Tag: Reception

Your wedding day is full of amazing music. From the song you walk down the aisle to, right through to the last song played at the disco at the end of a fun-filled night, there are so many songs that play throughout your special day.

But, there’s perhaps no song more important than the one that plays during your first dance. Your first dance is hugely symbolic and represents the two of you coming together as one. It’s also usually one of the first dances of the entire wedding reception, and is a sign that it’s time for everyone to get up and join you (after watching you and taking pictures while crying, of course).

But, what makes for a good first dance song? Should it be romantic and lovey-dovey, or can it be something upbeat and fun?

In this guide, we’ll run through everything that goes into the perfect wedding first dance song. We’ll also offer you 200 suggestions for the best first dance song, to help you make the all-important decision as to what you should choose for this massive moment in your big day.

What makes for the perfect first dance song?

The perfect first dance song can be many things. But, the most important thing is that it’s special to the two of you. If you’re not quite sure what that looks like for you, here are a few things to think about:

• Emotional significance: Does the song resonate with you? Was it perhaps something you both listened to while you were dating and as your romance blossomed?
• Lyrics: Are the lyrics special and do they represent your relationship? Songs with lyrics about love are the most common type of first dance song.
• Tempo and rhythm: The most common choice of first dance song is something slower and more romantic (but some couples have been known to have fun by dancing to something upbeat).
• Danceability: Whether you’re an experienced dancer or not, does the song lend itself well to your dancing ability?
• Timelessness or trendiness: Is the song something that’s timeless, or will it be forgotten about over time?
• Length: Make sure the song isn’t too long, because you might get tired of dancing by the 34th verse of an epic ballad.

Can upbeat songs work as a first dance song?

Yes, an upbeat song can 100% work as a great first dance song, and they have grown in popularity in recent years. It’s a brilliant way to add a little energy and uniqueness to your first dance, especially if you’re not a fan of slower romantic songs.

There are no rules that say your first dance has to be a slow one. The only thing to bear in mind is, do you have the dancing prowess needed to dance to a high-tempo song with your significant other? You don’t exactly have to be a couple who are set for the next series of Strictly, but you should be at least semi-confident to throw some solid moves while all your guests watch on. It’s also the perfect way to kick off the party and get everyone excited to start throwing some shapes of their own once you’ve had your special moment together.

What is the most popular first dance wedding song?

The most popular first dance wedding song changes regularly, depending on what artists are topping the charts at the time and whether any older songs have come back into fashion.

In recent years, songs like ‘All of Me’ by John Legend, ‘You Are the Best Thing’ by Ray LaMontagne, ‘At Last’ by Etta James  and ‘Thinking Out Loud’ by Ed Sheeran have all been consistently popular.

In 2024, the most popular first dance songs were:

1. ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’ – Elvis Presley
2. ‘Perfect’ – Ed Sheeran
3. ‘Stand By Me’ – Ben E. King
4. ‘The One’ – Kodaline
5. ‘Lover’ – Taylor Swift

To discover what other songs were the most popular first dance choices at the moment, read our guide to the top first dance songs of 2024.

200 of the best wedding first dance songs

Excited to choose the song you and your other half will dance to for the first time at your wedding? Here are 200 suggestions for romantic and meaningful songs, so the tune you have your first dance to can be something truly special.

80 romantic first dance songs

1. ‘Perfect’ – Ed Sheeran

‘I found a love, to carry more than just my secrets / To carry love, to carry children of our own.’

2. ‘At Last’ – Etta James

Key lyrics: ‘At last, my love has come along / My lonely days are over, and life is like a song.’

3. ‘Make You Feel My Love’ – Adele

Key lyrics: ‘I could hold you for a million years / To make you feel my love.’

4. ‘All of Me’ – John Legend

Key lyrics: ‘All of me loves all of you / Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections.’

5. ‘A Thousand Years’ – Christina Perri

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

6. ‘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.’

7. ‘Thinking Out Loud’ – Ed Sheeran

Key lyrics: ‘Take me into your loving arms / Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars.’

8. ‘Unchained Melody’ – The Righteous Brothers

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

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

Key lyrics: ‘You are the best thing that’s ever been mine.’

10. ‘I Won’t Give Up’ – Jason Mraz

Key lyrics: ‘I won’t give up on us / Even if the skies get rough.’

11. ‘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.’

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

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

13. ‘Your Song’ – Elton John

Key lyrics: ‘I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words / How wonderful life is while you’re in the world.’

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

Key lyrics: ‘Yes, you’re lovely, with your smile so warm / And your cheeks so soft.’

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

Key lyrics: ‘This is the first day of my life / I’m glad I didn’t die before I met you.’

16. ‘From This Moment On’ – Shania Twain

Key lyrics: ‘From this moment, life has begun / From this moment, you are the one.’

17. ‘My Person’ – Spencer Crandall

Key lyrics: ‘You’re my person, my heartbeat, my slow dance / My Sunday morning sipping coffee in bed.’

18. ‘You & Me’ – Lifehouse

Key lyrics: ‘You and me and all other people / And I don’t know why I can’t keep my eyes off of you.’

19. ‘Forever After All’ – Luke Combs

Key lyrics: ‘They say nothing lasts forever, but they ain’t seen us together.’

20. ‘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.’

21. ‘Come Away With Me’ – Norah Jones

Key lyrics: ‘Come away with me and we’ll kiss / On a mountaintop.’

22. ‘Better Together’ – Jack Johnson

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

23. ‘Have I Told You Lately’ – Van Morrison

Key lyrics: ‘Have I told you lately that I love you? / Have I told you there’s no one else above you?’

24. ‘I Get to Love You’ – Ruelle

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

25. ‘All My Life’ – K-Ci & JoJo

Key lyrics: ‘All my life, I prayed for someone like you / And I thank God that I finally found you.’

26. ‘The Luckiest’ – Ben Folds

Key lyrics: ‘What if I’d been born fifty years before you / In a house on the street where you live?’

27. ‘Falling Like the Stars’ – James Arthur

Key lyrics: ‘I swear to God, when I come home / I’m gonna hold you so close.’

28. ‘Stand by Me’ – Ben E. King

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

29. ‘To the Moon and Back’ – Luke Bryan

Key lyrics: ‘I love you to the moon and back / So glad you gave me your heart to have.’

30. ‘Forever’ – Ben Harper

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

31. ‘For You’ – Kenny Lattimore

Key lyrics: ‘For you, I give a lifetime of stability.’

32. ‘By Your Side’ – Sade

Key lyrics: ‘You think I’d leave your side, baby? / You know me better than that.’

33. ‘Speechless’ – Dan + Shay

Key lyrics: ‘You already know that you’re my weakness / After all this time, I’m just as nervous.’

34. ‘Marry Me’ – Train

Key lyrics: ‘Forever can never be long enough for me / To feel like I’ve had long enough with you.’

35. ‘I Choose You’ – Sara Bareilles

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

36. ‘Grow Old with Me’ – John Lennon

Key lyrics: ‘Grow old along with me / The best is yet to be.’

37. ‘Breathe Again’ – Toni Braxton

Key lyrics: ‘If I never feel you in my arms again / If I never feel your tender kiss again.’

