New wedding songs might not be the first thing that comes to mind when preparing your list of songs to play at your reception. Most people tend to think of “oldies but goodies” when it comes to selecting their wedding playlist. And while tried and true songs are of course a great idea, it is also wise to add some current or new songs to your playlist.
Popular wedding songs such as “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” by Elvis are always a classic choice, but it’s time to mix it up with something new and fresh. Your wedding guests will be from a wide range of generations, from grandparents to nephews and nieces to friends in your own age group. So why not mix it up with a fun combination of both classic wedding songs and current hits?
Of course, you will want to please everyone and who doesn’t love timeless ballads such as “Through the Years” by Kenny Rogers. However, both wedding planning experts and modern couples agree that today’s weddings should contain a good mix of current popular songs as well as the classics. That is why we have taken the time to come up with an extensive list of current pop hits to play at your wedding.
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What Music Genre Will Be Perfect For Contemporary Wedding Style: New Wedding Songs vs Timeless Classics
If you are like most everyone, you taste in music tends to fit into more than one genre. So how do choose just one genre of music for your wedding? The real answer is that you are totally allowed to “mix it up” a bit. For example, during the wedding dinner itself, you can choose quieter songs, such as ballads or older love songs. At this time everyone will be eating and not dancing, so you will want to play music that is calm and soothing. People will love to hear songs that remind them of happy times in their lives. So, a well chosen playlist for the wedding dinner can spark some great conversations amongst your wedding guests as they reminisce about “the good old days.” It can often be an icebreaker for those awkward moments where everyone is eating and conversation may be lagging.
However, after the meal, you will want everyone out on the dance floor! This is the time when you will want to liven it up with some new hit songs to get everyone energized and moving!
But what genre of music should you choose? As not every couple is into new pop music, you might want to take a look at other genres as well! Of course you want to choose your favorites as it is, after all, your wedding! However you do want your guests to have a good time so why not mix it up a bit? A nice blend of some older classics along with some top hits from various music genres is a great way to keep everyone happy, both on the dance floor and off!
Here is a list of the most popular genres of music:
- Pop/Top 40
- Jazz
- R&B
- Hip-Hop/Techno/EDM
- Classic Rock
- Light Jazz
- New Age
- Alternative/Indie
- Latino
- Country/Folk
- 80’s music
- 90’s music
- K-Pop
- Rap
- Classical
- Contemporary
- Showtunes
You and your fiance should sit down and come up with a playlist together. Of course you will want to discuss the list with your band or dj. Keep in mind that a lot of bands only pay one or two styles of music and will have a limited set list. A dj might have a more extensive collection.
Something to bear in mind is that many of today’s couples skip the dj or band altogether. A lot of modern couples are simply renting equipment and creating their own wedding music playlist using their Ipad or other such device. This saves the cost of a dj or band, as well as some of the other issues that may arise (ie: the dj or a member of the band falls ill on your wedding day). Whatever you choose, however, out need to be sure that you have planned your playlist well in advance so that you are prepared for the big day.
Another thing to keep in mind is what songs not to play at your wedding. If you do hire a dj or cover band, you need to also have a list of those songs you absolutely do not want played at your wedding reception. So many couples have been horrified when the dj has played a song, or group of songs, that is highly inappropriate. Remember to be considerate of others and only chose songs with explicit lyrics if you are sure that none of your guests will be offended. Also, you don’t want to play any “break-up” or depressing songs as you don’t want to bring everyone down. This is supposed to be a happy occasions so keep it light and upbeat!
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Maybe, we all know that there are certain songs that have been played to death at weddings. These include songs such as the following:
- Chicken Dance
- Macarena
- Cha-Cha Slide
- Electric Slide
- YMCA
- I Will Survive
- Celebration
- Conga
- Hokey Pokey
- Achy-Breaky Heart
- My Humps
- Who Let the Dogs Out
- Cupid Shuffle
The Most Popular Songs To Make Everyone Feel Happy
Of course, the main objective of your wedding reception is to celebrate your marriage! So you will want to make everyone feel happy, loved and excited! So you will want to choose songs that are cheery, positive, uplifting and upbeat to get everyone in a good mood!
1. Sam Hunt – Body Like a Back Road
2. Lady Gaga – The Cure
3. Calvin Harris ft. Young Thug, Pharrell Williams and Ariana Grande – Heatstroke
4. Misterwives – Outside the Lines
5. Bruno Mars – Marry You
6. Jason Mraz – I’m Yours
7. Avicii – Wake Me Up
8. OMI (Felix Jaehn Remix) – Cheerleader
9. American Authors – Best Day of My Life
10. Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee – Despacito
Best New Wedding Reception Songs
Now that we discussed some of the most popular “feel good” songs for your wedding, let’s talk about some of the most popular new wedding reception songs. No matter what genre of music you prefer, you will be able to find some current Billboard hits, including new pop songs to play at your reception. Remember, you receipion is more than just your first dance as a married couple and group dances. You also need a playlist for the dinner and other such moments. Following is a list of some of the most popular new dance songs to play at various points during your wedding reception:
11. Train – Marry Me
12. Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud
13. Bruno Mars – Treasure
14. Jason Mraz, Colbie Caillat – Lucky
15. Jack Johnson – Better Together
16. Harry Styles – Sweet Creature
17. Justin Timberlake – Can’t Stop the Feeling
18. The Lumineers – Ho Hey
19. Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line – Meant to Be
20. Miley Cyrus – Malibu
Popular First Dance Wedding Songs
Of course, the most important song is your first dance as a newly married couple. You want to choose one of the great love songs that encaptures how you feel about each other. Of course, you can choose a tried and true song such as “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston (or Dolly Parton), “For Once in My Life” by Stevie Wonder or “God Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts. But if you are going with modre traditional music and some of the latest this to top the charts, you can take a look at the following first dance songs for inspiration:
21. John Legend – All of Me
22. Adele – Make You Feel My Love
23. Tom Odell – Grow Old With Me
24. Beyoncé – XO
25. Christina Perri – A Thousand Years
26. Ed Sheeran – Shape of You
27. Lady Antebellum – Home
28. Ben Folds – The Luckiest
29. Brett Eldredge – Love Someone
30. Kane Brown – Heaven
What Songs To Choose For Parents Wedding Dance?
