Wedding Music and Songs

Quick Guide to Choosing Your Wedding Music

Since your fiancé slid that ring on your hand, you’ve probably been walking around with strains of Mendelssohn’s famous Wedding March drifting in and out of your brain.

Which is great, but you also need to think about other choices and purposes for your wedding music and songs. This quick guide will help.

First of all, you’ll need to plan for music to be played during 4 phases of your wedding. You’ll need wedding songs for the:

• Prelude—for before your wedding starts, and should begin 15 to 30 minutes before the ceremony
• Ceremony—special music you want played during your ceremony
• Recessional—wedding music to be played when the wedding party is leaving the ceremony site
• Postlude—to be played for when your guests are leaving

The most commonly used instrument used for traditional wedding music is the organ. Many brides today, though, are choosing guitars, pianos, harps and violins. Some are also using recordings and small music ensembles. Any one of these or a combination of them is fine. One of the most important things here is to have the proper equipment for and approvals from the ceremony site well in advance of the wedding, say three months at least. Above all, your music should reflect your own personal style.

Some of the most popular traditional wedding music choices are:

• Wedding March by Mendlessohn
• Postlude in G Major by Handel
• Trumpet Voluntary by Purcell
• The Bridal Chorus by Wagner

Whether you stay with the classics or go with something entirely unique and distinctive for your wedding music, know what, if anything, you’ll need to have in place for everyone involved. Also, if you plan to have your ceremony outside, you might want to consider an amplifier, and you’ll have to plan for any electrical needs.

Be sure to ask the musicians you’re using what they charge, as well as about any equipment rental fees that aren’t included in their rates. Have a payment plan set up in advance so you aren’t rushing around after your ceremony, trying to find your checkbook!

For the reception music, the first decision is whether there will be dancing or not, then plan for a range of dance songs to please your guests’ different abilities and tastes. Above all, remember that music and songs set the tone for the reception. You may want to start on with upbeat, celebratory songs and end with more romantic ones to set the tone for your going away.

Yes, you have a lot of decisions to make about your songs. With a little forethought and planning, your song choices are sure to strike just the right cord with you and your guests.