38. ‘Yours’ – Russell Dickerson

Key lyrics: ‘I came to life when I first kissed you / The best me has his arms around you.’

39. ‘Feels Like Home’ – Chantal Kreviazuk

Key lyrics: ‘It feels like home to me / It feels like I’m all the way back where I come from.’

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

Key lyrics: ‘I’m gonna love you ’til my lungs give out / I promise ’til death we part like in our vows.’

41. ‘I Do’ – Colbie Caillat

Key lyrics: ‘You make me wanna say I do, I do, I do, do-do-do-do-do-do.’

42. ‘How Long Will I Love You’ – Ellie Goulding

Key lyrics: ‘How long will I love you? / As long as stars are above you.’

43. ‘Beyond’ – Leon Bridges

Key lyrics: ‘Will she have my kids? / Will she be my wife? / She might just be my everything and beyond.’

44. ‘Here and Now’ – Luther Vandross

Key lyrics: ‘Here and now, I promise to love faithfully.’

45. ‘I Believe in You and Me’ – Whitney Houston

Key lyrics: ‘I believe in dreams again / I believe that love will never end.’

46. ‘Angel’ – Jack Johnson

Key lyrics: ‘I’ve got an angel / She doesn’t wear any wings.’

47. ‘Tenerife Sea’ – Ed Sheeran

Key lyrics: ‘You look so beautiful in this light / Your silhouette over me.’

48. ‘I’ll Be’ – Edwin McCain

Key lyrics: ‘I’ll be your crying shoulder / I’ll be love’s suicide.’

49. ‘Lucky’ – Jason Mraz ft. Colbie Caillat

Key lyrics: ‘Lucky I’m in love with my best friend.’

50. ‘So This Is Love’ – Ilene Woods

Key lyrics: ‘So this is love, so this is what makes life divine.’

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

Key lyrics: ‘You say it best when you say nothing at all.’

52. ‘Stay With You’ – John Legend

Key lyrics: ‘Through the ups and the downs / Yes, I’m gonna stay with you.’

53. ‘God Gave Me You’ – Blake Shelton

Key lyrics: ‘God gave me you for the ups and downs / God gave me you for the days of doubt.’

54. ‘Back at One’ – Brian McKnight

Key lyrics: ‘One, you’re like a dream come true / Two, just wanna be with you.’

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

Key lyrics: ‘You’re still the one I run to / The one that I belong to.’

56. ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’ – King Harvest

Key lyrics: ‘Everybody’s dancing in the moonlight.’

57. ‘I Swear’ – All-4-One

Key lyrics: ‘I swear by the moon and the stars in the sky / I’ll be there.’

58. ‘Kiss Me’ – Sixpence None the Richer

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

59. ‘Love Story’ – Taylor Swift

Key lyrics: ‘Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.’

60. ‘Make It to Me’ – Sam Smith

Key lyrics: ‘You’re the one designed for me / A distant stranger that I will complete.’

61. ‘How Do I Live’ – LeAnn Rimes

Key lyrics: ‘How do I live without you? / I want to know.’

62. ‘This I Promise You’ – NSYNC

Key lyrics: ‘And I will take you in my arms / And hold you right where you belong.’

63. ‘If I Ain’t Got You’ – Alicia Keys

Key lyrics: ‘Some people want diamond rings / But I don’t want anything if it ain’t you.’

64. ‘When God Made You’ – NewSong & Natalie Grant

Key lyrics: ‘When God made you / He must have been thinking about me.’

65. ‘Eternal Flame’ – The Bangles

Key lyrics: ‘Close your eyes, give me your hand, darling / Do you feel my heart beating?’

66. ‘She Keeps Me Warm’ – Mary Lambert

Key lyrics: ‘She says I smell like safety and home.’

67. ‘I Could Not Ask for More’ – Edwin McCain

Key lyrics: ‘I could not ask for more than this time together.’

68. ‘Hero’ – Enrique Iglesias

Key lyrics: ‘I can be your hero, baby / I can kiss away the pain.’

69. ‘Moon River’ – Audrey Hepburn

Key lyrics: ‘Two drifters, off to see the world / There’s such a lot of world to see.’

70. ‘Wonderful Tonight’ – Eric Clapton

Key lyrics: ‘And then she asks me, ‘Do I look all right?’ / And I say, ‘Yes, you look wonderful tonight.”

71. ‘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 you.’

72. ‘The Book of Love’ – Peter Gabriel

Key lyrics: ‘The book of love is long and boring / And written very long ago.’

73. ‘Greatest Day’ – Take That

Key lyrics: ‘Today this could be, the greatest day of our lives.’

74. ‘Let’s Stay Together’ – Al Green

Key lyrics: ‘Let’s stay together / Loving you whether times are good or bad.’

75. ‘I Was Made for Loving You’ – Tori Kelly ft. Ed Sheeran

Key lyrics: ‘Even though we may be hopeless hearts just passing through / Every bone screams I don’t know what we should do.’

76. ‘To Be Loved’ – Adele

Key lyrics: ‘I built a house for love to grow / I was so young that it was hard to know.’

77. ‘Valentine’ – Jim Brickman ft. Martina McBride

Key lyrics: ‘You would still have my heart until the end of time.’

78. ‘Loving You’ – Minnie Riperton

Key lyrics: ‘Loving you is easy ’cause you’re beautiful.’

79. ‘When I Fall in Love’ – Nat King Cole

Key lyrics: ‘When I fall in love / It will be forever.’

80. ‘Sweet Thing’ – Van Morrison

Key lyrics: ‘And you shall take me strongly in your arms again / And I will not remember that I even felt the pain.’

30 modern first dance songs

81. ‘Lover’ – Taylor Swift

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

82. ‘You’re Somebody Else’ – Flora Cash

Key lyrics: ‘Well, you look like yourself / But you’re somebody else, only it ain’t on the surface.’

83. ‘Peaches’ – Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar, Giveon

Key lyrics: ‘I wanna wrap my arms around you, baby, never let you go, oh.’

84. ‘Better Half of Me’ – Tom Walker

Key lyrics: ‘And I’m still up at 4 AM / Is this ever gonna end? / Can I rely on you?’

85. ‘Wild Love’ – James Bay

Key lyrics: ‘Don’t know what to say / I wanna see your face / And I know what it feels like to fall in love.’

86. ‘We Found Love’ – Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris

Key lyrics: ‘We found love in a hopeless place.’

87. ‘Run’ – Snow Patrol

Key lyrics: ‘Light up, light up / As if you have a choice.’

88. ‘Shallow’ – Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper

Key lyrics: ‘I’m off the deep end, watch as I dive in / I’ll never meet the ground.’

89. ‘One Call Away’ – Charlie Puth

Key lyrics: ‘I’m only one call away / I’ll be there to save the day.’

90. ‘You Are the Reason’ – Calum Scott ft. Leona Lewis

Key lyrics: ‘I’d climb every mountain / And swim every ocean / Just to be with you.’

91. ‘Electric Love’ – BØRNS

Key lyrics: ‘Baby, you’re like lightning in a bottle / I can’t let you go now that I got it.’

