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How To Choose The Perfect Music For Your Wedding Ceremony

17 September 2012

The Wedding Prelude Music
As your guests are congregating in and beginning to be seated for your wedding ceremony, your wedding DJ will play prelude music.  The type of prelude music is really dependent upon the style of ceremony music you desire. Some modern brides and grooms choose a traditional instrumental, (more formal) style, while others may choose music that is more contemporary. The wedding prelude music will set the mood for the ceremony and is usually played 30 minutes before the beginning of the ceremony.

Wedding Ceremony Setup and Music

Music While Your Parents / Grandparents Are Seated 
With the many musical parts of your wedding ceremony, you'll want to hire a professional wedding DJ who will seamlessly transition between the various portions.  One way to begin these transitions is to employ a special song of your choice that is played when it's time for the parents and gradnparents to be seated.  Your wedding DJ will carefully fade down the prelude music, and slowly fade in this special song when your parents & grandparents are being seated. The parents & grandparents being seated marks the beginning of your wedding ceremony.

Harborside East Wedding Ceremony

The Bridal Party Processional Song
And I might add, your officiant as the groom may also walk out during the of the parents / grandparents song. After the parents and grandparents are seated,  the wedding DJ should fade down that song and begin to fade in the bridal party processional song. This is the song that is played when your bridal party walks out. Depending on the length of the song you choose, your wedding DJ may need to loop the song in a way so there are no awkward silences with the music.

Perfect Wedding Ceremony Music 1
Photo Credit: Mike Bills Entertainment

The Bride Processional Song
Ah yes! We've reached the portion of your wedding ceremony that you have literally dreamed of your entire life. That point where your proud father walks you the aisle and you get to marry the man of your dreams. All eyes are going to be on you at this time so be special to choose a song that is very special and meaningful.
Bride Processional Song Wedding Ceremony
Photo Credit: Mike Bills Entertainment

Special Moments During Your Wedding Ceremony
Oftentimes during their wedding ceremony, modern brides and grooms may choose a family member or guest to provide a special reading. Also during this time brides and groom may opt to do a special unity sand ceremony.  Some couples do opt for a song to be played during this time. 
Wedding Ceremony Unity Sand
Photo Credit: Mike Bills Entertainment

The Recessional Song
After you both kiss for the first time. It's time to begin the biggest party of your lives. But there is still one last song to be played as your wedding ceremony ends. The Recessional Song. Over the years, I've told my couples that this should be fun and upbeat song. I mean, you just got married and are eagerly awaiting the beginning of one of the biggest parties of your lives.  Choose a song that is very fun and makes your guest smile. If you are looking for some ideas on which recessional song for your wedding ceremony, be sure to click HERE.

Perfect Ceremony Music Wedding Recessional
Photo Credit: Mike Bills Entertainment

Traditional Wedding Ceremony Music Selections
"Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin" (Richard Wagner) (also known as "Here Comes the Bride")
"Canon in D" (Johann Pachelbel) (also known as "Pachelbel's Canon" and frequently misspelled as "Pachabel's Canon")
"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" (Johann Sebastian Bach)
"A Midsummer Night's Dream, incidental music, Op. 61 Wedding March" (Felix Mendelssohn)
 "Promenade" (from Pictures at an Exhibition), (Modest Mussorgsky)
"Sinfonia" (from Cantata No. 156), (Johann Sebastian. Bach)
"Cantata No.29" (Johann Sebastian Bach)
"Prelude and Fugue in C" (Johann Sebastian Bach)
"Toccata" (from L'Orfeo), (Claudio Monteverdi)
"Romance from String Quartet" (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
"Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major" ("Elvira Madigan") 
"Spring" Allegro (from The Four Seasons), (Antonio Vivaldi

Contemporary Choices for Wedding Ceremony Music

"At Last" (Etta James)
"Only Time" (Enya)
"Come Away With Me" (Norah Jones)
"Appalachia Waltz" (Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor)
"Unforgettable" (Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole)
"It's Only Time" (Magnetic Fields)
"The Look of Love" (Dionne Warwick/Burt Bacharach)
"The Vow" (Jeremy Lubbock)
"Come What May" (Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor)
"Storybook Love" from the movie "The Princess Bride" (Willy DeVille)
"Wedding Processional" (from The Sound of Music) (Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein)
"Can't Help Falling In Love" (Elvis Presley)
"What A Wonderful World" (Louis Armstrong)
"When I'm Sixty-Four" (The Beatles)
"Love Me Tender" | Norah Jones
"Marry Me" | Train

These song selections are listed to give modern brides and grooms a general idea on what's been done in the past but there is no limit on how creative you can be for your wedding ceremony.  In addition to helpping you put together the perfect mix of music for your wedding ceremony, your wedding DJ should offer high quality PA equipment so that your guests can adequately hear the music during your ceremony. They should also provide a lapel microphone for your officiant and offer to supply a microphone for the groom especially if they are exchanging their own vows. Under no circumstances will the bride ever be mic'ed up. No bride wants an ugly black cord hanging off her expensive wedding dress. Don't ever let a wedding DJ tell you the bride needs to have a microphone. This is a clear indication that you are talking to a DJ who lacks the experience.

Wedding Ceremony Musician Or DJ?
Your decision as to who to use to provide ceremony music on your wedding day comes with a variety of different factors. Some modern brides and grooms opt for an acoustic or string ceremony with a live musician.  While a wedding DJ will be able to play practically any music selection you decide upon, some wedding ceremony musicians may not know how to perform the songs you are choosing for your ceremony.   There are definite ways you can incorporate a musician and a wedding DJ into your overall day. Let's set up a time to talk about it!  Looking for inspiration on how to put together the perfect cocktail hour for your wedding playlist? <---- CLICK HERE

Care To Speak With Mike Bills About Being Your Wedding DJ?
Whether you dreamed about a classy and formal wedding ceremony with the subtle sounds of traditional instrumental songs or the modern sound of John Legend, the possibilities are endless. Hopefully this post gave you a great beginning on how to put together the music for your wedding ceremony.  However we met, thank you for finding me. In an extremely crowded wedding vendor market, I put together this content for my current and prospective clients to showcase my knowledge and experience as a wedding DJ. Being a wedding DJ is not something I take lightly because the music of your wedding day is one of the most important decisions you'll make. It's got to be flawless. It's got to be perfect. Your playlist has got to be created in a way that creates memories that will be remembered for a lifetime. There are a TON of wedding DJs out there. I don't say that lightly. I see at least one popping up each and every week. Even if you don't decide to hire me, please promise me that you will be careful as to who you will eventually hire.  If you are interested in setting up a time to introduce yourself to me and to discuss the musical vision for your wedding, please click the link up above to be taken over to my contact form. There, you'll be asked to fill out some of the details of your day, and we can set up a time to talk. I am very friendly to destination brides and grooms. Check out some of the more popular posts as you continue to do the research on wedding DJs.
Why You Should Hire Me.
Quick Questions To Ask A Wedding DJ
Hire A Wedding DJ Who ONLY PERFORMS AT 1 WEDDING PER DAY.