Wedding Dinner Music & Cocktail Hour Songs
Wedding background dinner music sets the tone for the entire reception. It can be played as early as when the guests arrive at the reception. Many times the wedding party is busy with the photographer at this point, anyway.
When Do You Play Wedding Dinner Music?
Play dinner music in the background as early as the cocktail hour and right up until the couple’s first dance. You can choose to have a cocktail hour before dinner or skip it. You may even want to change the vibe of the music for cocktail hour and calm it down for dinner.
Background dinner music continues until the end of the main course at a wedding reception. Depending on the chain of events selected by the wedding couple, background dinner music usually plays for about an hour and a half. Need help with the order of events? View our common format of a wedding reception article.
How Much Dinner Music Does a Wedding Reception Need?
That is a great question. The short answer is that it depends. This is why, as a wedding couple, you should have a conversation with your wedding planner and the DJ.
If the wedding dinner is a formal, sit-down dinner with courses, you may need at least an hour. Add another half hour for pre-dinner cocktails. Your wedding planner will help you decide when the dinner music should end.
“But in a restaurant, you want to have peaks and valleys that reflect the average time that a guest dines—every 2 1/2 to 3 hours you want to turn that energy up.” Charlie Reyes
A black-tie event will have different background music than a backyard cookout. Music outdoors can be louder because the sound will escape the area. Your professional DJ should be given a tour of the dinner space so they can properly place speakers and play the correct volume.
Background Music Isn’t Dance Music
We know that “Baby Got Back” brings back some great memories, but your wedding guests are trying to eat. You know Aunt Margaret is going to get up and start dancing in the middle of the courses if you play that song. Don’t let her embarrass herself — at least yet.
“Never waste a good party song on your cocktail hour. Save those crowd-pleasers for later.” Wedding Shoppe, Inc.
Think about dinner music as background music — music barely noticed. It sets the tone for the evening. It allows people to have conversations. It’s not the dominant sound. It’s in the back of the noise.
Dinner Music & Cocktail Hour Ideas
One way to choose the wedding dinner music is to honor a relative that has passed. You can do this by including their favorite genre or song. It’s a gentle nod and not a distraction.
Some sites say never to play Michael Bublé, we’re not going that route. Choose what makes you feel comfortable. Better yet, have a conversation with your wedding planner and professional DJ. Professional DJs are music historians; they choose music to set the tone.
“Start low. As the place fills, keep turning it up. Volume should be loud enough that you can have a conversation with your friends next to you, but not able to fully listen in on a conversation the next table over.” Rogan Howitt
We could literally list millions of songs in all different music styles. That’s impossible. We will guide you through a mixture of old and new songs in a few music styles. Know your guests and their music likes. Stick to your wedding’s theme, too.
Similar song lists for further reading:
The Best Background Songs to Play?
What vibe do you prefer while you’re eating? Something fast or something relaxed? Do you want to honor a genre or a memory? We want to know your favorites, too. What dinner background or cocktail hour songs should we add to our list?
Please comment on the songs below. We read and respond to all the suggestions.
Dinner & Cocktail background music song list curated by Matthew Campbell
Last Updated: February 23, 2021
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| Song | Amazon Link | |
|---|---|---|
| 4th + Main I Prayed For You 2019, Country |  | |
| Adam Doleac Puzzle Of Us 2019, Country | | |
| Aexcit & HILLA Dancing In The Moonlight 2020, Dance | | |
| AJ Mitchell feat. Ava Max Slow Dance 2019, Pop | | |
| Andrea Bocelli & Matteo Bocelli Fall On Me 2018, Classical | | |
| Andy Grammer with Elle King Best of You 2020, Pop | | |
| Angelina Jordan Bohemian Rhapsody 2020, Pop | | |
| Antoine Dunn I’m Yours 2020, Pop | | |
| ASHLEE + EVAN I Do 2018, Pop | | |
| Backstreet Boys No Place 2019, Pop | | |
| Barry Gibb feat. Little Big Town & Tommy Emmanuel How Deep Is Your Love 2021, Pop | | |
| Betsy Phillips Someone Like You 2019, Pop | | |
| Bill Withers Lovely Day 1977, R&B | | |
| Blake Shelton feat. Gwen Stefani Happy Anywhere 2020, Country | | |
| Bobby Watson Someone to Give It To 2019, Country | | |
| Bruno Mars Just The Way You Are 2010, Pop | | |
| Cake Love You Madly 2001, Rock | | |
