The Top 25 Songs to Add to Your Rehearsal Dinner Playlist
Tomorrow's the big day! Before you can say "I do" to your future spouse, you will have to run through the ceremony during the rehearsal, and then celebrate with a rehearsal dinner—meaning you'll need a rehearsal dinner playlist. The rehearsal dinner is typically held on the night before the wedding and can include the wedding party and immediate family members or a larger guest list.
While rehearsal dinners don't usually include dancing, the right music can set the tone for the event—whether you're going for a relaxed BBQ or a more formal dinner, you'll want to play the best wedding songs. When creating a rehearsal dinner playlist, we recommend adding romantic songs that can serve as background music during the meal. Use the following 25 songs as a starting off point—they're our current favorites.
1. "Birds of a Feather," by Billie Eilish
Lyrics you'll love: "Birds of a feather, we should stick together, I know/I said I'd never think I wasn't better alone"
If you're looking to include some newer music in your rehearsal dinner playlist, definitely add this love song by Billie Eilish. It's catchy, popular and intensely romantic.
2. "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)," Stevie Wonder
Lyrics you'll love: "You got my future in your hands, hey hey/I've done a lot of foolish things/That I really didn't mean, ah hey, yeah yeah/Didn't I?/Oh baby?"
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" is another hit by Stevie Wonder, and definitely creates a fun and lively ambiance for your night-before celebration.
3. "L-O-V-E," Nat King Cole
Lyrics you'll love: "L is the for the way you look at me/O is for the only one I see/V is very, very extraordinary/E is even more than anyone that you adore can"
Nat King Cole's hit song "L-O-V-E" is the perfect jazz/swing song to play at your rehearsal dinner. "L-O-V-E" has since been covered by Diana Krall and Michael Bublé, and appeared in popular movies such as The Parent Trap. The song spells out the acronym in its title and defines each letter in the most romantic way possible.
4. "Espresso," Sabrina Carpenter
Lyrics you'll love: "Now he's thinkin' 'bout me every night, oh/Is it that sweet? I guess so"
"Espresso" by Sabrina Carpenter quickly became one of TikTok's favorite wedding songs in 2024. It'll keep the mood light and fun, making it a great addition to any rehearsal dinner playlist.
5. "Your Song," Elton John
Lyrics you'll love: "And you can tell everybody this is your song/It may be quite simple, but now that it's done/I hope that you don't mind, I hope you don't mind/That I put down in words/How wonderful life is while you're in the world"
"Your Song" is a tender love song with beautiful lyrics. Yes, it makes a lovely first dance song, but is also a perfect tune to play during your rehearsal dinner.
6. "Crazy Love," Van Morrison
Lyrics you'll love: "I can hear her heart beat from a thousand miles/And the heavens open every time she smiles/And when I come to her that's where I belong/Yet I run into her like a river's song"
"Crazy Love" is a sweet ballad by Van Morrison from the 1970 album, Moondance. Morrison's soothing voice combined with lyrics about finding comfort and (crazy) love in another person, will take away any stress you may be feeling during the rehearsal dinner.
7. "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)," Natalie Cole
Lyrics you'll love: "Loving you is some kind of wonderful/Because you showed me just how much you care/You've given me the thrill of a lifetime/And made me believe you've got more thrills to spare, oh"
This song is about the singer's optimism regarding a new relationship, and makes a lively tune to play at a rehearsal dinner. It's also one of the best wedding grand entrance songs out there.
8. "All Night Long (All Night)," Lionel Richie
Lyrics you'll love: "People dancing all in the street/See the rhythm all in their feet/Life is good, wild and sweet/Let the music play on (Play on, play on)"
While we don't recommend hosting a rehearsal dinner that lasts all night long (no one wants to be exhausted and hungover on the big day!), this song will definitely have your guests dancing in their seats.
9. "Pink Pony Club," Chappell Roan
Lyrics you'll love: "God, what have you done?/You're a pink pony girl/And you dance at the club"
Chappell Roan's powerful vocals and cheeky lyrics will have everyone at your dinner rehearsal singing along in no time.
10. "No Such Thing," John Mayer
Lyrics you'll love: "They love to tell you/Stay inside the lines/But something's better/On the other side"
Nostalgia is a major component of many rehearsal dinners—from displaying childhood photos to listening to speeches about the almost-married couple's formative years. This song's lyrics describe that feeling of looking back on the past, while feeling excitement for the future.
11. "In My Life," The Beatles
Lyrics you'll love: "But of all these friends and lovers/There is no one compares with you/And these memories lose their meaning/When I think of love as something new"
You would be doing your friends and family a disservice if you didn't include at least one Beatles song on your rehearsal dinner playlist. This song celebrates your village of loved ones, including those who are no longer with us.
12. "Love On Top," Beyoncé
Lyrics you'll love: "Baby, baby, I can feel the wind whipping past my face/As we dance the night away/Boy, your lips taste a night of champagne/As I kiss you again, and again, and again, and again"
Celebrate your love with this upbeat Beyonce song that may very well get your guests dancing—even if there is no dance floor!
