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So…what are the greatest and most popular wedding songs of all time? I’m talking about the most popular songs for first dances, last dances, father/daughter, and mother/daughter dances amongst others. Well, in today’s guide I’m going to show you the top 10 wedding songs of all time. Pick any of these for your special day and you will have chosen well!
In the last year, I’ve been creating top 10 lists for wedding songs, first dances, and last dances and the response has been phenomenal! Over 100,000 people have read my top 10 lists so far and the feedback from couples everywhere has been amazing and heart-warming. So many have told us they found the perfect wedding music and live band for their weddings reading my guides and because of that, I thought, why not make a top 10 wedding music guide to top them all?
2022 was amazing for weddings with more perfect weddings happening than ever and the 2023 summer wedding season isn’t far away now so why not start planning those wedding day songs you want? We’ve been super busy here at Seventh Second designing the perfect live wedding bands for happy couples and helping plan their first dances, last dances, and other special songs. It’s been so special being able to perform wedding music for all of you lovely people again since the lockdowns. If you’re struggling for wedding music ideas though, you’ve come to the right place because despite ever-changing music trends, today’s wedding songs have stood the wedding test of time and continue to be loved everywhere by everyone!
We have a whole host of award-winning, world-class wedding bands for hire here at Seventh Second so if you are looking for the perfect band to play the perfect wedding songs for you, why not take a look at some of our other popular guides below? All our prices for 2023 and 2024 currently have 15% off too!
The special songs you choose for your wedding are such a huge part of your day so you want to choose the perfect ones, don’t you? That’s why I’ve gone the extra mile compiling the best wedding songs of all time for you so you can concentrate on all the other fun aspects of your wedding. Each song in today’s list is a true wedding song great and I burnt the midnight oil making sure they are! This is how I compiled this all-important list…
Few! That was a lot of research but it was worth it to find the best wedding songs ever. These are songs that have endured for years adding something truly special and memorable to all the magic moments at weddings all over the world. That’s pretty amazing when you really think about it, these are some major tunes!
Regardless of whether we are designing live bands, chatting with couples planning their first dances, or setlists with them, we always try and go the extra mile. I always make sure I go the extra mile with my top 10 guides too and so below is what you will find with each song on my list. Fun facts, insight, and top tips are all on offer so make sure you check it all out!
My scoring system is delightfully simple, 1 is low and 10 is high so if a song gets 10 for everything, that’s one seriously romantic, memorable, fun, and impossible song to dance to! Don’t worry though, none of the songs in today’s list gets a 10 for dance difficulty!
Love your top 10 lists? In no particular order, here’s one for you…
Maybe you like your top 10 lists in an infographic?
Want to learn more about one or all of the songs in today’s list? Read on…
What can be said about this song?! It may only be 9 years old but it’s become one of the most popular first dance songs ever. As well as other songs by Ed like Perfect, Thinking Out Loud is quite simply wedding song royalty. A week doesn’t go by when Ed’s biggest song isn’t performed by our wedding bands or others all around the country.
Romance score
10 out of 10
Memorable score
7 out of 10
Fun factor score
4 out of 10
Dance difficulty score
3 out of 10
Our live wedding band The Motown Boys (above) fell in love performing this song many wedding gigs ago and don’t need any convincing to perform this romantic, sultry, and emotional song for any newlyweds. Did you know that Ed himself didn’t really think this song would be that popular, I bet he’s glad about how wrong he was!
At Last, sung by Etta James is about as wedding as you get. Any time you hear this song it conjures up beautiful wedding days full of love, life, laughter, and joy. Perfect for practically any part of your wedding day, but especially first and last dances, At Last is a truly timeless and stunning wedding song.
Romance score
8 out of 10
Memorable score
7 out of 10
Fun factor score
6 out of 10
Dance difficulty score
5 out of 10
The perfect wedding song choice, and despite their rockier sound, Electric Jukebox (above) perform a simply mind-blowing version of this song and even after years of performing it at weddings, they never tire of it. It’s hard to think of a song more synonymous with weddings and did you know that Etta James wasn’t originally considered for the song? We’re super glad she got it in the end!
Stand by Me is pure classic romance. Another timeless song, young and old newlyweds alike love this song for their first and last dances and why wouldn’t you?!
Romance score
9 out of 10
Memorable score
7 out of 10
Fun factor score
6 out of 10
Dance difficulty score
4 out of 10
Musically beautiful and lyrically intimate, our act November Soul (above) rate this as one of their top wedding songs to perform and pretty much every newlywed couple would agree! Wedding guests always love this song too and did you know that Stand by Me has been one of the most covered songs in history? That’s a ringing endorsement for Ben E. King if ever I heard one!
Whether performed by Elton John or Ellie Goulding, Your Song is one of the most romantic wedding ceremony songs and popular first dances. Couples love the original versions played over the PA and the song makes for those perfect first dance photo moments every time.
Romance score
10 out of 10
Memorable score
8 out of 10
Fun factor score
4 out of 10
Dance difficulty score
4 out of 10
Our act Encore (above) with their talented frontwoman love to perform this song for loved-up newlyweds and it really is a fantastic choice for the romantics out there. Did you know that Elton wrote this song while having breakfast? Whatever works!
Van Morrison’s classic tune is a big favorite at weddings year after year, especially for father/daughter or mother/daughter dances which are always a lovely surprise for everyone. A gentle upbeat song, Brown Eyed Girl is a great way to get your wedding off to an upbeat, happy start with it always getting that dance floor going!
