If you are planning a wedding ceremony, religious or civil, please remember to consult with your registrar, minister, priest, etc, regarding music choices. Some pieces are regarded as religious or secular and we want to be able to provide you with the correct choices. Although we are aware of these issues, sometimes the leader of the ceremony has the last say in music preference. You can always consult with us and then take the list back to the person performing the service to double check everything.
Do not worry if your preferred music is on our list. Call us to discuss your choices and we may be able to find music suitable to your tastes, the exact piece you want, or at least the style you are looking for.
Please be courteous when positioning your musicians. We need decent light in order to read our music and communicate with each other and with the party at large. If the lighting is too poor, we may not be able to perform our best, and it could be avoided by pre-planning these solutions.
WEDDING CEREMONY MUSIC
This will give you an idea of the general music slots available at most wedding ceremonies.
|
Ceremony Part |
Description |
|
Prelude |
20-30 minutes of music played while family and friends are finding their seats and/or pictures are being taken. Usually the music is elegant and in the slower, lighter, and more reflective styles. |
|
Seating of Parents/Grandparents |
Usually very short amount of time for these family members to get seated. Photographer usually enters towards the front here too. |
|
Attendants/Bridesmaids/Groomsmen |
Groomsmen and groom enter from the side, and Bridesmaids, flower girl/ring bearer come down the aisle. The piece needed for this piece is usually determined by the size of your wedding party. |
|
Bride’s Processional |
Usually a very beautiful and elegant piece, or a fanfare announcing the bride! |
|
Lighting of Unity Candle |
The prayer and lighting, especially if there is a mishap, might take a few minutes! Keep the mood going by adding a piece of music here if possible. |
|
Presentation of Gifts/Offertory/Communion |
These aren’t at every service, but sometimes an extra piece of music is played during wine reception, a prayer, etc. |
|
Recessional |
Marriage Pronouncement and wedding party exits down the aisle |
|
Postlude |
One or two pieces played as guests exit. Usually the selection is left up to the musicians, but if you have a choice, let us know. Usually this music is much more upbeat and celebratory. |
EXAMPLES of Music Selections for parts of the ceremony
|
Ceremony Part |
Description |
|
Prelude |
|
|
Seating of Parents/Grandparents |
|
|
Attendants/Bridesmaids/Groomsmen |
|
|
Bride’s Processional |
Canon in D Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring Water Music Suite: Hornpipe Trumpet Tune Trumpet Voluntary Bridal Chorus Wedding March |
|
Lighting of Unity Candle |
To a Wild Rose Elegy When I Fall in Love Flower Duet |
|
Presentation of Gifts/Offertory/Communion |
Four Seasons: Winter Flower Duet |
|
Recessional |
Water Music Suite: Hornpipe Trumpet Tune Trumpet Voluntary Four Seasons: Spring or Autumn |
|
Postlude |
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, Movts I & II (III) Bourree from Music for Royal Fireworks |
Here are a couple of sites that have most of these pieces on sound clips for your listening. Our own recordings will be up in the future. Thank you for your patience.
Current list (will be updated and enlarged very soon!)
Amazing Grace-Traditional
Arioso-J. S. Bach
Ave Maria-Bach-Gounoud
Ave Maria-Schubert
Bridal Chorus-Wagner
Canon in D-Pachelbel
To a Wild Rose-MacDowell
Trumpet Tune-Purcell
Trumpet Voluntary-Clarke
Wedding March-Mendelssohn
When I Fall in Love-Young, arr. Cochenet & Stern
Some solo music in the following list may be performed at events as well as particular solos from above.
J.S. Bach solo Suites
Some popular music
Religous music upon request
Themes from some movies upon request
and more!