Wedding entrance songs

What songs are good for walking down the aisle?

The classic walk down the aisle songs are Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel, the Bridal Chorus by Richard Wagner and Trumpet Voluntary by Jeremiah Clarke; modern alternatives include Turning Page by Sleeping at Last and A Thousand Years by The Piano Guys. Instrumentals work best for the processional because they can stop at any point without sounding cut off.

1. 01Canon in DJohann Pachelbel · 4:29The best-known processional. Its repeating bass line lets the music fade wherever the bride reaches the front.
2. 02Bridal ChorusRichard Wagner · 5:04Better known as Here Comes the Bride. Traditional and instantly recognised.
3. 03Air on the G StringJohann Sebastian Bach · 2:58Slow, calm and very elegant. Good for parents and grandparents being seated.
4. 04Jesu, Joy of Man's DesiringJohann Sebastian Bach · 3:24Flowing and bright. A church favourite for the bridal party.
5. 05Trumpet VoluntaryJeremiah Clarke · 2:56Also called the Prince of Denmark’s March. Stately and royal.
6. 06Arrival of the Queen of ShebaGeorge Frideric Handel · 3:06Quick and lively. Good for a short aisle or the bridal party.
7. 07SpringAntonio Vivaldi · 3:34The opening of The Four Seasons. Light and sunny, perfect for a garden wedding.
8. 08ExperienceLudovico Einaudi · 2013 · 5:15Piano and strings that slowly build. Modern but timeless.
9. 09Nuvole BiancheLudovico Einaudi · 2004 · 6:00Gentle solo piano. Works for a slow, emotional walk.
10. 10A Thousand YearsThe Piano Guys · 2013 · 4:36The instrumental version of the wedding favourite, on piano and cello.
11. 11Married LifeMichael Giacchino · 2009 · 4:11The waltz from Up. Sweet, and anyone who has seen the film will recognise it.
12. 12Turning PageSleeping at Last · 2011 · 4:15Soft piano and strings with a vow-like lyric. A modern aisle favourite.
13. 13Can't Help Falling in LoveHaley Reinhart · 2:53A slower, hushed take on the Elvis song. Beautiful for the bride’s walk.
14. 14To Build a HomeThe Cinematic Orchestra · 2007 · 6:10Slow piano and a fragile vocal. For a very quiet, emotional entrance.
15. 15Kiss the RainYiruma · 2003 · 4:05Gentle solo piano, steady enough to walk to.
16. 16Marry MeTrain · 2010 · 3:25A soft acoustic proposal song. Good for a beach or backyard wedding.

What are good wedding party entrance songs?

Good wedding party entrance songs are loud from the first second: Crazy in Love by Beyoncé, Eye of the Tiger by Survivor and Thunderstruck by AC/DC all announce themselves in the opening bars. Each pair or group only needs about 15 to 20 seconds, so the DJ will usually play one song through the whole group.

17. 17Let's Get It StartedBlack Eyed Peas · 2004 · 3:37The clean version is the one most DJs play. Big energy from the first bar.
18. 18Crazy in LoveBeyoncé · 2003 · 3:55Those horns announce somebody important is coming in.
19. 19DynamiteTaio Cruz · 2010 · 3:24Hands-in-the-air pop for a party that likes to dance.
20. 20Eye of the TigerSurvivor · 1982 · 4:05For a groomsmen entrance played for laughs.
21. 21ThunderstruckAC/DC · 1990 · 4:52The guitar intro builds while people line up, then explodes.
22. 22The Final CountdownEurope · 1986 · 5:10Over the top in the best way. Big synth fanfare.
23. 23We Are FamilySister Sledge · 1979 · 3:36For a wedding party that is part family, part chosen family.
24. 24Feel It StillPortugal. The Man · 2017 · 2:43Cool and bouncy, for a party that wants to strut.
25. 25LevelsAvicii · 2011 · 5:39Builds and drops, perfect for a big reveal.
26. 26SandstormDarude · 1999 · 3:45Instrumental and relentless. Pure hype.

Crazy in Love also appears in versions flagged explicit on streaming services, and Let’s Get It Started is itself the clean rewrite of an older Black Eyed Peas track. Ask the DJ for clean edits throughout.

What is a good grand entrance song?

A good grand entrance song for the couple has a big build and a clean beat: Forever by Chris Brown, Get Lucky by Daft Punk and Love Train by The O’Jays are proven choices. Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine starts gently and bursts open, so time the doors to the burst.

27. 27This Is How We Do ItMontell Jordan · 1995 · 4:37Smooth 90s swagger for the couple’s arrival.
28. 28ForeverChris Brown · 2008 · 4:38The track behind the most famous viral wedding entrance.
29. 29All Night Long (All Night)Lionel Richie · 1983 · 6:18Sets the tone for the night in the title alone.
30. 30Get LuckyDaft Punk · 2013 · 6:07Cool disco groove with Pharrell. Classy and fun.
31. 31Love TrainThe O'Jays · 1972 · 2:58Joyful soul. Makes everyone want to join in.
32. 32ClassicMKTO · 2012 · 2:55Retro-pop with handclaps. Clean and upbeat.
33. 33Dog Days Are OverFlorence + The Machine · 2009 · 4:10Starts gentle and bursts open, so time it to the doors opening.
34. 34SuckerJonas Brothers · 2019 · 3:01Bright, bouncy and very singable.
35. 35Nothing's Gonna Stop Us NowStarship · 1987 · 4:30An 80s power-pop anthem for a couple who beat the odds.
36. 36Higher LoveSteve Winwood · 1986 · 5:47Uplifting and danceable, for a couple heading straight to the floor.

