Of the human senses, sight and sound contribute the most to our daily lives. So when planning your wedding—one of the most important days of your life—the deep desire to make everything look beautiful and sound perfect comes naturally.
Of all the sounds at your wedding, your vows and the music you play will be the most memorable!
If your ceremony is outside of a house of worship, you can take the romantic music from your vows straight through to the last dance of your reception, and we’re “Thinking Out Loud” when we say that Ed Sheeran’s catalog of love songs is “Perfect” for any wedding playlist.
Here are the 18 best Ed Sheeran wedding songs!
“Perfect”
Sheeran wrote this love ballad before he got married, with his wife-to-be in mind.
For added romance, you can choose the “Perfect Duet” that Sheeran recorded with Beyoncé, or if you’d like to add more pomp to your wedding ceremony, check out the version that Sheeran recorded with Italian opera star Andrea Bocelli.
When to play: Bride’s entrance or recessional.
The meaning and tempo of this song are ideal for when the bride enters the ceremony, and just as beautiful during the recessional when the newlyweds walk up the aisle hand in hand.
“Thinking Out Loud”
This Grammy-winning tune is one of Sheeran’s best-known contributions to pop music and wedding playlists!
While some couples may think it’s a bit overdone these days (any song that’s reached 3.4 billion views on YouTube may deserve to take a rest), the heartfelt lyrics and strumming guitar are timelessly wedding-worthy.
When to play: Bride’s entrance, recessional, or first dance.
You have three great options for using this tune, when the bride enters, after the ceremony, or as your first newlywed dance.
“Tenerife Sea”
Learning about Sheeran’s songwriting process is fun, and the backstory behind “Tenerife Sea” is incredibly cool.
During a radio interview, Sheeran admitted that a picture of a stunning blue sea in a travel brochure inspired him to write this song. He added romantically that the image reminded him of his girlfriend’s blue eyes.
When to play: Bride’s entrance at a beach wedding.
If you’re having a beachfront ceremony or a destination wedding, this song will be hugely romantic as the bride walks down the powdery sand aisle.
“Afterglow”
Sheeran released “Afterglow” on Instagram to the surprise and delight of his fans. It’s another ballad on guitar with lovely lyrics inspired by his wife about holding “on tighter ’til the afterglow.”
When to play: Bride’s entrance.
The moment a bride walks down the aisle is a memory you’ll both want to hold on to, making the lyrics to this song so romantic and appropriate.
“I Was Made for Loving You”
For a reason, this song might not be familiar to diehard Sheeran fans: it’s a song that Tori Kelly co-wrote and recorded with Sheeran as a duet. The arrangement is gorgeous, and their voices blend beautifully together.
When to play: Bride’s entrance or first dance.
As this song softly plays, your guests will hold back happy tears as you walk down the aisle.
“Photograph”
Sheeran’s inspo for writing this tune was a long-distance relationship with an ex-girlfriend, and the lyrics are definitely on the moody side.
While some controversy was attached to “Photograph,” there’s no doubt that love prevails in this song through difficulties and sadness!
Check out the YouTube covers because it sounds great sung live, accompanied by acoustic guitars.
When to play: First kiss and during recessional.
At an outdoor wedding or casual ceremony, play this song during your first kiss after your vows, inviting guests to take pictures and ensuring your wedding photographer captures gorgeous forever shots!
“Kiss Me”
The lyrics to this love song are pretty sensual, and the backstory is about two best friends who fall in love with each other.
Sheeran has revealed that he wrote the tune about his godparents, which makes it even more heartwarming for a wedding playlist.
When to play: First kiss and recessional.
This song is a perfect way to end your vows with a kiss before you journey back up the aisle together as newlyweds.
“How Would You Feel”
Can Ed Sheeran get any cuter when he confesses how and why he wrote songs like this?
In the case of “How Would You Feel”, Sheeran has revealed he wrote it specifically for his girlfriend (now wife). He recorded a rough track on his cell phone and sent it to her in an email… how romantic is that?!
When to play: First dance.
Sheeran eventually recorded this song in the studio with a gorgeous guitar solo by John Mayer, and it’s great for your first dance as newlyweds!
“Love in Slow Motion”
Sheeran wrote “Love in Slow Motion” after he got married, and the song is a joyful commentary on taking it easier and living in the moment with the one you love.
When to play: Ceremony recessional and entrance to the reception.
This song is so sweet that it deserves to play twice as your newlywed theme music! First as your wedding ceremony recessional, then again as you make a grand entrance at your wedding reception.
“Hearts Don’t Break Around Here”
A love song like this with vocals and guitar is pretty and playful, and it speaks volumes about a happily ever after when you find your “one.”
When to play: First or Last Dance.
Hearts will melt at your reception as you dance to this song at the beginning or end of the night. For added romance, have a live vocalist on guitar serenade you two on the dance floor!
“Wake Me Up”
Sheeran has so many memorable love songs that it’s not surprising a few have slipped through the cracks.
“Wake Me Up” isn’t one of his better-known songs, but we love the swoon-worthy line, “I could do without a tan on my left hand, where my fourth finger meets my knuckle,” a reference to the groom’s ring finger.
When to play: Groom’s dedication song to the bride at the reception.
Whether it’s the first song or a surprise dedication to the bride from her groom, this song will melt the crowd.
“The Joker and the Queen”
Two things stand out about this Sheeran love song: it features beautiful instruments like a piano and strings, and it’s a duet with Taylor Swift!
The card game lyrics are sassy and sweet, with a nice swaying tempo to the melody.
When to play: First dance.
Sheeran and Swift sing in perfect harmony, making this an ideal choice for your first dance as newlyweds.
“Shape of You”
The “strummy acoustics” and Caribbean dancehall influence of this catchy uptempo song play over sensual lyrics, and the sound took Sheeran’s music in a new and popular direction.
When to play: Grand entrance at a wedding reception.
Even if some guests are unfamiliar with the song, the intro gets their feet tapping. It’s also fun to make this song your grand entrance and take it straight to the floor for a groovy first dance to kick off your reception!
“Galway Girl”
Are you planning an Irish-themed wedding? If so, this catchy Celtic-inspired tune by Sheeran fits your Irish wedding playlist perfectly.
When to play: It’s a bonafide way to get the crowd onto the dancefloor at any wedding reception!
“Castle on the Hill”
It might not be a traditional Sheeran romantic ballad, but he wrote “Castle on the Hill” as a love song for his hometown in Suffolk, England.
This fun uptempo tune debuted at #2 on the UK charts, right behind Sheeran’s “Shape of You” at #1!
When to play: A tremendous first fast dance to get the crowd partying at your reception.
“Shivers”
With lyrics like “lipstick on my guitar,” Sheeran sings about “dancing underneath the stars” in this fun uptempo tune.
When to play: Another top choice for the first fast dance at your reception.
“Overpass Graffiti”
Your wedding is definitely a “cause for celebration,” as Sheeran sings about in “Overpass Graffiti.”
If possible, get your wedding DJ to play this tune as a lyric video so everyone can sing along!
When to play: Big wedding group dance and singalong at your reception.
“Everything Has Changed”
Sheeran and Taylor Swift co-wrote and recorded this duet and finished writing it while bouncing on a trampoline she’d bought for her house!
The lyrics are memorable and fit this new chapter in your lives as a married couple.
When to play: Invite everyone onto the dance floor with this last song at your wedding reception!
