Oct 5, 20222 min read

2023 Wedding Music Trends & Ideas

Updated: May 17, 2023

Brides and grooms are always asking me, "What should I pick for my recessional? What are other couples choosing?" I'm happy to help!

First of all, what's a recessional?

Simply put, it's the song that's played as you walk back up the aisle. It's often upbeat, to go hand-in-hand

with the celebratory feeling of the moment. Traditionally, you'd hear classical wedding pieces like Mendelssohn's Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream or Handel's Entrance of the Queen of Sheba, but these days our couples are mixing it up and including modern pop favorites.

Without further ado, here are the most popular recessionals from 2022, the last 5 years, and 20 amazing songs that you haven't thought of yet!

The 4 Most Popular Recessionals in 2022

Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles
You Are The Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne
All You Need is Love - The Beatles
This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) - Natalie Cole

The Most Popular Recessionals of the Last 5 Years

Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles
You Are The Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne
All You Need is Love - The Beatles
This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) - Natalie Cole
Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Stevie Wonder
Marry You - Bruno Mars
Don’t Stop Believing - Journey

20 Recessionals That You Hadn't Thought of That REALLY Get the Party Started

For a Modern Bridgerton Feel, have your Ariana Strings quartet play:

Wildest Dreams - Taylor Swift (Tell your musicians to start at the Bridge)
Electric Love - Borns
Firework - Katy Perry
Sucker - The Jonas Brothers
Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake
Happy – Pharrell Williams
We Found Love – Rihanna and Calvin Harris
Rather Be – Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne
Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars
Shut Up and Dance – Walk the Moon
I Believe in a Thing Called Love – The Darkness

For a Fun Throwback with Bridgerton Spin, have your Ariana Strings quartet play:

How Sweet It Is (To Be Love By You) - Marvin Gaye
Viva La Vida - Coldplay
Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
All My Loving - The Beatles
Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher – Jackie Wilson
God Only Knows – The Beach Boys
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You — Frankie Valli (Tell your musicians to start at the Bridge)
Dancing In The Moonlight - King Harvest
Joy to The World - Three Dog Night (No, this isn't the one you hear at Christmas. It's a funky one you'll recognize and it's a LOAD of fun!)

Which song do you plan to have get the party started? Comment below!

Feel free to take some inspiration from Sara & Luigi's epic celebration from July, brought together by the incredible team at Wildflower Events. Vendor team below: