weddingPick your wedding style, set the mood for each moment, add your must-play songs and get a curated playlist from the processional to the last dance. Copy it for your DJ in one click. Free, no sign-up.
One style, a mood per moment, your must-plays. You get 28 picks across 8 moments, ready to copy for your DJ.
This helps us pick songs that match the vibe of your celebration.
List your music moments with how long each runs, pick the ceremony and special dance songs first, then set a mood for cocktail hour, dinner and dancing. A free builder like the one above matches songs to each mood. Add a short must-play list and a specific do-not-play list, and send it to your DJ 4 to 6 weeks out.
ProcessionalCanon in DPachelbel
RecessionalSigned, Sealed, Delivered I'm YoursStevie Wonder
First danceCan't Help Falling in LoveElvis Presley
Father-daughter danceMy GirlThe Temptations
Mother-son danceA Song for MamaBoyz II Men
Cake cuttingSugarMaroon 5Plan by time, not by a round number. A DJ gets through about 15 to 20 songs an hour, so your timeline tells you how long each list needs to be. The builder gives you a core of 28 picks; the table shows how far a full day stretches.
Most songs run 3 to 5 minutes, and DJs often cut them shorter to keep the floor moving.
Source: Goodtime DJOver a 4 to 5 hour reception the range stretches to about 60 to 100 songs in total.
Source: Goodtime DJThat covers prelude to last dance. You hand over more than gets played so the DJ can read the room.
Source: Joy| Moment | How long | Songs | Tempo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelude (guests arriving) | 30 to 45 min | 10 to 15 | Soft, ambient |
| Processional (wedding party) | 5 to 10 min | 1 to 3 | Moderate, emotional |
| Couple entrance | 2 to 4 min | 1 | Meaningful, slower |
| Ceremony interludes | 5 to 10 min | 1 to 2 | Soft, instrumental |
| Recessional | 2 to 4 min | 1 | Upbeat, celebratory |
| Cocktail hour | 60 to 90 min | 20 to 30 | Upbeat but conversational |
| Dinner | 90 to 120 min | 25 to 35 | Mellow, background |
| First dance | 3 to 4 min | 1 | Slow, romantic |
| Parent dances | 6 to 8 min | 2 | Slow to moderate |
| Reception dancing | 2 to 3 hours | 40 to 60 | Energetic, varied |
| Last dance | 3 to 4 min | 1 | Slow or anthemic |
Durations and song counts from Joy's wedding music playlist guide (2026); songs per hour and per reception from Goodtime DJ. Checked 5 October 2026.
Two proven picks and one newer song for each of the seven cues guests remember. Moments marked In the builder come with more options in the tool above. For the others, type your choice in as a must-play.
Canon in DOne song for the wedding party, one for the couple, or a single piece that builds.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm YoursUpbeat and short. Guests are on their feet and clapping, so pick something with a fast start.
Can't Help Falling in LoveSlow and personal. Most couples fade it out after about two minutes.
More first dance song ideasMy GirlAdd it as a must-play in step 3 so it lands at the top of your list for the DJ.
Where it sits in the dance orderA Song for MamaMany couples run both parent dances back to back, or split one song between them.
SugarA playful, sweet-themed song. It plays for a minute or two, so pick a strong chorus.
(I've Had) The Time of My LifeBig singalong or slow and sweet. Tell the DJ which one, because they feel very different.
Songs tagged 2025 pick come from wedding DJ Matthew Campbell's most popular wedding songs of 2025 list on My Wedding Songs (updated 15 January 2026), which names APT. as the go-to song for the final hour. It is a DJ's curated list, not chart data. Checked 5 October 2026.
The order matters. Fixed cues first, moods second, lists for the DJ last. Steps 3 to 5 are what the builder covers; the rest take one evening with your partner.
List every music moment from guests arriving to the last song, with the time each one takes. Your timeline decides how many songs you need, so do this before you pick a single track.
Choose the prelude mood, the processional, the couple's entrance and the recessional. These are fixed cues, so confirm with your officiant and venue when each one starts.
First dance, parent dances, cake cutting and the last song. Decide whether each one plays in full or fades out early, and write that down.
Cocktail hour and dinner need background music people can talk over. The dance floor needs energy. Give each block a mood word and a genre or two. The builder above does this step for you.
Pick the songs that would truly disappoint you if they were missing. Keep it short so your DJ still has room to read the crowd and pick the next song.