The mother/son and father/daughter dance songs are also an important part of the wedding reception so it is important to choose a song that best sylmbosine the mother/son or father/daughter relationship. Of course if you are estranged from your parents, or they are no longer in your life, you can always choose a grandparent, aunt, uncle or close family friend to take their place. Following are some suggestions for parental dance songs:
Mother/Son Dance Songs:
31. Lee Ann Womack – I Hope You Dance
32. Bette Midler – Wind Beneath My Wings
33. Carole King – Child of Mine
34. Celine Dion – Because You Loved Me
35. Rascal Flatts – My Wish
Father/Daughter Dance Songs:
36. Tim McGraw’ – My Little Girl
37. Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole – Unforgettable
38. Kat Jennings and Angela Lansbury – Not While I’m Around
39. Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole – Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World
40. Mariah Carey – Hero
The Most Popular Songs For Last Dance
Of course, the first song that comes to mind when we think of the final song seleing for wedding receptions is “Last Dance” by Donna Summer. While this song is indeed a classi, it is a bit overplayed. Needless to say, you will probably want to come up with a more modern song for your final dance song at your wedding reception. Here are some of the most popular last dance songs:
41. Eric Clapton – After Midnight
42. Prince – Let’s Go Crazy
43. Diana Ross – I’m Coming Out
44. Jennifer Lopez – Waiting For Tonight
45. The Proclaimers – I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)
46. The Clash – Should I Stay Or Should I Go
47. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell – Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
48. Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes – (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life
49. Garth Brooks – The Dance
50. ‘NSync – Bye Bye Bye
Common Wedding usic Mistakes
So you planned the perfect playlist of top songs for your wedding receptions so now everything is all set, right? Wrong! There is more to planning for the music for your wedding than just coming up the dream playlist.
Of course, you know you will want to mix it up by playing different genres of music, including the latest songs. Also, keep in mind that certain songs contain lyrics that may be offensive to some of your guests. Below are some of the other most common music mistakes couples have made when prepping for their music.
Not meeting with the DJ/band until the wedding day
Think about it, you go to cake tastings, wine tastings and food tastings before the wedding. You meet in person with your florist, seamstress, caterer, wedding planner, so why wait until the big day to meet the band or DJ in person? Sure, you may have emailed, tested or instant messaged them, or even spoke with them on the phone. However, it is crucial that out meet the DJ/band face-to-face before your reception. As well, it is advised that you attend a live performance of the DJ or band as well so you are familiar with their style and not in for a big surprises on your wedding day.
Not checking the size of the dance floor at the reception venue
You’ve chosen the perfect wedding venue and you fell in love with the decor and scenery, but did you take a minute to size up the dance floor? The last thing you want to happen on your wedding day is that your dances can’t shake it up on the dance floor because it’s too small. Make sure the dance floor is large enough to accommodate your guest list.
Not doing a sound check
Keep in mind that some venues have restrictions when it comes to music. Always speak to the host at the venue to ensure that you are sticking to their guidelines. As a result, on the day of the wedding, you will want to have band/DJ do a sound check to ensure that there are no technical difficulties. Also, you want to ensure that the music is not too loud so your guests can engage in conversation.
Starting the reception off with dead air
As most guests arrive at the reception early, it is always wise to have your band/DJ start playing 30 minutes to an hour before the reception begins. So your guest to don’t have to sit around in awkward silence.
Putting of the special dances until the end of the reception
You don’t have to have your first dance as a married couple the second you enter the reception hall. However, you do not want to wait until the end of the evening to have your special dances such as Mother/Son, Father/Daughter dance and any other special dances you may have planned. Discuss the timing with the DJ/band before the wedding to keep things running smoothly.
Not letting your DJ/band take breaks
Make sure to give your band or DJ enough breaks, so they can use the restroom, rest their vocal cords and enjoy the reception as well. This is why having a prepared iPad playlist is a great idea, so you can still have music playing during these breaks. And don’t forget to feed the band members and DJ!
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So there you have it! Some of the latest and greatest wedding songs for your wedding reception, also including some timeless classics along with many new wedding songs to choose from! Remember to choose songs that are special to your and your betorehd, as well as songs that will touch and inspire your guests. You want your wedding reception to be an affair to remember!
