Music is the emotional engine of your wedding film. It can make a moment feel nostalgic, electric, soft, cinematic, or like a full-on party. Here’s how to pick it well — and legally.
Pros can’t legally use any random popular song in your film. Even if it’s “just for you.” That’s why filmmakers use licensed music libraries — so your film can be shared without getting muted or removed, and so no one gets sued. Nothing would add a sour taste to watching your wedding film like a giant fine from a record label!
By in large, the music that is available for licensing is going to be slightly less known or an older track from a known artist. You're not going to find a top hit from a top artist available for legal licensing. And reminder, just because you saw a video on social media with a trendy song attached, does NOT mean they used it legally.
Start with the feeling - Do you want romantic? nostalgic? playful? modern? dramatic? Think about the vibe you want the music in your flim to embody. If you're not sure, that's ok too! We're the professionals and we spend hoooours of our lives each week choosing the right music for our films. We can help!
Think in three chapters - There should be a natural rise and fall to a film. The music helps carry the narrative and shares the emotion of the part of the day being shown at any moment. Having a few songs in your film helps carry it forward and keeps the story flowing.
getting ready/build up (soft)
ceremony/emotional peak (cinematic, lyric-light)
reception/celebration (upbeat)
Give your filmmaker direction, not a playlist- If you have a specific song you want, we're happy to accommodate, but sometimes the footage is just asking for a specific track! If you're ok with us using our creative discretion, giving general guidance gives us the creative wiggle room to make the best film possible.
Helpful guidance:
“warm + modern, not moody”
“more indie than orchestral”
“we love lyrics / we hate lyrics”
Try things like:
“We want music that feels ______.
Our day vibe is ______.
We do/don’t love lyrics.
We want the party section to feel ______.”
If you have your heart set on a specific song, we can always check to see if there's a legal license available for that song. If there's not, we cannot legally use the song. Your only option would be to reach out directly to the record label to see if they're willing to let you purchase an individual license. In our experience, an individual license can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand, depending on the song and just how that record label handles licensing.
Finding the right song is important, but don't let it be something that causes stress. The best music isn't a song you already know; it's a song that captures the emotion you want to feel.