics: ‘I want her everywhere / And if she’s beside me I know I need never care.’

3. ‘Something’ – The Beatles

Key lyrics: ‘Something in the way she moves / Attracts me like no other lover.’

4. ‘Unforgettable’ – Nat King Cole

Key lyrics: ‘That’s why, darling, it’s incredible / That someone so unforgettable thinks that I am unforgettable too.’

5. ‘La Vie en Rose’ – Édith Piaf

Key lyrics: ‘When you kiss me, heaven sighs / And though I close my eyes, I see la vie en rose.’

Modern love songs

6. ‘Beyond’ – Leon Bridges

Key lyrics: ‘I’m scared to death that she might be it / That the love is real, that the shoe might fit.’

7. ‘Lover’ – Taylor Swift (Acoustic Version)

Key lyrics: ‘Can I go where you go? / Can we always be this close forever and ever?’

8. ‘The One’ – Kodaline

Key lyrics: ‘You make my heart feel like it’s summer / When the rain is pouring down.’

9. ‘Forever’ – Ben Harper

Key lyrics: ‘Not talking about a year, no, not three or four / I don’t want that kind of forever in my life anymore.’

10. ‘Everything’ – Michael Bublé

Key lyrics: ‘And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times / It’s you, it’s you, you make me sing.’

Instrumental covers of pop songs

11. ‘The Book of Love’ (Instrumental) – Peter Gabriel
12. ‘You Are So Beautiful’ (Instrumental) – Joe Cocker
13. ‘Wildest Dreams’ (Instrumental) – Taylor Swift
14. ‘Yellow’ (Instrumental) – Coldplay
15. ‘Latch’ (Acoustic Instrumental) – Sam Smith

Indie and folk

16. ‘Home’ – Phillip Phillips

Key lyrics: ‘Just know you’re not alone / ‘Cause I’m gonna make this place your home.’

17. ‘Bloom’ – The Paper Kites

Key lyrics: ‘Can I be close to you?’

18. ‘Sea of Love’ – Cat Power

Key lyrics: ‘Come with me, my love / To the sea, the sea of love.’

19. ‘Better Place’ – Rachel Platten

Key lyrics: ‘And the world’s a little bit brighter with you.’

20. ‘I Get to Love You’ – Ruelle

Key lyrics: ‘I get to love you / It’s the best thing that I’ll ever do.’

Instrumental film soundtracks

21. ‘Time’ – Hans Zimmer (from Inception)
22. ‘A Million Dreams’ – The Piano Guys (from The Greatest Showman)
23. ‘Dawn’ – Dario Marianelli (from Pride & Prejudice)
24. ‘Portals’ – Alan Silvestri (from Avengers: Endgame)
25. ‘Falling Slowly’ (Instrumental) – Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová (from Once)

50 of the best songs to walk down the aisle to

The song you walk down the aisle to is probably the one song you’ll think about the most throughout your wedding planning process. It’s likely to be a song that you and your partner never ever forget and will always be something that raises a smile whenever you hear it.

Because this is such a big decision, it’s hard to narrow it down. Below are 50 songs you may want to walk down the aisle to, but for even more inspiration, read our complete guide to the best songs to walk down the aisle to.

Classical instrumentals

1. ‘Canon in D’ – Johann Pachelbel
2. ‘Clair de Lune’ – Claude Debussy
3. ‘Ave Maria’ – Franz Schubert
4. ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring’ – J.S. Bach
5. ‘Air on the G String’ – J.S. Bach
6. ‘The Four Seasons: Winter’ – Antonio Vivaldi
7. ‘Largo’ from Xerxes – Handel
8. ‘Trumpet Voluntary’ – Jeremiah Clarke
9. ‘Ode to Joy’ – Beethoven
10. ‘Wedding March’ – Felix Mendelssohn

Modern instrumentals

11. ‘Turning Page’ – Sleeping at Last
12. ‘A Thousand Years’ (Instrumental) – Christina Perri
13. ‘All of Me’ (Instrumental) – John Legend
14. ‘Perfect’ (Instrumental) – Ed Sheeran
15. ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ (Instrumental) – Elvis Presley
16. ‘Marry Me’ (Instrumental) – Train
17. ‘Here Comes the Sun’ (Instrumental) – The Beatles
18. ‘Halo’ (Instrumental) – Beyoncé
19. ‘Thinking Out Loud’ (Instrumental) – Ed Sheeran
20. ‘Marry You’ Canon – Wedding Mashup

