Best Wedding Reception Songs

Weddings can be stressful for a DJ. You want to make sure that you have the perfect wedding playlist to set the tone for the day. In this article, we will discuss the best wedding reception songs to help you deliver a great night’s entertainment.

Wedding Ceremony Music

You may be asked to play music during the wedding ceremony, or for the bride walking down the aisle. Some of the top wedding ceremony songs include traditional wedding hymns, classical wedding music, and romantic wedding ballads. Some popular wedding ceremony songs include:

1. “Bridal Chorus” – Wagner
2. “Ave Maria” – Franz Schubert
3. “Canon in D” – Johann Pachelbel
4. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” – Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole
5. “The Wedding March” – Felix Mendelssohn
6. “Trumpet Voluntary” – Jeremiah Clarke
7. “Ave Verum Corpus” – Mozart
8. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream Op. 61: IX. Wedding March” – Felix Mendelssohn
9. “Cello suite No. 1” – Bach
10. “The Swan (Le Cygne)” – Saint Saens

Wedding Breakfast – Background Music

While the wedding party are enjoying their meal, or as the evening guests arrive, you will want some gentle music playing in the background. This will help to set the mood and make people feel relaxed. Popular wedding breakfast songs include:

1. Don’t Know Why – Norah Jones
2. Love Yourself – Justin Bieber
3. I’ve Got You Under My Skin – Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
4. Everglow – Coldplay
5. I Miss You – Beyoncé
6. Put Your Records On – Corinne Bailey Rae
7. Warwick Avenue – Duffy
8. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman – Aretha Franklin
9. Stay With You – John Legend
10. I’m Not the Only One – Sam Smith
11. Beyoncé – Halo
12. Bee Gees – How Deep Is Your Love
13. Diana Ross and Lionel Ritchie – You Are So Beautiful
14. Always Be My Baby – Mariah Carey
15. Hold You in My Arms – Ray Lamontagne
16. How Long Will I Love You – Ellie Goulding
17. I Will Follow You Into the Dark – Jasmine Thompson
18. Photograph – Ed Sheeran
19. Skinny Love – Bon Iver
20. The Way You Look Tonight – Tony Bennett

First Dance Song

The first dance is always a memorable moment for a bride and groom. If they don’t choose any music for the rest of the night, this is the one moment where they will want to ensure that the music is perfect.

Here are some of our top picks for first dance songs:

1. Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
2. You Are The Best Thing – Ray Montagne
3. At Last – Etta James
4. All of Me – John Legend
5. A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
6. Make You Feel My Love – Adele
7. I Won’t Give Up – Jason Mraz
8. Everything – Michael Buble
9. Better Together – Jack Johnson
10. Amazed – Lonestar
11. Come Away With Me – Norah Jones
12. First Day of My Life – Bright Eyes
13. Let’s Stay Together – Al Green
14. Lucky – Jason Mraz, Colbie Caillat
15. Can’t Help Falling in Love – Elvis Presley
16. Marry Me – Train
17. Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
18. What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
19. Crazy Love – Van Morrison
20. I’m Yours – Jason Mraz

Father – Daughter Dance

Often, the Bride will like to have a dance with her father after the first dance. It’s a tradition. The bride honoring her love and gratitude for her father, who has given her away. The father-daughter dance is a touching moment that can be made even more memorable with the perfect song choice.

Here are some of our favorite father-daughter dance songs:

1. Heartland – I Loved Her First
2. Tim McGraw – My Little Girl
3. Bob Carlisle – Butterfly Kisses
4. Rascal Flatts – My Wish
5. Temptations – My Girl
6. Chuck Wicks – Stealing Cinderella
7. Louis Armstrong – What A Wonderful World
8. Stevie Wonder – Isn’t She Lovely
9. Dixie Chicks – Landslide
10. Frank Sinatra – The Way You Look Tonight
11. Zac Brown Band – The Man Who Loves You The Most
12. Scott Thomas Laughridge – This Dance
13. Celine Dion – Because You Loved Me
14. Jason Blaine – Dance With My Daughter
15. John Mayer – Daughters
16. Lee Ann Womack – I Hope You Dance
17. Phil Collins – You’ll Be In My Heart
18. Paul Simon – Father And Daughter
19. Camilia Cabella – First Man
20. Jennifer Smestad – Half The Man
21. Darius Rucker – It Won’t Be Like This For Long
22. Krystal Keith – Daddy Dance With Me
23. Al Martino – Daddy’s Little Girl
24. Michael Buble – Forever Now
25. Alan Jackson – You’ll Always Be My Baby
26. Tom Petty – Wildflowers
27. Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl
28. Rod Stewart – Forever Young
29. Sammy Kaye & His Orchestra – Daddy
30. Nat King Cole – Unforgettable