Name songs, not genres. Joy's example: "No country" is vague, while "No Chicken Dance, no YMCA, no Electric Slide" is something a DJ can act on.
Finalize must-plays, do-not-plays and special dance songs at least 4 to 6 weeks before the wedding, then confirm everything on a call 1 to 2 weeks before.
Steps 6 and 7 come from Joy's wedding music guide. To set the cue times, build the day in our wedding timeline builder, and check the order of dances before you fix the special dance songs.
You do not need paid wedding playlist software to plan the music. Here is what a free builder, the two big streaming apps and a DJ planning app each do, checked on each vendor's own page.
Free with no account, organised by wedding moment, and it suggests songs for you. Pair it with a collaborative playlist if you want guests to add songs.
| Tool | Cost and setup | Organised by moment | Song ideas | Guests can add songs | Handoff to the DJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pix Wedding Playlist BuilderOur pick | Free, no account | Yes, 8 moments from processional to last dance | 28 picks from a 103-song library, matched to your style and a mood per moment | You two build it; add a collaborative playlist for guest picks | Copy as a numbered list or share it |
| Spotify collaborative playlist | Spotify account, set up in the mobile or desktop app | No, one list per playlist (make one per moment) | No wedding suggestions, you add every song | Yes. The invite link is valid for 7 days and collaborators can add, remove and reorder tracks | Share the playlist link |
| Apple Music collaborative playlist | Apple Music subscription required | No, one list per playlist (make one per moment) | No wedding suggestions, you add every song | Yes, by link. Optional Approve Collaborators setting, and under-13s cannot join | Share the playlist link (iPhone, iPad and Android app) |
| Vibo (DJ planning app) | Free for you, but only if your DJ pays for a Vibo subscription | Yes, a shared event timeline with your DJ | You build playlists inside your DJ's branded app | Not listed on vibodj.com, ask your DJ | DJ exports to Serato, Virtual DJ, djay Pro or Rekordbox (M3U) |
Swipe to compare tools
Checked on each vendor's own page on 5 October 2026. Features change, so check before you rely on them. Sources: Spotify Support: collaborative playlists, Apple Support: collaborate on a playlist, vibodj.com.
Guests love being asked. Three ways to collect their songs, from no tech at all to a live shared playlist. Whatever you pick, you keep the final say.
Add one line to your RSVP card or wedding website form. Guests fill it in when they reply, so the requests reach you months ahead and you can filter them before the DJ sees them.
Best for: every wedding, zero techMake a Spotify or Apple Music collaborative playlist and put the invite link on your website or a QR sign. On Spotify the invite link lasts 7 days, so open it for a set week. On Apple Music, Approve Collaborators lets you vet who joins.
Best for: guests who already use one appMany DJs run a planning app such as Vibo, where you build playlists and the timeline with them. Ask your DJ whether guests can suggest songs in it, and whether you get the final say.
Best for: couples whose DJ already uses onePut it under the meal choice so nobody skips it. Ask for one song, with the artist, so the answers are easy to search. Then read through them and move the good ones into your must-play list.
Using a collaborative playlist instead? Spotify invite links last 7 days (Spotify Support), so send a fresh link if you open it again later.
Apple Music needs a subscription for everyone who joins, and you can approve collaborators one by one (Apple Support).
Pix Wedding does not collect song requests. It collects the other thing guests send you: their photos and videos from the day, in one shared album.
The first dance, the parent dances and the last song are when guests film and shoot the most. A QR code on each table sends every one of those photos to one album.
Scan to join the album
No app, no account
UPLOADING
THE ALBUM
June 21, 2026
647 photos · 95 guests
First dance
You guys!!
Guests scan one QR code and add their photos and videos from the browser, no app and no account. Start free with 20 guest uploads, no card.
From Mom
Scan to join the album
No app, no account
UPLOADING
THE ALBUM
June 21, 2026
647 photos · 95 guests
SCAN TO TRY
pix.wedding/
your-wedding
One page your DJ can work from, so the builder also works as a free DJ playlist maker. Copy the template, fill the brackets, and paste the list from the builder under must-plays. Send it 4 to 6 weeks before the day.