92. ‘Anyone’ – Justin Bieber

Key lyrics: ‘You are the only one I’ll ever love / If it’s not you, it’s not anyone.’

93. ‘Speechless’ – Beyoncé

Key lyrics: ‘You’ve got me, you’ve got me, you’ve got me / Speechless.’

94. ‘If the World Was Ending’ – JP Saxe ft. Julia Michaels

Key lyrics: ‘If the world was ending, you’d come over, right? / You’d come over and you’d stay the night.’

95. ‘Always Remember Us This Way’ – Lady Gaga

Key lyrics: ‘So when I’m all choked up and I can’t find the words / Every time we say goodbye, baby, it hurts.’

96. ‘Sweet Creature’ – Harry Styles

Key lyrics: ‘Sweet creature, sweet creature / Wherever I go, you bring me home.’

97. ‘Sunflower’ – Post Malone

Key lyrics: ‘You’re a sunflower, I think your love would be too much.’

98. ‘Golden Hour’ – JVKE

Key lyrics: ‘It’s your golden hour / You slow down time in your golden hour.’

99. ‘Hold Me While You Wait’ – Lewis Capaldi

Key lyrics: ‘Hold me while you wait / I wish that I was good enough.’

100. ‘This Year’s Love’ – David Gray

Key lyrics: ‘This year’s love had better last.’

101. ‘Show Me Love’ – Alicia Keys

Key lyrics: ‘Show me love / Treat it like we freakin’ on the weekend, show me love.’

102. ‘Blinding Lights’ – The Weeknd

Key lyrics: ‘I’m blinded by the lights / No, I can’t sleep until I feel your touch.’

103. ‘Daylight’ – Taylor Swift

Key lyrics: ‘I don’t wanna look at anything else now that I saw you / I don’t wanna think of anything else now that I thought of you.’

104. ‘Adore You’ – Harry Styles

Key lyrics: ‘Just let me adore you, oh honey.’

105. ‘Into You’ – Ariana Grande

Key lyrics: ‘So, baby, come light me up, and maybe I’ll let you on it.’

106. ‘Another Love’ – Tom Odell

Key lyrics: ‘I wanna take you somewhere so you know I care / But it’s so cold, and I don’t know where.’

107. ‘Levitating’ – Dua Lipa

Key lyrics: ‘If you wanna run away with me, I know a galaxy and I can take you for a ride.’

108. ‘Heartbeat’ – Shawn Mendes

Key lyrics: ‘You light me up inside like the 4th of July / Whenever you’re around, I always seem to smile.’

109. ‘Forever After All’ – Luke Combs

Key lyrics: ‘They say nothing lasts forever, but they ain’t seen us together.’

110. ‘Home’ – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

Key lyrics: ‘Home is wherever I’m with you.’

15 upbeat first dance songs

111. ‘Happy’ – Pharrell Williams

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

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

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

113. ‘Love on Top’ – Beyoncé

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

114. ‘Sugar’ – Maroon 5

Key lyrics: ‘Sugar, yes please / Won’t you come and put it down on me?’

115. ‘Better Together’ – Jack Johnson

Key lyrics: ‘You and I, we’re better together / I could live without you, but I’d rather not.’

116. ‘Best Day of My Life’ – American Authors

Key lyrics: ‘This is gonna be the best day of my life / My life.’

117. ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ – Whitney Houston

Key lyrics: ‘I wanna dance with somebody / I wanna feel the heat with somebody.’

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

Key lyrics: ‘Ooh, I want to dance with you / Oh, don’t you dare look back.’

119. ‘Higher Love’ – Kygo ft. Whitney Houston

Key lyrics: ‘Bring me a higher love / Where’s that higher love I keep thinking of?’

120. ‘Dog Days Are Over’ – Florence + The Machine

Key lyrics: ‘The dog days are over / The dog days are done / The horses are coming, so you better run.’

121. ‘Feel So Close’ – Calvin Harris

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

122. ‘Good as Hell’ – Lizzo

Key lyrics: ‘I do my hair toss, check my nails / Baby, how you feelin’? / Feeling good as hell!’

123. ‘Let’s Get Loud’ – Jennifer Lopez

Key lyrics: ‘Let’s get loud, let’s get loud / Turn the music up, let’s do it.’

124. ‘Classic’ – MKTO

Key lyrics: ‘Keep it real to real in the way I feel / I could walk you down the aisle.’

125. ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling!’ – Justin Timberlake

Key lyrics: ‘I got that sunshine in my pocket / Got that good soul in my feet.’

30 indie first dance songs

126. ‘There Will Be Time’ – Mumford & Sons ft. Baaba Maal

Key lyrics: ‘In the cold light, I live to love and adore you / It’s all that I am, it’s all that I have.’

127. ‘Bloom’ – The Paper Kites

Key lyrics: ‘Bloom, bloom, bloom, bloom, bloom / You are the light in the dark.’

128. ‘Sea of Love’ – Cat Power

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

129. ‘Ho Hey’ – The Lumineers

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

130. ‘You’ve Got the Love’ – Florence + The Machine

Key lyrics: ‘You’ve got the love, you’ve got the love / You’ve got the love, you’ve got the love.’

131. ‘Flightless Bird, American Mouth’ – Iron & Wine

Key lyrics: ‘I was a quick wet boy / Diving too deep for coins / All of your straight lines.’

132. ‘Grow Old With Me’ – Tom Odell

Key lyrics: ‘Grow old with me, let us share what we see / And we’ll share what we love.’

133. ‘The One’ – Kodaline

Key lyrics: ‘I would die for you / But that’s just not enough.’

134. ‘Turning Page’ – Sleeping at Last

Key lyrics: ‘And with your love, my hands are tied / In this world where we could collide.’

135. ‘She Is Love’ – Parachute

Key lyrics: ‘She is love, and she is all I need.’

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

Key lyrics: ‘This is the first day of my life / I swear I was born right in the doorway.’

137. ‘Yellow’ – Coldplay

Key lyrics: ‘Look at the stars, look how they shine for you / And everything you do, yeah, they were all yellow.’

138. ‘Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop’ – Landon Pigg

Key lyrics: ‘I think I fell in love today, oh / I think I fell in love today.’

139. ‘Skinny Love’ – Bon Iver

Key lyrics: ‘Come on skinny love, just last the year / Pour a little salt, we were never here.’

140. ‘1234’ – Feist

Key lyrics: ‘1, 2, 3, 4, tell me that you love me more / Sleepless long nights, that is what my youth was for.’

141. ‘Holocene’ – Bon Iver

Key lyrics: ‘And at once I knew I was not magnificent / Strayed above the highway aisle.’

142. ‘Sweet Disposition’ – The Temper Trap

Key lyrics: ‘Sweet disposition / Never too soon, oh, oh / I’m just trying to find / A place for you.’

143. ‘Big Jet Plane’ – Angus & Julia Stone

Key lyrics: ‘She said, ‘Hey, you, and you / Don’t you know that I am the one / Who can make you feel so blue?”

144. ‘All I Want’ – Kodaline

Key lyrics: ‘All I want is nothing more / To hear you knocking at my door.’

