One of the first wedding planning discussions we had after getting engaged, centered around the music selections. We both love music and knew a few songs that must be played. We enjoyed selecting the sounds that set the mood for our special day.

While planning the music, I researched lots of popular wedding songs to make sure we hadn’t missed anything or to see if something stood out. I was surprised that most blogs or wedding websites were talking about the same handful of songs. I’m sure someone will see our playlists and probably think the same, but that’s fine! Some songs are just classic!

Anyway, as I continue the bride diary blog series, it just seemed right to also share the songs as they might inspire other brides in the process!

While getting ready at Boone Tavern, the ladies and I listened to a few albums on my record player. Listening to albums on vinyl is just different! And listening to a few of my favorites is an excellent way to relax! The three albums we listened to included: At Last by Etta James, All or Nothing At All by Billie Holiday, and Coming Home by Leon Bridges.

And I have to give a HUGE shout out to my incredible friend, Shelby, for being the iphone DJ for our day! She jumped right in and made sure our music was perfect all night!

Pre-Ceremony Music

We played a few songs prior to the ceremony beginning. Had the wedding happened in April, it was the music that would play while the guests were being seated. Since our wedding was much smaller than originally planned, it didn’t take long to seat everyone but it did take the best man a while to get there so every song was played like 2 or 3 times before the ceremony actually began LOL. (We still love you Devin!!) For those who tuned in for the Facebook Live streaming in the private group, now you know why there was a delay! :) In all seriousness, I am SO glad we waited for Devin, he and his wife Jenifer are very dear friends of ours and it meant the world to us that they dropped everything and drove so far.

Pre-Ceremony Songs Included:

• Till I Found You by Phil Wickham

• Summertime Romance by Johnnyswim

• Band of Gold by The Gray Havens

• Old Pine by Ben Howard

• Here Comes the Sun (cover) by Imaginary Future

• Good Day for Marrying You by Dave Barnes

• Chapel of Love by The Dixie Cups

• And our opening song to the Facebook Live streaming of our ceremony, a song we both love SO much:
  Sinking Deep by Hillsong Young & Free
  Y’all that piano and those lyrics. All the heart eyes. That week when we were driving around Berea and everywhere else in Central KY preparing for the wedding, I think Darrell and I listened to it 100 times. So beautiful. Gives me chills!
  Also, 2007 Sarah loves The Fray vibes she gets from this song. So there’s that!

Wedding Ceremony Music

When your aisle is the length of a standard living room, it doesn’t take long for people to get to the “alter.” Lol!! But here are the songs we played and for which parts:

• Give Me a Lifetime by Anthem Lights
  This song was played while the parents were seated. It was supposed to be the song for the grandparents as well, had we been able to have them with us that day. (Due to COVID-19 it wasn’t responsible to have them there, it broke our hearts but it meant so much that they were tuning in virtually.)

• Multiplied by NEEDTOBREATHE
  This song was played when the bridesmaids, flower girls and ring bearer entered. Since our wedding changed drastically, and our family was all busy with roles in the ceremony, our amazing bridal party stepped in to fill the roles of the vendors and other helpers that we weren’t able to have due to the pandemic restrictions. So my sister, as the matron of honor, was the only bridesmaid to walk down the aisle, followed by our flower girls and ring bearer. This song was one full of thanksgiving from us, to God, for the sweet blessings he’s given us.

• Can’t Help Falling In Love (Recorded Live at Daytrotter) by Ingrid Michaelson
  This was the song to which my dad walked me down the aisle. I loved how raw and beautiful her voice and the piano sounds in this cover of such a classic love song. While probably an overused song, I still love this cover sooo much. I also really like the cover that the bride walks down the aisle to in the movie Crazy Rich Asians - also lovely - but the rawness just gets me every time I hear this version by Ingrid Michaelson!

• I Love You Always Forever by Donna Lewis

  Start this song at 2:39 and that’s where the song began when we kissed and walked out of our intimate living room ceremony! Ahh it still makes me feel like we starred in our own romantic comedy LOL. I just love how lovey-dovey this song feels and I love that Darrell was cool with walking out to it!!

