Before you start searching for popular ceremony songs on youtube or google, you need to know what songs your ceremony musician can play; more importantly, what type of music is appropriate for your ceremony location. Most churches do not allow secular music.
Secular: not pertaining to or connected with religion; according to dictionary.com.
A good example of a secular song is “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri. It’s a popular instrumental song for wedding ceremonies although it’s not considered a sacred song. You can listen to it here. If you are getting married in a church be sure you understand what music they will and will not allow. Even though a song seems appropriate to you, it simply may not be allowed inside a place of worship.
Here is a list of popular songs for the prelude, seating of the grandmothers, seating of the mothers, processional, bridal processional, recessional and the postlude.
Prelude
Music playing as guests are arriving.
You don’t list the prelude songs in your wedding program, so why spend the time selecting each and every song? Let your ceremony musician determine what he or she will play during the prelude. Let’s face it, do you really want to sit down and select an hours worth of music?
Seating of the Grandmothers
Seating of the Mothers
You can choose one song for the grandmothers and mothers to enter to or, one song specifically for the grandmothers and a different song for the mothers.
- “Ave Marie” Schubert
- “How Beautiful” Paris
- “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” Bach
- “Arioso” Bach
- “How Deep the Fathers Love For Us” Townend
- “Like a River Glorious” ARR. RANEY
- “Surely the Presence” Wolfe
- “Come Thou Fount” Nettleton
- “Be Thou My Vision” arr. Tornquist“In Christ Alone” Townend
- “As the Deer” arr. Labenske
- “Seek Ye First” Lafferty
- “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” Raney
Processional (1-2 or more songs)
Song(s) playing as the bridal party enters.
You need at least one song for the processional, but two are more common. You can choose one song for the entrance of the officiant, groom and best man and one song for the entrance of the bridesmaids. Another option is to use one song for both bridesmaids and groomsmen.
If you have a large wedding party you may need up to three songs for the processional.
Guys
- “Rondeau” Mouret
- “Trumpet Tune” Purcell
- “Te Deum”
- “Festival March” Handel
Girls
- “Canon in D” Pachelbel
- “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” Bach
- “Te Deum” Charpenter
- “As The Deer” Labenske
Bridal Processional
Song played as the bride enters.
- “Trumpet Voluntary” Stanley
- “The Prince of Denmark’s March” Clarke
- “Bridal Chorus” Wagner
- “Feather Theme” Silvestri
Recessional
Song playing as the wedding party exits
- “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” Beethoven
- “The Prince of Denmark’s March”
- “Trumpet Voluntary” Stanley
- “The Wedding March” Mendelssohn
- “Hornpipe” Handel
- “Ode to Joy” Beethoven
- “Allegro Maestoso” Handel
Postlude
Song played as guests are exiting the ceremony.
- “Recessional From Solomon” Handel
- “Crown Him With Many Crowns” DIDEMATA
- “How Great Thou Art” O Store gud
Popular Songs for Solo’s
- “Surely the Presence”
- “Holy Spirit”
- “The Gift of Love”
- “How Beautiful”
- “The Prayer”
- “Psalm 139”
- “How Deep the Father’s Love For Us”
- “In Christ Alone”
- “Come Thou Fount”
xo,
Terrica