13. "BESO," Rosalía, Rauw Alejandro
Lyrics you'll love: "Ya yo necesito otro beso/Uno de esos que tú me da"
If you're looking for Spanish love songs to add to your dinner rehearsal playlist, look no further than this romantic track by Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro.
14. "You Are the Best Thing," Ray LaMontagne
Lyrics you'll love: "Both of us have know love before/To come on up promising like the spring, to walk on out the door/Our hearts are strong and our hearts are kind/Let me tell you just exactly what is on my mind"
"You Are the Best Thing" is folk singer Ray LaMontagne's best performing single. As the title indicates, the singer is telling the person he loves that they are the best thing to have ever happened to him, a sentiment that probably describes how you feel about your S.O.
15. "You and Me," Lifehouse
Lyrics you'll love: "All of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right/I'm tripping on words/You've got my head spinning/I don't know where to go from here"
"You and Me" is a wedding-music favorite, but it also makes a romantic and emotional pick for your rehearsal dinner playlist.
16. "Hearts Don't Break Around Here," Ed Sheeran
Lyrics you'll love: "She is the sweetest thing that I know/Should see the way she holds me when the lights go low/Shakes my soul like a pothole every time/Took my heart upon a one way trip"
Ed Sheeran's romantic ballad "Hearts Don't Break Around Here" is about feeling happy and safe around the person you love—an ideal sentiment for the night before your wedding day.
17. "Beyond," Leon Bridges
Lyrics you'll love: "I'm scared to death that she might be it/That the love is real, that the shoe might fit/She might be my everything and beyond (beyond)"
"Beyond" appears on soul singer Leon Bridges' 2018 album Good Thing. The mellow acoustics combined with his poetic verses about falling in love with the person who may just be your everything make "Beyond" an ideal song to play at your rehearsal dinner.
18. "Make You Feel My Love," Adele
Lyrics you'll love: "I know you haven't made your mind up yet/But I will never do you wrong/I've known it from the moment that we met/No doubt in my mind where you belong"
"Make You Feel My Love" by Bob Dylan is the only song Adele covers in her album 19. Her gorgeous vocals make the perfect addition to your list of rehearsal dinner songs.
19. "Butterflies," by MAX & Ali Gatie
Lyrics you'll love: "I still fall in love with you every time I see your eyes/It takes me back to the first time I saw you smile/They told us we were young and dumb, we didn't know 'bout love/Now look at all the things we've become"
It's totally normal to feel some nerves on the night before your wedding day, and this song describes those "butterflies" perfectly.
20. "Going to the Chapel," by The Dixie Cups
Lyrics you'll love: "Goin' to the chapel/And we're gonna get married/Gee I really love you/And we're gonna get married/Going to the chapel of love"
This rehearsal dinner song idea takes inspiration from the movie Father of the Bride and will give your pre-wedding celebration a bit of a retro feel. It's a great song to play as the rehearsal dinner comes to an end.
21. "I Say a Little Prayer," Dionne Warwick
Lyrics you'll love: "Forever, and ever/You'll stay in my heart and I will love you)/(Forever) Forever, and ever/We never will part Oh, how I love you"
No rehearsal dinner is complete without this song, a nod to the classic movie My Best Friend's Wedding. Just as Julia Roberts' character leads the assembled guests in a singalong to this tune, your guests will certainly start belting out this classic while enjoying their meal.
22. "Feeling Good," Nina Simone
Lyrics you'll love: "It's a new dawn/It's a new day/It's a new life/For me/And I'm feeling good"
Hopefully, this rehearsal dinner song reflects your mood the night before your big day—and it's sure to put smiles on the faces of your guests as well.
23. "You Can't Hurry Love," The Supremes
Lyrics you'll love: "I need love, love to ease my mind/I need to find, find someone to call mine/But mama said you can't hurry love/No you just have to wait/She said love don't come easy/It's a game of give and take"
This song by Diana Ross and The Supremes deserves a spot on your rehearsal dinner playlist. It's particularly ideal for couples who have been together for many years and are finally ready to say "I do."
24. "The Way You Look Tonight," Frank Sinatra
Lyrics you'll love: "Yes, you're lovely, with your smile so warm/And your cheeks so soft/There is nothing for me, but to love you/And the way you look tonight"
"The Way You Look Tonight" was originally performed by Fred Astaire in the film Swing Time. Frank Sinatra later recorded the song in his 1964 album and it has since become one of his most popular covers. Whether you play this song as you and your S.O. enter the rehearsal dinner, or queue it for later in the evening, we can guarantee the romantic lyrics will have you blushing as you make eye contact with your future partner.
25. "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," Stevie Wonder
Lyrics you'll love: "You are the sunshine of my life/That's why I'll always be around/You are the apple of my eye/Forever you'll stay in my heart"
"You Are the Sunshine of My Life" won Stevie Wonder a Grammy for "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance." This 1972 single is an easy listen for your rehearsal dinner.
Rehearsal Dinner Playlist
Listen to our picks with The Knot's Rehearsal Dinner Playlist on Spotify.
Additional reporting by Brittany Barber.