| Caleb and Kelsey From the Ground Up 2019, Country | | |
| Caleb and Kelsey God Gave Me You 2019, Country | | |
| Calvin Richardson Ain’t Nothin Like The One I’ve Got 2019, R&B | | |
| Cardigans Lovefool 1996, Pop | | |
| Chainsmokers & Coldplay Something Just Like This 2017, Dance | | |
| Chantal Kreviazuk Feels Like Home 2002, Pop | | |
| Charlie Wilson One I Got 2020, R&B | | |
| Dave Barnes Love Somebody (Josh Kerr Remix) 2020, Pop | | |
| Devin Dawson Whatever Forever Is 2021, Country | | |
| DJ Khaled feat. Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper & Lil Wayne I’m the One 2017, Hip Hop | | |
| Drew Holcomb & Ellie Holcomb Electricity 2019, Pop | | |
| Dustin Tebbutt All Your Love 2018, Rock | | |
| Ed Sheeran Kiss Me 2011, Pop | | |
| Emmaline All My Sweetest Dreams 2019, R&B | | |
| Emotions Best Of My Love 1977, R&B | | |
| Endless Summer When You Say Nothing at All 2019, Pop | | |
| Eric Roberson Already Knew You 2020, R&B | | |
| Harry Styles Adore You 2019, Pop | | |
| Jackson 5 ABC 1970, R&B | | |
| Jake Owen Anywhere With You 2011, Country | | |
| Jason Derulo Marry Me 2013, Pop | | |
| Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat Lucky 2008, Pop | | |
| Jason Mraz Have It All 2018, Pop | | |
| Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra & Haley Reinhart My Baby Just Cares For Me 2018, Jazz | | |
| Jeremy Loops 'Til I Found You 2020, Indie | | |
| Jess Glynne I’ll Be There 2018, Pop | | |
| Joey Stamper The Way You Look Tonight 2020, Pop | | |
| John Legend x BloodPop® A Good Night 2018, R&B | | |
| John Mayer New Light 2018, Pop | | |
| Josh Groban (Duet with Jennifer Nettles) 99 Years 2018. Pop | | |
| Justin Bieber Anyone 2021, Pop | | |
| Kane Brown Live Forever 2018, Country | | |
| Kem Lie To Me 2020, R&B | | |
| Kina Grannis Can’t Help Falling in Love 2018, Pop | | |
| King Calaway World For Two 2019. Country | | |
| King Harvest Dancing in the Moonlight 1972, Rock | | |
| Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper Shallow 2018, Pop | | |
| Larry Graham When We Get Married 1980, Pop | | |
| Lauryn Hill Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You 1998, R&B | | |
| Leon Bridges Coming Home 2015, R&B | | |
| Leslie Odom, Jr u r my everything 2019, Pop | | |
| Lionel Richie Penny Lover 1983, R&B | | |
| LP Lost on You 2017, Rock | | |
| Lucas Estrada & AJ Salvatore Kiss Me 2020, EDM | | |
| Lukas Graham Love Someone 2018, Pop | | |
| Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis Jr. Silly Love Songs 2021, R&B | | |
| Mario Let Me Love You 2004, R&B | | |
| Matt White Love 2013, Pop Rock | | |
| Michael Bublé When I Fall In Love 2018, Pop | | |
| Miranda Lambert feat. Maren Morris, Elle King, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes & Caylee Hammack Fooled Around and Fell in Love 2019, Country | | |
| Mumford & Sons Forever 2018, Rock | | |
| Music Travel Love The Only One 2019, Pop | | |
| Nao feat. Adekunle Gold Antidote 2021, R&B | | |
| Natalie Cole This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) 1974, R&B | | |
| Ne-Yo Another Love Song 2017, R&B | | |
| OneRepublic Counting Stars 2014, Pop | | |
| Parmalee & Blanco Brown Just the Way 2019, Country | | |
| Phil Soda and GoodLuck Dreams 2020, EDM | | |
| Pj Morton How Deep Is Your Love 2017, R&B | | |
| Plain White T’s 1,2,3,4 2008, Pop | | |
| Pretenders I’ll Stand By You 1994, Rock | | |
| Prince Kiss 1986, Pop | | |
| Randy Travis Forever And Ever, Amen 1987, Country | | |
| Robin Thicke Lucky Star 2021, R&B | | |
| Rotimi Love Somebody 2020, R&B | | |
| Sam Outlaw & Sarah Darling Forever and Always 2019, Country | | |
| Secondhand Serenade Fall For You 2008, Rock | | |
| Shaggy feat. Rayvon Angel 2000, Pop | | |
| Snow Patrol Chasing Cars 2006, Indie Rock | | |
| Spencer Kane September 2019, Indie | | |
| Taylor Swift Love Story 2008, Pop Country | | |
| Tenille Townes feat. Keelan Donovan The Way You Look Tonight 2020, Country | | |
| The Bellas Love On Top 2020, Pop | | |
| The Swon Brothers Best of the Best 2020, Country | | |
| The Weeknd feat. Kenny G In Your Eyes (Remix) 2020, R&B Jazz | | |
| This Wild Life You Changed Everything 2019, Indie | | |
| Thompson Square Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not 2011, Country | | |
| Tiana Major9 Lucky 2020, R&B | | |
| Tyler Rich Real Love 2020, Country | | |
| Us The Duo There Is Only One You 2020, Folk Pop | | |
| Wayne Brady feat. Cat Gray Flirtin' w / Forever 2019, R&B | | |
| Yann Muller Just the Two of Us 2019, Just the Two of Us | | |
| Zita feat. Jonah Baker Watermelon Sugar 2020, Pop | | |
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Thanks Robert for stopping by and checking out our site.
Hi, music plays an important role in dinner and cocktail party. It helps to create a different environment. Thank you for sharing it.