Acoustic versions of pop songs

21. ‘I’m Yours’ (Acoustic) – Jason Mraz
22. ‘Make You Feel My Love’ (Acoustic) – Adele
23. ‘You Are the Reason’ (Instrumental) – Calum Scott
24. ‘Stand by Me’ (Instrumental) – Ben E. King
25. ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’ (Instrumental) – James Arthur
26. ‘Love Story’ (Acoustic) – Taylor Swift
27. ‘Ho Hey’ (Instrumental) – The Lumineers
28. ‘Best Day of My Life’ (Acoustic) – American Authors
29. ‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’ (Instrumental) – Aerosmith
30. ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ (Instrumental) – Elton John

Indie instrumentals

31. ‘Young and Beautiful’ – Lana Del Rey
32. ‘To Build a Home’ (Instrumental) – The Cinematic Orchestra
33. ‘First Day of My Life’ (Instrumental) – Bright Eyes
34. ‘Your Hand in Mine’ – Explosions in the Sky
35. ‘Reverie’ – Claude Debussy
36. ‘The Ludlows’ – James Horner
37. ‘Love Me Tender’ (Instrumental) – Elvis Presley
38. ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ (Instrumental) – Keane
39. ‘Heartbeats’ (Instrumental) – José González
40. ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ (Instrumental) – The Verve

Movie soundtracks

41. ‘Concerning Hobbits’ – Howard Shore (from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring)
42. ‘Glasgow Love Theme’ – Craig Armstrong (from Love Actually)
43. ‘When You Wish Upon A Star’ (from Pinocchio)
44. ‘Comptine d’un autre été’ – Yann Tiersen (from Amélie)
45. ‘Bella’s Lullaby’ – Carter Burwell (from Twilight)
46. ‘Now We Are Free’ – Hans Zimmer (from Gladiator)
47. ‘My Heart Will Go On’ (Instrumental) – James Horner (from Titanic)
48. ‘Hoppípolla’ – Sigur Rós
49. ‘The Heart Asks Pleasure First’ – Michael Nyman (from The Piano)
50. ‘Married Life’ – Michael Giacchino (from Up)

25 of the best hymns at a church wedding

If you’re having a religious ceremony, you may want to include some hymns or songs and encourage your guests to sing along. Here are 25 of the best hymns to include at a church wedding.

1. ‘Love Divine, All Loves Excelling’

Key lyrics: ‘Love divine, all loves excelling / Joy of Heaven to earth come down.’

2. ‘All Creatures of Our God and King’

Key lyrics: ‘All creatures of our God and King / Lift up your voice and with us sing.’

3. ‘Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven’

Key lyrics: ‘Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven / To His feet your tribute bring.’

4. ‘Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing’

Key lyrics: ‘Come, Thou Fount of every blessing / Tune my heart to sing Thy grace.’

5. ‘How Great Thou Art’

Key lyrics: ‘Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee / How great Thou art! How great Thou art!’

6. ‘The King of Love My Shepherd Is’

Key lyrics: ‘The King of love my Shepherd is / Whose goodness faileth never.’

7. ‘Bind Us Together, Lord’

Key lyrics: ‘Bind us together, Lord / Bind us together with cords that cannot be broken.’

8. ‘Be Thou My Vision’

Key lyrics: ‘Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart / Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.’

9. ‘When Love Is Found’

Key lyrics: ‘When love is found and hope comes home / Sing and be glad that two are one.’

10. ‘In Christ Alone’

Key lyrics: ‘In Christ alone my hope is found / He is my light, my strength, my song.’

11. ‘Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee’

Key lyrics: ‘Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee / God of glory, Lord of love.’

12. ‘Morning Has Broken’

Key lyrics: ‘Morning has broken, like the first morning / Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird.’

13. ‘Give Me Joy in My Heart’

Key lyrics: ‘Give me joy in my heart, keep me praising / Keep me praising ’til the end of the day.’

14. ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’

Key lyrics: ‘All things bright and beautiful / All creatures great and small.’

15. ‘Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer’

Key lyrics: ‘Guide me, O Thou great Redeemer / Pilgrim through this barren land.’

16. ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness’

Key lyrics: ‘Great is Thy faithfulness! O God my Father / There is no shadow of turning with Thee.’

17. ‘Lord of All Hopefulness’

Key lyrics: ‘Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy / Whose trust, ever childlike, no cares could destroy.’

18. ‘Amazing Grace’

Key lyrics: ‘Amazing grace! How sweet the sound / That saved a wretch like me.’

19. ‘O Perfect Love’

Key lyrics: ‘O perfect Love, all human thought transcending / Lowly we kneel in prayer before Thy throne.’

