It’s official – the temperatures are dropping, the humidity vanishing, the kids are back in school, and the pumpkin spice back in the lattes. Which can only mean one thing really: you’re ready to bust out a sweater, put on ‘When Harry Met Sally,’ and keep all those cozy jazz songs we associate with the film and fall in this part of the country blasting. As a New York City-based company, we here at Around Town Entertainment love autumn in New York and we feel that we’re particularly qualified to tell you all about some of our favorite seasonally appropriate songs – all of which are, of course, also appropriate for your fall wedding!
September has been an especially busy month for us and who doesn’t love an October wedding before the temperatures drop, or a wedding in the first two weeks of November – also known as the peak season for the colorful leaves around here. Of course, there’s no rule about wedding music being seasonally appropriate, but we find it’s often a really smart and successful move as people tend to dance more to the music they’re craving. Additionally, having the music match your ambience and theme just serves to create an even more cohesive and magical day that’s truly unforgettable.
Our award-winning bands and musicians will all tell you that they each have a different favorite song, but we’ve gone ahead and curated a list of songs that’s surprisingly wide-ranging given what we just said about a “cohesive ambience.” Below you’ll find some suggestions that are all linked to autumn in one way or another and who knows? You might just find the perfect song for your fall wedding! We’ve also tucked in suggestions about when each song might be appropriate on your big day – you know us, we love tips and tricks!
“Autumn in New York” by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong – Come on, you have to have known we were gonna start with this one! This is an all-time classic and easily the first song that comes to mind when anyone so much as says the words “autumn in New York.” Cozy, warm, nostalgic, slow, this song is perfect for a slow dance.
“September in the Rain” by Sarah Vaughan – At first, this one doesn’t seem like it’s a love song, but then, surprise! “To every word of love I heard you whisper, the raindrops seemed to play a sweet refrain” comes along and cements this as another cozy jazz standard of a love song. For anyone getting married in September, you get dibs!
“Autumn” by Couch – Yes, the band’s name is Couch. Trust us, though, this newer song is an absolutely perfect First Dance song with lyrics like “You bring color to my life… and I love autumn the way I love you.” Its melody and instrumentation are entirely modern, but the musical motifs echo the older classic jazz standards, without being one or trying to become one. Unpretentious and heartfelt, this is a song perfect for couples who truly never thought they’d find one another.
“‘Tis Autumn” by Nat King Cole – This one sneaks up on you, setting the scene for verse after verse until you get to “Me holding you close really is no crime, ask the birds, the bees, and Old Father Time, it’s just to help the mercury climb” that finally reveals this classic to be quite the romantic love song, and absolutely perfect for a wedding even later on in fall when it’s even chillier!
“September” by Earth, Wind & Fire – This one is about to be incredibly relevant since it begs the question, “Do you remember the twenty-first night of September?” which happens to fall on a Saturday this year! This one is uptempo, rare for this category of songs, and that makes it perfect for an entrance, or even a cake cutting!
“Just Like Autumn” by Jordy Searcy, Carly Bannister, and The Tuesday Crew – this song is perfect for the acoustic/indie couple. Gentle, acoustic, and sweet, the song is a duet all about falling (in love “just like autumn” and a fabulous choice for either a processional or a first dance!
“Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood – You’ll likely remember this one from 2013, even if you haven’t thought about it in awhile. If classics, jazz, and acoustic music don’t speak to you, this one probably will. Modernist, and pulsing, this one is great for a choreographed first dance or in a dance set!
“Harvest Moon” by Neil Young – this one is actually perfect to incorporate into a dance set if you want to get couples who’ve been married for years onto the dance floor for an “anniversary” dance, with lyrics like “I wanna see you dance again because I’m still in love with you.” If the original Neil Young doesn’t quite do it for you stylistically, check out covers by the band Melt, Maya Delilah, or Lord Huron!
“we fell in love in october” by girl in red – Probably the most “indie rock” of all our suggestions, this one is for fans of artists like Lana Del Rey or Phoebe Bridgers, it works incredibly well for our LGBTQ couples. Chill and simple, the lyrics do the lifting on this one. Not what we’d call ideal for a first dance necessarily, but there are lots of ways to work this one in!
