14 Vibrant Salsa Wedding Songs to Encourage Your Guests to Dance

Salsa is a genre that goes as far back as the mid-20th century. The genre also made a debut in New York via Puerto Ricans in the 1960s. Decades later, salsa is a beloved genre that we hear at gatherings spanning from festivals to weddings. If you're planning a wedding, you may want to include salsa wedding songs in your playlist to get your guests going. It's a good choice considering the vibrant and soulful melodies make it difficult for guests to sit down.

If you're looking for a wedding DJ or a live band to play some of your favorite salsa jams on your big day, check out The Knot Marketplace.

"Vivir Mi Vida," Marc Anthony

Lyrics you'll love: "A veces llega la lluvia/Para limpiar las heridas/A veces solo una gota/Puede vencer la sequía"

English Translation: "Sometimes the rain comes/to clean the wounds/sometimes just a drop/you can beat the drought"

Marc Anthony is a music superstar, so you can expect almost any track he's on to be a hit. This song in particular is a popular party starter released in April 2013. It happens to be a salsa cover of Khaled's song "C'est La Vie". It's an ideal wedding song because it's about living life to the fullest and doing what makes you happy—exactly what your big day should be all about!

"La Vida Es Un Carnaval," Celia Cruz

Lyrics you'll love: "Todo aquel que piense que la vida es desigual/Tiene que saber que no es así/Que la vida es una hermosura, hay que vivirla/Todo aquel que piense que está solo y que está mal/Tiene que saber que no es así/Que en la vida no hay nadie solo, siempre hay alguien"

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English Translation: "Anyone thinking that like is unfair/Needs to know that's not the case/that life is beautiful, you must live it/Anyone thinking he's alone and that that's bad/Needs to know that's not the case/That in life no one is alone, there is always someone"

Translated in English as 'life is a carnival', Cruz' song is a party starter that you can play during the reception. The track was released in 1998 and produced by Isidro Infante on her album Mi Vida Es Cantar. The salsa song is a great reminder that life should be enjoyed and that troubles don't last.

"Vente Pa' Ca" (feat. Maluma), Ricky Martin

Lyrics you'll love: "Si tú quieres nos bañamos/si tú quieres nos soplamos/pa' secarnos lo moja'o/si tu boca quiere beso/y tu cuerpo quiere de eso, arreglamos/Si tú quieres un atajoy lo quieres por abajo/yo te llevo bien calla'o"

English Translation: "If you want we can swim/If you want we can dry ourselves/If your mouth wants a kiss/And your body wants that/Then we can manage/If you want a shortcut/And If you want to go down/I'll take you there so quietly"

"Vente Pa' Ca" was released in 2016 and is on the album Gay Pride Hits–Martin's 11th studio album. The legendary singer isn't the only one on the track–it also features Colombian singer Maluma.

"Suavemente," Elvis Crespo

Lyrics you'll love: "Cuando tú me besas/me siento en el aire/por eso cuando te veo/comienzo a besarte/Y si te despegas, yo me despierto/de ese rico sueño, que me dan tus besos"

English Translation: "When you kiss me/I feel like I'm in the air/So that's why when I see you/I start to kiss you/and when you stop, I wake up/from that sweet dream that your kisses give me"

If you grew up in the '90s, you may have heard this song at a party at least once. It was the first track on Elvis Crespo's album titled Suavemente, which was a sensation in both Latin America and the United States. SInce it's a popular song, it may be a good song to play at the beginning of the reception to break the ice if guests are reluctant to dance.

"Corazón Sin Cara," Prince Royce

Lyrics you'll love: "Y el corazón no tiene cara/Y te prometo que lo nuestro/Nunca va a terminar/Y el amor vive en el alma/Ni con deseos sabes que nada de ti va a cambiar"

English Translation: "And the heart has no face/And I promise you that what we have/Is never going to end/And love lives in the soul/Don't even think I want you to change anything about you"

"Corazón Sin Cara" has a slower tempo than other wedding salsa songs listed above, making it ideal for a first dance. Royce released this song in 2011 on his album Prince Royce. The lyrics also make it an ultimate love song as Royce tells his lover that he loves her just the way she is.

"Valió La Pena," Marc Anthony

Lyrics you'll love: "Mirándote a los ojos se responden mis porques/me inspiran tus palabras y mi casa está en tu piel/Que tierno amor, mi devoción, viniste a ser mi religión/Mi dulce sentimiento de nada me arrepiento"

English Translation: "Looking in your eyes, my "whys" receive an answer/Your words inspire me and my home is in your skin/What a tender love, my devotion, you came to be my religion/My sweet feeling, I am not repenting anything."

