Choosing Music for Your Wedding Ceremony

The music you choose for your ceremony should reflect the atmosphere you want to set and communicate your feelings about marriage and the one you are about to marry. You are NOT limited to just traditional, classical music for your wedding ceremony (unless that is what you want!)... you should choose music that has meaning for you and fits your personality and musical tastes. Here are some of the different categories of music you may want for your ceremony. The songs listed below are some examples of music we have played for various parts of the ceremony, but we will certainly play any song you would like if we have enough notice to find or arrange sheet music. Click on the underlined titles to hear mp3 samples of some of the songs.

Prelude Music —to be played while guests are arriving and during the seating of mothers, grandmothers, and other special people. Prelude music can be quiet and contemplative, or light and celebratory. It can be classical or contemporary, instrumental or vocal, sacred or secular. Most of the music listed in our Wedding Ceremony Music List is appropriate for the Prelude.

Processional — played during the entrance of the bridesmaids and bride. The same music an be used for both entrances, or you can select a separate song for the bride’s entrance. Processional music is usually majestic and stately.

Suggestions for the Processional

Andante from Sonata Pathetique — Beethoven

Annie’s Song—John Denver

Arioso — Bach

Bless the Broken Road—Boyd/Hanna/Hummon (Rascal Flatts)

Bridal Chorus (“Here Comes the Bride“)— Wagner

Canon — Pachelbel

Can’t Help Falling In Love– Weiss/Peretti (Elvis Presley)

Con te patiro (Time To Say Goodbye) - Sartori/Quarantotto (Andrea Bocelli)

Here, There, and Everywhere—Lennon/McCartney

Liebestraum — Liszt

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring — Bach

Maybe I’m Amazed—McCartney

Romance from Eine Kleine Nachtmusik — Mozart

Something—G. Harrison (Beatles)

Trumpet Tune — Purcell

Trumpet Voluntary — Clarke

The Wedding Song—Kenny G

Interlude — special music performed during the wedding service. It may go along with a particular sacrament or ceremony, such as communion, unity candle lighting, scripture readings, prayers, etc. or may just be a song chosen for its meaningfulness to the bride and groom.

Suggestions for the Interlude

Air on the G String — Bach
Ave Maria — Bach
Ave Maria — Schubert
Bridal Prayer — Roger Copeland
Come What May—from “Moulin Rouge”
Con te patiro (Time to Say Goodbye) - Sartori/Quarantotto (Andrea Bocelli/Sarah Brightman)
Du Bist die Ruh (Thou Art the Peace) — Schubert
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring — Bach
Panis Angelicus — Frank
Salut d’Amour — Elgar
Beloved, Let Us Love One Another — Dailey
Dodi Li — Traditional Hebrew
Erev Shel Shoshanim — Hadar/Dor
Forever in Love — Kenny G
From This Moment On—Shania Twain
The Gift of Love — Hopson/American Folk Song
Hine Ma Tov — Traditional Hebrew
The Lord’s Prayer — Malotte
One Hand, One Heart — Bernstein
O Perfect Love — Barnby
Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us — Bradbury/Thrup
All I Ask of You — Phantom of the Opera
One Hand, One Heart — West Side Story
Somewhere — West Side Story
Sun and Moon — Miss Saigon
Grow Old With Me — John Lennon
Love Will Be Our Home — Steven Curtis Chapman
Only Time — Enya
The Prayer - Sager/Foster (Andrea Bocelli/Celine Dion)
The Way You Look Tonight - Kern (Frank Sinatra)
The Wedding Song—Kenny G
The Wedding Song (There Is Love) — Stookey
The Wind Beneath My Wings — Bette Midler

Recessional — played at the conclusion of the ceremony as the wedding party exits. Should be joyous and lively.

Suggestions for the Recessional

Allegro Maestoso from Water Music — Handel
Alleluia from Exultate Jubilate — Mozart
Minuet — Bach
Minuet from Eine Kleine Nachmusik — Mozart
Ode to Joy from Symphony No. 9 — Beethoven
Siman Tov — Traditional Hebrew
Spring (1st mvt.) from The Four Seasons — Vivaldi
Trumpet Tune — Purcell
Trumpet Voluntary — Clarke
Wedding March — Mendelssohn