Top 20 Best Wedding Songs of All Time
#20: “Come Away With Me” (2002) Norah Jones
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Norah Jones knows as much as any songwriter about crafting a simple melody that is also unique and memorable. With “Come Away With Me,” she needs only a handful of notes and piano keys to weave a musical tapestry that showcases two lovers, riding off into the sunset together. Jones’s elegant serenade reminds listeners that love doesn’t always need a grandiose honeymoon. For a couple that wants nothing more than to escape the pressures of life and get lost in each other's arms, this sultry serenade is perfect. Just add one dance floor and one adorable peck on the lips, and you’ve got the perfect formula for a picturesque first waltz.
#19: “Marry Me” (2010) Train
“How we met” is a topic sure to come up at most weddings. With “Marry Me,” Train front man Pat Monahan dreamily sings about one of those life-changing moments. The song’s narrator sees a beautiful stranger in a cafe, and he instantly imagines spending the rest of his life with her…if only he could overcome the insurmountable obstacle of saying “hi.” Monahan’s lyrics emphasize that “forever can never be long enough,” and they are a bittersweet reminder for a bride and groom to cherish every single instant that they get to share with each other. The music video features couples who reminisce about their distinctive meet/cutes. As the intro suggests, “Marry Me” might be the perfect soundtrack for two newlyweds’ first slideshow.
#18: “My Eyes” (2014) Blake Shelton feat. Gwen Sebastian
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Some say true beauty lies in its beholder, and “My Eyes” is Blake Shelton’s contribution to that idea. This country number focuses on the tunnel vision a person-in-love might experience when looking upon their love interest. Playful lyrics tease about getting drunk off her red-wine-colored lips and the irresistible magnetism he feels while hypnotized by her visual splendor. Frequently sung with Gwen Sebastian, Blake’s former pupil on “The Voice,” the melody lends itself to vocalists of any gender, and it’s easy to imagine young lovers singing it together. The song’s enamored protagonist references the scarcity of items that he “doesn’t want to take off” of his partner, making “My Eyes” a fun and tantalizing precursor to a wedding night.
#17: “The Only Exception” (2010) Paramore
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Love is hard. And surviving its hardships can easily make one a cynic. With an atypically restrained track off their album “Brand New Eyes,” Paramore members Hayley Williams and Josh Farro express concern regarding the supposed steadfast nature of true love. Feelings of doubt about the existence of eternal virtue, as well as fear of its loss once found, are distinctly exhibited in the song’s lines. However, these reservations and disbeliefs miraculously wash away when they meet “the only exception.” It’s a love letter to the person who makes you believe in fairytales, and an appreciation of the rocky road that brought the both of you together. Certainly, that’s food for thought that belongs on the table with any wedding cake.
#16: “I Won’t Give Up” (2012) Jason Mraz
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During a time of activism and emotional exploration for Jason Mraz, he penned “I Won’t Give Up,” another song that bows its head to the long and difficult journey on the way to “forever.” Mraz empties his sincerity into each note of this ballad, from the somber lows of the verse to the soaring highs to its gloriously uplifting chorus. He sings with a heavy soul that has endured all a lasting romance requires: compromise, sacrifice, and a profound willingness to learn about one’s partner and oneself. The video showcases couples both young and old, who we can imagine have heavily tested their relationships and come out the other side even stronger, and still clasping hands. It’s a truly inspiring projection of a couple’s future.
#15: “Lover” (2019) Taylor Swift
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You might forget that the queen of breakup songs knows just as much about the “sweet” of romance as she does the sour. She also knows how to take familiar phrases and twirl them elegantly into innovative poetry. “Please stand,” “borrowed and blue,” “all’s well that ends well,” are just a few commonalities spiced up in this song with fresh imagery and usage. She doesn’t just “take this man,” she takes his “magnetic force” with her guitar-string-scarred hand. “Lover” supposes that “happily ever after” is finding that person who you can live with and leave the Christmas lights up for too long. Were we to say, “the groom has found that person,” then it already sounds like we’re starting a best man’s toast.
#14: “I Choose You” (2014) Sara Bareilles
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Good luck getting this one out of your head after the reception. If you’ve watched our other wedding song lists, you might remember Sara Bareilles’ “I Choose You” amongst the honorable mentions. However, adoration from future honeymooners has brought the tune back to life. The singer/songwriter can really milk a melody out of words, turning the single syllables of “choose” and “you” into a heavenly ballet of falsetto. As she points out, those words are the first of a “lifelong love letter.” For the music video, Bareilles helped two actual couples propose to each other, including their engagements in the film’s final cut. With or without the backstory, “I Choose You” is sure to make a few aortas beat like they’re on a first date.