WEDDING MUSIC BRIEF Couple: [Name] & [Name] Date: [Date] Venue: [Venue] Planner or day-of contact: [Name, phone] TIMELINE AND CUES [Time] Prelude, mood: [soft acoustic] [Time] Processional: [Song - Artist] [Time] Couple entrance: [Song - Artist] [Time] Recessional: [Song - Artist] [Time] Cocktail hour, mood: [jazz, upbeat] [Time] Grand entrance: [Song - Artist] [Time] Dinner, mood: [mellow] [Time] First dance: [Song - Artist], fade at [2:30] [Time] Parent dances: [Song - Artist] [Time] Cake cutting: [Song - Artist] [Time] Open dancing [Time] Last song: [Song - Artist] MUST-PLAY [Paste the list from the builder here] DO-NOT-PLAY [Song - Artist], [Song - Artist] NAMES TO ANNOUNCE (with pronunciation) [Name: how to say it] GUEST REQUESTS [Link to your collaborative playlist, or "none"]
"Be specific. 'No country' is vague. 'No Chicken Dance, no YMCA, no Electric Slide' is actionable."Joy Editors, wedding music guide (2026)
Still choosing who plays the music? Our wedding DJ cost guide shows what a DJ typically charges and what is included.
Wedding DJ Nick Spinelli shows how he prepared the music for one wedding: several playlists for different parts of the day and far more requests than he could play. It is a good look at why a short must-play list and a clear do-not-play list help your DJ more than a giant list.
Watch on YouTube (17 min)Watch a guest scan the QR code and add photos from the browser, no app and no account. Your playlist sets the mood; the album keeps what everyone filmed while it played.
WEDDING ALBUM
Example album
Start with 20 guest uploads free, no card. Paid plans are a one-time payment with unlimited guests.
For collecting every original
Most couples pick this
One-time payment, no subscription
For big guest lists
One payment. Yours to keep. No subscription. No renewals. No surprise charges.
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Money-back guarantee: if your guests never upload a single photo, you get 100% back. See how it works
City hall ceremony then 35 of us for dinner at a little Brooklyn restaurant. The album feels like a tiny documentary of our night. The live slideshow on the restaurant TV kept everyone uploading
Beach wedding, super casual. QR code on the welcome sign and on every cocktail table. Took me about ten minutes to set up. Being able to grab the whole album as a ZIP is huge
Small backyard wedding. I was lowkey worried Pix would be overkill for us but the album is honestly the most precious thing we own now. Watching photos pop up on the live slideshow during dinner was unreal
What couples ask while they plan the music: song counts, free tools, guest requests and what to send the DJ.
If you want song ideas sorted by moment, use a wedding playlist maker that builds the list for you. The Pix Wedding Playlist Builder is free with no account: pick a style, set a mood for each of eight moments, add must-plays and get 28 picks from a 103-song library. If you want guests to add songs, pair it with a Spotify or Apple Music collaborative playlist.
Map your moments and how long each one runs, pick the ceremony and special dance songs first, then set a mood for cocktail hour, dinner and dancing. The free builder on this page does the mood and song matching for you. Finish with a short must-play list and a specific do-not-play list, and send both to your DJ 4 to 6 weeks before the wedding.
Both, in practice. It works as a wedding playlist generator because it builds a full list across eight moments, and as a wedding song generator because you can hit Shuffle New Picks for a fresh set of songs with the same style and moods. The songs come from a curated library of 103 wedding songs, not random tracks.
A DJ plays about 15 to 20 songs an hour, which works out to roughly 60 to 80 songs for a 4-hour reception, according to Goodtime DJ. Joy suggests preparing 150 to 200 songs for a full day from prelude to last dance, because a DJ needs more options than will be played. The builder gives you a core of 28 picks plus your must-plays.
Yes. Spotify and Apple Music both offer collaborative playlists where anyone with your link can add songs, and Apple Music lets you approve each collaborator first. Some DJs also use planning apps such as Vibo. Pix Wedding does not collect song requests; it collects your guests' photos and videos in one album.
Yes. The DJ handoff card on this page is a wedding playlist template you can copy: your names, date and venue, the timeline with a song for each cue, must-plays, do-not-plays, name pronunciations and a link to any guest request playlist. Paste the list from the builder under the must-play heading.
Yes. Add as many must-play songs as you like in step 3, with a title and artist for each, and they appear at the top of the playlist marked Must-Play. You can also delete any suggested song you do not like, so you end up with a custom wedding playlist that mixes your favourites with curated picks.
Not always. Many DJs already give couples a planning portal, so ask before you pay for any wedding playlist software. If your DJ just wants a list, a copied text list from a free builder plus a do-not-play list is enough. If you are running the music yourself, a streaming app playlist per moment is the simplest setup.
