When it comes to wedding songs, it’s all about choosing the best wedding songs to get people out on the dance floor and make your wedding one to remember. You don’t want your wedding music to be cheesy, so you want to choose songs that people actually know and enjoy listening to and dancing to.
If you’ve been searching for wedding music to make your wedding day stand out (in a good way), we’ve got you covered with the top wedding songs of 2023 including a look at:
- Best group dancing songs for a wedding
- Popular first dance wedding songs
- Sweet cake cutting songs
- Best wedding reception songs
Get your dancing shoes ready as we look at the best wedding songs that will make your wedding reception and wedding ceremony one to remember.
What Is The Most Popular Wedding Song of All Time?
If you’re looking for the most popular wedding song of all time, many sources point to The King…Elvis Presley. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley is at the top of many lists. It’s a classic ballad that’s become one of the most romantic love songs of all time.
While Elvis Presley may fall under the favorites when it comes to classic tunes, there are plenty of new wedding songs that you can play at your wedding reception too that your wedding guests will love to hear and more importantly love to dance to. These include:
- “At Last” by Etta James
- “Marry Me” by Train
- “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri
- “Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers
- “All of Me” by John Legend
- “Marry You” by Bruno Mars
- “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran
- “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton
- “Truly, Madly Deeply” by Savage Garden
These are just a few of the most popular wedding songs of all time you may want to consider adding to your wedding playlist.
Is it Better to Stick with The Classic Songs or Try Something New?
As you look for the best wedding songs for your special day, you may be wondering if you should go the classic route or try new wedding songs. This is going to depend on what vibe you’re going for. Some people like to have traditional songs that all wedding guests will likely know while others opt for songs that are new and not all wedding guests may be familiar with.
You should really think about your guest list and try to mix it up a bit so that there will be traditional songs as well as wedding songs that may be newer and fall under the upbeat song category.
Best Group Dancing Songs for a Wedding
When you want to get more than just the wedding party up on the dance floor, it’s time to break out the group dancing songs for a wedding. These are usually ones that people have heard before and likely know how to do. If they don’t know, they can fake it ’till they make it as they get out onto the dance floor!
Here’s a dance song or two to consider:
- “Twist and Shout” by The Beatles
- “Cha Cha Slide” by DJ Casper
- “The Macarena” by Los Del Rio
- “Cotton Eye Joe” by Rednex
- “Cupid Shuffle” by Cupid
- “YMCA” by The Village People
- “Stayin’ Alive” by The Bee Gees
- “Thriller” by Michael Jackson
Some country wedding songs can also be group dances. You’ve probably heard of a few of these:
- “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus
- “Any Man of Mine” by Shania Twain
- “Watermelon Crawl” by Tracy Byrd
Popular First Dance Wedding Songs
Many of your wedding guests will remember your first dance song. It’s one of the highlights of a wedding reception. There are plenty of romantic love songs to choose from when you get out there for your first dance.
Try one of these on for size when you’re looking for a love song:
- “At Last” by Etta James
- “All of Me” by John Legend
- “Your Song” by Elton John
- “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston
- “No One” by Alicia Keys
- “Because You Loved Me” by Celine Dion
If you wanted something more modern, these are more popular love songs for 2023 that you may want to include in your wedding songs:
- “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran and Beyonce
- “Conversations in the Dark” by John Legend
- “Lover” by Taylor Swift
- “I am Yours” by Andy Grammar
It’s best to listen to the lyrics and see what words resonate with you and your partner. Your first dance song should have meaning and is something that you’ll remember when you think back on your wedding day.
Sweet Cake Cutting Songs
When it comes to cake-cutting songs, there are many different routes to take. You could go the traditional route for the best cake-cutting songs of all time, the funny route, or the modern route with new wedding songs.
See if any of these are music to your ears:
- “How Sweet it Is” by James Taylor
- “Sugar” by Maroon Five
- “Cake by the Ocean” by DNCE
- “Love and Marriage” by Frank Sinatra
- “Cuz I Love You” by Lizzo
- “Sweet Thing” by Keith Urban
No matter which one you choose, you’ll find the perfect song to fit your wedding reception.
Father Daughter Dance Songs
Another important part of the wedding reception is the father daughter dance. This category of wedding songs is typically slower when it comes to dance songs. The lyrics are usually sweet and endearing.
Here are some to consider:
- “Father and Daughter” by Paul Simon
- “My Girl” by The Temptations
- “I Loved Her First” by Heartland
- “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack
- “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler
- “I’ll Be There” by Jackson 5
- “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder
- “The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra
Mother Son Dance Songs
Just as important as the father daughter dance at a wedding reception, is the mother son dance. Some moms already have a song picked out to dance with their sons. Others need some guidance. That’s why we’ve come up with these ideas:
- “In My Life” by The Beatles. …
- “When You Wish Upon A Star” by Disney & Linda Ronstadt
- “The First Lady In My Life” by Paul Todd
- “Summer Wind” by Frank Sinatra
Best Wedding Reception Songs
When you’re looking for wedding songs that will really get people moving, there are a few “must-haves” that you’ll want to include on your wedding playlist.
- “Kiss” by Prince and the Revolution
- “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
- “Dancing Queen” by ABBA
- “Happy” by Pharrell Williams
- “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake
- “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” by Whitney Houston
- “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift
- “Sweet Child O Mine” By Guns’ n Roses
- “The Cure” by Lady Gaga
- “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon
- “(This Will Be) An Everlasting Love” by Natalie Cole
These songs should get you going as you look for songs to get your guests onto your wedding dance floor. Remember to think about the lyrics of the songs because some may not be wedding friendly. You don’t want your wedding to be remembered for that!
Where Can You Learn To Dance for Your Wedding?
If your dance skills are not where you want them to be, we’ve got you covered with wedding dance lessons at The Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Raleigh. We offer lessons for your first dance, mother son dance, father daughter dance, wedding party dances, and more! We’ll teach you all you need to know when it comes to dancing for a wedding.
Call us today at (919) 872-0111 or reach out to us online to get started!