What is the best wedding ceremony music for My Wedding? Part 2

Thanks for checking out part two of this article, where we talk about what the best wedding ceremony for YOUR wedding might be! Here’s how most ceremonies work:

1. Pre-Ceremony music: This is music guests can listen to while being seated, before your ceremony begins and while waiting for the bridal party to arrive. Why is pre-ceremony music a must? Well, in our experience, the bridal party is always, ahem, a wee bit late getting to the ceremony location! Music for the pre-ceremony wait period is essential to keeping your guests from getting antsy. It’s also great for soothing children who might easily get restless during even a short wait in a formal, adult environment.

Your pre-ceremony music can be romantic, anticipatory; it can be a mix of pop or other arrangements, and classical music, or either genre! You get to pick. Basically, whatever music speaks to who you are as a couple is the right music to present to your guests during this time. If you pick several of your favorite songs or love songs, then this sends a special message to your guests, letting them know you are communicating an important part of your personality and your hopes for the future. It is an excellent way of communicating intimately with your guests, and also entertaining them with beauty while they wait for the big moment, your walk up the aisle!

We would recommend choosing selections that are thoughtful, romantic, and not too rip-roaring; save this for the recessional / post ceremony music!

2. Processional – this is the bridal party’s walk up the aisle. You can choose one song for the entire party, or have a unique song just for the bride, such as one of the traditional wedding marches (there is the “Here Comes the Bride” version by Wagner, and there is also the Wedding March by Mendelssohn). Please go to our Listen page for samples of both of these famous bridal processionals.) Most couples who select classical music for their ceremony choose the beautiful, elegant and romantic Canon in D by Palchebel, to play for the entire bridal party’s procession, including the bride. It is truly a perfect selection for the processional and we never get tired of playing it!

3. Liturgical selections / hymns – if your ceremony is religious, you may wish us to accompany or provide the music for various parts of the worship service,  such as psalms and hymns at appropriate moments. For example, an Ave Maria during communion, or providing an accompaniment for the family member singing the responsorial psalm. No problem. We know a lot of sacred music and will definitely not have any problem providing hymns or liturgical components for your ceremony, whether just instrumental or with vocals. Using Alchemy for the entire ceremony provides a consistent, high quality presentation that will help make your day perfect.

4. Signing of the Registry – there are about 5-7 minutes where you need to take care of paperwork during the ceremony with your officiant, and this is a great opportunity to provide your guests something extra beautiful! Popular instrumentals for the signing are the Meditation from Thais and Ave Maria. What’s the best song for your wedding ceremony? Well, a selection about which you feel really strongly, whether it’s classical or pop / western / rock! It should be a piece of music you find very beautiful. Generally the signing is an opportunity for a slow, lyrical piece of music with a big, beautiful melody.

5. Recessional – this is the opposite of the processional; it’s when you walk back down the aisle, this time hand in hand with your newly wedded life partner, with a spring in your step and beaming from ear to ear! The recessional is an opportunity for selections that are more upbeat and totally joy-filled, whether classical, pop, or other genre. This is your way of saying, PHEW, it’s over, and aren’t we grateful, aren’t we excited, let’s get ready to party! A very common classical recessional is the Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, which is more celebratory than the Wagner “Here Comes the Bride.” There are many other classical selections we can recommend for the recessional, as well as pop songs.

6. Post- ceremony music – to accompany your guests recession from the ceremony space, we recommend about 5-7 minutes of music following the recessional. Usually this is celebratory and upbeat; the time following the ceremony is joy-filled, wondrous and really sweet! We love being a part of it.

We hope this helps guide your wedding ceremony music selections; we would love to help you choose the best wedding ceremony music to make YOUR special day perfect!

Thanks! Rosanna of Alchemy Rose.