PLANNING YOUR WEDDING
Weddings are all about creating memories with the people you love
& music is an elemental part of that!
There are many opportunities to add live music to your wedding calendar -
engagement parties, rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, welcome receptions,
cocktail hours, and of course, the Ceremony itself.
I have years of experience playing these types of events and will help in every way possible to add a unique touch to your Wedding day.
Here's a breakdown of a few important tips to help your planning.
Reach out through the BOOKING tab for available dates or a consultation.
YOUR CEREMONY
Wedding Ceremonies are often the most intimate part of the wedding
for the couple and their guests. Here are some quick tips to help you prepare:
A Wedding Ceremony typically has 4 distinct sections
The Seating of the Guests (4-6 songs)
The Processional(s) (1-3 songs)
The Bridal Walk
The Recessional
You can take any of your favorite songs and arrange them to be wedding appropriate. In fact, your whole Ceremony will likely be "wedding-arranged" - slower, more intimate & appropriately ambient.
Your Bridal Walk will almost be certainly be faster than your practice it.
This is common. Your Bridal Song will likely need to be arranged accordingly.
Your Recessional is an "anything goes" song choice. Most couples prefer upbeat, fun songs to play them back down their wedding aisle.
YOUR COCKTAIL HOUR
Cocktail hours can last anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes.
Sometimes they last only as long as it takes to take your wedding photos.
This is usually 8-12 songs in total.
Depending on the itinerary, there's a chance the wedding couple won't even hear the cocktail hour music. You should plan accordingly.
MUSIC IS LIFE. THAT'S WHY OUR HEARTS HAVE BEATS.
WEDDING RECEPTIONS
Receptions will typically be 3 hours, sometimes more, rarely less.
That's roughly 8-10 songs per set or 30-40 songs in total
for the entirety of the reception.
This is also where you would add your first dances. If it's a sizable reception, you should consider whether a 3- or 4-piece band better meets your needs and vision for your wedding.
Here below, you'll see a list of wedding songs I've played for inspiration. For the full list, click for my list.
Reach out through the BOOKING tab to setup brief 5-10min consultation.
WEDDING SONGLISTS
(requests always welcome)
Ceremony & Cocktail Hour Songs
Aerosmith - I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing
Adele - To Make You Feel My Love
Al Green - Let's Stay Together
Allison Krauss - When You Say Nothing At All
The Allman Brothers - Melissa
Amos Lee - Arms of a Woman
Amos Lee - Southern Girl
Amos Lee - Sweet Pea
Aretha Franklin - Do Right Woman…
The Association - Never My Love
Andy Grammer - Fine By Me
Bastille - Laughter Lines
Beach Boys - God Only Knows
The Beatles - And I Love Her
The Beatles - Here Comes The Sun
The Beatles - In My Life
The Beatles - I Will
The Beatles - Real Love
The Beatles - Something
Ben Folds - The Luckiest
Ben Harper - Forever
Ben Howard - Only Love
Beyonce Knowles - Halo
Bill Withers - Ain't No Sunshine
Billy Joel - The Longest Time
Bobby Darin - Dream Lover
Bob Dylan - I Want You
Bob Dylan - Lay Lady Lay
Bob Dylan - The Man In Me
Boyz II Men - Water Runs Dry
Brad Paisley - Then
Bread - Everything I Own
Bright Eyes - First Day of My Life
Bruce Springsteen - I'm on Fire
Bruce Springsteen - Secret Garden
Chris Isaak - Wicked Game
Chris Stapleton - Millionaire
Chris Stapleton - Tennessee Whiskey
Christina Perri - A Thousand Years
Citizen Cope - Sideways
Coldplay - Beautiful World
Coldplay - Fix You
Coldplay - Green Eyes
Coldplay - The Scientist
Damien Rice - The Blower's Daughter
Dave Matthews Band - Lover Lay Down
Dave Matthews Band - I'll Back You Up
Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Follow…
Eagle Eye Cherry - Save Tonight
Ed Sheeran - Perfect
Ed Sheeran - Photograph
Ed Sheeran - Tenerife Sea
Ed Sheeran - The A Team
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud
Edwin McCain - I’ll Be
Elton John - Your Song
Elvis - Can’t Help Falling in Love
Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
Frank Sinatra - The Way You Look Tonight
Garth Brooks - To Make You Feel My Love
Garth Brooks - Wrapped Up in You
Glen Hansard - Falling Slowly
Greenday - Time of Your Life
Ingrid Michaelson - Parachute
Ingrid Michaelson - The Way I Am
Ingrid Michaelson - You and I
Israel K. - Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Jack Johnson - Banana Pancakes
Jack Johnson - Better Together
Jack Johnson - Flake
James Taylor - How Sweet It Is
James Arthur - Say You Won’t Let Go
James Morrison - You Make It Real For Me
James Taylor - Carolina In My Mind
James Taylor - How Sweet It Is
Jason Isbell - If We Were Vampires
Jason Mraz - I’m Yours
Jason Mraz - I Won’t Give Up
Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
