nh wedding venue reception with laughing dancers

How to Select the Perfect Music Playlist for Your White Mountain Wedding

Planning your wedding can be one of the most exciting (and slightly overwhelming) times of your life! Between selecting the venue, finalizing the guest list, and choosing the dress, there’s another key element you don’t want to overlook – your wedding playlist. Music truly sets the tone for every part of your big day. From the ceremony to the final reception exit, creating the perfect mix is an art form in itself.

So how do you start when building the ultimate wedding soundtrack? As a New Hampshire wedding venue and bed and breakfast located in the White Mountain region, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide. We want to help you create a playlist that’s not only personal and memorable but also gets your friends and family on their feet! Whether you’re envisioning an elegant string quartet for the ceremony or a lively party on the dance floor, this guide will help you craft a playlist that reflects your love story while ensuring your guests have an unforgettable time! Listen to the following songs together and imagine your perfect day!

White Mountain Wedding Reception with People Dancing

Finding Your Musical Style

Before selecting songs, take a step back and consider the overall vibe of your wedding. Are you dreaming of an elegant, intimate ceremony, or a lively, high-energy celebration? Your playlist should reflect your style, whether it’s classic, romantic, country, or modern. Think about your favorite genres, artists, or songs that hold meaning for you as a couple. Your playlist should echo your personalities while enhancing the mood you want to convey. Remember that a great wedding playlist has layers. Start by planning songs for the key milestones throughout the day.

Ceremony (processional, recessional)

Cocktail Hour (social, upbeat background music)

Reception Dinner (soft tunes for conversation)

First Dances (bride and groom, parent dances)

Dance Floor (high-energy hits to pack the floor)

Grand Exit (an unforgettable send-off song)

Having a roadmap of the day's events will help you set the tone for each part of the celebration.

Key Moments Deserve Key Songs

Some moments deserve a special spotlight. Focus on these “big” wedding moments first as they hold the most emotional weight. Here are some suggestions to create timeless, unforgettable, and heartwarming atmospheres.

Processional

- Wagner – Here Comes the Bride
- Pachelbel - Canon in D
- Christina Perri - A Thousand Years

Recessional

- Beyoncé - Love on Top
- Redbone - Come and Get Your Love
- Hall & Oats - You Make My Dreams Come True

Social Hour and Dinner

Opt for mellow but engaging tunes that foster conversation and relaxation during cocktail hour or dinner. Acoustic versions of popular songs are a great choice. If you’re planning your wedding at a New Hampshire wedding venue tucked away in the White Mountains, think about tying your song choices to your surroundings. For example, or folk tracks or nature-inspired melodies will complement the serene backdrop perfectly.

White Mountain Wedding Venue Dinner

The Reception Moments at Your Wedding Venue

Grand entrance Songs to set the festive mood such as:

o Black-Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling

o Walk the Moon - Shut Up and Dance with Me

o Lauren Bennet and Goon Rock - Party Rock Anthem

First dance as a Newly Married Couple

Your first dance is a chance to share your love story through music. These moments are etched in memories and pictures for a lifetime, so take your time choosing songs that speak to you as a couple. It could be your favorite love song or something that reminds you of a special moment in your relationship. A few suggestions are:

Ed Sheeran - Perfect
Etta James - At Last
Wild – All My Life
Big Mountain – Baby I Love Your Way
Frank Sinatra - Fly Me to the Moon
Nat King Cole – Unforgettable
Rascal Flatts - Bless the Broken Road
Shania Twain - From This Moment On

Parent Dances

From personal experience, we recall feeling completely caught off-guard when asked which songs we’d like to dance to at our own kids’ weddings. To make it easier for other parents, we’ve put together these suggestions. (Sweet and heartfelt songs are always a perfect fit for these special moments and can also serve well during the cocktail hour.)

Mother and Son dancing at a New Hampshire Wedding Venue

Mother/Son Dance Songs

Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance
Phil Collins - You’ll Be in My Heart
Rascal Flatts - My Wish
Kenny Chesney - Don’t Blink
Tim McGraw - Humble and Kind
Boyz II Men - A Song for Mama
Morgan Wallen - Thought You Should Know
Carole King - Child of Mine
Phil Collins - You’ll be in my Heart
John Lennon- Beautiful Boy

Father/Daughter Dance Songs

Stevie Wonder - Isn’t She Lovely
Bob Carlisle - Butterfly Kisses
Louis Armstrong - What a Wonderful World
Tim McGraw - My Little Girl
Heartland - I Loved Her First
Rascal Flatt - My Wish
Amos Lee - Sweet Pea
Paul Simon - Father and Daughter
Ben Fold - Gracie
Kenny Chesney - There Goes My Life

Music for Cake Cutting:

DNCE -Cake by the Ocean
Maroon 5 -Sugar
James Taylor – How Sweet it is (To Be Loved By You)

Bouquet Toss Music

Cindy Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Billy Joel – Uptown GIrl
Beyoncé - Single Ladies

Grand Exit

The Grand Exit should end the night on a celebratory high note!

