Create your wedding playlist

Give each part of the day its own soundtrack

Plan your wedding playlist around the day’s schedule instead of leaving it on shuffle. Keep the must-play moments separate from flexible background music. These blocks are only a starting point: drop any tradition you don’t want.

Wedding playlist songs for the ceremony and first dance

These 18 suggestions are a shortlist to build from, not an all-day soundtrack. Listen to each song all the way through and pick the exact recording you want, whether that’s the original or an instrumental cover.

1. A Thousand Years · Christina PerriA processional with vocals. Time the walk at your rehearsal and decide where the song fades out.
2. Turning Page · Sleeping At LastA gentle ceremony choice. Say whether you want the vocal original or an instrumental version.
3. River Flows in You · YirumaSolo piano for guests arriving or the walk down the aisle, if you prefer music without words.
4. Can’t Help Falling in Love · Elvis PresleyA slow first-dance favorite. Many covers exist, so listen to the arrangement before choosing one over the original.
5. At Last · Etta JamesA first-dance classic. Plan how you walk onto the floor and how you finish the dance.
6. You Are the Best Thing · Ray LaMontagneA brighter, soul-inspired first dance if a slow ballad doesn’t feel like you.

Songs for drinks, dinner and conversation

Keep the volume low enough for easy conversation at the tables. Have extra music ready in case dinner service or photos run late, and agree who turns it down for speeches.

7. Lovely Day · Bill WithersA welcoming groove for drinks as guests settle into the celebration.
8. Put Your Records On · Corinne Bailey RaeAn easygoing pick for the drinks reception, before the dancing starts.
9. Come Away With Me · Norah JonesA quieter dinner option when conversation matters more than a big chorus.
10. Better Together · Jack JohnsonAcoustic pop for a relaxed meal or drinks outdoors.
11. Cheek to Cheek · Ella Fitzgerald & Louis ArmstrongA warm jazz duet. Pick this recording if you want both voices rather than a solo version.
12. Beyond the Sea · Bobby DarinLively swing to lift the mood between gentler tracks, still at a volume people can talk over.

Build your wedding reception playlist around your guests

Mix your favorites with songs different generations recognize. Leave your DJ space to read the room; no song guarantees a full dance floor.

13. This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) · Natalie ColeAn upbeat ceremony exit or reception entrance; agree on the exact cue in advance.
14. September · Earth, Wind & FireA lively soul-and-disco pick, if it suits your crowd’s tastes.
15. Dancing Queen · ABBAA familiar pop chorus for guests who love a singalong.
16. I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) · Whitney HoustonAn energetic dance pick. Ask for the original studio recording if you don’t want a remix.
17. Uptown Funk · Mark Ronson featuring Bruno MarsA funk-pop change of pace; confirm with your DJ which version they’ll play.
18. We Are Family · Sister SledgeA possible finale with everyone on the floor. Or end on a song that means more to the two of you.

Choose songs that belong to the two of you

Start by each picking a few must-plays, then compare lists. A favorite chorus can hide a breakup story, so look beyond the title. Watch for explicit language and family sensitivities, and ask your officiant about any restrictions on ceremony music. Family dances are optional; include the people who matter to you.

Make a short do-not-play list, including versions you don’t want and songs linked to difficult memories. Give your DJ useful context instead of scripting every transition. A handful of clear priorities leaves room for guest requests and for the DJ to follow the energy in the room.

Collect wedding song requests from your guests

Send one link with your invitations or RSVP message. Try: “Which song would get you onto the dance floor? Add up to three favorites by [your date], with a note about why. We’ll choose what fits the evening.”

1. Create a shared request tapeStart on the homepage and open Tweak the rules. Under Who can add tracks, choose Everyone; under How can people add tracks?, choose Whenever they want. Turn on Add multiple tracks so guests can add several songs at once.
2. Share the link and a clear briefGuests join with a display name; they don’t need a Link Tapes account. For a Backstage tape, include the access code. Ask guests to say in a note whether a pick is for dinner or dancing.
3. Review the requests togetherA request is a suggestion, not a promise. Look for songs several guests chose, check that each one suits the day and choose the final list with your DJ. Guests should add links to individual tracks; a playlist link isn’t split into songs.

The event song-request guide explains these settings in detail, including batches of up to 20 track links. The tape collects ideas; you still prepare the final music in the setup that will play it at your event.

Give your DJ a clear handoff and test the sound

Hand over the timeline, exact recordings, ceremony cues, must-plays, do-not-plays and the guest shortlist. Agree who gives each cue and which requests stay flexible. If you are running the music yourselves, ask someone other than the two of you to operate it, and rehearse the key moments with them.

With whoever runs the sound, test the venue’s speakers, the playback device and the connection, and agree on a backup plan. Link Tapes doesn’t transfer your choices to another music service. YouTube tracks play only when the video can be embedded; Spotify and Deezer may play only previews unless the browser playing them is signed in to a Premium account for that service.