Planning Your Wedding Ceremony Music

Your wedding ceremony music is very important as this is often the most emotional part of your wedding. Your choice in wedding ceremony music will convey to your guests and witnesses your feelings on love and marriage, your outlook on life in general and the overall formality and theme of the wedding. There are however a few decisions you have to make regarding your wedding ceremony songs before you start your planning.

1. Traditional versus Contemporary

The first decision you will need to make is whether you want to go with traditional wedding ceremony music or modern and contemporary wedding ceremony music. Often this is dictated by your choice of ceremony venue as many churches and religions have strict rules as to what music is appropriate for wedding ceremonies and what they will allow played in the church. Please check on this with your officiant before setting your heart on any specific ceremony song. See further down the page for links to music lists both traditional and contemporary.

2. Live Music versus a Recording

Your second decision in choosing your wedding ceremony music is whether to go with live music or a recording of the songs, or even a combination. Live music can add that extra touch to your ceremony whether it be an organ player, piano, string quartet, jazz ensemble, solo saxophone harp, solo vocalist or a full choir. It all depends on you and what mood you want to create. You can of course also have a combination of live music and a recording. This is often neccessary if your live musicians cannot play or sing some of the songs you would like for your ceremony.

3. Where to have music in the ceremony

The third decision is where you will want to have music during the ceremony. This is also often dictated by church rules or religious customs, so be sure to check on the guidelines before deciding.

Most wedding ceremonies consist of a few or all of the following categories - click on each to view and listen to traditional and contemporary wedding ceremony songs:

Wedding Ceremony Prelude

The Processional and/or The Bride's Entrance

Blessings and Hymns

Unity Candle

Recessional/Confetti Ritual

Wedding Ceremony Postlude

7 Tips for Planning Your Wedding Ceremony Music:

1. If you are getting married in a church or other religious venue, find out from your officiant if the venue can provide an organist, choir and or sound system that you can make use of for your wedding ceremony music. Also check if they will allow other types of musicians like a classical trio or a harpist.

2. As mentioned above, check with your minister on the types of songs you will be allowed to play.

3. Decide on what mood you want to create during your wedding ceremony. Perhaps you would like the feel to be formal and solemn, or lighthearted and fun. This will help you greatly in choosing the appropriate wedding ceremony songs.

4. If you have a friend or family member with a talent for singing or playing an instrument, why not ask them to be part of your special day by contributing a song. This will definately add a special touch to the ceremony.

5. Once you have decided on your wedding ceremony music, make sure all the musicians have the neccessary sheet music or backing tracks, and if you are using recorded music, the correct version of the song. If your musicians are not familiar with the song/s you will have to provide this some time before the ceremony to give them ample time to rehearse.

6. Have your musicians present at your rehearsal. This will prepare everyone for the day so that the timing is perfect. Also be sure to provide them with a program so that they are sure what song should follow which event.

7. Make sure that you musicians know that they have to play music for the prelude (+/- 20 minutes before the bride's entrance), and for the postlude (+/- 15 minutes after the recessional), so that they can be set up in time and can charge you appropriately.

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