145. ‘Ophelia’ – The Lumineers

Key lyrics: ‘Oh, Ophelia, you’ve been on my mind / Girl, since the flood.’

146. ‘Chance’ – Angel Olsen

Key lyrics: ‘All that space in between where we stand / Could be our chance / Could be our chance.’

147. ‘Roslyn’ – Bon Iver & St. Vincent

Key lyrics: ‘This is not the sound of a new man / or a crispy realisation / It’s the sound of the unlocking and the lift away.’

148. ‘Work Song’ – Hozier

Key lyrics: ‘I will be the one to keep you warm / Hold your heart, keep it from the storm.’

149. ‘Chasing Cars’ – Snow Patrol

Key lyrics: ‘If I lay here / If I just lay here / Would you lie with me and just forget the world?’

150. ‘Love Like This’ – Kodaline

Key lyrics: ‘And I know that I will love you / And I know that you will love me.’

151. ‘VCR’ – The xx

Key lyrics: ‘You don’t know me, but I know you / I don’t even want to / I don’t even want to tell you.’

152. ‘Heroes’ – David Bowie (Acoustic Version)

Key lyrics: ‘We can be heroes, just for one day / We can be us, just for one day.’

153. ‘In My Arms’ – Plumb

Key lyrics: ‘I will be your shelter, I will be your storm / I will make you shiver, I will keep you warm.’

154. ‘Stolen’ – Dashboard Confessional

Key lyrics: ‘You have stolen my heart / And I don’t know what to do.’

155. ‘Passenger Seat’ – Death Cab for Cutie

Key lyrics: ‘I’m in love with you / And I am, and I am / In love with you.’

15 unconventional first dance songs

156. ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ – T.V. Carpio

Key lyrics: ‘Oh, please, say to me / You’ll let me be your man / And please, say to me / You’ll let me hold your hand.’

157. ‘Creep’ – Radiohead (Acoustic Cover)

Key lyrics: ‘When you were here before, couldn’t look you in the eye / You’re just like an angel, your skin makes me cry.’

158. ‘The Book of Love’ – Magnetic Fields

Key lyrics: ‘But I, I love it when you give me things / And you, you ought to give me wedding rings.’

159. ‘You’re My Best Friend’ – Queen

Key lyrics: ‘Ooh, you make me live / Whatever this world can give to me / ‘Cause you’re all I see.’

160. ‘Come As You Are’ – Nirvana (String Quartet Cover)

Key lyrics: ‘Come as you are, as you were / As I want you to be.’

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

Key lyrics: ‘She’s got eyes of the bluest skies / As if they thought of rain / I hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain.’

162. ‘Take Me to Church’ – Hozier (Acoustic Version)

Key lyrics: ‘Take me to church / I’ll worship like a dog at the shrine of your lies / I’ll tell you my sins and you can sharpen your knife.’

163. ‘The Only Exception’ – Paramore

Key lyrics: ‘And I am breaking / I’m not broken / And I’m not breaking / I’m not broken.’

164. ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ – Gotye ft. Kimbra

Key lyrics: ‘Now you’re just somebody that I used to know / Now you’re just somebody that I used to know.’

165. ‘Space Oddity’ – David Bowie

Key lyrics: ‘This is Ground Control to Major Tom / You’ve really made the grade / And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear.’

166. ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ – Nirvana

Key lyrics: ‘With the lights out, it’s less dangerous / Here we are now, entertain us / I feel stupid and contagious.’

167. ‘Such Great Heights’ – Iron and Wine (a Postal Service cover)

Key lyrics: ‘They will see us waving from such great heights / Come down now, they’ll say / But everything looks perfect from far away.’

168. ‘Young and Beautiful’ – Lana Del Rey

Key lyrics: ‘Will you still love me when I’m no longer young and beautiful?’

169. ‘Everlong’ – Foo Fighters (Acoustic)

Key lyrics: ‘And I wonder / When I sing along with you / If everything could ever feel this real forever.’

170. ‘Crashed the Wedding’ – Busted

Key lyrics: ‘True love lasts forever / And now we’re back together.’

30 classic first dance songs

171. ‘Unforgettable’ – Nat King Cole

Key lyrics: ‘Unforgettable, that’s what you are / Unforgettable, though near or far.’

172. ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ – Frank Sinatra

Key lyrics: ‘Fly me to the moon / Let me play among the stars / Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars.’

173. ‘The Very Thought of You’ – Billie Holiday

Key lyrics: ‘The very thought of you / And I forget to do / The little ordinary things that everyone ought to do.’

174. ‘And I Love You So’ – Perry Como

Key lyrics: ‘And I love you so / The people ask me how / How I’ve lived till now / I tell them I don’t know.’

175. ‘Cheek to Cheek’ – Fred Astaire

Key lyrics: ‘Heaven, I’m in heaven / And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak.’

176. ‘Dream a Little Dream of Me’ – Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald

Key lyrics: ‘Stars shining bright above you / Night breezes seem to whisper ‘I love you’.’

177. ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’ – Frank Sinatra

Key lyrics: ‘I’ve got you under my skin / I’ve got you deep in the heart of me.’

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

Key lyrics: ‘For once in my life, I have someone who needs me / Someone I’ve needed so long.’

179. ‘My Girl’ – The Temptations

Key lyrics: ‘I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day / When it’s cold outside, I’ve got the month of May.’

180. ‘The Way You Look Tonight’ – Fred Astaire

Key lyrics: ‘Someday, when I’m awfully low / When the world is cold, I will feel a glow just thinking of you.’

181. ‘What a Wonderful World’ – Louis Armstrong

Key lyrics: ‘I see trees of green, red roses too / I see them bloom for me and you.’

182. ‘Let’s Face the Music and Dance’ – Nat King Cole

Key lyrics: ‘Let’s face the music and dance / Let’s face the music and dance.’

183. ‘Isn’t It Romantic’ – Ella Fitzgerald

Key lyrics: ‘Isn’t it romantic? / Music in the night, a dream that can be heard.’

184. ‘It Had to Be You’ – Harry Connick Jr.

Key lyrics: ‘It had to be you, it had to be you / I wandered around and finally found / The somebody who could make me be true.’

185. ‘That’s Amore’ – Dean Martin

Key lyrics: ‘When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore.’

186. ‘Only You’ – The Platters

Key lyrics: ‘Only you can make the darkness bright.’

187. ‘That’s How Strong My Love Is’ – Otis Redding

Key lyrics: ‘That’s how strong my love is, baby, baby / That’s how strong my love is.’

188. ‘You Belong to Me’ – Jo Stafford

Key lyrics: ‘See the pyramids along the Nile / Watch the sunrise on a tropic isle.’

189. ‘Always’ – Irving Berlin

Key lyrics: ‘I’ll be loving you, always / With a love that’s true, always.’

190. ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ – Ella Fitzgerald

Key lyrics: ‘There’s a somebody I’m longing to see / I hope that he turns out to be / Someone to watch over me.’

191. ‘True Love’ – Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly

Key lyrics: ‘True love, true love / Oh, true love, true love.’

192. ‘Sway’ – Dean Martin

Key lyrics: ‘When marimba rhythms start to play / Dance with me, make me sway.’