Wedding Reception Songs

Now onto the main event: the evening reception. Not all couples will choose their music – they might just leave it up to you. It’s a good idea to have a playlist of go-to songs to pick from that will work at most general weddings, and get those guests on the dancefloor.

Read Next:

• The Best Party Songs
• The Top 15 Father-Daughter Dance Songs for Weddings

Here are the top 100 requested songs from 2022:

1	Whitney Houston	I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)
2	The Killers	Mr. Brightside
3	ABBA	Dancing Queen
4	Earth, Wind and Fire	September
5	Neil Diamond	Sweet Caroline
6	Usher	Yeah!
7	Walk The Moon	Shut Up And Dance
8	Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars	Uptown Funk
9	Journey	Don’t Stop Believin’
10	Cupid	Cupid Shuffle
11	Flo Rida	Low
12	Black Eyed Peas	I Gotta Feeling
13	Miley Cyrus	Party In The U.S.A.
14	OutKast	Hey Ya!
15	DJ Casper	Cha Cha Slide
16	Spice Girls	Wannabe
17	Bon Jovi	Livin’ On A Prayer
18	V.I.C.	Wobble
19	Beyonce feat. Jay-Z	Crazy In Love
20	Shania Twain	Man! I Feel Like A Woman!
21	Lil Jon & The Eastside Boyz	Get Low
22	Toploader	Dancing In The Moonlight
23	Backstreet Boys	Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)
24	Dua Lipa feat. DaBaby	Levitating
25	Chris Stapleton	Tennessee Whiskey
26	Elvis Presley	Can’t Help Falling In Love
27	Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris	We Found Love
28	Garth Brooks	Friends In Low Places
29	Van Morrison	Brown Eyed Girl
30	Bruno Mars	Marry You
31	B-52’s	Love Shack
32	Kenny Loggins	Footloose
33	Dexys Midnight Runners	Come On Eileen
34	Bruno Mars	24k Magic
35	Justin Timberlake	Can’t Stop The Feeling!
36	AC/DC	You Shook Me All Night Long
37	Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee	Despacito
38	Ed Sheeran	Perfect
39	Nelly	Hot In Herre
40	LMFAO	Party Rock Anthem
41	Chris Brown	Forever
42	Pitbull feat. Kesha	Timber
43	Blink-182	All The Small Things
44	Taylor Swift	Shake It Off
45	Montell Jordan	This Is How We Do It
46	Temptations	My Girl
47	Shakira	Hips Don’t Lie
48	Don Omar feat. Lucenzo	Danza Kuduro
49	Kygo and Whitney Houston / Steve Winwood	Higher Love
50	Frank Sinatra	The Way You Look Tonight
51	Beatles	Twist And Shout
52	Sister Sledge	We Are Family
53	Pitbull and Ne-Yo	Time Of Our Lives
54	Cyndi Lauper	Girls Just Want To Have Fun
55	The Weeknd	Blinding Lights
56	Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer	Give Me Everything
57	Lou Bega	Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit Of..)
58	Pitbull	Fireball
59	House Of Pain	Jump Around
60	Backstreet Boys	I Want It That Way
61	Taio Cruz	Dynamite
62	N’Sync	Bye Bye Bye
63	Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin	I Like It
64	Def Leppard	Pour Some Sugar On Me
65	Old Crow Medicine Show	Wagon Wheel
66	Stevie Wonder	Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)
67	Bryan Adams	Summer Of ’69
68	Daryl Hall & John Oates	You Make My Dreams (Come True)
69	Sir Mix-A-Lot	Baby Got Back
70	Cascada	Every time We Touch
71	Luke Combs	Beautiful Crazy
72	Queen	Bohemian Rhapsody
73	Village People	Y.M.C.A.
74	Ed Sheeran	Thinking Out Loud
75	Maroon 5	Sugar
76	Pink	Raise Your Glass
77	Diana Ross / Marvin Gaye	Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
78	Rednex	Cotton Eye Joe
79	50 Cent	In Da Club
80	John Legend	All Of Me
81	Toto	Africa
82	Beyonce	Love On Top
83	Queen	Don’t Stop Me Now
84	Michael Jackson	Billie Jean
85	Animal House	Shout
86	Wild Cherry	Play That Funky Music
87	Beyonce	Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
88	Bee Gees	Stayin’ Alive
89	Lizzo	Truth Hurts
90	Cobra Starship	You Make Me Feel
91	Lynyrd Skynyrd	Sweet Home Alabama
92	Natalie Cole	This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)
93	Jack Johnson	Better Together
94	Ben E. King	Stand By Me
95	Lady GaGa	Just Dance
96	Kool & The Gang	Celebration
97	Kanye West	Gold Digger
98	Usher	DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love
99	Etta James	At Last
100	DJ Snake feat. Lil’ Jon	Turn Down For What