Get Lucky (6:07) and All Night Long (6:18) are long album versions. You only need the first minute; after that, the DJ can fade into dinner music or your first dance song.

What are good recessional songs?

Good recessional songs start bright the moment you’re pronounced married: the Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn and Ode to Joy by Ludwig van Beethoven are the classical choices, and All You Need Is Love by The Beatles and Then He Kissed Me by The Crystals are popular ones. Pick something that sounds like a celebration in its first five seconds.

37. 37Wedding MarchFelix Mendelssohn · 5:04The traditional recessional. Bright trumpets the moment you’re married.
38. 38Ode to JoyLudwig van Beethoven · 3:45The famous melody from the Ninth Symphony. Triumphant and joyful.
39. 39HornpipeGeorge Frideric Handel · 3:14From the Water Music. Brassy and celebratory.
40. 40All You Need Is LoveThe Beatles · 1967 · 3:50Starts with a fanfare, which makes it a natural walk back up the aisle.
41. 41Chapel of LoveThe Dixie Cups · 1964 · 2:49A 60s girl-group song about getting married. Sweet and short.
42. 42Love Is in the AirJohn Paul Young · 1977 · 3:28Disco cheer to send you out smiling.
43. 43Oh Happy DayThe Edwin Hawkins Singers · 1969 · 5:08Gospel joy. Lovely if a choir or a clapping crowd is part of the plan.
44. 44Beautiful DayU2 · 2000 · 4:06Big guitar uplift for the walk out.
45. 45Then He Kissed MeThe Crystals · 1963 · 2:39Wall-of-sound pop. Perfect right after the kiss.
46. 46On Top of the WorldImagine Dragons · 2013 · 3:09Handclaps and a huge chorus. Pure happiness.

What is a good wedding send-off song?

A good wedding send-off song is one the whole room can sing or sway to, like Closing Time by Semisonic, Piano Man by Billy Joel or (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes. For a sparkler or bubble exit, choose something bright like Don’t Stop by Fleetwood Mac.

47. 47Last DanceDonna Summer · 1978 · 4:57Starts slow and turns to disco. A classic closer.
48. 48Save the Last Dance for MeThe Drifters · 1960 · 2:34Sweet and swaying, for the final song before the exit.
49. 49(I've Had) The Time of My LifeBill Medley & Jennifer Warnes · 1987 · 4:47The Dirty Dancing duet with Jennifer Warnes. Big finish, sometimes with a lift.
50. 50Closing TimeSemisonic · 1998 · 4:33The last-call song, with a line about every new beginning. Perfect as the lights come up.
51. 51New York, New YorkFrank Sinatra · 1980 · 3:26A traditional last song, with kicks.
52. 52Piano ManBilly Joel · 1973 · 5:36A slow-building singalong. Everyone sways with an arm around someone.
53. 53Don't StopFleetwood Mac · 1977 · 3:13About looking forward to tomorrow. Bright and fitting for a sparkler exit.
54. 54Into the MysticVan Morrison · 1970 · 3:25Gentle and glowing, for a calm, candlelit send-off.

How do you time a wedding entrance song?

Time a wedding entrance song by deciding the moment it should hit, then working backwards: the bride’s walk down the aisle usually takes well under a minute, while the full processional often runs three to five minutes. A few practical rules:

• Give the DJ timestamps. “Start Turning Page at 0:40, fade at the end of the aisle” is the kind of note that prevents awkward silence.
• Rehearse with the music. Walk the aisle at the rehearsal with the actual song playing.
• Check the venue’s rules. Some churches ask for sacred or classical music during the ceremony and allow popular songs only at the reception.
• Ask for clean versions. Most songs here are clean; a few, such as Crazy in Love and This Is How We Do It, also exist in versions flagged explicit.

The parent dances need their own songs too: see our father daughter dance songs and mother son dance songs.

How do you put your wedding songs on a CD?

To put your wedding songs on a CD, list them in the order of the day, from the processional to the send-off, check the total is under 80 minutes (about 18 to 22 songs) and burn them as an audio CD from tracks you own. It makes a keepsake for parents, or a first-anniversary gift for each other.

• Total the list in the playlist length calculator. Long album versions like Get Lucky add up fast; our guide to how many songs fit on a CD explains the limit.
• Our guide to making a mixtape covers sequencing and burning.
• Print an insert with the CD case template, noting the moment each song was for.
• Spotify and Apple Music downloads are copy-protected and won’t burn; buy the tracks or use your own CDs.

Rather not do it yourself? We’ll burn your wedding playlist to a custom CD, with a wedding photo as the cover.