Romance score
7 out of 10
Memorable score
7 out of 10
Fun factor score
8 out of 10
Dance difficulty score
5 out of 10
The Usual Suspects (above) have performed this song many, many times at weddings, and like them, any quality wedding band can always change the lyrics to “Blue Eyed Girl” so every bride is catered for! Did you know that Van Morrison says he’s never performed this song the same way twice in over 40 years?!
For those that love to dance, Superstition by the legendary Stevie Wonder is the go-to funk tune at weddings. Yes, it’s not got anything to do with weddings or romance but who cares when it’s so danceable!
Romance score
6 out of 10
Memorable score
8 out of 10
Fun factor score
9 out of 10
Dance difficulty score
5 out of 10
It’s fun, funky, and upbeat musical fun that our folk band Paper Boats (above) loves to perform with their popular folk festival twist. Superstition is a great first dance and even last dance and if you want everyone involved in those dances, this is the song to do it with! Did you know that Stevie has only ever released all of his many huge hits on one record label? That’s dedication!
Is this the ultimate sing-along wedding song? I think so! Maybe a tad long for your first dance but utterly perfect for a last dance, Queen’s 6-minute music rollercoaster epic is daunting for most live wedding bands to perform but some of ours play it…
Romance score
6 out of 10
Memorable score
9 out of 10
Fun factor score
10 out of 10
Dance difficulty score
6 out of 10
Our stellar wedding music band Flair Twelve (above) perform it with real skill and swagger. This a song to get your whole wedding singing and there are not many songs that can do that! Did you know that Freddie liked to write songs in the bath?
Oasis aren’t always for everyone but Wonderwall is the only wedding song that without fail, gets everyone in a big circle around the newlyweds singing and dancing, ending a wedding with fun, frolics, and memories.
Romance score
7 out of 10
Memorable score
9 out of 10
Fun factor score
10 out of 10
Dance difficulty score
3 out of 10
Our experienced and ever popular wedding band League of Gentlemen (above) play this at almost every wedding (that’s a lot of weddings) and it’s quite simply one of the best ways to end the night! The only song they say that comes close to the epic end Wonderwall creates at weddings is Hey Jude by the Beatles. Either way, their unique live versions of both these songs are hard to top as last dance songs at any wedding. Did you know that the Oasis brothers were sued for ripping off the Coca-Cola jingle? Weird!
Probably one of the biggest wedding ceremony songs out there, Twilight-tastic A Thousand Years by Christina Perri is a huge wedding tune.
Romance score
10 out of 10
Memorable score
6 out of 10
Fun factor score
4 out of 10
Dance difficulty score
3 out of 10
It’s pretty handy for those romantic first dances too and our wedding ceremony musician Rae (above) performs it regularly in her solo or duo guises. A firm favorite with wedding crowds, it’ll get the tears flowing, the smiles widening and the camera phones out as you celebrate the biggest moments of your wedding along to this beautiful song. Did you know that Christina is a Twilight movie saga mega fan so when her song was chosen for the movies it was pretty mind-blowing!
A tune that has totally exploded onto the wedding scene is All of Me by John Legend. Another song seemingly written for all those wedding ceremony, reception, and first dance moments, it’s pure romance wrapped up in even more romance! Written for his wife, you can see why Mr Legends’ song resonated with newlyweds all over the globe and it has cemented itself as wedding song royalty.
Romance score
10 out of 10
Memorable score
6 out of 10
Fun factor score
4 out of 10
Dance difficulty score
4 out of 10
Our lovely Jazz ensemble The Meraki Jazz Collective (above) loves performing this song and have admitted it always gets the emotions flowing when they perform it. You really can’t go wrong with Mr Legends fantastic little wedding gem!
Of course, there are loads of fantastic and timeless wedding songs on offer out there and here are some that didn’t quite make my top 10 list. Very popular? Check! Timeless? Check! Perfect for weddings? Check! Great performed by a live band? Check!
Johnny Be Goode – Chuck Berry
Iris – Goo Goo Dolls
Hey Jude – The Beatles
Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol
The One – Kodaline
Valerie – Amy Winehouse
I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
Perfect – Ed Sheeran
You’ve Got the Love – Florence and the Machine
Signed Sealed Delivered – Stevie Wonder
My Girl – The Temptations
Better Together – Jack Johnson
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You – Frankie Valli
Never Forget – Take That
I’m Gonna Be (500 miles) – The Proclaimers
It may not be used too much during any important parts of your wedding day but one song that is performed at countless wedding parties and simply has to be mentioned today is Mr Brightside by The Killers. It’s in the wedding song hall of fame that’s for sure and will always get your dance floor packed out and bouncing!
I get it, you can’t get enough of all this wedding music so why not have a little look at our other guides?
How to choose the perfect wedding music
What do live wedding bands perform?
Well, I really enjoyed making this guide for you all. If you like what you read, please consider sharing it with others!
There were some massive wedding songs there that bring back such lovely memories of weddings I’ve performed at over the years. Myself and everyone here at Seventh Second are so happy to be performing these songs live again at weddings, parties, and events and don’t forget, we are all about live bands here at Seventh Second! Why not check ours out, we have 15% off all prices, comprehensive covid cover and our expert wedding musicians with over 15 years of experience are ready to help design the perfect live wedding entertainment just for you. 7 days a week, 10am to 10pm we are here via phone, text, the usual socials, live chat, and email to help you on your wedding journey!
Bye for now,
Oana and the Seventh Second team