#13: “When A Man Loves A Woman” (1966; 1991) Percy Sledge; Michael Bolton
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Are you Team Percy or Team Michael? Let the Battle begin. Percy Sledge originally recorded this iconic soul track in the legendary capital of soul Muscle Shoals, and Michael Bolton resurrected the classic in 1991 with his unmistakable cavernous voice. Whichever version you prefer, both artists reach into the catacombs of their souls to give the words undeniably passionate life. Sledge performed the song to get his then-girlfriend to return to him, as he had no way of getting her back besides singing his heart out. What better way to make jealous bridesmaids swoon than the sound of a man laying all his vulnerability on the line for the love of a good woman?
#12: “Unforgettable” (1991) Natalie Cole with Nat King Cole
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Sometimes “I love you” doesn’t need three words: it just takes one. Recorded by Nat King Cole in 1951, “Unforgettable” received a virtual update in 1991, when Cole’s daughter Natalie covered the tune.. The wizardry of modern technology edited old recordings of Nat King with new performances of Natalie, bringing the two together both on the record and onstage. The lyrics require no explanation as to why the subject is the apple of the singer’s eye; they are simply “unforgettable,” as inexplicably as “love” itself is ineffable. Given the backstory and the interpretive nature of the words, this song could just as easily be a father-daughter dance as a couple's first.
#11: “Make You Feel My Love” (2008) Adele
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Though Adele adamantly did not want a cover on her debut album, she changed her mind when she heard Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love.” Perhaps that’s a testament to the love song’s ability to say genuinely and succinctly what many others have tried. The singer of the lyrics pledges to endure all hardships, harbor any burdens, and journey as far as the world’s end for their lover. Adele knows exactly the right points to soften and to amplify her one-of-a-kind milky tone as she vocally navigates Dylan’s masterpiece. Her version’s sincerity and understanding of the source material could explain why it’s the version that pops up first after a Google-search, and why it’s likely to be a popular choice for any ceremony.
#10: “All of Me” (2013) John Legend
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It seems no wedding DJ’s repertoire is complete without this piano ballad on the list. “All of Me” promises all the happy endings, as it was written about one—songwriter John Legend composed the piece after being inspired by Chrissy Teigen, who at the time was his fiancée and is now his wife. The “Billboard Hot 100” number-one has skyrocketed in popularity for weddings and it is consistently a top contender for first dances. The song is nothing if not romantic, declaring love for both the smooth and the jagged parts of a partner’s soul. It boldly exclaims to want everything that you are, and to offer everything that I am in return. And what bride doesn’t dream of waking up every day to hear her imperfections called “perfect?”
#9: “Unchained Melody” (1965) The Righteous Brothers
This is the refrain that argues “‘til death do us part” is not the end. When The Righteous Brothers’ recording of “Unchained Melody” was used in the 1990 film “Ghost,” it resurfaced on the music charts in popularity. Besides being part of a movie about love after death, the lyrics already allude to eternal themes, including imagery of flowing rivers and the sea, both undying and everlasting forces of nature. It intensely evokes the yearning one has for a lover and the emptiness felt in their absence. Despite multiple recordings, Bobby Hatfield’s vocals have stood the test of time, resonating like the chilling presence of a specter, and soaring like the clouds couples might look to on their special day.
#8: “Endless Love” (1981) Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
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No need to bring cheese for the crackers at your hors d’oeuvres table. We’ve got you covered. It’s glorious cheese though, palatably served with the mellifluous harmony of Diana Ross and Lionel Richie. It’s yet another excerpt from a movie soundtrack that’s earned an invite on many guest lists, perhaps because brides and grooms can’t resist the glorious feeling of imagining their stories as real-life romances. The dreamy duet has been tackled by many subsequent performers, including Shania Twain, Mariah Carey, and Luther Vandross. If you and your honey have some pipes and a little reception courage, maybe you can pick up the microphone and add your own names to that list.
#7: “Wonderful Tonight” (1977) Eric Clapton
One spouse may take forever to choose an outfit, while the other is happy to wait. And that’s the recipe for making love. Or so Eric Clapton thought, strumming his guitar and waiting on future-wife Pattie Boyd to dress for a party. He wrote down a song that he would later play onstage for her at one of his shows, the day after taking his vows. “Wonderful Tonight” is mellow and natural, tenderly observing that grace comes effortlessly when your audience is the one who holds your heart. Clapton’s words are a reminder that when romance is real, you and your paramour have the only four eyes that truly matter. Play this in the limousine at your own risk, as you may be charmed into skipping the reception all together.
