What Songs To Play & When To Play Them
The build up to a wedding is enormous. The excitement, the planning, the anticipation, let alone the nerves.
I thought as a wedding ceremony singer I thought I would put a few simple steps together to ensure you choose the perfect music for your special day and help you decide what kind of music would suit the venue, your tastes and the type of ceremony you are planning. As well as whether the music should be live, recorded, sung or instrumental.
Well, whilst it can seem a little daunting to start with, your song choices will really add some personality to your day and will make the ceremony meaningful to you and your partner.
When should you have live, or indeed, recorded music on your wedding day? Well, the honest answer is .... whenever you like! It is your day but there are moments during most wedding ceremonies when live music is traditional. However, the final decision is yours and recorded music can be just as uplifting especially if it is special to both of you.
So, as the song goes, let's start at the very beginning .....
Arrive Of The Guests
I always think that it is a lovely touch at a wedding to have some music playing whilst the guests arrive and it really adds to the atmosphere and magic of the whole event. Whether the music is a church organ, live musicians or pre-recorded; my advice would be to go for something instrumental rather than sung, as most people will be chatting. Also do consider the volume - you don't want anything too loud and make sure the place is slow and calming. I would normally suggest that the music starts between 20 - 30 minutes before the ceremony to relax the guests and most importantly your partner.
Entrance Music (Or Processional Music)
This is the big one, the moment that every bride dreams of! And having live musicians play at the entrance of the bride or groom is something that you will never forget - whether the live music is a church organ, your favourite band, an instrumentalist, gospel choir or sung solo. Choose something that you think is beautiful and sums you up as a person and how you feel about your partner. You'll know it when you hear it as the hairs of the back of your neck will stand up.
But a word of caution it does need to be of a beat/pace that you can walk down the aisle, at a slower than normal pace, too!
If you don't know whether the music is at the right pace just stand up and imagine you are at your venue walking down the aisle and see if you can walk to it. You will soon know if the music is at the right speed. And, it's also nice to get a bit of practice in.
Below is a list of song that could be used as processional songs / music. This is not an exclusive list and you don't have to stick with just these. They are only just a guide so let your imagination run wild.
Traditional
Triumphal March & Ballet (Aida) - Verdi
Air (Water Music) - Handle
Air on A G String - J S Bach
Arioso - J S Bach
Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (Solomon) - Handel
Ave Maria - Schubert *
Bridal Chorus - Wagner
Canon in D - Pachelbel
Clair de Lune - Debussy
Fur Elise - Beethoven
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring - J S Bach
Prelude in C - J S Bach
Romeo & Juliet : Act 1 Scene XVIII, Gavotte - Prokofiev
Rhapsody on a Theme Op 43 (Introduction) - Paganini
Spring - Vivaldi
The Prince of Denmark's March - Jeremiah Clarke
Crossover
Everything I Do I Do It for You (sung in Italian) - Norwood *
I will always Love You (Sung in Italian) - Parton *
Nella Fantasia - Morricone *
You Raise Me Up - Josh Grogan
Disney
A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes - Cinderella
A Whole New World - Aladdin
Beauty & The Beast (Tale as Old As Time ) - Beauty & The Beast
Kiss the Girl - The Little Mermaid
So This is Love - Cinderella
Some Day Me Prince Will Come - Snow White
Ten Minutes Ago - Cinderella
When You Wish Upon a Star - Pinocchio
You've Got A Friend in Me - Toy Story
TV, Movies & Musicals
A Thousand Years - Twilight
All I Ask of You - Phantom of the Opera *
Anyone Else But \You - Juno
Because You Loved Me - Up Close and Personal
Can You Feel the Love Tonight - The Lion King