Joe Cocker - You Are So Beautiful
John Legend - All of Me
John Mayer - Daughters
John Mayer - XO
KCi & Jojo - All My Life
Kacey Musgraves - Butterflies
Katie Melua - Nine Million Bicycles
Keane - Somewhere Only We Know
Keith Urban - Makin’ Memories of Us
Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful World
The Lumineers - Flowers in Your Hair
Mark Knopfler - Storybook Love
Maroon 5 - Sunday Morning
Mat Kearney - Nothing Left to Lose
Matt Nathanson - All We Are
Matt Nathanson - Come On Get Higher
One Direction - Story of My Life
Otis Redding - These Arms Of Mine
Nat King Cole - When I Fall In Love
Nick Drake - Northern Sky
Nina Simone - Feeling Good
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me
Norah Jones - Don't Know Why
Passenger - Let Her Go
Paul Simon - Father and Daughter
Paul Simon - Still Crazy After All These Years
Paul Stookey - Wedding Song
Pearl Jam - Just Breathe
The Penguins - Earth Angel
Peter Gabriel - Blood of Eden
Peter Gabriel - Book of Love
Phish - Waste
Plain White T’s - Hey There Delilah
The Platters - Unchained Melody
The Police - Every Breath You Take
The Postal Service - Such Great Heights
Randy Travis - Forever & Ever Amen
Rascal Flatts - Bless the Broken Road
Ray Charles - Georgia On My Mind
Ray Lamontagne - You Are the Best Thing
The Rolling Stones - Wild Horses
Sam Cooke - Bring It On Home To Me
Sam Cooke - Wonderful World
Sam Cooke - You Send Me
Sam Smith - Stay With Me
Sarah McLachlan - Ice Cream
Shreeps - A Simple Dance
Shreeps - Hold Me
Shreeps - Sassafras Tea
Sting - Fields of Gold
Sting - If I Ever Lose My Faith
The Temptations - My Girl
Tom Petty - Crawling Back To You
Tom Petty - Wildflowers
Townes Van Zandt - Be Here to Love Me
U2 - All I Want Is You
U2 - With Or Without You
UB40 - Red, Red Wine
Van Morrison - Crazy Love
Van Morrison - Into the Mystic
Van Morrison - Sweet Thing
Van Morrison - Tupelo Honey
The Weepies - Somebody Loved
The Wood Brothers - Lovin' Arms
Zac Brown Band - Whatever It Is
Reception/Upbeat Songs
The Allman Brothers - Blue Sky
The Allman Brothers - Melissa
Alabama - Dixieland Delight
Atlanta Rhythm Section - So Into You
The Beatles - All You Need Is Love
The Beatles - Don’t Let Me Down
The Beatles - I've Just Seen a Face
The Beatles - When I'm 64
Ben E. King - Stand By Me
Ben Harper - Steal My Kisses
Bill Withers - Lovely Day
Billy Joel - Only the Good Die Young
Blake Shelton - God Gave Me You
Bob Marley - Three Little Birds
Bob Marley - No Woman No Cry
Bob Marley - One Love
Bob Seger - Night Moves
Bobby McFerrin - Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Broadway - Til’ There Was You
Bruce Springsteen- Dancing in the Dark
Bruno Mars - Just the Way You Are
Bruno Mars - Marry You
Bryan Adams - Heaven
The Cars - Drive
The Cars - Just What I Needed
Chuck Berry - You Never Can Tell
Colbie Caillat - I Do
Corrine Bailey Rae - Put Your Records On
The Cure - Just Like Heaven
Daft Punk - Get Lucky
Dave Matthews Band - Crash Into Me
Dave Matthews Band - Two Step
Dire Straits - Romeo and Juliet
Dobie Gray - Drift Away
Elton John - Tiny Dancer
Elvis Costello - Everyday I Write the Book
Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere
George Harrison - Got My Mind Set On You
George Michael - Faith
Grateful Dead - Scarlet Begonias
Hootie & the Blowfish - Only Wanna Be With You
Jackie Wilson - Your Love Lifts Me Higher
James - Laid
Jason Derulo - Want to Want Me
Joe Cocker - With A Little Help
The Killers - Mr. Brightside
Kings of Leon - Use Somebody
Lionel Richie - All Night Long
The Lumineers - Hey Ho
Magic! - Rude
Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk
Marshall Tucker Band - Can’t You See
Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On
Michael Buble - Everything
Michael Buble - Save the Last Dance
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
Michael Jackson - The Way You Make Me Feel
Modern English - I Melt With You
Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait
Neil Diamond - Sweet Caroline
Oasis - Champagne Supernova
Old Dominion - Written in the Sand
Peter Frampton - Baby I Love Your Way
Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes
Phil Collins - Can’t Hurry Love
The Police - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Prince - Raspberry Beret
The Proclaimers - 500 Miles
Pure Prairie League - Amie
Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Ray Charles - Hallelujah I Love Her So
Roy Orbison - You Got It
Roy Orbison - Pretty Woman
Seal - Kiss From A Rose
Shreeps - The Home We Build
Sister Hazel - All For You
Stevie Wonder - Isn’t She Lovely
Tom Petty - Here Comes My Girl
Tom Petty - The Waiting
Tom Petty - Walls
U2 - One
U2 - Mysterious Ways
Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
Van Morrison - Days Like This
Van Morrison - Here Comes The Night
Van Morrison - Moondance
Van Morrison - Wild Nights
The Wood Brothers - The Muse