After the applause from the guests, with the excitement surging through the ceremony, a cocktail hour would be the perfect time for family and friends to unwind and chat among themselves. However, a good mixed drink is only half as good as its ambiance and sound. A soft jazz tune, a rowdy drinking jam, or even a sentimental love song are all great choices to set the mood for your cocktail hour. Music choices can be overwhelming with the number of different genres to choose from. This can make planning for this relaxation time too much for the bride or groom. To make it easier for the planning process we have collected twenty-four songs that should be in your cocktail hour playlist.
The Classics
Starting with the classic crooners of the likes of Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennet to familiar songs from The Beatles and Louis Armstrong, I’ve compiled six tunes that’ll turn your cocktail hour into a speakeasy.
- “The Way You Look Tonight” – Frank Sinatra
- “My Funny Valentine” – Tony Bennet
- “What A Wonderful World” – Louis Armstrong
- “Here Comes the Sun” – The Beatles
- “Someone To Watch Over Me” – Ella Fitzgerald
- “Easy Living” – Billie Holiday
Party Starters
If older tunes aren’t the style, you’re looking for maybe something more upbeat is the vibe you need while having a drink and conversing with the guests. These songs will get your foot tapping to the beat and hips doing a jig on the dance floor.
- “Dog Days Are Over” – Florence + The Machines
- “Right Back We Started From” – Maxine Nightingale
- “Papa Loves Mambo” – Perry Como
- “Suit and Tie” – Justin Timberlake
- “We Found Love” – Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris
- “Love Me Now” – John Legend
Happy In Love
For the more rustic folk out there looking for a compilation of acoustic melodies that will keep the romantic mood alive while the soft tunes surround the cocktail bar, here’s the list for you!
- “Home” – Edward Sharpes and The Magnetic Zeros
- “Ho Hey” – The Lumineers
- “Hold you in My Arms” – Ray LaMontagne
- “Let’s Be Still” – The Head and The Heart
- “The Girl” – City and Colour
- “First Day of My Life” – Bright Eyes
A Lil’ Bit Of Country
Having more of a honky-tonk themed wedding, some twang in your music might just liven up your guests. These great country artists will ensure that your friends and family will start two-stepping and line dancing in no time.
- “Check Yes or No” – George Strait
- “Loving you Easy” – Zac Brown Band
- “Friends in Low Places” – Garth Brookes
- “Man! I Feel Like A Woman” – Shania Twain
- “Boot Scootin Boogie” – Brooks & Dunn
- “Velvet Elvis” – Kasey Musgraves
Finding a good song to play in general can be a challenge, let alone a cocktail hour playlist for a wedding. Don’t sweat about finding the perfect music. Instead, use our song list as a reference to find the perfect music vibe that matches your wedding. These twenty-four songs while being varied in style, will loosen up any audience and get your guests grooving!
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