193. ‘A Kiss to Build a Dream On’ – Louis Armstrong

Key lyrics: ‘Give me a kiss to build a dream on / And my imagination will thrive upon that kiss.’

194. ‘They Can’t Take That Away From Me’ – Frank Sinatra

Key lyrics: ‘The way you wear your hat / The way you sip your tea / The memory of all that.’

195. ‘You Do Something to Me’ – Paul Weller

Key lyrics: ‘You do something to me, something that simply mystifies me.’

196. ‘How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)’ – Marvin Gaye

Key lyrics: ‘How sweet it is to be loved by you / How sweet it is to be loved by you.’

197. ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’ – Percy Sledge

Key lyrics: ‘When a man loves a woman / Can’t keep his mind on nothin’ else.’

198. ‘Stand by Me’ – Ben E. King

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

199. ‘Chances Are’ – Johnny Mathis

Key lyrics: ‘Chances are, ’cause I wear a silly grin / The moment you come into view.’

200. ‘I Only Have Eyes for You’ – The Flamingos

Key lyrics: ‘I only have eyes for you / The moon may be high / But I can’t see a thing in the sky.’

Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook

At Bridebook, we’ve helped more than two million happy couples plan their big day with our wedding tools and tips.

To make sure you have the best wedding playlist ever, browse our massive selection of wedding bands and DJs, who can help bring your vision to life.

You Might Also Like…

• The 150 Best Wedding Entrance Songs
• The 200 Best Wedding Ceremony Songs
• The 175 Best Wedding Reception Songs
• The 155 Best Songs to Walk Down the Aisle To
• The Top First Dance Songs of 2024
• How Much Does Wedding Music Cost? The 2024 Average Revealed

Happy Planning!

After the nerves and jitters of your ceremony and the formalities of your wedding breakfast, once it’s time for your wedding reception to start, you can finally let your hair down. Your wedding reception is an evening filled with fun, spending time with your newly enlarged family, eating and – of course – dancing.

And the best way to get your guests to join you on the dancefloor is with a banging playlist filled with classics, romantic hits, chart toppers and even a few cheesy numbers thrown in for good measure. And while it’s important to have a mix of songs playing at your wedding reception, you probably won’t want to just hit ‘random’. That’s why a carefully chosen playlist can ensure you throw a party no one will soon forget.

In this article, we’ll run through 175 of the best wedding reception songs to consider including in your playlist, from high-energy anthems to those so-bad-they’re-great crowd-pleasers.

What songs do you need at a wedding reception?

There’s way more to your wedding reception than a disco, with a whole range of different types of songs playing, depending on the size and style you’ve gone for. Here are the most common types of songs you might expect to hear at a wedding reception:

• Entrance song: A usually upbeat song that plays when the happy couple enters the reception venue for the first time.
• First dance song: A romantic and slow-tempo song that the couple will have their first official dance to.
• Parents’ dance: A slower song that plays as the couple dances with their parents, such as a father-daughter and mother-son dance.
• Cultural songs: It may be appropriate to play songs that honour the families’ cultures and beliefs.
• Party songs: When the disco starts, it’s time to throw some shapes to popular crowd-pleasers!
• Closing song: Usually a funny or relevant song that lets your guests know the night has come to an end.

What makes for a good wedding reception song?

A good wedding reception song helps to capture the feeling of love and celebration that fits with the tone of your overall wedding. You can choose from a mix of genres, eras, styles and artists, to make sure you have tunes that suit everyone’s tastes.

Here are a few characteristics that make for a great wedding reception song:

• High energy: Make sure you have songs that everyone wants to dance to
• Timeless: Songs that everyone instantly recognises and no doubt already loves.
• Emotional: Songs focused on love and happiness will always go down well.
• Relevance: Try to choose some songs with heartfelt and celebratory lyrics, or lyrics that you have a personal connection to.
• Danceability: Of course, the songs have to have a beat everyone can dance to!
• Variety: Choose different songs that will appeal to a wide variety of age groups. Yes, you might love hard rock, but can your 97-year-old grandma dance to it all night long?
• Cultural significance: If you have songs that relate to your background or culture, it’s great to honour them by including some.

What sorts of genres should you include?

What genres of music you choose to include at your wedding reception is really down to you, your tastes and the tone you’re going for. The important thing is to choose a wide variety of songs from lots of different genres. But, you also want to make sure the songs flow nicely from one to the next – though that’s for your DJ (if you have one) to worry about.

A well-rounded wedding reception playlist will include songs from genres like: 

• Pop
• Classic rock
• R&B
• Disco
• Indie
• Motown
• Dance
• Country
• Hip-hop

This list is far from exhaustive. Whatever your musical tastes, there are absolutely ways to include them in your reception playlist. Have a chat with whoever is in charge of your music and let them know the sort of songs you’d like. 

How many songs do you need at your wedding reception?

The number of songs that will play at your wedding reception depends entirely on the length of your evening.

As a rough guide, most songs are between three and four minutes in length, which means approximately 15 to 20 songs will play per hour. So, if your reception lasts two hours, up to 40 songs will play. If it’s four hours, up to 80 songs will play.

But, it’s always best to choose more than you need if you want to make sure your playlist is only full of your favourite tunes.

175 of the best songs to include in your wedding reception

Choosing your wedding reception playlist can be a lot of fun, but with an almost endless number of songs out there, where on Earth do you start? To help you whittle things down, we’ve put together 175 of the best wedding reception songs, so you can throw the party of the century.

20 wedding entrance songs

1. ‘Marry You’ – Bruno Mars

Key Lyrics: ‘It’s a beautiful night, we’re looking for something dumb to do.’

2. ‘Bring ‘Em Out’ – T.I.

Key Lyrics: ‘Bring ’em out, bring ’em out, bring ’em out, bring ’em out!’

3. ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling!’ – Justin Timberlake

Key Lyrics: ‘I got that sunshine in my pocket, got that good soul in my feet.’

4. ‘Happy’ – Pharrell Williams

Key Lyrics: ‘Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth.’

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

Key Lyrics: ‘Here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I’m yours.’

6. ‘Let’s Get Married (Remix)’ – Jagged Edge ft. Run DMC

Key Lyrics: ‘Meet me at the altar in your white dress.’

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

Key Lyrics: ‘This will be an everlasting love for me.’

8. ‘Feel So Close’ – Calvin Harris

Key Lyrics: ‘I feel so close to you right now, it’s a force field.’

9. ‘We Found Love’ – Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris

Key Lyrics: ‘We found love in a hopeless place.’

10. ‘I Gotta Feeling’ – Black Eyed Peas

Key Lyrics: ‘Tonight’s gonna be a good night.’

11. ‘I’m Yours’ – Jason Mraz

Key lyrics: ‘I’m yours.’

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

Key Lyrics: ‘I’m walking on sunshine, whoa!’

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

Key Lyrics: ‘Ain’t no mountain high enough, ain’t no valley low enough.’

14. ‘All You Need is Love’ – The Beatles

Key Lyrics: ‘All you need is love, love, love is all you need.’

