1. Basic information
Music can be as large or as small a part of your wedding ceremony as you want it to be. It fills the silence when actions are going on but no words are being said. That makes your guests feel a bit more comfortable. The style you choose and the actual music that you use should be a reflection of the importance of the day as well as your own personal taste. There is no "official" music that has to be played, though there are pieces that are traditional, or that are in vogue for some time. You should not feel bound to use any of the selections listed here. They are just suggestions to get you thinking.
2. Processional
This begins with the seating of the parents, and ends when the bride arrives at the front to stand beside her groom. You may choose to change selections for the bride' entrance, or simply increase the volume of the music being played for everyone else. Some ideas follow.
- Canon in D Major, Pachelbel.
- Bridal Chorus (Here Comes the Bride), Wagner
- Wedding March, Mendelssohn
- Waltz of the Flowers, Tchaikovsky
- Trumpet Voluntary, Dupuis
- Trumpet Voluntary, Clarke
- Trumpet Tune, Purcell
- The March, Tchaikovsky
- The Austrian Wedding March, traditional
- Ave Maria, Schubert
3. During the ceremony
Music may included at any point in the ceremony, It can give the bride and groom time to catch their breath, relax and enjoy the time together, honor a special friend of family member who has particular talents, or even bring a certain romantic feel to the occasion. Some suggestions follow:
- The Lord's Prayer, Malotte
- Now Thank We All Our God, Bach
- Cherish the Treasure, Mohr
- We've Only Just Begun, the Carpenters
- Wedding Song, Noel Paul Stookey
- The Wedding Prayer, Dunlap
- The Unity Candle Song, Sullivan
- All I Ask of You, Andrew Lloyd Webber
- The Irish Wedding Song, traditional
4. The Recessional
Typically this begins just after the bride and groom have been introduced as a newly married couple. The applause dies down a bit and the music starts for them to leave the front, followed by the attendants and parents. Virtually any upbeat tune may be appropriate. Some suggestions follow:
- Ode to Joy, Beethoven
- Wedding March, Mendelssohn
- Trumpet Fanfare (Rondeau), Mouret
- Arrival of the Queen of Sheba, Handel
- Trumpet Tune, Stanley
- Toccata Symphony V, Widor
- The Russian Dance, Tchaikovsky
- All You Need is Love, the Beatles