Wedding Ceremony songs
Selecting your wedding ceremony music or wedding march songs can be a surprisingly daunting task. Not only are there choices of traditional vs. non-traditional songs (especially if you’re getting married in a non-religious venue and have more flexibility), but also your wedding ceremony music indeed sets the tone of the type of wedding you’re having. How formal is the song? Are the songs religious in nature? Are they traditional? Is the wedding ceremony mix a combination of oldies and classics? Please see our playlist for some ideas. We offer quite a mix of traditional and standard wedding processional music, to upbeat and current songs, to a surprising but wedding guest favorite list of Irish music.
To help narrow things down, when you think about selecting ceremony music, these are the typical four sections of a ceremony:
The Prelude: This is the music played for 15-20 minutes as your guests arrive and take their seats. Out of all parts of a ceremony, we don’t suggest putting too much thought into this. Sitting with your bride/groom and selecting each song for this timeframe would not be worth your time or stress. Guests are not usually focused on the music as they are greeting family/friends, chatting, reading the program, and just getting settled. Plus, you don’t want any music to take away from some of the ceremony’s most important moments. Our suggestion would be to talk to whoever is playing your ceremony music about the general sense/theme of your ceremony music and wedding and let them choose what’s appropriate.
Procession: Wedding processional music is something you do want to put thought into. It is the real beginning of your ceremony. Guests will minimize their talking and turn their heads to look at flower girls, grandparents, bridesmaids, parents, and long dramatic pause and the bride! One piece of advice is not to get too crazy. Some couples pick apart each group who will be marching down the aisle and have the music change accordingly. In our experience and opinion, this can make things a bit choppy. Usually a processional goes quickly enough. As we all have experienced or witnessed, it is not uncommon for those in the processional to walk faster than expected. Give some attention to one great song for those in the processional to walk down to. Then most importantly, after that pause- the moment (if you’re a bride) you may have thought about your whole life- choose a song you’d like to walk down to. If Pachabel’s Canon is that, you can’t go wrong. If not, do not be afraid to go bold and tell your guests a bit about yourself and your wedding with this song.
Ceremony: There may be moments for small amounts of music throughout the actual ceremony. Usually this is something you’ll discuss with the person officiating your wedding. If you are married in a religious setting, this may be done by the venue; you might have less say in it. That’s okay. Go with it.
Recession: Time to celebrate! You said your vows and you are married!! Please pay attention to your song selection, and this is one of our favorite parts of a wedding! It symbolizes this incredibly joyous moment and has guests smiling and getting excited to celebrate with you at your reception. Something a bit more upbeat and louder is appropriate.
*More times than not, this recessional wedding march song will continue, or your musicians may throw in a couple of extra songs until all guests have exited. This is called a “Postlude,” and even less than the Prelude is not something to fret over. Walk out with your fun song and enjoy your celebration!!