Wedding Cocktail Hour Music

So when the wedding was going to be at My Old Kentucky Home, we had actually planned to have a BEAUTIFUL charcuterie spread and cocktail hour on the veranda. Y’all our reception was going to be so magically beautiful. It still was gorgeous in the living room of my sister and brother-in-law’s house, but you get what I’m saying. I had made a playlist incorporating many songs from the Breakfast at Tiffany’s soundtrack. The soundtrack is fun and elegant. I also included a lot of other similar music from that time frame. Instead of a cocktail hour though, Darrell and I took photos at Boone Tavern while our family and friends reset the living room chapel to be our reception.

Songs from Breakfast Tiffany’s Soundtrack:

• Breakfast at Tiffany’s

• Lain Golightly

• The Big Blowout

• Loose Caboose

• Something for the Cat

• Moon River Cha Cha

Other songs (just to name a few):

• Four Brothers by Art Pepper

• Our Love is Here to Stay by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong

• Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darin

  and more!

Wedding Dinner Music

Yes, I had a playlist for that too. Haha! And for those wondering, yes I could have asked our DJ to select songs but I wanted to personally select the songs!! This was a mix of lots of love songs. I love LOVE, what can I say??

• At Last by Etta James

• Falling by Surfaces

• Coming Home by Leon Bridges

• Our Love is Here to Stay by Billie Holiday

• I Found You by Alabama Shakes

• Let’s Stay Together by Al Green

• A Kiss to Build a Dream On by Louis Armstrong

• Mushaboom by Feist

• Volare by Dean Martin

• A Sunday Kind of Love by Etta James

• On an Evening in Roma by Dean Martin

Wedding Reception Music

While I didn’t plan EVERY song for the reception, I did select certain songs for certain traditions throughout the evening.

• A Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay

  This was our intro song, where our officiant-turned-MC, Clayton introduced for the first time.

• A Million Dreams by Anthem Lights

  Our first dance! Throughout the time we dated, we listened to the soundtrack from The Greatest Showman constantly while in the car. For a while, I just assumed Darrell loved the movie and that’s why we listened to the album so much. But we both loved singing along and with the covers from Anthem Lights (D’s favorite band). So shortly after getting engaged, I suggested it only seemed right that an Anthem Lights cover of one of the sweetest songs from the soundtrack we sang all through dating, only seemed right!!

• You Will Always Be My Son by Anthem Lights

  A song so sweet it will give you chills and probably make you tear up a little! This is the song Darrell chose to dance with his mother. I am listening to it again as I write this and while I’m not sure when I’ll be a mother (or if I’ll have a son) I just don’t know how it gets any sweeter than this for a mother-son dance song!

• Fantasy by Mariah Carey

  Bouquet toss song!

• Classic by MKTO

  Garter toss song!

• In the Mood by Glenn Miller
  Cake cutting and champagne popping song!

• Soulful Strut by Young-Holt Unlimited

  This was supposed to be the song our bridal party walked out to, but where things changed, we used this as background during the toasts!

• Can’t Take My Eyes Off You by Frankie Vallie
  I LOVE this song! Such classic, rom-com goodness!! This was a song that played as we were wrapping up festivities and preparing for the farewell. It just makes you feel GOOD.

• Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)
  I snuck this song in as a way to get Darrell to dance! It worked!! Those camp dance moves!

• You’re Still the One - Live (a cover) by Ben Rector
  I love Ben Rector and I love Shania Twain. This was supposed to be our anniversary dance song, for all the married couples that would have been at the April wedding. We didn’t do much dancing in our tiny reception area so this got cut. But I still love this song!!

Other fun songs for the reception:

• LivWithoutU by St. Paul & The Broken Bones

• Lover by Taylor Swift

• Treasure by Bruno Mars

• If I Can’t Have You by Shawn Mendes

• Die a Happy Man by Thomas Rhett (intended to be the “last dance song”)

• Unforgettable by Thomas Rhett (another cutesy song that means a lot to Darrell & I, intended to be the final song of the night)

Music has such a special way of speaking to us. I love how a song can take you back to special memories. Capturing the songs of our day helps me capture the feelings! I just want to catch them in a jar and save them forever!