15. ‘You Make My Dreams (Come True)’ – Hall & Oates

Key Lyrics: ‘You make my dreams come true.’

16. ‘Dynamite’ – Taio Cruz

Key Lyrics: ‘I throw my hands up in the air sometimes, saying ‘ayo, gotta let go.”

17. ‘Good Life’ – Kanye West ft. T-Pain

Key Lyrics: ‘Welcome to the good life.’

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

Key Lyrics: ‘I’m on top of the world, hey!’

11. ‘Let’s Get It Started’ – Black Eyed Peas

Key Lyrics: ‘Let’s get it started in here.’

20. ‘Beautiful Day’ – U2

Key Lyrics: ‘It’s a beautiful day, don’t let it get away.’

Looking for a little more inspo for wedding entrance songs? Read our article featuring 150 of the best wedding entrance songs for even more ideas.

20 first dance songs

21. ‘Perfect’ – Ed Sheeran

Key Lyrics: ‘I found a love, to carry more than just my secrets.’

22. ‘At Last’ – Etta James

Key Lyrics: ‘At last, my love has come along.’

23. ‘All of Me’ – John Legend

Key Lyrics: ‘All of me loves all of you.’

24. ‘Thinking Out Loud’ – Ed Sheeran

Key Lyrics: ‘Take me into your loving arms.’

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

Key Lyrics: ‘You are the best thing that ever happened to me.’

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

Key Lyrics: ‘I’m gonna love you till my lungs give out.’

27. ‘Lucky’ – Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat

Key Lyrics: ‘Lucky I’m in love with my best friend.’

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

Key Lyrics: ‘Take my hand, take my whole life too.’

29. ‘Beyond’ – Leon Bridges

Key Lyrics: ‘She might just be my everything and beyond.’

30. ‘Speechless’ – Dan + Shay

Key Lyrics: ‘I’m speechless, staring at you standing there in that dress.’

31. ‘Die a Happy Man’ – Thomas Rhett

Key Lyrics: ‘I could die a happy man.’

32. ‘Better Together’ – Jack Johnson

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

33. ‘Lover’ – Taylor Swift

Key Lyrics: ‘Can I go where you go?’

34. ‘Everything’ – Michael Bublé

Key Lyrics: ‘You’re everything, everything to me.’

35. ‘When You Say Nothing At All’ – Ronan Keating

Key Lyrics: ‘You say it best (you say it best) when you say nothing at all.’

36. ‘From the Ground Up’ – Dan + Shay

Key Lyrics: ‘We’ll build this love from the ground up.’

37. ‘I Get to Love You’ – Ruelle

Key Lyrics: ‘I get to love you, it’s the best thing I’ll ever do.’

38. ‘Unchained Melody’ – The Righteous Brothers

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

39. ‘Make You Feel My Love’ – Adele

Key Lyrics: ‘I could make you happy, make your dreams come true.’

40. ‘Yours’ – Russell Dickerson

Key Lyrics: ‘I came to life when I first kissed you.’

20 songs couples can dance to

41. ‘Shallow’ – Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper

Key Lyrics: ‘I’m off the deep end, watch as I dive in / I’ll never meet the ground.’

42. ‘By Your Side’ – Sade

    Key Lyrics: ‘Oh, when you’re cold, I’ll be there / Hold you tight to me (to me, yeah).’

43. ‘If I Ain’t Got You’ – Alicia Keys

Key Lyrics: ‘Some people want it all, but I don’t want nothing at all / If it ain’t you, baby.’

44. ‘Best Part’ – Daniel Caesar & H.E.R.

Key Lyrics: ‘You’re my water when I’m stuck in the desert / You’re the Tylenol I take when my head hurts.’

45. ‘Adore You’ – Harry Styles

Key Lyrics: ‘Just let me adore you / Like it’s the only thing I’ll ever do.’

46. ‘A Thousand Years’ – Christina Perri

Key Lyrics: ‘I have died every day waiting for you / Darling, don’t be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years.’

47. ‘Latch’ – Disclosure ft. Sam Smith

Key Lyrics: ‘Now I’ve got you in my space / I won’t let go of you.’

48. ‘No One’ – Alicia Keys

Key Lyrics: ‘No one, no one, no one / Can get in the way of what I’m feeling.’

49. ‘Come Away with Me’ – Norah Jones

Key Lyrics: ‘Come away with me and we’ll kiss on a mountaintop.’

50. ‘You Send Me’ – Sam Cooke

Key Lyrics: ‘You send me / Honest you do, honest you do.’

51. ‘Electric Feel’ – MGMT

Key Lyrics: ‘You can feel it in your mind, oh, you can do it all the time.’

52. ‘Higher Love’ – Kygo & Whitney Houston

Key Lyrics: ‘Bring me a higher love / Where’s that higher love I keep thinking of?’

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

Key Lyrics: ‘You’re still the one I run to / The one that I belong to.’

54. ‘Back at One’ – Brian McKnight

Key Lyrics: ‘One, you’re like a dream come true / Two, just wanna be with you.’

55. ‘Like I’m Gonna Lose You’ – Meghan Trainor & John Legend

Key Lyrics: ‘So I’m gonna love you like I’m gonna lose you.’

56. ‘XO’ – Beyoncé

Key Lyrics: ‘In the darkest night, I’ll search through the crowd / Your face is all that I see.’

57. ‘How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)’ – James Taylor

Key Lyrics: ‘How sweet it is to be loved by you.’

58. ‘Let’s Stay Together’ – Al Green

Key Lyrics: ‘Let’s stay together, loving you whether / Times are good or bad, happy or sad.’

59. ‘Someone Like You’ – Van Morrison

Key Lyrics: ‘I’ve been searching my whole life through / For someone like you.’

60. ‘Baby, I Love Your Way’ – Peter Frampton

Key Lyrics: ‘Ooh baby, I love your way, every day.’

50 high-energy songs that everyone can dance to

61. ‘Uptown Funk’ – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars

Key Lyrics: ‘Don’t believe me, just watch!’

62. ‘Don’t Stop Believin” – Journey

Key Lyrics: ‘Don’t stop believin’ / Hold on to that feelin’.’

63. ‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ – Whitney Houston

Key Lyrics: ‘Oh, I wanna dance with somebody / I wanna feel the heat with somebody.’

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

Key Lyrics: ‘Oh, don’t you dare look back / Just keep your eyes on me.’

65. ‘September’ – Earth, Wind & Fire

Key Lyrics: ‘Do you remember the 21st night of September?’

66. ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ – Bon Jovi

Key Lyrics: ‘Whoa, we’re halfway there / Whoa-oh, livin’ on a prayer.’

67. ‘Yeah!’ – Usher ft. Lil Jon & Ludacris

Key Lyrics: ‘Yeah, yeah, shorty got down low, said, ‘Come and get me.”

68. ‘Billie Jean’ – Michael Jackson

Key Lyrics: ‘Billie Jean is not my lover / She’s just a girl who claims that I am the one.’

69. ‘Sweet Caroline’ – Neil Diamond

Key Lyrics: ‘Sweet Caroline / Good times never seemed so good.’

