Choosing the Perfect Music for Key Wedding Moments

Couples often ask which areas of their wedding they can cut back on to save money or what things they could do themselves, and a common response is the wedding reception music. Many of the couples we’ve featured in our Real Weddings have DIYed their wedding music by setting up their own playlists and connecting their devices to an audio system. DJing your own wedding is definitely not a difficult thing to do, and we can walk you through the steps to pull this DIY wedding task off fabulously.

And of course, we love sharing advice to help make every step of the process simple, savvy, and stress-free. So we’re tapping in some assistance from My Wedding Songs– a helpful resource for finding the perfect song selection for every special moment of your wedding day.

If you are having any doubts about planning your own wedding music, allow us to wipe those away. This guide will cover tips, tricks, and how-to’s on everything from how to select the perfect music for every moment of your wedding day, how to arrange the playlists, and how to make your wedding reception music flow like a professional DJ. Let’s dive in!

Looking for wedding music help?

Check out MyWeddingSongs.com for song suggestions, playlist help, and more!

Curating the Perfect Wedding Playlists: Song Selection

Your wedding music is certainly a huge part of your special day, so you want to make sure that you select songs to enhance it. Planning out a playlist that will add to the tone and give an atmosphere that’s appropriate for the different moments of your big day can certainly be tough. But let’s start at the beginning.

Platform Selection

Before you begin, you’ll want to decide what platform you’ll use to play your music. Apple Music and Spotify are both great choices, though you’ll need the premium versions of each to play your music without commercial interruptions.

Playlist Setup

Start by setting up your playlists for all the major wedding moments between the ceremony and reception. For your convenience, we’ve outlined them here for you. And if you visit My Wedding Songs, you’ll find dozens of song ideas for each of these iconic wedding moments!

Pre-Wedding

Getting Ready Music
Music playing as guests arrive

Ceremony

Prelude – music played as guests take their seats
Processional – Wedding party entrance
Bride’s entrance song
Unity Ceremony song (if applicable)
Hymns or songs to be sung during ceremony (if applicable)
Recessional – Wedding party exit
Postlude – music played as guests exit the ceremony site.

Reception

Cocktail hour music
Wedding party introduction song
Couple’s Grand Entrance Song
Dinner Music
First Dance Song
Father-Daughter Dance Song
Mother Son Dance Song
Cake Cutting Song
Bouquet Toss Song
Garter Toss Song
Anniversary Dance Song
General Dance Floor Music
Last Dance Song
Couple’s Grand Exit Song

Visit My Wedding Songs for even more curated playlists and wedding song ideas!

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Tips for Choosing Your Wedding Music

Here are some essential factors to keep in mind when choosing the perfect music for key wedding moments:

Music Can Set the Tone

Focus on picking songs that reflect what you’d like your wedding day to feel like. If you want a fun, lighthearted day, choose light, happy upbeat music. Some moments call for light, fun music while others need more slow, meaningful songs. You want to make sure that you pick music appropriate for each moment within your day so that your guests have the best possible experience listening and dancing along.

Every Song Doesn’t Have to Be Meaningful

Don’t worry too much about picking songs that are relevant to your relationship. Although it’s nice to have a few sentimental songs representing your love story, it’s not essential that every song have personal meaning. Sometimes it’s just fun to dance to a song you love! For added impact, pick meaningful songs or options with sentimental lyrics for the big moments like your recessional down the aisle as newlyweds, your first dance, etc.

Ensure Song Lyrics Fit the Occasion

Keep your audience in mind– chances are you’ll be hosting an all-ages event. Do you want your granny to see you dancing to WAP? Avoid overly sensual or “naughty” songs at the reception. And steer clear of songs about breakups or other sad topics– it’s a happy occasion, after all!

Strike the Right Balance.

Your partner might love 80’s rock, the hard stuff, while you’re into top 40 and Pop. Mixing Iron Maiden and Selena Gomez wouldn’t exactly flow, would it? Think about how your musical styles will fit and work together– or not. When in doubt, consider finding unique covers of your favorites to bridge the gap!

DIY Wedding Music Tips

Pre-Load Your Playlist.

Make sure you have completely downloaded your playlist(s) prior to your wedding day. You don’t want to rely on spotty wifi or a poor cellular signal to stream your music!

Make sure to use a crossfade.

Many platforms allow for you to set your own transitions between songs. This will make sure there is no dead-air or awkward pauses during your reception dance party!

Cut Songs Down if Necessary.

If you have any songs that are extra long, feel free to trim them down. This can be especially helpful for those with long intros or outros that could kill the vibe.

Schedule a Trial Run.

Whether you’re hosting your event at home or at a venue, make sure to do a soundcheck and trial setup ahead of time. If you can’t do it sooner, at least do a sound test before the guests arrive.

In Closing

Don’t get it twisted. If you have the funds and aren’t up to the challenge– consider hiring a pro! We just recognize and honor that professional DJ services aren’t in the budget for all couples. Thankfully, this is one area that is possible to do yourself if you plan well for it. You can absolutely create your own wedding playlist to play at your ceremony and reception, and save yourself a ton of money in the process!

Music is the soundtrack of our lives. Choosing meaningful music for the key moments of your wedding day will help make your celebration more personal. If you’re a couple looking to make your wedding that much more special, there’s no better way than creating a personalized playlist for your guests to enjoy.

We hope this guide has proven to be helpful in your journey to plan and play the perfect wedding songs for every moment of your special day!