(Source: DJ Event Planner: – https://www.djeventplanner.com)

Conclusion

These are some of the best, most requested songs at weddings that should be a great source for any DJ. Whether you’re looking for wedding first dance songs, background music, or simply wedding party songs to get the crowd dancing, there’s something here for everyone!

Read Next:

• Where do DJs get their music?
• Wedding DJ: Tips for Starting Out
• How To Read The Crowd; Be A Better DJ
• 10 Wedding DJ Equipment Checklist (The Essential Guide)
• How To Be A Wedding DJ
• The Best End-of-Night Songs

FAQs

Do I need to play background music at a wedding?

There is no requirement to play background music at a wedding, but many couples choose to include it as part of their wedding day activities. Playing music during the wedding ceremony or reception can help set the tone and mood for the event.

How do I choose the right wedding songs?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best wedding songs will vary depending on the couple’s personal taste and wedding style. Some key factors to consider when choosing wedding songs include the first dance, whether you want upbeat or slower-tempo music, and songs that hold special meaning to the couple.

What are some popular wedding songs?

Popular wedding songs vary depending on the couple’s taste and style, but some timeless classics include “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley, “At Last” by Etta James, and “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees. Other popular wedding songs include modern hits like Bruno Mars’ “Marry You” and Justin Timberlake’s “Sexyback.”

What song gets everyone to the dance floor?

There is no definitive answer to this question, as the song that gets everyone to the dance floor will vary depending on the wedding crowd’s taste and preference. However, some popular wedding songs that are known to get people dancing include “Shout” by the Isley Brothers, “Y.M.C.A.” by the Village People, and “I Like It” by Cardi B, Bad Bunny, and J Balvin.

What is the most played song at a wedding?

There is no definitive answer to this question, as wedding songs will vary depending on a number of factors, including wedding theme and crowd taste. However, some popular wedding songs that are commonly played at weddings include “At Last” by Etta James and “All Of Me” by John Legend. Other popular wedding songs include current hits like “Shallow” by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper and “Marry You” by Bruno Mars.

How many songs should I play at a wedding?

There is no magic number of songs to play at a wedding, as the number of songs will vary depending on the wedding timeline and the couple’s personal preference. However, a good rule of thumb is to play a few songs during the wedding ceremony and wedding reception, as well as several songs for the first dance and other wedding dances. Additionally, it is important to consider any special requests or must-play songs from the couple or wedding guests.

How do I make a DJ wedding playlist?

The most important thing is to speak to the couple well in advance, find out what they like and don’t like, what wedding songs are special to them and make sure you have a good selection of music to suit all tastes. You can use wedding song playlist tools like iWedPlanner and Spotify to help you create the perfect DJ wedding playlist.

How many songs do you need for a wedding reception?

The number of songs you need for a wedding reception will depend on the wedding timeline and the couple’s preference. However, a good rule of thumb is to play 15-20 songs per hour of reception time. This will ensure there is enough music to keep the wedding guests entertained throughout the event.

What are some do’s and don’ts for wedding DJs?

Some do’s for wedding DJs include being well-prepared with various music to suit all tastes, ensuring all equipment is in good working order, and being professional and courteous at all times. Some don’ts for wedding DJs include playing songs with explicit lyrics, drinking alcohol during the event, and becoming too involved in wedding activities.