Home > Wedding Planning > Wedding Ceremony

Ideas for Wedding Ceremony Music

The music played during the bride's grand entrance is one of the most memorable and romantic aspects of a wedding ceremony. There are a variety of choices for brides when it comes to selecting wedding ceremony music. The most traditional choice is, of course, "Here Comes the Bride" which is an instrumental piece by Wagner. "Canon D" by Pachabel is another common choice for bridal music. However, you don't have to go this route. If you want to stick with classical music, here are a few ideas for other pieces you might like.

Handel's "Air" is a lovely choice for a wedding. "Procession of Joy" by Hal Hopson is another classical piece of music you might like for your ceremony. There are quite a few classical works by artists like Mendelsson and Vivaldi which are also ideal to play during your walk down the aisle. Some couples choose live music played on the piano or organ. This is a quite common practice for church weddings.

Many couples work with professional wedding planners who can help coordinate the music. It is common for weddings and receptions to feature DJs who handle all the music. Some couples may decide to forgo the traditional classical music and choose a more modern song. Even modern pieces of music can be considered classics, like "At Last" by Etta James or "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie. You will also need to choose the song for your first dance as husband and wife. This is most often a modern day song from the last few decades that represents something special for the couple. Examples might include songs like "By Your Side" by Sade or "Everything I Do" by Bryan Adams.

The reception not only features the bride and groom's first dance, but the traditional father of the bride dance. It is customary for many brides to reserve a dance for their father or the man who gave their hand in marriage. And of course, the reception is a great time for guests to dance and cut loose. Therefore it's a good idea to choose a mix of slow songs and more upbeat, lively tunes. Karaoke can be a fun activity at your wedding reception.

For the ceremony itself, it's important to understand the order in which songs are to be played. The prelude music is what plays as the guests begin to enter the church and get seated. Processional music plays directly before the bridal march music. The bridal processional music is the most dramatic piece and highlights the bride's walk down the aisle. The recessional music is the piece played after the ceremony when the bride and groom are announced husband and wife. Postlude music is the music played as the guests leave the ceremony. As you can see, a wedding ceremony is a musical affair from start to finish!