Ceremonial Wedding Music

There are five musical pillars that support the
traditional wedding ceremony. They include:

• Prelude
• Processional
• Special
• Recessional
• Postlude

The music you choose for the prelude
sets the mood for the ceremony. Decide what mood you’d like to create for your guests to enjoy prior to the ceremony.
It could be slow and serious, or upbeat and happy, or something in between. Regardless of mood, every musical style whether classical, popular, Celtic, country, or jazz, has selections that will help set
the mood you choose. It works best to limit the number of musical styles you choose to one or two different styles with which both the bridal couple and the guests are familiar and comfortable.

The processional may be in one, two or three parts depending how large the wedding party is and how much music is needed. A one-part processional works perfectly for
a smaller wedding party of up to two bridesmaids (including the “maid of honor”) and two groomsmen, with no flower-girls or ring-bearers. Two-part processionals are the most common: There is one musical selection for the bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls and ring bearers; and a separate musical selection for the bride and her escort (usually her father). The style of music for both parts of the processional should be the same. If you are planning to seat the mothers just before the bridesmaids walk, a three-part processional is in order.

Special music occurs during the body of the ceremony. This would be music for a
unity candle-lighting, sand-blending, ring-blessing, etc. Sometimes, a special song is requested ‘in memory of’ a family member or friend who would not be present at the ceremony. Any appropriate musical selection will work; in fact, the widest variety of musical styles occurs during the ‘special.’

The sole function of the recessional music is to move the wedding party away from the alter and back down the aisle. An upbeat selection in the same style as the processional works well and serves as a ‘musical bookend’ for the solemn portion of your ceremony.

Finally, the postlude music allows your guests time to depart the church, chapel, or ceremony area. It works well to match the style of music from the prelude with an upbeat tempo. In many situations, the postlude is short (one to three musical selections), so that the wedding party can begin their photo session and the guests can depart the ceremony area for the reception.