Last week, I lamented that weddings aren’t great for popular culture. Movies and TV shows about weddings are often the worst examples of the form.
The big exception, though, is music. Wedding-related songs are often fantastic! They’re full of emotion: either upbeat and celebratory, or romantic and longing. And they’re not tacky like over-the-top Hollywood weddings.
Now, I’m not talking about songs played at weddings. (Some of the worst songs on Earth are wedding playlist staples: “Chicken Dance,” “Cha Cha Slide,” and “Macarena,” I’m looking at you.) But there are tons of songs about weddings and getting married that are perfectly lovely.
For instance, my favorite wedding song of all time is “Somebody’s Getting Married,” performed by one of the most important bands of our time: the Muppets. This should not be left off any self-respecting wedding song list. From The Muppets Take Manhattan:
I understand not everyone is into the vocal stylings of Miss Piggy. If you’re trying to make a wedding mix — which, more so than rings, is still the universally recognized symbol of love (at least to High Fidelity geeks) — and want to go beyond the obvious “Goin’ to the Chapel” and other mushy love songs, try throwing some of these songs on there:
“Polyester Bride” by Liz Phair:
“The Bachelor and the Bride” by The Decemberists:
“The Crane Wife” also works:
“January Wedding” by the Avett Brothers:
“I Was Married” by Tegan & Sara:
“A Punchup at a Wedding” by Radiohead:
“A Wedding” by the Oxford Collapse
“The Book of Love” by the Magnetic Fields:
“Love Is Eternity” by They Might Be Giants
“Click Click Click Click” by Bishop Allen:
… or anything by the band The Wedding Present (“Box Elder” is my personal favorite).
What’s your favorite wedding song? (Better yet, what was your wedding song?) Let me know in the comments.
