Charlo Music

Music for your wedding ceremony is important. This part of the day is the serious time set aside where the bride and groom express their feelings for one another and exchange their vows. That means, all in all,  the ceremony is the time set aside for the mushy stuff. Therefore, you probably want to think about slower classical wedding music, new age, or very slow classic rock or pop ballads.

No matter how you look at, there are a few stages to a wedding ceremony, before the bride and groom say I do:

PRELUDE – There should be about four or five songs played as a prelude when the guests are seated. This sets the atmosphere for the guests. If you have no music playing, it feels more like a funeral than a wedding! The music selections should be light and elegant.  A different song is often selected when the mothers of the bride and groom are seated.

PROCESSIONAL – The groomsmen and the groom usualy move to the front from the side. They do not walk down the aisle, This signifies that the ceremony is about to formally begin. There are two songs during the processional: one song is chosen for when the bridesmaids enter, and the other song is to be the most dramatic choice, selected for play when the bride walks down the aisle.

RECESSIONAL - One last song is played after the kiss for the bride and groom  to walk back up the aisle to. Think happy!  The music played in the recessional, should symbolize the happiness of the couple’s new life together.

If you are like many, you probably want the traditional classic wedding music, but have NO CLUE what the songs are called. Here is my playlist when I am told to play the traditional favorites:

1) PRELUDE: Spring, Canon in D,  Four Seasons Winter, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring,

2) PROCESSIONAL – Air of The G String

3) BRIDAL MARCH – Traditional Bridal March Song “Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin” Richard Wagner (also known as “Here Comes the Bride.”)

4) RECESSIONAL – The main one is Mendelssohn— ” Wedding March” from Midsummer Night’s Dream (Traditional Recessional), some also select Beethoven’s “Ode To Joy” from Symphony No. 9: Movement 4.

EXTRA SELECTIONS – There can be additional specialized songs selecte at different points in the ceremony, depending on the actual ceremony itself. Sometimes a special song can be played during or after the exchanging the rings and vows, and the lighting a unity candle.

RESTRICTIONS – Some churches have rules about wedding songs used during your ceremony so be sure to ask your clergy person or officiant! Remember, if you are non-traditional, you might get a kick out of white wedding, but your reverend may very well not be a Billy Idol fan.

There is a growing trend to get away from the traditional classic music. However, it is recommended that you shy away from anything upbeat. Adding too much craziness to the ceremony is not recommended, because it takes away from the seriousness of the union at hand. For your wedding ceremony, your music selections should all probably still be softer and with a slower tempo. However, that doesn’t mean you have do the same thing everyone does.

You can totally customize the song selection to fit your taste.  There is plenty of good music out there that may be better suited for you than classical music.   One of the most moving bridal marches I have seen was set to Enya’s “Only Time.”  However, the most memorable one was last summer, when I had a bride who walked down the aisle to Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” so go figure.