Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani had agreed to write their own wedding vows. Blake Shelton decided to prepare a surprise: a song written for the occasion, performed as part of the promises exchanged on their wedding day.
The song was “We Can Reach the Stars.” Before listeners could hear the released recording, guests at the couple’s July 3, 2021 wedding in Oklahoma had heard its personal purpose firsthand.
A Different Way to Make a Promise
The wedding took place at Blake Shelton’s Oklahoma ranch, with the couple’s friend and fellow The Voice personality Carson Daly officiating. The intimate ceremony gave “We Can Reach the Stars” a setting that would remain part of its history after the recording reached the public.
For a professional singer, performing a love song is familiar work. Singing something written specifically for a wedding carries a different kind of significance. The words become attached to a particular person, a particular day, and the promises being made.
Blake Shelton later explained the decision in a statement released by Warner Music Nashville. The couple planned to write personal vows, and Blake Shelton chose to surprise Gwen Stefani by turning those feelings into music.
To help shape the song, Blake Shelton called songwriter Craig Wiseman.
Finding Words That Would Last
Craig Wiseman and Blake Shelton share the songwriting credit for “We Can Reach the Stars.” Blake Shelton described wanting help writing and structuring something that could stand the test of time.
That intention suits the occasion. Wedding vows have an immediate audience, but their meaning is meant to extend well beyond the ceremony. A song written for that moment has to carry both the excitement of the day and the commitment behind it.
“We Can Reach the Stars” reflects on the timing of the couple’s relationship, including the thought of what life might have been like had Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani met earlier. The song ultimately expresses gratitude for the way their lives came together.
Its theme gives the wedding performance a clear emotional center: appreciation for having found one another, followed by a promise about the future.
From the Ceremony to a Public Recording
For several months, the wider audience knew about the wedding song without having the released track to play. That changed on November 5, 2021, when Blake Shelton shared “We Can Reach the Stars” with fans.
The song also became the closing track on Body Language Deluxe, released that December. Its position at the end of the album gave listeners a personal final statement from Blake Shelton.
In announcing the release, Blake Shelton expressed pride in the song and gratitude for being married to Gwen Stefani. Sharing the recording allowed a piece of the wedding’s musical history to become available beyond the guests who attended.
Hearing the Song With Its Beginning in Mind
Knowing where “We Can Reach the Stars” began changes the experience of hearing it. The recording preserves words prepared for a wedding, with the person who inspired them present for the performance.
Other couples may connect those words with their own relationships. A listener might remember choosing a first-dance song, writing a difficult sentence for a ceremony, or trying to express a feeling that ordinary conversation never quite captured.
For Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, this particular song already had its place before the public release. “We Can Reach the Stars” belonged to their wedding day first, carrying a promise that listeners would only hear months later.