Wedding Music for Your Ceremony and Reception

Wedding Music - choices

When choosing your Wedding Music there are many elements of the ceremony and the reception that you will have to take into consideration. Let’s have a look at the ceremony itself first.

There are several segments of a ceremony in which you can have Wedding Music played. The first is prior to the ceremony as the guests are arriving and prior to the arrival of the bride. At this time some soft music is appropriate that can have a religious theme if you wish, but it is not mandatory. A lot will depend on the venue of course, since many traditional churches might not permit non-religious music. However, most do, especially prior to and at the end of the vows. Check with the venue what your options are.

Wedding Music - tradition

There are several parts of the ceremony where Wedding Music is appropriate such as when the guests arrive and before the bridal party arrives, and as the bride enters the venue and walks down the aisle. This is normally associated with Wagner’s Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin (Here Comes the Bride), often confused with the Wedding March that is from Mendelssohn’s Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Depending on your country, there might then be the signing of the register after the vows have been made, and that is frequently accompanied by a soloist. Finally, you will need some Wedding Music to walk back up the aisle to. After that it’s off to the reception and a whole new world of music needed for that totally different part of the day.

Wedding Music - ideas

So what should all that Wedding Music consist of? You should first think of the guests and their age groups. Naturally, if you are all Bright Young Things, in the words of Stephen Fry, then you need not cater for the older generation, but very few weddings are like that. You will normally have a wide range of ages to cater for, from the kids to the old grandparents. However, that is not as difficult as it might seem.

You should listen to some CDs of Wedding Music, or even try some of the sites online that recommend tracks for the various periods that are involved, and you should be able to make a reasonable choice. If you or your groom has any specific favorites you can judge whether they are more appropriate for the ceremony or the reception. One piece of advice is that you should try to be reasonably traditional at the ceremony and then use your imagination at the reception.

Wedding Music - procession

As already suggested, the Wedding Music before the bride arrives should be unobtrusive but joyful, and something like Beethoven’s Ode To Joy would be appropriate. That for the bridal procession down the aisle should be triumphant. The Trumpet Voluntary by Clarke or the aforementioned Here Comes the Bride. There are normally two or three hymns during the ceremony, though this depends a lot on the type of ceremony you are having. O Perfect Love is popular, but something alternative such as Cat Stevens Morning Has Broken would do fine.

Then, for the procession up the aisle at the end, in addition to the Wedding March there is also Bryan Adams’ Everything I Do or some other modern love song that you both might like. There is no need to be conventional at this point since it is over: you are finally married, and can have whatever Wedding Music you want to have played to celebrate the fact.

Wedding Music - reception

Now we come to the reception, and the major piece here is the First Dance. This was traditionally a waltz, but can now be any music that means something to both of you. Perhaps the Wedding Music you first danced to or something that has a special significance. Whatever it is it should be personal, though if not then the Blue Danube Waltz by Johann Straus the Younger is popular. It’s a good stand-by if you are stuck for something, but generally you should be able to think of something appropriate for the first dance at your wedding.

Wedding Music - timing

Remember, all of this Wedding Music will have been decided months ago, so you will have had lots of time to think about it. The music during the reception is normally left to the band or to the DJ if you are having a disco, though you should let them know in advance of there is anything specific that you want. Remember the grannies! Don’t request something unusual on the night, but give notice so that the band or DJ can have it prepared.

Your choice of Wedding Music is important, but not nearly as important as other aspects of your wedding, so don’t get too worked up about it. The venue director will be able to make excellent suggestions and your band or DJ will be very acquainted with what guests are looking for at a wedding reception.

So relax and enjoy it and have a fantastic time.










Wedding Music

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