You don’t get married everyday, so choosing all the music to accompany the moments throughout the night can seem very daunting. The question of when you should do your first dance, to what song should we dance to is all part of the fun of planning your amazing wedding day and quite often a thing or two can be missed. This is why we have curated our complete guide to choosing your music for the wedding reception so you can rest assured that nothing was missed and your mother-in-law won’t come asking at 11:45pm when you are going to do the bouquet toss.

The complete guide to wedding reception songs

Never forget that a wedding reception is meant to be fun. Your guests are here to celebrate with you and the music should have a similar vibe. Picking music to earmark that the party has started from the first moment is key to starting on a good foot. This is where picking a good entrance song comes in handy.

Your entrance song

This song defines how you want to spend your night. If you are wanting a party with a lot of energy, pick a song that feels the same. If you want the night to be more mellow and a chance for everyone to relax and get into a good conversation, then pick something that speaks to this vibe. Majestic Wedding DJs have a list of entrance songs to help you spark your creative flair in choosing your song to enter the room to.

The cutting of the cake song

This is the song that will play in the background while you and your new partner in life cut the cake in front of your guests. This song tends to only last for 45 seconds to a minute, so don’t spend too long deciding on this one. This is where you can choose something sweet and cheesy. If you get stuck you can always check out our list of songs for the cutting of the cake.

The bridal waltz or first dance song

This is the focal point of the night for wedding music. Your first dance is what you will remember most out of all the music that is played on your wedding night. Pick something that means something to you, or that sounds appropriate. Be careful of foul language, as this song is when everyone is paying attention, so poor Nana’s ears may need a warning if you do choose a song that strays. Always try dancing to your first dance song before you lock it in. Some songs are beautiful yet lack a solid beat behind it, which make it difficult to move to (think acoustic and classical-style songs). If you want to play it safe, stick to oldies and/or pop songs, as they have a simplistic structure and you can always fade out after the chorus.

Never forget, to end the dance, just twirl and kiss.

The bouquet toss

This will be the quickest formality you undertake during the wedding reception. The rules are simple, get all the single/unmarried girls on the dance floor, the bride lines it up and tosses her flower bouquet into the pack AFL style for the girls to play king of the pack and take home the prize of catching the bouquet. Whilst this tradition was made for giving luck to the girl who caught the bouquet (meaning she would be the most likely to get married next), it has become a simple fun moment for getting the girls on the dancefloor. The ultimate favourite song for this moment has been Beyonce’s ‘Single Ladies’, with another Beyonce track ‘Run The World (Girls)’ sits in a close second. Don’t feel tied down to choosing these two though, as a song that brings the girls together is what should always take the #1 spot.

The exit song

The night has dawned to a close, and what a night it has been. At this point most of the guests have sprawled out, with many on the dance floor and a few others in the seated areas and outside in deep conversation. This is the moment where you can bring everyone together for one last song, to celebrate and say goodbye for the night. This is where you will often get the classic Darryl Braithwaite ballad ‘Horses’ or Oasis ‘Wonderwall’, with the crowd singing at the top of their lungs to wish the bride and groom off after a night filled with joy.

What else is there?

Always remember, it’s YOUR wedding, so YOU get to choose what happens on the night. If you don’t want to do an exit song or a first dance, you don’t have to. Always make sure you have your own best interests in heart so if something is too far out of your comfort zone, don’t ruin your night by forcing yourself to do it. Remember the golden rule, ‘if it’s not fun, it shouldn’t be done’.