Choosing Wedding Ceremony Music

Music is one of the most important components of your ceremony because it sets the mood for your special day. If walking down the aisle to “Here Comes the Bride” isn’t your style, choosing something more contemporary or personal is perfectly appropriate.

Personalizing your music selections is one of the ways you can make your ceremony your own.

Choosing your music:
The typical wedding ceremony has 5 main pieces for which music should be selected.

• Prelude: Played for 15-30 minutes before the ceremony, this music welcomes the guests and is the background by which they’re seated.  The length of prelude music is generally determined by the number of guests you are expecting and how early you anticipate that they will arrive.
• Procession: This music sets the pace for attendants walking down the aisle and typically begins after the parents and grandparents are seated for the ceremony.  Once the wedding party is in place there is a pause before the musicians play a fanfare (to alert the audience to stand) and segue into the music selection for the bride’s entrance.
• Interlude: Couples might designate music to be played at some point(s) in the ceremony, like before a reading or during the lighting of a unity candle.
• Recession: This music at the end of the ceremony should be powerful and joyous. It’s usually louder and quicker than the processional.
• Postlude: A continuation of upbeat and celebratory music that keeps the guests feeling they’re a part of the wedding until they have all filed out of the ceremony space.

If you’re having a nonreligious ceremony, your music options are open. You can add personal touches through your music selections to create a memorable wedding. If you’re having a religious ceremony in a house of worship, be sure to clear your music selections with your officiant; some houses of worship don’t allow secular music and have limited options for what can be played.
Give it some thoughtA few other things to keep in mind while choosing music:

• Try to keep the music within the framework of the style and formality of the wedding. Although a church wedding doesn’t dictate that all music must be religious, you want to be respectful of the location and the event taking place. Don’t forget to mention the titles of the songs and music on your program.
• Check with your music coordinator or musician(s) to discuss your vision and ideas for your wedding music.  Not all songs that you love will sound the same when they are converted to different instrumentation.  Your favorite rock band sounds amazing on a recording with layers of guitars, drums, and vocals but how will that translate to a string trio or a soloist?  Be sure to use the musicians’ expertise to guide you in your decision-making process.

Do you have any questions or suggestions about choosing wedding ceremony music?  We love feedback so please comment below with any thoughts or ideas!