20. ‘May the Mind of Christ My Saviour’

Key lyrics: ‘May the mind of Christ my Saviour / Live in me from day to day.’

21. ‘Take My Life, and Let It Be’

Key lyrics: ‘Take my life, and let it be / Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.’

22. ‘Come Down, O Love Divine’

Key lyrics: ‘Come down, O Love divine / Seek Thou this soul of mine.’

23. ‘One More Step Along the World I Go’

Key lyrics: ‘One more step along the world I go / One more step along the world I go.’

24. ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’

Key lyrics: ‘For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies / For the love which from our birth, over and around us lies.’

25. ‘Blest Be the Tie That Binds’

Key lyrics: ‘Blest be the tie that binds / Our hearts in Christian love.’

25 best songs while you sign the wedding register

While you and your partner sign the wedding register to make things official, you might like to play a song or two to keep your guests entertained. This can continue with the theme of romance, or could be a way to inject something a little more upbeat into your ceremony. Here are 25 of the best songs to play while you sign the wedding register.

1. ‘What a Wonderful World’ – Louis Armstrong

Key lyrics: ‘And I think to myself / What a wonderful world.’

2. ‘My Girl’ – The Temptations

Key lyrics: ‘My girl, my girl, my girl / Talkin’ ’bout my girl, my girl.’

3. ‘That’s Amore’ – Dean Martin

Key lyrics: ‘Something in the way she moves / Attracts me like no other lover.’

4. ‘L-O-V-E’ – Nat King Cole

Key lyrics: ‘L is for the way you look at me / O is for the only one I see.’

5. ‘Just the Way You Are’ – Billy Joel

Key lyrics: ‘I said, ‘I love you just the way you are.’’

6. ‘I Will Follow You Into the Dark’ – Death Cab for Cutie

Key lyrics: ‘When you dance down the street / With a cloud at your feet, you’re in love.’

7. ‘Love is a Verb’ – John Mayer

Key lyrics: ‘Love is a verb / It ain’t a thing, it’s not something you hold.’

8. ‘Hallelujah’ – Jeff Buckley

Key lyrics: ‘Well, your faith was strong but you needed proof / You saw her bathing on the roof / Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you.’

9. ‘Love Like This’ – Natasha Bedingfield

Key lyrics: ‘You got me feeling like I’m walking on sunshine / And it’s all because of you.’

10. ‘I Will Always Love You’ – Dolly Parton

Key lyrics: ‘And I hope life treats you kind / And I hope you have all you’ve dreamed of.’

11. ‘Meditation’ – Jules Massenet

Key lyrics: (Instrumental, but conveys deep emotion and romance through music.)

12. ‘Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2’ – Frédéric Chopin

Key lyrics: (Instrumental, known for its beautiful, expressive melodies.)

13. ‘A Moment Like This’ – Kelly Clarkson

Key lyrics: ‘Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this.’

14. ‘Arrival of the Birds’ – The Cinematic Orchestra

Key lyrics: (Instrumental, evoking feelings of beauty and hope.)

15. ‘I Believe in a Thing Called Love’ – The Darkness

Key lyrics: ‘I believe in a thing called love / Just listen to the rhythm of my heart.’

16. ‘Iris’ – Goo Goo Dolls

Key lyrics: ‘And I’d give up forever to touch you / ‘Cause I know that you feel me somehow.’

17. ‘Adore You’ – Harry Styles

Key lyrics: ‘Just let me adore you, oh honey / I’d walk through fire for you.’

18. ‘Everything Has Changed’ – Taylor Swift ft. Ed Sheeran

Key lyrics: ‘And all I know is you held the door / And you’ll be mine and I’ll be yours.’

19. ‘Love Story’ – Taylor Swift

Key lyrics: ‘You’ll be the prince and I’ll be the princess / It’s a love story, baby, just say, ‘Yes.’’

20. ‘Better Together’ – Jack Johnson

Key lyrics: ‘It’s always better when we’re together.’

21. ‘Unconditionally’ – Katy Perry

Key lyrics: ‘There is no fear now / Let go and just be free.’

22. ‘Smile’ – Uncle Kracker

Key lyrics: ‘You make me smile like the sun / Fall out of bed, sing like a bird.’

23. ‘When You Say Nothing at All’ – Alison Krauss

Key lyrics: ‘The smile on your face lets me know that you need me / There’s a truth in your eyes saying you’ll never leave me.’

24. ‘In Your Eyes’ – Peter Gabriel

Key lyrics: ‘In your eyes, the light, the heat / In your eyes, I am complete.’

