Wedding Song Playlist

 

Last week, my friend was compiling a list of wedding songs for her daughter’s upcoming nuptials in November. She said that her Gen Z daughter’s list horrified her, but her daughter assured her that the hip-hop songs were merely for the wedding reception’s dance list. Somehow, the daughter and the fiancée both agreed that they wanted to please their titos and titas, as well as their parents, who would be footing the bill for the reception. So, they asked their Baby Boomer parents to send their song requests.

That prompted our group to throw out several suggestions. Spanning three generations, our choices range from schmaltzy to “kilig” (a Tagalog term referring to feelings of elation caused by a romantic experience). We spent our lunch hour singing snippets of songs, from classics and oldies to Motown and a whole discography of sappy love songs that can rival Delilah’s.  

I told the group, “Please restrain yourself to show your age in your choice of songs.”

My friend Sharon said, “Hey, I am paying half of the expenses, so why can’t I choose the songs “And I Love You So” (Perry Como), “I Have You” (Carpenters), “When I Fall in Love” (Nat King Cole)?”

I scoffed, “I love those songs too, although they’re before my time, but you don’t want your audience to get bored, right?”

We all agreed to limit the songs to those from at least the past two decades. It was safe to assume that the Silent/Traditionalist generation would have left Reception soon after food was served.

Fun fact: Do you know that the song “Pretty Little Baby” by Connie Francis became a viral hit 63 years later on TikTok? So, if a contemporary artist revived an Oldie, it should be considered for this playlist, right?

 

Here’s our list:

 

“IKAW” - Yeng Constantino

The song “Ikaw” was a gift of love from Filipino singer-songwriter Yeng Constantino to her husband on their wedding day in 2014. The complex melody and the Tagalog lyrics were a poignant declaration of an enduring love. Singer Yohan Hwang sang the Korean-language version for a Filipino adaptation of a Korean drama show.

“You are the love that I waited for…You are the love that was given to me by the heavens.”

“Ikaw” won the Song of the Year in 2014 and has remained a favorite OPM (Original Pilipino Music) love song to this day. I love it so much that I have featured it three times before in my other blog posts.

 

 “PERFECT”- Ed Sheeran [with Andrea Bocelli]

This is a perfect wedding song, a ballad written by Ed Sheeran to his future wife. His collaboration with Andrea Bocelli was a perfect symphony of pop and opera. I was transfixed as Andrea’s voice soared high, "Tesoro, sei perfetta stasera". I'm the woman dancing in the dark, barefoot in the grass. So romantic.

 

“ALL OF ME” - John Legend

"All of Me" is a piano ballad that John Legend dedicated and sang to his wife, Chrissy Teigen, at their wedding. 

When a man croons that he loves your curves and all your edges, and all your perfect imperfections, that you are his end and his beginning, then what are you waiting for? This will be a legendary song, no pun intended.

 

“TWO WORDS”- Lea Salonga

Lea Salonga was recently inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a historic milestone for a Filipino artist. The Tony and Olivier award-winning singer and actress paved the way for international acclaim for musical artists from the Philippines. She was Kim in Miss Saigon, Eponine and Fantine in Les Misérables, and the voice of Disney Princess Jasmine and warrior Mulan.

It was her song, “Two Words,” that she sang at her wedding, which made her husband, Rob Chien, cry.  Stunning rendition from the Broadway Diva.

 

"HE KNOWS"- Almira Lat Trinidad

Almira Lat (now Trinidad) made a grand entrance on her wedding to Joshua as she sang her song “He Knows” during her bridal walk. The song was composed by Lolito Go, for which she provided additional words. Almira was the grand winner of the "Kantahang Pinoy 2025" singing competition. 

The song quickly gained popularity on various social media platforms. The groom cried, as did the guests and the YouTube video reactors. I must admit I brushed a tear or two, even on several listens.

I hope you noticed when the bride and groom took their parents' hands and pressed them on their foreheads. It is a Filipino tradition to show respect and reverence to their elders.

 

"TWO LESS LONELY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD"- KZ Tandingan

KZ Tandingan magically reimagined the Air Supply version of the Howard Greenfield and Ken Hirsch song "Two Less Lonely People In The World." This soft rock classic served as the soundtrack to the movie "Kita Kita (I See You)". 

It is a heart-warming reminder that someday it will be alright, and there will be two less lonely people amidst a world of heartaches and sadness. There is hope.

 

“NOTHING'S GONNA CHANGE MY LOVE FOR YOU” - Music Travel Love ft. Bugoy Drilon

Love is patient. Love is enduring. I enjoy the heartfelt acoustic rendition of Music Travel Love with the smooth-voiced Filipino artist Bugoy Drilon. The George Benson version was popular in the Philippines in the mid-1980s. Bob and Clint Moffatt are identical twins known for their pop-rock music and videos with the panoramic views of the locales, filmed in the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, and other exotic sites worldwide.             

“I WILL BE HERE”- Steven Curtis Chapman

“Tomorrow morning when you wake up and the future is unclear, I will be here. As sure as seasons are made for change, our lifetimes are made for years, so I will be here ”.

This is a solemn promise.  This is an Oldie but a Goldie, written by Steven Curtis Chapman for his then-bride of five years, Mary Beth. After his parents’ unexpected divorce, he saw the panic and fear in his wife’s eyes, so he wrote the song to reassure his wife that he would be there at her side, no matter what.

This quintessential love song from the multi-Grammy award winner has been sung at many weddings and anniversaries.

 

“LUCKY”- Lee Suhyun & Henry Lau

In the Begin Again TV show, Lee Suhyun and Henry Lau joined the busking group that toured and performed in Europe and South Korea. I enjoyed their duet version of the original song by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat. The harmonies and chemistry between Henry and Suhyun had me coming back for more. The audience was mesmerized and engaged; I would have loved to be there in the crowd.