Wedding Ceremony Music: What to Play From Prelude to Recessional
A ceremony runs on four or five musical cues, and each one has a job. The prelude settles guests, the processional sets a walking pace, the bridal entrance turns every head, and the recessional tells the room it is time to celebrate.
Every piece below is one Avalon Music chamber ensembles perform, and each has a recording you can play right here. Listen through, shortlist a favorite for each cue, and bring the list to your consultation.
Prelude: While Guests Are Seated
Plan 15 to 30 minutes of prelude music. It should be calm, familiar and never loud enough to compete with guests finding their seats. Many couples mix classical pieces with a few instrumental versions of songs that mean something to them.
- Air on the G String by J.S. Bach
Slow and graceful. The classic way to open a prelude.
Air on the G String recording page - Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy
Soft and dreamy, lovely for an evening or garden ceremony.
Clair de Lune recording page - Gymnopédie No. 1 by Erik Satie
Spare and gentle. It never calls attention to itself.
Gymnopédie No. 1 recording page - Largo from "Winter" by Antonio Vivaldi
Warm and flowing, from The Four Seasons.
Largo from "Winter" recording page - On Wings of Song by Felix Mendelssohn
A lyrical melody that works well near the start.
On Wings of Song recording page - Habanera from Carmen by Georges Bizet
A little sultry and very recognizable. Good for a lively crowd.
Habanera from Carmen recording page
Seating the Mothers and Grandmothers
This is a short, separate cue, and it signals to guests that the ceremony is about to begin. Choose something tender and a little more deliberate than the prelude.
- Arioso by J.S. Bach
Tender and unhurried, well suited to an honored walk.
Arioso recording page - O Mio Babbino Caro by Giacomo Puccini
A beloved aria, and an emotional choice for the mothers.
O Mio Babbino Caro recording page - Ave Maria
A traditional choice for church ceremonies and family seating.
Ave Maria recording page
Processional: The Wedding Party
The processional needs a steady, walkable pulse. Choose a piece that can repeat or be cut down neatly, because the length depends on how many people are walking.
- Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel
The most requested processional. It repeats gracefully, so it fits any size of wedding party.
Canon in D recording page - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by J.S. Bach
Gentle and flowing, with a steady pulse to walk to.
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring recording page - Wachet Auf (Sleepers, Wake) by J.S. Bach
Stately and bright, a slightly less expected choice.
Wachet Auf (Sleepers, Wake) recording page
The Bride's Entrance
The entrance cue should be unmistakable. When the music changes, guests stand. Many couples choose a traditional march, while others keep the processional piece and let it build.
- Bridal Chorus ("Here Comes the Bride") by Richard Wagner
The best-known entrance music there is. Everyone knows the cue.
Bridal Chorus ("Here Comes the Bride") recording page - Trumpet Voluntary by Jeremiah Clarke
Regal and ceremonial, especially in a church or ballroom.
Trumpet Voluntary recording page - Trumpet Tune by Henry Purcell
Bright and celebratory, and it also works as a recessional.
Trumpet Tune recording page
Recessional: Just Married
The recessional is the release. The music should be upbeat and joyful, and loud enough to carry you back up the aisle and into cocktail hour.
- Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn
The traditional recessional, and a triumphant one.
Wedding March recording page - Ode to Joy by Ludwig van Beethoven
Joyful and instantly familiar.
Ode to Joy recording page - Rondeau by Jean-Joseph Mouret
Fanfare energy, and a favorite for a formal exit.
Rondeau recording page - Hornpipe from Water Music by George Frideric Handel
Lively and festive. It keeps the energy climbing.
Hornpipe from Water Music recording page
Songs You Know, Arranged for Strings
Not every ceremony piece has to be classical. These songs from film, Broadway and pop work as prelude music, a unity candle or signing moment, or even a modern processional.
- Moon River by Henry Mancini
From Breakfast at Tiffany's. Timeless and romantic.
Moon River recording page - Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Harold Arlen
From The Wizard of Oz. Hopeful and familiar.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow recording page - Yesterday by The Beatles
Instantly recognizable, and beautiful on strings.
Yesterday recording page - Here, There and Everywhere by The Beatles
A sweet, understated love song.
Here, There and Everywhere recording page - And I Loved Her by The Beatles
Gentle and romantic.
And I Loved Her recording page - Michelle by The Beatles
Lilting, with a little French flavor.
Michelle recording page - Till There Was You by Meredith Willson
From The Music Man, and a Beatles favorite too.
Till There Was You recording page - All I Ask of You by Andrew Lloyd Webber
The love duet from The Phantom of the Opera.
All I Ask of You recording page - The Music of the Night by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Dramatic and lush, also from Phantom.
The Music of the Night recording page - One Hand, One Heart by Leonard Bernstein
Sung as a wedding vow in West Side Story.
One Hand, One Heart recording page - Sunrise, Sunset by Jerry Bock
From Fiddler on the Roof, sung at its wedding scene.
Sunrise, Sunset recording page - Edelweiss by Rodgers & Hammerstein
From The Sound of Music. Simple and sweet.
Edelweiss recording page - Theme from Summer of '42 by Michel Legrand
Wistful and cinematic.
Theme from Summer of '42 recording page - Only Time by Enya
Modern, calm and atmospheric.
Only Time recording page - Scarborough Fair (traditional)
The English folk song Simon & Garfunkel made famous.
Scarborough Fair recording page - Danny Boy (traditional Irish)
A meaningful choice for families with Irish roots.
Danny Boy recording page
Frequently Asked Questions
How many songs do we need for a wedding ceremony?
Most ceremonies need five or six pieces: a prelude set while guests arrive, one for seating the mothers and grandmothers, the wedding party processional, the bridal entrance, the recessional, and something for a unity candle or signing if you have one.
What if the processional song is longer than the walk?
That is normal. Ceremony musicians watch the aisle and bring a piece to a natural close when the last person reaches the front. Pieces like Canon in D repeat gracefully, which is why they are so popular for processionals.
Can we have a string quartet for the ceremony and a band for the reception?
Yes. A string quartet for the ceremony and cocktails, then a high-energy band for the reception, is one of the most popular combinations Avalon Music books.
Can the ensemble play a song that is not on this list?
In most cases, yes. Send requests 4 to 6 weeks before the wedding. A custom arrangement may involve a small additional fee, and the rare exception is a song that does not suit the ensemble's instruments.