The Best Wedding Songs for 2024

For 2024, brides of all kinds are looking to transform their weddings into intimate, personalized affairs. And what’s more intimate and personal than a love song (or a dozen!)

Alongside your dress, your playlist is one of the most personal and most memorable aspects of your wedding -- for all involved. Just as much as your chosen decor, your wedding soundtrack influences the atmosphere of your big day, from the walk down the aisle to the afterparty.

Everyone’s wedding soundtrack is a little (or a lot) different, because your song choices depend entirely on you and your fiancée’s musical preferences, including your favourite genres, your favourite artists, and maybe even “your song” as a couple.

Creating your wedding playlist is something to have fun with. But if you need a little help getting started, read on as we walk you through the types of songs you’ll want to play throughout the day and some suggestions from yours truly.

Best Wedding Procession Songs

Played as you first walk down the aisle, your wedding procession song kicks things off and sets the tone for your wedding. Of course, you could go the traditional route with the classic “Wedding March” as many brides have and continue to do. (It’s a classic for a reason!) However, if you want to make your wedding truly bespoke, you’ll want to pick a personalized procession song.

Pretty much any song can be a wedding procession song, but your choice will likely depend on you and your fiancée’s personal taste, including your favourite music genres and artists, how grand or intimate you want the ceremony to feel, and the meaning behind the song’s lyrics.

Of course, there are no definitive parameters for what makes a wedding procession song. However, here are a few tips to choosing the one that will make your grand entrance one to remember:

Get the pacing down: Unless you plan on running or dancing down the aisle, then you’ll want your wedding procession song to be fairly mid-tempo. This means it’s not so fast that your wedding party (and you!) feel rushed, but not so slow that you’re all teetering on your heels between steps.

The perfect length: On average, it usually takes between 3 to 4 minutes for your wedding procession to walk down the aisle. That means, you’ll want to choose a song around that length. If your song doesn’t fit within that window, it’s better to overshoot with a longer song. A shorter song will end abruptly, leaving you to walk down the aisle in silence, whereas a longer song can be elegantly faded out by your sound tech.

Looking for the perfect soundtrack to your ceremony? Here are some of our favourites:

For your very own rom-com moment:

Kiss Me - Sixpence None the Richer

For when you don’t want a dry eye in the room:

First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes

For those who love the classics:

God Only Knows - Beach Boys

For your “my life is a movie” moment:

Dreams - The Cranberries

For country-pop fans:

Slow Burn - Kacey Musgraves

For the true romantics:

Fade Into You - Mazzy Star

For the rock ’n’ roll fans:

Baby, I Love You - The Ramones

For the traditionalist-with-a-twist:

Moon River - Frank Ocean

Best First Dance Songs

Now that you’ve walked down (and  back up) the aisle, posed for all those beautiful wedding portraits, and feasted (and imbibed) with your loved ones, it’s time for you and your fiancée to have your first dance together as newlyweds. It’s one of the day’s most romantic moments and so it definitely deserves the soundtrack to match. Remember: all eyes will be on you -- and all ears will be on your first dance song.

So, how does one go about choosing such an important song? Well, most of it comes down to you and your fiancée’s personal tastes. Think about the kinds of genres and musical artists you both enjoy, what mood you’d like the song to evoke, and what emotions you’d like it to express. Maybe, as a couple, you already have your own “song”.

If you need a little help getting started, here are some pointers:

Lyrics are everything: Most couples choose their first dance song based on lyrics that mean something to them. When choosing your first dance song, listen carefully to the lyrics and ask yourself whether they resonate with you or express how you feel about each other.

• Tempo, tempo, tempo: Keep in mind that you’ll actually need to dance to the song you choose! Most couples choose slower, soulful ballads with a waltzing tempo that’s easily danceable. “The sway” is the most popular first dance style, but if you have a little more skill (and imagination) you can also try out the Waltz, the Foxtrot, or even your own choreography.

Keep it short and sweet: The length of your wedding song should hit that short-and-sweet spot between 2.5 and 3 minutes. Any longer can feel a little bit awkward (all eyes are on you, remember!)

Here are our picks:

At Last - Etta James

Most romantic lyrics: You smiled, you smiled / Oh, and then the spell was cast / And here we are in Heaven / For you are mine at last

Lover - Taylor Swift

Most romantic lyrics: Can I go where you go? / Can we always be this close forever and ever?

I Only Have Eyes for You - The Flamingos

Most romantic lyrics: Are the stars out tonight / I don't know if it's cloudy or bright / I only have eyes for you dear

Can’t Help Falling in Love With You - Elvis Presley

Most romantic lyrics: Take my hand / Take my whole life too / For I can’t help falling in love with you

Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers

Most romantic lyrics: I need your love / God speed your love to me

You’re Still the One - Shania Twain

Most romantic lyrics: You're still the one I run to / The one that I belong to / You're still the one I want for life

Best Wedding Party Songs

The vows have been exchanged, the toasts have been given, and you’ve both taken the floor for your first dance. Now, it’s time to get the party started -- and that requires music to get those feet moving.

In terms of getting people on the dancefloor, there are no better genres than 70s disco, and pop songs from the 80s and 90s. Of course, you can carry over the romance from your first dance songs to the party portion with a line-up of upbeat love songs (and, trust us, there are tons!) And, because the sun is setting and the party’s on, you can even get a little cheeky with your song choices. Think sexy bops like Anita Ward’s “Ring My Bell” or the saucy innuendos throughout Prince’s “I Want To Be Your Lover”. The more fun you have with your playlist, the more fun your guests will have, too.

Remember, it’s your playlist, so you call the shots. Not all the songs on your afterparty playlist (or any, for that matter) need to be love songs. Feel free to press play on any and all of your favourites, and add as many crowd-pleasers as you want (like “Mr. Brightside” or Britney’s “Toxic”).

Need some inspo? Here are a few romantic floor-fillers to get you started:

Your Love Is So Good For Me - Diana Ross

I Want To Be Your Lover - Prince

You Make My Dreams Come True - Hall & Oates

I Wanna Dance With Somebody Who Loves Me - Whitney Houston

Fantasy - Mariah Carey

I Want Your Love - CHIC

Ring My Bell - Anita Ward

More Than a Woman - The Bee Gees

Crazy in Love - Beyonce (ft. Jay-Z)