A beautiful wedding is the dream of many women, including myself. I remember wanted a perfect day, a perfect dress, and a perfect ceremony to match my perfect groom. But with so many details to cover, selecting music to make your ceremony special sometimes gets forgotten. There is so much music to choose from, that selecting the perfect traditional wedding music for your ceremony can be overwhelming. The following are the most traditional and well-known pieces played at weddings today. You probably would recognize them if you heard them.
Typically, these pieces are played by an organist for the most traditional sound. You could also choose to employ a string quartet or even a pianist to make these pieces of music really shine.
The first batch of music that you will need is prelude music. This is the music that will play as guests are arriving. Often, this is left up to the organist to select and sometimes a CD is played instead of live music. A few selections that I recommend are Handel’s “Air” from the Watermusic Suite, Bach’s “Prelude in C”, and anything soft and gentle.
After everyone is seated, you will need music to seat your immediate family members and then for the bridal party to process into the sanctuary. For this music, I recommend “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” by Johann Sebastian Bach, and Johann Pachelbel’s “Canon in D.” This music should be light and pretty and softly played as your bridesmaids float down the aisle towards the front of the church.
Once the bridal party is in position, it is time for the beautiful bride to make her glorious entrance. She will be the center of attention, and you want a piece of music that will get everyone’s attention! Richard Wagner’s “Bridal Chorus from Longhengrin” is also known as the Bridal Chorus. Think, “Here comes the bride!” This is a great piece of music because everyone knows what it means. It is time for the congregation to stand and look for the bride! This piece of music should be big, bold, and loud and played with brilliant stops on the organ. It is the bride’s turn to shine!
Sometimes the bride and groom enjoy a hymn during their wedding ceremony, and many folks will choose “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”, or any other celebratory hymn. There is also the lighting of the unity candle, which is great place for Albert Malotte’s, “The Lord’s Prayer.” It can be played as an organ or piano solo, but it is beautiful when sung by a soloist.
Finally, after the bride and groom have officially been pronounced as husband and wife, it is time for the processional. This piece of music should be upbeat, joyful, and jubilant! It is time to celebrate! I recommend the piece, “Trumpet Voluntary”, attributed to Jeremiah Clarke. It sounds beautiful when played by the organ alone, but this piece of music really pops when you add a professional trumpet player.
These are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to traditional wedding music. There are many more choices available that will make a beautiful contribution to your wedding day. The important thing is to choose music that will make you feel special and make your day feel just perfect!