Farrell Williams - Happy
Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Natalie Cole– This Will Be an Everlasting Love

Add Crowd-Pleasers

While it’s your special day, your playlist should cater to all your guests. A balanced blend of genres and eras ensures that everyone—from kids to grandparents—is entertained. Here are 10 crowd-favorite songs guaranteed to fill the dance floor:

Whitney Houston - I Wanna Dance with Somebody
ABBA - Dancing Queen
Earth, Wind & Fire - September
The Killers - Mr. Brightside
Usher feat. Ludacris, Lil Jon - Yeah!
Cupid - Cupid Shuffle
Walk the Moon - Shut Up and Dance
Journey - Don't Stop Believin'
Neil Diamond - Sweet Caroline
Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling
Frankie Valli - Can’t Take My Eyes Off You

These dance-floor anthems are popular for a reason—they strike the perfect balance between timeless and fun.

Honor Special Guests

Does your wedding day overlap with a guest’s anniversary or birthday? Include a song to honor them! It’s a thoughtful gesture that will make them feel truly appreciated among family and friends and will make your celebration even more personal.

Create a "Do Not Play" List

Now, this part might seem a bit awkward, but trust us, it’s essential. A “Do Not Play” list is your opportunity to outline songs or genres you don’t want on your big day.

Here’s why this matters:

Personal Reasons: Maybe there’s a song that stirs up difficult memories, or one associated with a past relationship.

Overplayed Hits: Some tracks might simply feel too cliché for your taste.

Explicit Lyrics: With family members present, you might want to avoid songs with strong language.
DJ Rousseau explains it best, saying, “One of the DJ’s jobs is to read the crowd and try to understand where songs fit best, or if they even fit at all. You most likely don’t want songs with explicit language played in the beginning of the open dancing when you have pre-teens tearing up the dance floor, or heavy club-style music while the grandparents are still hoping for a waltz.”

Having an open and honest conversation about these objections can bring you closer as a couple. Once you finalize the “do not play” list, share it with your DJ, band, or whoever will manage your music.

Live Music or a DJ?

If your budget allows for live music, it’s worth considering to add a magical touch to certain portions of your day. A live string trio for your ceremony or a jazz band for cocktail hour brings an irreplaceable warmth and intimacy to your White Mountain celebration. For more information, read our blog on live music. Goldenwood Ensembles often plays these favorites:

Pachelbel - Canon in D
The Beatles - In My Life
Christina Perri - A Thousand Years
Elvis Presley - Can’t Help Falling in Love
Beethoven - Ode to Joy

More Wedding Playlist Inspiration for Your New Hampshire Wedding

Need more ideas to spark creativity? Here’s a curated list of songs to suit every vibe and style, courtesy of DJ Rousseau.

The Ten Most-Requested Dance Songs

Cascada - Everytime We Touch
Pitbull feat. John Ryan - Fireball
Sean Paul - Temperature
Rednex - Cotton Eye Joe
Dua Lipa - Dance the Night
Pitbull feat. Ne-Yo - Give Me Everything
Sabrina Carpenter - Espresso
Paul Russell - Lil Boo Thang
John Legend - All of Me
Che - Believe

Trending Hits for Your New England Wedding

For couples wanting to keep it fresh and fun, these trending hits are making their way to wedding playlists in 2025:

Madonna – Crazy for You
Taylor Swift - Lover
Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up
Benson Boone – Beautiful Things
Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud

Top Artists Played at Weddings

These artists never go out of style for weddings and guarantee celebrations to remember:

Outkast - Hey Ya
Taylor Swift - Love Story and Shake It Off
Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk and Marry You
Spice Girls - Wannabe
Rhianna feat. Calvin Harris - We Found Love

Dance, Plan, and Enjoy the Process Together

Selecting songs is one of the most enjoyable parts of wedding planning. Sit down with your partner, sample tracks together, and picture each moment of your special day unfolding to the perfect soundtrack. Practice your dance moves and, most importantly, have fun with it!

Thank you for reading, and we hope this blog series on music has been helpful! The Inn at Oxbow Acres is nestled in the charming town of Milan, New Hampshire. Our inn is a place where cozy accommodations meet unforgettable celebrations. Whether you’re planning a dream wedding, an intimate anniversary party, or a joyful reunion with loved ones, we offer the perfect backdrop for your special moments.

From our warm and welcoming hosts to the serene beauty of our surroundings, everything here is designed to make your event or stay truly remarkable. When you choose The Inn at Oxbow Acres, you become part of our family—we’re here to make every detail meaningful and every memory lasting.

We’re also passionate about celebrating local connections. By partnering with nearby venues, vendors, and small businesses, we help bring your gatherings to life while preserving the unique spirit of our community. If you love supporting local, here are a few ways to do so during your visit:

Leave a thoughtful Google review for the businesses and venues you enjoy.
Visit and share the blogs of our wedding vendors for tips and inspiration.
Tell your loved ones about the hidden gems you discover here.

Celebrate your milestones with us, and together, we’ll create memories as unforgettable as the scenery around us. Check out the following venues and businesses for more wedding inspiration!