Brides and grooms are most involved in choosing music for the ceremony itself. The best way to approach this is to first have a final order for the procession, so that we can see where the logical places to change music would be. Typically, we need to choose one to three pieces for everyone until the bride. The bride needs a piece of her own, and we need some music for the recessional. Let’s look at a simple procession example:

1. Officiant
2. Parents of the Bride
3. Parents of the Groom
4. Four Groomsmen
5. Four Bridesmaids
6. Groom
7. Parents of the Bride walk back half way and stand on either side of the aisle
8. Bride enters, her parents meet her half way down the aisle and escort her to the Groom

This typically requires four pieces of music:

1. Officiant through the Parents of the Groom
2. Groomsmen and Bridesmaids
3. Groom and Parents of the Bride walking back half way
4. Bride

We would need a fifth piece for the recessional at the end of the ceremony, and maybe another for something during the ceremony itself.

What music to choose? It’s your wedding, so it’s up to you! It can be all classical, all pop, all Jewish, or any mix you like. In general, though, slow, stately pieces are best for the procession, and something more upbeat is best for the recessional. We have links to recordings of us playing many of the most popular choices on our wedding ceremony music page. If you prefer classical music for your ceremony, here are some recommendations from our list you can listen to for the scenario above:

1. Officiant, Parents of the Bride, and Parents of the Groom – Air from Water Music – Handel
2. Groomsmen and Bridesmaids – Four Seasons Winter – Vivaldi
3. Groom and Parents of the Bride walking back half way – Eine Kleine Nachtmusik – Mozart
4. Bride – Canon in D – Pachelbel
5. Recessional – Four Seasons Spring – Vivaldi

Every wedding ceremony varies, but this should give you a good idea about how to go about organizing and choosing your music.

If you’re having your wedding ceremony in a church or synagogue, be sure to inquire about any restrictions they may have concerning the type of music that is allowed or whether you can bring in any outside musicians. Some churches may require you to use their regular instrumentalists and vocalists and may not allow non religious popular music to be played during the ceremony, as a wedding is considered a form of worship service.

Your options will be far greater if you are not having your ceremony in a church or synagogue. First, determine your budget. Fewer musicians, of course, cost less. If you’re really on a tight budget, a wedding ceremony can be done with a single instrument such as piano, acoustic guitar, or harp. As you add more instruments, you gain a richer, more varied, and more musically interesting sound that will be more easily heard in a large room. Instead of just melody and accompaniment, the additional instruments can add harmony and counterpoint that really fills out the sound.

What type of pieces would you like played at your wedding ceremony? By far the most popular ceremony music style is classical, but you can also mix in pop or ethnic styles to suit your tastes. A solo harp can be great for classical music. A piano or an acoustic guitar can work well for either classical or pop music. One popular combination of instruments you might consider is piano and flute. Another often requested instrumentation is piano, flute, and violin, which works great for any ceremony music style! Adding a second violin takes this combination to a whole other level, giving a much bigger and more interesting sound. Other great options to consider with piano are trumpet or guitar. How about having some of your ceremony music sung? Consider adding one of our vocalists! For an all classical ceremony, a string quartet is a wonderful sound. You can check out some of our most popular wedding ceremony music ensembles on our music samples page.

Whatever your tastes and budget, we can consult with you to find the perfect instrumentation to orchestrate the wedding ceremony of your dreams!