70. ‘Dancing Queen’ – ABBA

Key Lyrics: ‘You are the dancing queen / Young and sweet, only seventeen.’

71. ‘Footloose’ – Kenny Loggins

Key Lyrics: ‘Everybody cut footloose!’

72. ‘Shake It Off’ – Taylor Swift

Key Lyrics: ‘The players gonna play, play, play, play, play / And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.’

73. ‘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.’

74. ‘Hey Ya!’ – OutKast

Key Lyrics: ‘Shake it like a Polaroid picture!’

75. ‘Super Freak’ – Rick James

Key Lyrics: ‘She’s a very kinky girl / The kind you don’t take home to mother.’

76. ‘Wake Me Up’ – Avicii

Key Lyrics: ‘So wake me up when it’s all over / When I’m wiser and I’m older.’

77. ‘Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)’ – Beyoncé

Key Lyrics: ‘If you liked it, then you shoulda put a ring on it.’

78. ‘We Are Family’ – Sister Sledge

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

79. ‘Party Rock Anthem’ – LMFAO

Key Lyrics: ‘Party rock is in the house tonight / Everybody just have a good time.’

80. ‘Get Lucky’ – Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams

Key Lyrics: ‘We’re up all night to get lucky.’

81. ‘Old Town Road’ – Lil Nas X ft. Billy Ray Cyrus

Key Lyrics: ‘Can’t nobody tell me nothing / You can’t tell me nothing.’

82. ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ – Shakira ft. Wyclef Jean

Key Lyrics: ‘Oh, baby, when you talk like that, you make a woman go mad.’

83. ’24K Magic’ – Bruno Mars

Key Lyrics: ‘Players, put your pinky rings up to the moon!’

84. ‘Let’s Groove’ – Earth, Wind & Fire

Key Lyrics: ‘Let’s groove tonight / Share the spice of life.’

85. ‘All Night Long’ – Lionel Richie

Key Lyrics: ‘We’re going to party, karamu, fiesta, forever.’

86. ‘Rock Your Body’ – Justin Timberlake

Key Lyrics: ‘So rock your body right.’

87. ‘Treasure’ – Bruno Mars

Key Lyrics: ‘Treasure, that is what you are / Honey, you’re my golden star.’

88. ‘Jump Around’ – House of Pain

Key Lyrics: ‘Jump around! Jump around!’

89. ‘Levitating’ – Dua Lipa

Key Lyrics: ‘I got you, moonlight, you’re my starlight.’

90. ‘Senorita’ – Justin Timberlake

Key Lyrics: ‘Senorita, I feel for you / You deal with things that you don’t have to.’

91. ‘We Will Rock You’ – Queen

Key Lyrics: ‘We will, we will rock you.’

92. ‘Don’t Stop the Music’ – Rihanna

Key Lyrics: ‘Please don’t stop the music.’

93. ‘Cupid Shuffle’ – Cupid

Key Lyrics: ‘To the right, to the right, to the right, to the right.’

94. ‘Time of Our Lives’ – Pitbull & Ne-Yo

Key Lyrics: ‘I knew my rent was gonna be late about a week ago.’

95. ‘I Love It’ – Icona Pop ft. Charli XCX

Key Lyrics: ‘I don’t care, I love it!’

96. ‘My House’ – Flo Rida

Key Lyrics: ‘Welcome to my house / Baby, take control now.’

97. ‘Wobble’ – V.I.C.

Key Lyrics: ‘Wobble baby, wobble baby, wobble baby, wobble.’

98. ‘Wannabe’ – Spice Girls

Key Lyrics: ‘If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends.’

99. ‘Toxic’ – Britney Spears

Key Lyrics: ‘With a taste of your lips, I’m on a ride.’

100. ‘Blurred Lines’ – Robin Thicke ft. Pharrell & T.I.

Key Lyrics: ‘I hate these blurred lines.’

101. ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun’ – Cyndi Lauper

Key Lyrics: ‘When the working day is done, oh, girls just want to have fun.’

102. ‘Shout’ – The Isley Brothers

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

103. ‘Bad Romance’ – Lady Gaga

Key Lyrics: ‘I want your love and I want your revenge / You and me could write a bad romance.’

104. ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ – AC/DC

Key Lyrics: ‘You shook me all night long.’

105. ‘Let’s Get Loud’ – Jennifer Lopez

Key Lyrics: ‘Let’s get loud, let’s get loud.’

106. ‘Take On Me’ – A-ha

Key Lyrics: ‘Oh, I’ll be comin’ for your love, okay.’

107. ‘Pour Some Sugar on Me’ – Def Leppard

Key Lyrics: ‘Pour some sugar on me / In the name of love.’

108. ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!’ – ABBA

Key Lyrics: ‘Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight.’

109. ‘Mr. Brightside’ – The Killers

Key Lyrics: ‘Jealousy, turning saints into the sea.’

110. ‘Dancing with a Stranger’ – Sam Smith & Normani

Key Lyrics: ‘Look what you made me do, I’m with somebody new.’

20 wedding reception classics

111. ‘Respect’ – Aretha Franklin

Key Lyrics: ‘R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me.’

112. ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ – Van Morrison

Key Lyrics: ‘You’re my brown-eyed girl.’

113. ‘Twist and Shout’ – The Beatles

Key Lyrics: ‘Come on, come on, come on, baby now.’

114. ‘Rock Around the Clock’ – Bill Haley & His Comets

Key Lyrics: ‘We’re gonna rock around the clock tonight.’

115. ‘Celebration’ – Kool & the Gang

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

116. ‘Jailhouse Rock’ – Elvis Presley

Key Lyrics: ‘Let’s rock, everybody, let’s rock.’

117. ‘Great Balls of Fire’ – Jerry Lee Lewis

Key Lyrics: ‘Goodness, gracious, great balls of fire!’

118. ‘Stayin’ Alive’ – Bee Gees

Key Lyrics: ‘Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.’

119. ‘I Will Survive’ – Gloria Gaynor

Key Lyrics: ‘Oh no, not I, I will survive.’

120. ‘Y.M.C.A.’ – Village People

Key Lyrics: ‘It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.’

121. ‘We Are Family’ – Sister Sledge

Key Lyrics: ‘We are family, I got all my sisters with me.’

122. ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ – Lynyrd Skynyrd

Key Lyrics: ‘Sweet home Alabama, where the skies are so blue.’

123. ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ – The Foundations

Key Lyrics: ‘Why do you build me up, buttercup, baby?’

124. ‘Rehab’ – Amy Winehouse

     Key Lyrics: ‘Yes, I’ve been black, but when I come back, you’ll know, know, know.’

125. ‘Proud Mary’ – Tina Turner

Key Lyrics: ‘Big wheels keep on turning.’

126. ‘Good Times’ – Chic

Key Lyrics: ‘These are the good times.’

127. ‘Summer of ’69’ – Bryan Adams

Key Lyrics: ‘Oh, when I look back now.’

128. ‘I Want You Back’ – Jackson 5

Key Lyrics: ‘Oh baby, give me one more chance.’

129. ‘I’m Coming Out’ – Diana Ross

Key Lyrics: ‘I’m coming out, I want the world to know.’

