Music for Wedding Ceremonies

There are key points in wedding ceremonies for which you need music, other than any hymns that are included. Traditionally, one of the most important is for the entrance of the bride, to walk down the aisle. Later, music will play during the signing of the registry and finally, as the newlyweds make their way out of the church, the procession of bridal party and guests will be accompanied by music.

Choices

The choice of songs you make will create a lasting memory of your wedding day, in much the same way as the perfume you wear on the day will always remind you of the emotions you felt as you walked down the aisle, or kissed your groom for the very first time as husband and wife. It’s important that you choose something with the right feel for the kind of ceremony you want.

It’s no good choosing the latest classical numbers for ultra modern wedding ceremonies. It’s also inappropriate to choose modern R&B pieces for a medieval style ceremony. If you are using a wedding planner, he or she can help you choose the music, and if not, you can consult the Internet, other married friends or the staff at music stores where they have a good range of various styles.

Here comes the bride

Probably played at as many wedding ceremonies as “Happy Birthday” is sung at birthday parties, is Wagner’s “Here Comes The Bride”, which is actually the bridal chorus from Lohengrin. Purists wouldn’t have it any other way. Still, lots of couples these days choose to put their own spin on the music they choose and feature something intensely personal to their relationship, or songs that they feel inspire the romance that they experience between them.

If classical is called for, then it’s often a rousing trumpet piece to herald the arrival of the bride. It can be recreated in a rendition more suited to the instruments available, such as guitar, organ or harp. Pieces such as “Wedding March” from Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, Hopson’s “Procession of Joy” and Tchaikovsky’s “Coronation March” created for Czar Alexander III are also popular.

Signing of the registry

This is the time during wedding ceremonies when the music can be more contemporary. As the congregation waits for the bridal party to sign the legal documents, a little entertainment can be provided either by recorded music or by live performers. Having a choir sing at your wedding can be expensive but a solo vocalist with a stunning voice can make magic!

Or you could arrange for a string quartet, harpist or a couple of guitarists to play your selection of music. Often, if you make contact at your state’s conservatorium of music, you can secure the services of students for a very reasonable rate. If you’d prefer to avoid the expense altogether and use CD’s, there are some very popular songs for this part of the ceremony. Etta James’s “At Last” is particularly moving and romantic and “Come Away With Me” by Norah Jones is very atmospheric.

For a slightly lighter mood, try “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole or for fun, “When I’m 64” by The Beatles. For the ultimate in romance, grab a copy of Keith Urban’s “Making Memories Of Us”. This is the song he wrote for Nicole Kidman and emotionally serenaded her with at their June 2006 wedding reception. For a religious touch, “Ave Maria” is an old favorite, as is “Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring”.

After the ceremony

When the bride and groom are newly married and all the paperwork is done, leaving the church is like a triumphant moment, the extreme happiness elevated with the right choice of music. The music should be vibrant and full of joy, and one of the most popular choices is “The Wedding March”, followed by “Trumpet Voluntary” and the “Hallelujah Chorus”. Of course, if your take on proceedings is less traditional, you can choose whatever you like that provides the right feel for your wedding.

Wedding ceremonies can be customized to whatever degree you like and the music you choose has the potential to reduce everyone to tears of joy and make it the most memorable wedding they’ve ever been to.

See Also:

Wedding Ceremony Details