How to Select Your Wedding Music

The following are some suggestions for choosing your wedding music.

  Pre-Ceremony Music

This is soft background music performed while guests are being seated. If you do not have particular requests for this music, select a category of music you would like performed (for example, light classical music or romantic popular love songs).

   Processional Music

This music begins when the officient and the groom approach the altar. The bridesmaids (along with the groomsmen who may join them) continue to walk to this selection, as well as the flower girls and ring bearers. Traditionally, this is a majestic piece played at a pace that is easy to walk to. For non-traditional weddings or smaller wedding parties, this selection need not have a majestic sound, but should retain an easy walking tempo. This piece ends when the entire wedding party reaches the altar.

  The Bride's Entrance to the Processional

Traditionally, the bride enters to fanfare music that announces her arrival (most often, "Here Comes the Bride"). Again, for non-traditional weddings or small weddings, other music may be chosen to suit the bride's taste, as long as it sounds good played at an easy walking pace. This piece ends when the bride reaches the altar. When there are no other bridesmaids, other than the maid or matron of honor, the bride sometimes elects to enter to the same piece of music as the maid or matron of honor.

   Recessional Music

This is a triumphant, almost quickly-paced piece played as the newlyweds walk up the aisle as husband and wife, followed by the wedding party.

   Post-Ceremony Music

These are lively selections played as guests file out. As with pre-ceremony music, if you do not have particular requests, choose the category of selections you would like performed.

   Optional Music Selections

Before the ceremony, you may choose a particular selection for the seating of the mothers and grandparents. This is usually a request that is a favorite of those being seated.

During the ceremony, you may wish to select special pieces to be performed during the lighting of the unity candle, communion or a scriptural or poetry reading. These selections should hold special significance to the bride and groom, as all guests are actively listening. Keep in mind, additional readings and music added between ceremony activities tend to lengthen the ceremony.

Some couples request music performed lightly as background during the entire ceremony or during the exchange of vows. If you wish to do this, one piece is selected to be performed, and it should be a melody which is meaningful to the bride and groom. (This is not traditionally done.)

Important Note for Weddings: Check with your celebrant (minister, rabbi,  priest,   etc.) before making your music selections. Some faiths, houses of worship or celebrants do not allow secular (non-religious) music or particular selections to be played. In addition, some will not permit music to be performed during the exchange of vows or as background behind the entire ceremony.