If you're looking for the best salsa songs for weddings, you're likely to have several Marc Anthony songs on your playlist. Valió La Pena is a high-energy song that will give guests a chance to flex their salsa moves.

"Thinking Out Loud," Antony Nova

Lyrics you'll love: "Cuando sientas que no/te mueves igual/Y se me olvide como conquistarte/Recordarás el sabor de mis labios/Y me besarás todavía sin pensarlo"

English Translation: "When your legs don't work like they used to before/And I can't sweep you off of your feet/Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love/Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks"

Ed Sheeran's hit song Thinking Out Loud attracted millions of listeners globally after it's released in 2014. Singer Antony Nova created a salsa remix version of the song, which you can play at your wedding. This version can appeal to anyone, whether they like the original song or appreciate a salsa beat.

"Refugio De Amor," Chayanne

Lyrics you'll love: "Toda minha vida sonhava poder te encontrar/e entre teus braços/Suave e devagar entregar-me"

English Translation: "All my life I dreamed I could find you/and between your arms/Gently and slowly surrender myself"

Refugio De Amor is a ballad by Chayanne also known as Elmer Figueroa Arce released in 1998. This ballad could be played as a song for the couple's first dance. In case you'd prefer it, there's also an English version produced by Keith Thomas as a soundtrack for the movie Dance With Me. It features singer, actress and dancer Vanessa Williams.

"Como Fue," Ibahim Ferrer

Lyrics you'll love: "Ni sé explicarme que pasó/Pero de ti me enamoré/Fue una luz/Que eliminó todo mi ser/Tu risa como un manantial/Llenó mi vida de inquietud"

English Translation: "I don't know how to explain what happened/But I fell in love with you/was a light/that eliminated my whole being/your laughter like a spring/filled my life with restlessness"

Ferrer's song from the 90s is another salsa wedding song that's an ode to love. The Cuban singer released the track in 1999 on the album Buena Vista Social Club presents Ibrahim Ferrer. This is more of a traditional song and can be played as guests grab drinks, eat dinner, or head home.

"I'll Always Love You," Tito Nieves

Lyrics you'll love: "I'll always love you for the rest of my days/You have won my heart and my soul with your sweet and sexy ways/You gave me hope when I needed someone near/You bring me happiness every day of the year"

The song was released in 1991 on the singer's album I like It Like That. Guests can two-step to this song alongside the newlyweds as the song is about finding and loving that special one, which is what the couple of the day have achieved.

"Bailando," Enrique Iglesias

Lyrics you'll love: "You look at me and, girl,/you take me to another place /

Got me feelin' like I'm flyin'/like I'm out of space "

The English version of this song by Enrique Iglesias has over 500 million views making it a hot pick for a wedding reception. This version features artists like Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno and Gente De Zona.

"Chantaje," Shakira feat. Maluma

Lyrics you'll love: "Como tú me tientas cuando tú te mueves/Esos movimientos sexys, siempre me entretienen/Sabes manipularme bien con tus caderas/No sé por qué me tienes en lista de espera"

English Translation: "As you tempt me, when you move/Those sexy moves, always entertain me/You know how manipulate me with your hips/I don't know why you got me on a waiting list"

Shakira is known to make music that gets your hips moving and this salsa song is no different. Chantaje sounds like a party song with a reggaeton feel. This is a modern salsa song that's on the singer's eleventh album El Dorado. For the record, the video for the song was the fastest Spanish language video to reach over 100 million views on Vevo.

"Tu Amor Me Hace Bien," Marc Anthony

Lyrics you'll love: "Porque tenerte a mi lado me hace fuerte/Si eres mi reina y mi espada/Te quiero así cuando ríes cuando callas/Porque al caer me levantas"

English Translation: "I love you in this way, when you laugh when you are quiet/because when I fall you pick me up/because my voice and my spirit get nervous/When you say that you love me"

Tu Amor Me Hace Bien is another one of Marc Anthony's salsa songs that will have your guests feeling in love. This is one of many romantic salsa songs that have sweet and uplifting lyrics the couple and their guests can sing along to.

"I Want You Back," Tito Nieves and Tony Succar

Lyrics you'll love: "Oh baby give me one more chance (Show you that I love you)/Won't you please let me (Back in your heart)/Oh darlin' I was blind to let you go (Let you go baby)/But now since I see you in his arms"

Not everyone knows that The Jackson 5's famous Want You Back has a salsa version. Nieves and Succar gave the song a Latin twist making the song all the more memorable. The lyrics are the same as the original, meaning guests who aren't familiar with the salsa version can still sing along.