Weddings
So...you're planning a wedding and you want to hire a musician for your ceremony!
You will need to let him/her know when to play and what.
Music for wedding ceremonies is typically played during 3 sections with occasional exceptions that might make it 4 or 5 sections. Below is a list of these sections and alongside are some song suggestions, though song choices are entirely up to you. You should choose whichever soundtrack you want for your memory.
--- You can also download my wedding song list from the excel list ---
Seating song suggestions
Air On The G String - Bach
Ave Maria - Schubert
Canon in D - Pachelbel
Hallelujah - Leonard Cohen
Here, There, Everywhere - The Beatles
Flightless Bird - Iron & Wine
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring - Bach
The Scientist - Coldplay
Yellow - Coldplay
You Raise Me Up - Josh Groban
THE PRELUDE (SEATING/GATHERING)
guests gather, greet each other,
take in the ambience and await the
special moment.
THE PROCESSIONAL
The special moment begins. Members of
your wedding party make their way to the
altar (front of ceremony).
The wedding party can include all or some of the following
members (in no particular order):
Officiant/Priest
Family
Groom
Best Man
Maid Of Honor
Groomsmen
Bridesmaids
Ringbearer
Flowergirl(s)
Bride
Examples of ceremony interlude moments where music can be played:
SAND CEREMOMY
couple pours 2 different colors of sand into one vessel
symbolizing how their lives have become intertwined.
LIGHTING OF UNITY CANDLE
bride and groom take lit candles to light a separate common candle
to symbolize the joining of their respective families and love for one
another or simply to signify their own union and love for one another
PRAYER
the officiant leads guests and wedding party in prayer
WORSHIP SONG/HYMN (Christain wedding)
song of choice sung by entire congregation
RECESSIONAL (EXIT) &
POSTLUDE
The ceremony ends.
RECESSIONAL: The bride and groom are
announced and presented to the audience as
husband and wife and make their way away
from the altar, followed by the rest of the wedding party.
POSTLUDE: Guests leave their seats.
***Postludes are not always necessary as a lot of times the Recessional will serve the purpose of this part of the ceremony which is to conclude the ceremony (traditionally with upbeat music). Smaller weddings, in particular, will not need Postlude music, as there are not that many guests who will need to be ushered out with music.
15min - 20min
30sec - 8min
Processional song suggestions
(you need to decide if you want 1 song for the entire procession or separate songs for certain members of the procession)
Air On The G String - Bach
Beauty & The Beast - Disney
Canon in D - Pachelbel
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Bach
Sleeping At Last - Turning Page
Somewhere Over The Rainbow -
Israel Kamakawiwo'ile (IZ)
(following songs are great for the Bride's entrance)
A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
You Are So Beautiful - Joe Cocker
Bridal Chorus - Wagner
Sleeping At Last - Turning Page
Ave Maria - Schubert
Interlude song suggestions
You Are So Beautiful - Joe Cocker
Recessional/Postlude song suggestions
All You Need Is Love - The Beatles
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Bach
I'm Yours - Jason Mraz
Ode To Joy - Beethoven
Somewhere Over The Rainbow - IZ
Trumpet Voluntary - Clarke
Wanna Marry You - Bruno Mars
Wedding March - Mendelssohn
30sec - 15 min
All My Life - K-CI & Jojo
To be determined by bride & groom
Ave Maria - Schubert
(A video sample of my playing during a wedding ceremony. I usually play solo with a backing track, but for this particular video, I am playing with a guitarist, per request of the bride.)
So, now that a basic outline has been laid out, your job is to figure out which of the previous sections I just listed will be in your ceremony, and then what music you will want for each section (Again, keep in mind how long the procession will be!! Is it just the bride that will be making an entrance? - in which case you'll want just one song, or will there be groomsmen, bridesmaids etc. making an entrance? - in which case you might want more than one song.)
Nothing is set in stone. The music for your ceremony is entirely in your hands. Some folks, for example, have very small weddings and don't need seating music and only need 1 song to be played during the processional and then 1 song for the Exit. Some folks have bigger weddings with 100+ guests and need 20 minutes of seating music plus 6 total songs to be played throughout the course of their ceremony; 2 for the Processional, 1 song during the Sand Ceremony, 1 song for the Exit, and 2 songs during the Postlude while folks mill around after the ceremony.
Some folks want a Guns & Roses song for the Bride's entrance, while others want a more traditional song like the "Bridal Chorus". You can do all the choosing of the songs yourself or tell me guidelines as far as genres/styles you prefer and I can choose accordingly. You get my point. It is entirely up to you.
Hopefully this helps you out! Feel free to contact me with any questions!!!
playing a wedding & cocktail hour at the Wrightwood country club
Playing for a very small wedding (7 total
guests) at the Trump National Golf Club
Moments before a wedding ceremony at the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills
Playing a wedding at the Calamigos ranch in Malibu, CA