#6: “Marry You” (2011) Bruno Mars
We’re going to the chapel and going crazy for this one. Bruno Mars captures the butterflies of a crazy night in Vegas with his electric hit, which has been inspiring proposals and flash mobs worldwide. The narrator exclaims to their main squeeze that, on a beautiful night, the smartest “dumb” thing to do is to get married. It doesn’t matter if it lasts after the morning; the singer’s only focused on embracing their irrepressible feelings in-the-moment. Jovial xylophone-like bells, along with anthemic vibrance in Mars’s voice, are sure to raise dancing juice and make guests feel like champagne bubbles come-to-life. Why do we love it? Who cares, Baby? Let’s spin that record and celebrate the fabled union of betrothal and spontaneity.
#5: “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” (1991) Bryan Adams
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Here’s a power ballad for those of us who believe in fairytales. Bryan Adams’ hit single from the “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” soundtrack has outlasted its parent movie and continues to make amorous eyes water. Spain, Italy, and the UK all hopped the bandwagon of adoration for the chart-stopper. The vocal performance resonates with fiery heart and stoicism that are sure to drown out both bad English accents and naysayers of love. Bryan Adams might be a factory for great wedding songs, as we almost bent our knees for “Heaven,” his glorious ode to the discovery of romantic paradise-on-Earth. Ultimately though, our beating ventricles fluttered for the auditory poetry that warmed even Stewie Griffin’s heart.
#4: “Can’t Help Falling in Love” (1961) Elvis Presley
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Hail to the King, baby. Based on an 18th Century French melody, “Can’t Help Falling in Love” got the Elvis Presley treatment in the early 60s, and the result has been pure magic. His sultry vocals keep perfect time with the unraveling of tenderness in the song. Notes that feel soft and doting transform into compelling beats of fervor by the end. We dare you to hear Elvis propose, “take my hand [and] my whole life” and NOT crumble at the knees. After Elvis’s original recording, a session expert remarked that the superstar “seemed already aware that he’d created a classic.” Maybe, like the Blues, this aria needed not to be written, but only discovered.
#3: “A Thousand Years” (2011) Christina Perri
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2011 not only made human/vampire love acceptable, but it also ushered in some of the greatest wedding songs in the modern era. On the heels of Bruno’s “Marry You” came Christina Perri’s psalm for a romantic destiny that has no beginning and no end. You don’t need to be a TwiHeart to appreciate the universal celebration of finally finding your soulmate and miraculously making them yours. The sonnet-like tempo syncs up perfectly with both the footsteps down the aisle and the beating hearts incited as they watch. Perri sounds like she was born to sing this song, which could be why even more couples are seemingly choosing “A Thousand Years” for their weddings than people who flocked to the movie it was written for.
#2: “At Last” (1960) Etta James
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We’re nearing the end of our countdown, and the video comments have spoken. There seems to be no shortage of love for Etta James’ definitive R & B recording, with its title appearing frequently on wedding music suggest-pages. The indelible number checks almost all the boxes of what the other songs on our list have to offer: it’s masterfully sung, intuitively emotional, and rousing in its ovation of two lost souls finding their place in the world together, at last. It’s no wonder that so many great artists have produced their own renditions. Still, “At Last” seems eternally bound to the voice of Etta James. We predict centuries of weddings-to-come will carry on to the sound of her soulful ode to love. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “From This Moment On” (1998), Shania Twain The Heartfelt Lyrics May as Well Be Wedding Vows “How Long Will I Love You” (2013), Ellie Goulding Soothing Vocals from Goulding Complement a Great Slow Dance Tune “You and Me” (2005), Lifehouse The Perfect Way to Communicate that Magical Feeling of Being the Only Two in the Room “She Keeps Me Warm” (2013), Mary Lambert A Line from Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Same Love” Deserves Its Own Song “The Way You Look Tonight” (1964), Frank Sinatra Because No Dance Floor Is Complete Without a Little Sinatra #1: “The Rains of Castamere” (2012) The National Juuuust kidding….!
#1: “Perfect” (2017) Ed Sheeran
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Many would consider “Thinking Out Loud” to be the ideal wedding song. However, even Sheeran himself admitted to thinking another number one single was even more, well, “Perfect.” We can’t even write about this one without wiping tears from our eyes. Listening to “Perfect” is like watching the time capsule of two soulmates, as the throat-tightening lyrics equally fit both the moment they met and the moment they say “I do.” Though the story time travels over scenes of young love and the dream of a future family, it eventually pirouettes back to the present moment: two lovers, dancing in each others’ arms. We’re willing to bet that many newlyweds will remember the greatest night of their lives, with “Perfect” playing in the background.
