Traditional Music Choices for the Wedding Ceremony

With the special day fast approaching and last minute decisions are being made, you find out in horror that neither you or your partner has yet made a choice on what songs to play during the wedding ceremony.

Music, as you very well know, is one of the most important aspects in any wedding. Not only does it create the mood, it also evokes inner sentiments and expresses emotions that you and your spouse-to-be have.

Good news is there is no need to panic. This is especially true if you want traditional music for your wedding day, as there is a long list of tried and tested traditional wedding songs that are truly beautiful and meaningful.

To give you an idea, here are some songs that you can play during the significant parts of the wedding ceremony.

Prelude: Arrival of Guests

Before the processional begins, while guests are arriving and finding their seats, classical prelude music can fill the air to set the mood and tone, and to provide a pleasant atmosphere while people wait for the couple’s arrival.

Some of the song choices for this part of the wedding include All the Way (Frank Sinatra with Celine Dion), Arabesque No. 1 (Debussy), Arioso (Bach), Clair De Lune (Debussy), Melody in F (Rubinstein), Moonlight Sonata: Adagio Sostenuto (Beethoven), Nocturne No. 2 in E-Flat Major (Chopin), Wedding Day At Troldhaugen (Grieg), and One Hand One Heart.

Processional: As the Bride Walks Down the Aisle

One of the focal points of the whole wedding event is when the bride walks down the aisle. Look around and you will see that this dramatic walk can send tears to the eyes of the parents, the groom, and the guests.

When you say traditional, Here Comes the Bride or the Bridal Chorus (Wagner) will be the first thing that would come into your mind. But if you want to play something else, here are some your choices:

Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel

Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring by Bach

Trumpet Voluntary by Jeremiah Clarke

Ode to Joy by Beethoven

Hymne by Vangelis

Ballade Pour Adeline by Richard Clayderman

Ashokan Farewell by Jay Ungar

The Wedding Ceremony

Popular traditional hymns played during the actual wedding ceremony include Praise My Soul the King of Heaven, Now Thank We All Our God, Love Divine All Loves Excelling, Ave Maria (Franz Schubert), The Prayer (Foster & Bayer Sager), Praise to the Lord the Almighty, The Wedding Song (Stookey), and Amazing Grace.

The Recessional

Choosing the recessional music usually takes a shorter time than picking the song for the processional. But you should still devote time to select the music to be played while the guests exit or while they move on to the reception area.

During this part of the event, the musicians can play Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (Spring or Autumn), Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring (Bach), Hornpipe (Allegro Maestoso from Water Music), Rondeau (Mouret), Wedding March (Felix Mendelssohn), Canon in F (The O’Neill Brothers), Finale from Water Music (G.F. Handel) or Trumpet Tune (Henry Purcell).

This is the moment that you have waited for all your life—the beginning of a lifetime of journey with your beloved. Make the event even more special and memorable by picking the right songs to play.