130. ‘American Girl’ – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Key Lyrics: ‘She was an American girl.’

15 songs that older guests can dance to

131. ‘Unforgettable’ – Nat King Cole

Key Lyrics: ‘Unforgettable, that’s what you are / Unforgettable, though near or far.’

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

Key Lyrics: ‘Some day, when I’m awfully low / When the world is cold, I will feel a glow just thinking of you.’

133. ‘My Girl’ – The Temptations

Key Lyrics: ‘I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day / When it’s cold outside, I’ve got the month of May.’

134. ‘What a Wonderful World’ – Louis Armstrong

Key Lyrics: ‘I see trees of green, red roses too / I see them bloom for me and you / And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.’

135. ‘In the Mood’ – Glenn Miller

Key Lyrics: (Instrumental – known for its iconic swing melody and lively rhythm.)

136. ‘Stand by Me’ – Ben E. King

Key Lyrics: ‘If the sky that we look upon should tumble and fall / Or the mountain should crumble to the sea / I won’t cry, I won’t cry, no, I won’t shed a tear.’

137. ‘You Make Me Feel So Young’ – Frank Sinatra

Key Lyrics: ‘You make me feel so young / You make me feel like spring has sprung.’

138. ‘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.’

139. ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ – Frank Sinatra

Key Lyrics: ‘Fly me to the moon, let me play among the stars / Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars.’

140. ‘The Twist’ – Chubby Checker

Key Lyrics: ‘Come on baby, let’s do the twist / Take me by my little hand and go like this.’

141. ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ – Elvis Presley

Key Lyrics: ‘Well, you can do anything but lay off of my blue suede shoes.’

142. ‘Dancing in the Street’ – Martha and the Vandellas

Key Lyrics: ‘Calling out around the world, are you ready for a brand new beat? / Summer’s here and the time is right for dancing in the street.’

143. ‘La Bamba’ – Ritchie Valens

Key Lyrics: ‘Para bailar la Bamba, se necesita una poca de gracia.’

144. ‘I Only Have Eyes for You’ – The Flamingos

Key Lyrics: ‘Are the stars out tonight? / I don’t know if it’s cloudy or bright / ‘Cause I only have eyes for you.’

145. ‘Runaround Sue’ – Dion

Key Lyrics: ‘Here’s my story, it’s sad but true / It’s about a girl that I once knew.’

15 funny songs to play at a wedding reception

146. ‘Another One Bites the Dust’ – Queen

Key Lyrics: ‘Another one bites the dust / And another one gone, and another one gone, another one bites the dust.’

147. ‘Love Stinks’ – J. Geils Band

Key Lyrics: ‘You love her, but she loves him / And he loves somebody else, you just can’t win.’

148. ‘Hit the Road Jack’ – Ray Charles

Key Lyrics: ‘Hit the road Jack, and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.’

149. ‘Before He Cheats’ – Carrie Underwood

Key Lyrics: ‘I dug my key into the side of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive.’

150. ‘Gold Digger’ – Kanye West ft. Jamie Foxx

Key Lyrics: ‘Now I ain’t sayin’ she a gold digger / But she ain’t messin’ with no broke…’

151. ‘Highway to Hell’ – AC/DC

Key Lyrics: ‘I’m on the highway to hell.’

152. ‘It Wasn’t Me’ – Shaggy

Key Lyrics: ‘But she caught me on the counter / It wasn’t me.’

153. ‘Hot in Herre’ – Nelly

Key Lyrics: ‘It’s gettin’ hot in here, so take off all your clothes.’

154. ‘Big Poppa’ – The Notorious B.I.G.

Key Lyrics: ‘I love it when you call me Big Poppa.’

155. ‘Macarena’ – Los Del Río

Key Lyrics: ‘Heeey, macarena!’

156. ‘I’m Too Sexy’ – Right Said Fred

Key Lyrics: ‘I’m too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it hurts.’

157. ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ – Baha Men

Key Lyrics: ‘Who let the dogs out? Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof.’

158. ‘Getting jiggy wit It’ – Will Smith

     Key Lyrics: ‘On your mark, ready, set, let’s go / Dancefloor pro, I know you know.’

159. ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’ – The Proclaimers

Key Lyrics: ‘But I would walk 500 miles / And I would walk 500 more.’

160. ‘Oops!… I Did It Again’ – Britney Spears

Key Lyrics: ‘Oops!… I did it again, I played with your heart, got lost in the game.’

15 underrated songs to play at a wedding reception

161. ‘Electric Love’ – BØRNS

Key Lyrics: ‘Baby, you’re like lightning in a bottle / I can’t let you go now that I got it.’

162. ‘Good as Hell’ – Lizzo

Key Lyrics: ‘If he don’t love you anymore / Just walk your fine self out the door.’

163. ‘Love on Top’ – Beyoncé

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

164. ‘Some Kind of Wonderful’ – Grand Funk Railroad

Key Lyrics: ‘When I hold her in my arms, you know she sets my soul on fire.’

165. ‘Somebody To Love Me’ – Mark Ronson feat. Boy George

Key Lyrics: ‘I don’t wanna see you go / I want somebody to love me.’

166. ‘I Wanna Be Your Lover’ – Prince

Key Lyrics: ‘I wanna be your lover, I wanna be the only one that makes you come running.’

167. ‘Feel It Still’ – Portugal. The Man

Key Lyrics: ‘Ooh, I’m a rebel just for kicks now / I’ve been feelin’ it since 1966 now.’

168. ‘My Type’ – Saint Motel

Key Lyrics: ‘You’re just my type / Oh, you got a pulse and you are breathing.’

169. ‘Sh-Boom’ – The Chords

Key Lyrics: ‘Life could be a dream, if I could take you up in paradise up above.’

170. ‘You & Me’ – Disclosure ft. Eliza Doolittle

Key Lyrics: ‘When I’m with you, it’s all good / It’s all good, all good.’

171. ‘Little of Your Love’ – HAIM

Key Lyrics: ‘I need just a little of your love / I need just a little of your love.’

172. ‘Ho Hey’ – The Lumineers

Key Lyrics: ‘I belong with you, you belong with me, you’re my sweetheart.’

173. ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’ – King Harvest

Key Lyrics: ‘Dancing in the moonlight / Everybody’s feeling warm and bright.’

174. ‘Out of My League’ – Fitz and The Tantrums

Key Lyrics: ‘From time to time I pinch myself / Because I think my girl mistakes me for somebody else.’

175. ‘Firestone’ – Kygo ft. Conrad Sewell

Key Lyrics: ‘We light up the world / We were fire and stone.’

Plan your dream wedding with Bridebook

Here at Bridebook, we’re proud to say that more than two million couples have used our app to plan their dream wedding.

Browse our huge selection of wedding bands and DJs and find the perfect playlist for your wedding, so you have a night to remember.

You Might Also Like…

• The 150 Best Wedding Entrance Songs
• The 200 Best Wedding Ceremony Songs
• The 200 Best First Dance Songs
• The 155 Best Songs to Walk Down the Aisle To
• The Top First Dance Songs of 2024
• How Much Does Wedding Music Cost? The 2024 Average Revealed

Happy Planning!