Picking the music for your wedding may seem like an easy task, but many couples find it can become surprisingly difficult when you sit down to finally do it. The challenge grows even tougher if you and your partner have different tastes in music.

To help, we’ve compiled a helpful guide for picking the right music for your wedding day. 

Picking Music For Your Wedding Reception and Ceremony

Here’s how to make sure your big day sounds as pretty as it looks:

1. Decide on your aesthetic. Some questions you should ask yourself:

• Do I want my wedding to be formal or informal? You want your music to match the aesthetic of your decor and the guests’ attire. 
• Do I want traditional music or modern music? Once you know the time period you want your music to come from, you can narrow down your selection. 
• Do I have concerns about offending people? If so, you may want to check our list of inappropriate wedding songs. 

2. Think about the moments you want to highlight. Most couples decide to have a special song highlight the biggest moments of the ceremony and reception. That could include moments like:

• Mom’s Processional
• Bridesmaids Procession
• Bride’s Procession
• Introduction Music
• First Dance
• Cake Cutting

Decide on which moments your wedding ceremony and reception will have, then start your music selection. For assistance, use our Planning Resources or visit our roundup of popular wedding ceremony and reception songs. 

3. Look for inspiration. There are plenty of ways to come up with great songs for your wedding day:

• Think of the songs that have been important in your relationship with your fiancé. Maybe there was a romantic song on a playlist you made for the other person, or maybe there’s a song you discovered on a road trip together.
• Look through YouTube for songs other people have played at their wedding. 
• Flip through our list of song recommendations for your wedding ceremony and reception. You can’t go wrong with the tried-and-true favorites !
• Watch your favorite romantic comedies and listen to the soundtrack in the background. You’ll likely find a track you both love, and you can also turn this into a movie night for you and your fiancé!

4. Decide on a DJ or a live musician/band. The decision on who’s performing the music can be just as impactful as the music itself. The individual in charge of the music on your big day is also in charge of keeping the day moving and feeling out the crowd to make sure everyone remains happy and upbeat. Remember: Whether you go with a DJ or live musicians, you may need to alert them ahead of time if you want to play an unusual or lesser-known song. DJs will have to make sure they have access to the track on-site, and musicians made need to add the tune to their repertoire.

5. Does it sound cohesive? Once you have decided on your wedding music playlist, listen to it from start to finish to make sure it sounds cohesive. If you decide to play “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson between “Shape of My Heart” (by The Backstreet Boys) and “(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time On You” (by ‘NSYNC), you’ll certainly raise a few eyebrows. 

With the right music selected, you can ensure the most important day in your relationship is as beautiful as you always envisioned.