25. ‘Your Song’ – Elton John

Key lyrics: ‘And you can tell everybody this is your song / It may be quite simple, but now that it’s done.’

25 best wedding recessional songs

Once you and your other half have tied the knot, it’s time to let out a sigh of relief and switch things into party mode. So, while you and your new spouse leave the ceremony venue, you might want to switch things up with something upbeat and joyful. Here are 25 suggestions for the best wedding recessional songs.

1. ‘Good Time’ – Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen

Key lyrics: ‘It’s always a good time.’

2. ‘Shout’ – The Isley Brothers

Key lyrics: ‘You know you make me wanna shout!’

3. ‘Crazy in Love’ – Beyoncé ft. Jay-Z

Key lyrics: ‘Got me looking so crazy right now, your love’s got me looking so crazy right now.’

4. ‘You’re Still the One’ – Shania Twain

Key lyrics: ‘Looks like we made it, look how far we’ve come, my baby.’

5. ‘On Top of the World’ – Imagine Dragons

Key lyrics: ‘And it’s too late to start over / But it’s not too late to start again.’

6. ‘Celebration’ – Kool & The Gang

Key lyrics: ‘Celebrate good times, come on!’

7. ‘Someday’ – The Strokes

Key lyrics: ‘I see, alone we stand, together we fall apart / Yeah, I think I’ll be all right.’

8. ‘I’ve Had the Time of My Life’ – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes

Key lyrics: ‘I’ve had the time of my life / And I owe it all to you.’

9. ‘Let’s Get It On’ – Marvin Gaye

Key lyrics: ‘Let’s get it on / I’ve been really trying, baby.’

10. ‘You Are the Best Thing’ – Ray LaMontagne

Key lyrics: ‘You are the best thing / Ever happened to me.’

11. ‘Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)’ – Stevie Wonder

Key lyrics: ‘I’m signed, sealed, delivered, I’m yours.’

12. ‘Hey Ya!’ – OutKast

Key lyrics: ‘My baby don’t mess around / Because she loves me so / And this I know fo sho (uh)’

13. ‘Walking on Sunshine’ – Katrina and the Waves

Key lyrics: ‘I’m walking on sunshine, whoa-oh! / And don’t it feel good!’

14. ‘We Are Family’ – Sister Sledge

Key lyrics: ‘We are family / I got all my sisters with me.’

15. ‘ABC’ – The Jackson 5

Key lyrics: ‘A B C it’s easy as 1 2 3 / As simple as do re mi A B C / 1 2 3 baby you and me girl.’

16. ‘Good Life’ – OneRepublic

Key lyrics: ‘Oh, this has gotta be the good life / This has gotta be the good life.’

17. ‘Shut Up and Dance’ – WALK THE MOON

Key lyrics: ‘Shut up and dance with me / This woman is my destiny.’

18. ‘Feel So Close’ – Calvin Harris

Key lyrics: ‘I feel so close to you right now / It’s a force field.’

19. ‘Raise Your Glass’ – P!nk

Key lyrics: ‘So raise your glass if you are wrong / In all the right ways.’

20. ‘Good Vibrations’ – The Beach Boys

Key lyrics: ‘I, I love the colourful clothes she wears / And the way the sunlight plays upon her hair.’

21. ‘Happy Together’ – The Turtles

Key lyrics: ‘I can’t see me loving nobody but you / For all my life.’

22. ‘Beautiful Day’ – U2

Key lyrics: ‘You thought you’d found a friend / To take you out of this place / Someone you could lend a hand / In return for grace.’

23. ‘I Gotta Feeling’ – The Black Eyed Peas

Key lyrics: ‘I got a feeling (woohoo) that tonight’s gonna be a good night.’

24. ‘Daydream Believer’ – The Monkees

Key lyrics: ‘Cheer up, sleepy Jean / Oh, what can it mean / To a daydream believer / And a homecoming queen.’

25. ‘You’re My Best Friend’ – Queen

Key lyrics: ‘Oh, you’re the best friend that I ever had.’

Should you have live music at your wedding ceremony?

Whether or not you decide to have live music at your wedding is entirely up to you, your preferences and your budget. Couples spend an average of £1,800 on their wedding music, which can be a large cost on top of everything else.

That being said, if you can and want to have live music at your wedding, it can certainly make things special and memorable. There’s nothing quite like a live harpist playing while you walk down the aisle, or having a live singer entertain your guests while you sign the register.

But, it all comes down to your budget, the logistics and the sort of music you’d like to include.

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Happy Planning!