Wedding Music for Listening and Dancing
How to Choose the Perfect Wedding Day Love Songs
Jun 16, 2009
Every bride wants beautiful wedding songs to fill her heart and inspire her senses on her wedding day. But choosing just the right music involves research and contemplation.
Wedding Songs Should Suit Personality
Hundreds of endearing love songs enhance weddings, but not all match every personality. To make a wedding unique and memorable, brides and grooms should select songs that matter to them. Every wedding couple should consider the following.
- what the lyrics mean to them
- how the music makes them feel
- what mood the tempo will set
- how the song describes their lives or their wishes and dreams
- how it will feel to have the song forever associated with them
Carefully making song selections that truly connect with the bride and groom can make an extraordinary difference in the wedding day experience.
Music for the Wedding Includes all Events
Music for the wedding day is not just about dancing at the reception. Different choices must be made for the following events.
- the prelude – pre-ceremony music during guest arrival
- the processional – music for the arrival of attendants and the bride
- the interlude – music played during the ceremony
- the recessional – after-ceremony music played as the newly-wedded couple leaves the altar
- the first dance – the song played during the bride and groom’s first dance
- the father/daughter dance – the song played for the dance of a bride and her father
- the mother/son dance – the song played for the dance of the groom and his mother
- the bridal party dance – music played for the wedding party members’ dance
- the cake cutting – background music played during the cutting of the cake
- the honeymoon dance – also known as the dollar or money dance, played mid-reception
- the bouquet and garter toss – music played during the traditional garter and bouquet toss
- the last dance – the final song of the wedding reception
The many song choices can feel daunting, but allowing enough time to make the right decision is worth the effort.
Wedding Day Songs
Wedding songs come in many styles and flavors. It is perfectly acceptable to mix and match those styles, but most wedding couples choose to keep a musical continuity throughout their day.
The most common wedding music styles include:
- Christian
- Traditional
- Classical
- Popular
- Theme
- Ethnic
Deciding on the style before selecting the music helps to narrow the search for just the right songs. If the wedding is western-themed, searching through classical wedding songs can be a waste of precious pre-wedding time. If the music of string quartets and harpists soothes the soul, then popular songs with upbeat tempos may not be the answer.
Choosing the style first is the key to streamlining the wedding music selection process.
Where to Find Wedding Songs
The search for wedding songs can be quick and easy when a plan is in place. Committing the following criteria to paper will help.
- the chosen wedding music style
- a list of favorite love songs
- a list of favorite artists
- a list of DJs or bands in the area
- a list of friends and family who may have song suggestions
With the plan in hand, several sources can be utilized to find the perfect songs.
- Disc jockeys and bands customarily have lengthy songs lists, categorized by wedding day events.
- Websites and stores that sell music frequently have the option of listening to song portions, making it easy to hear an unfamiliar song recommended by others.
- Wedding planners sometimes have master lists of wedding songs.
- Wedding blogs are often frequented by brides who share musical choices.
- Movies that feature weddings can be musically inspirational.
- Churches often have wedding music recommendations.
- Word-specific internet searches by artist, style or wedding-day event can produce a wealth of wedding song suggestions.
Wedding Music Fills the Senses
No wedding would be the same without music, and often too little consideration is given to what songs will be played. Leaving that choice to someone other than the bride and groom can result in a less than perfect wedding experience.
Every wedding couple should have the final word on song choices, musical moods and performance styles. For without perfectly suited music, a valuable piece of wedding day heart and soul will be missing.
When considering whether to have a DJ or a live band for the reception, you may also enjoy reading Music for the Wedding Reception.
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