Endless Love - Lionel Richie & Diana Ross
Everlasting Love - The Parent Trap
I Wanna Grow Old With You - The Wedding Singer
I See You - Avatar
I've Had the Time Of My Life - Dirty Dancing
Kissing You - Romeo & Juliet
Moon River - Breakfast At Tiffany's
My Girl - Father of the Bride
Nothing's Going to Stop Us Now - Mannequin
One Hand, One Heart - West Side Story*
Some Enchanted Evening - South Pacific *
Superman Theme - Superman
The Secret Wedding - Braveheart
Take My Breath Away - Top Gun
Instrumental
Bella's Lullaby - Burwell, Refeld & Hedman
Butterfly Waltz - Brian Crain
Glasgow Love Theme - Love Actually
He's a Pirate - The Curse of the Black Pearl
Love Theme - The Godfather
Maestro - The Holiday
Sentimental Walk - Love Affair
Star Wars : Main Theme - Star Wars
Stars & Butterflies - Pride & Prejudice
The Lake - The Notebook
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - The Lord of the Rings
The Portrait - Titanic
Contemporary
A Million Love Songs - Take That
A Whiter Shade of Pale - Procol Harum
All About The Bass - Meghan Trainor
All I Want is You - Barry Louis Polisar
All My Life - K-Ci & JoJo
All Of Me - John Legend
Amazing Day - Coldplay
All I Love Her - Beatles
At Last - Etta James
Beautiful in White - Shane Filan
Beautiful People - Labrinth
Beneath Your Beautiful - Labrinth & Emeli Sande
Budapest - George Ezra
Can't Help Falling iN Love - Elvis Presley
Celebration - Kool & The Gang
Chapel of Love - The Dixie Chicks
Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
Could I Have This Dance - Anne Murray
Come Away With Me - Norah Jones
Come Raine Or Come Shine - Ray Charles
Crystal - Fleetwood Mac
Dance Me to the End of Love - The Civil Wars
Earned It - The Weeknd
Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile) - Santana
Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
Falling In Love With You Again - Imelda May
Feels Like Home - Edwina Hayes
Giving Myself - Jennifer Hudson
Halo - Beyonce
Have I Told You Lately - Tony Bennett
Heaven - DJ Sammy & Yanou featuring Do
Here & Now - Luther Vandross
Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles
Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's
How Long Will I Love You - Ellie Goulding
I Could Not Ask for More - Sara Evans
I Fall Apart - Rory Gallagher
I Get to Love You - Ruell
I Love the Way You Love Me - John Michael Montgomery
I'll Be There - Jackson 5
I'm Kissing You - Des'ree
I'M Yours - Jason Mraz
If I Could Be With You - Duke Heitger's Big Four
Iris - To Goo Goo Dolls
Just the Way You Are - Bruno Mars
Kiss from a Rose - Seal
Kiss Me - Ed Sheeran
La Vie En Rose - Edith Piaf
Latch - Sam Smith
Linger - The Cranberries
Look At Me - Carrie Underwood
Love Me Like You Do - Ellie Goulding
Love Never Fails - Brandon Heath
Love Song - Tesla
Lucky - Jazon Mraz ft Colbie Caillat
Make You Feel My Love - Adele
Marry Me - Train
Marry You - Bruno Mars
No One - Alicia Keys
One Day Like This - Elbow
Paridise - Coldplay
Past Lives - BORNS
She - Elvis Costello
Spectrum (Say My Name) - Florence & The Machine
Suddenly - Angry Anderson
Sweet Child O'Mine- Guns N' Roses
Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap
Sweet Louise - Passenger
Tenerife Sea - Ed Sheeran
The Book Of Love - peter Gabriel
The Dream of the Dolphin - Enigma
The Final Countdown - Europe
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
The One - Kodaline
This Guy's In Love with You - Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass
I Promise You - Ronan Keating
This I Swear - Nick Lachy
Time After Tim - Eva Cassidy
Truly Madly Deeply - Savage Garden
Turning Page - Sleeping At Last
Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers
Us Against the World - Coldplay
What Are Words - Chris Medina
With You - Chris Brown
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
You Hand Me From Hello - Bon Jovi
Young Hearts Run Free - Kym Mazelle
For information - songs marked with an asterisk ( *) are currently some of my performance pieces. If your favourite song is not on this list or it is not marked with an asterisk and you are interested in me potentially performing it please contact me.