The secret formula to selecting your wedding ceremony songs

Welcome to today’s blog on all things wedding ceremony music. Grab your favourite green wedding detox juice and let’s get started.

Music plays a huge role on your wedding day. It’s an essential component that you cannot go without. Music has a way of sparking emotions, feelings and fond memories, which will captivate all of your guests. Choosing the right music is essential to creating the romantic atmosphere you’ve always dreamed of for your momentous occasion.

About the author

Before we jump in, here’s a brief intro for those that don’t know me. My name’s Mel, I’m an Australian classical and electric violinist that has performed at weddings and events across Australia and internationally. You might be thinking, “hey you’re just the violinist what would you know about all of this?” Well, let me tell you. Having been to and helped plan music for hundreds of weddings, I’ve learnt one or two things about them, and especially about the music involved.

So where do we begin?

Below you’ll find a list of my top tips for selecting your wedding music for your wedding ceremony.  

Tip #1 - Incorporate your special song

I strongly suggest to all couples selecting songs for their wedding day that they try and include any sentimental or meaningful songs that they share with each other. There are many points throughout the day that these songs can be incorporated. If you’re having live music, it’s a fantastic way to have a personalised take on one of your favourites performed on your day. Some great parts of your day that you can incorporate these songs could be for the bride’s entrance into the wedding ceremony or for your first dance later on in the evening.  

I can sense some of you fretting “but me and my partner don’t have a special song”. Don’t sweat it! We’re here to help you find the perfect songs for your day. Let’s start brainstorming.

Here are some simple steps on how you can work out what ‘your song’ is. You will need to sit down and brainstorm with your partner, writing down all of the ideas that come to mind while going through the questions below. Have a think about; the artists, song names, specific covers/versions of songs that you liked, movies that featured your favourite songs, and the instruments that stood out. These can all play a part in your day.

-       Do you have a common music interest?

-       Is there a tune that you’ve always enjoyed singing/dancing to together?

-       Is there a song that reminds you of your partner?

-       Is there a song that makes you miss your partner?

-       Do you have a shared favourite artist?

-       Is there a favourite memory that you shared with your partner where there was a significant song, instrument or artist performing?

-       Have you been to a concert together for an artist that you really loved?

-       Is there a song with lyrics that really speak to your relationship together?

-       Is there an instrument that reminds you of your partner?

 You may have thought of a few songs but thought that they’re not appropriate for a wedding ceremony or wedding day. This is a great time for you to speak to any live musicians you may have performing. They’ll be able to create instrumental covers of these songs and adjust them to suit the particular part of the day you’re wishing to play them. Some vocalists may even be able to swap out some lyrics for you to make your song more appropriate for your wedding ceremony! This brings us to our next point…

Tip #2 - Check the lyrics

Always remember to check the lyrics of the songs you wish to use on your special day. If you are having a vocalist or are playing an audio recording with lyrics of your favourite song, I strongly suggest you read the lyrics of the song before you decide if it’s the song that you want. Reading the lyrics will make you pay attention to all the words – especially the ones that you may have been making up while singing along! So many songs that people think are ‘love songs’ are in fact break up songs or may not be the most appropriate song for a wedding. So, please remember to check!

Tip #3 - Consider who will play your music

Consider who you’d like to play your music & how your music is going to be played at your wedding ceremony. Are you going to hire live musicians to perform covers of your favourite songs or will you allocate a guest to press play on a speaker? You might like to hire a violinist, string duo/quartet, singer, pianist, harpist, guitarist or another musical ensemble. You might like to have something elegant & classic for your wedding ceremony and save a different feel for your wedding reception. Here are our top picks for live musicians for wedding ceremonies that will create a beautiful ambience for your day:

Contact us if you would like to enquire about incorporating the violin or the above options for your wedding ceremony. If you’re after our recommendations for wedding receptions entertainment recommendations, stay tuned for my next blog to find out more.

Tip #4 - Make it your day

There is no one size fits all formula for weddings, there are an endless number of variations. How they’re done in Australia is completely different to how they’re done overseas. The canvas is completely blank for you to create your special day the way that you like. It’s about finding what you and your partner like, working out your vision and the atmosphere you wish to create and bringing this vision to life. It’s likely that you have at least 10 different people telling you things about what you should and shouldn’t do and what you definitely need for your wedding day, but the reality is you will not be able to please everyone. Choose what’s best for you & your partner and be uniquely you.

Ok now that you’ve got all the background knowledge, let’s get down to the nitty gritty!

Help me choose my wedding ceremony songs!

Generally speaking, you will need around 5 – 9 songs for your wedding ceremony depending on the type of ceremony you’re having. If you are having a simple 30-minute ceremony at a church or with a celebrant you will need to select 5 songs for the following points:

1.     Bridesmaid’s entrance (this will also include your flower girls, page boys - 1 song)
2.     Bride’s entrance (1 song)
3.     Signing of the register (2 songs)
4.     Exit (1 song)

If you’re having a longer religious ceremony, you will need to choose songs for the above points as well as for hymns, the offertory, communion & candle lighting. Sit tight, we’ll dive further into this in part two.

Bridal Entrance

Photo by Siempre

The bride’s entrance into the ceremony is perhaps the most exciting, emotional and nerve-racking moment of the whole day. I cannot tell you the number of times I have seen tears at this point of the day (usually by the groom or father of the bride). This moment is profound. In the silence leading up to the entrance you will be able to hear a pin drop! The whole room is filled with tension as the bride prepares to walk down the aisle to her soon to be husband. Choosing the perfect song here is so important as it sets a flawless scene, brings up all the emotions and makes this moment even more meaningful. Your guests will all be listening to the music played and they will have all of their eyes on you. Having the bridal entrance played by live musicians (especially the violin) takes this moment to a whole other level.

* Cue goosebumps! *

If you are not having many bridesmaids or any flower girls/page boys you may like to use the same song for their entrance as with the bride’s entrance. If however, you are having 3 or more bridesmaids you may like to choose a separate song for their entrance. This can make this moment of the day feel more grand and will allow for more time for these entrances. I always recommend to brides to choose their favourite song for their entrance and use a song with a similar style for their bridesmaids.

Pro Tip: Encourage your bridesmaids to take their time while walking down the aisle and not to rush. They should only start walking once the bridesmaid in front has almost reached the front of the aisle.

If you are having an audio recording of a song played here, I would recommend playing only one song for the entrances so that you don’t get an awkward silence or transition between the two songs.

Another benefit of having live musicians for this moment of your day is that they will be able to tailor the song to the timing and length needed on the day for your walk down the aisle and fade from one song seamlessly into your next song.

What song should I choose for my bridal entrance/walk down the aisle?

You should choose a song here that is sentimental to you and your partner. If you’re wanting a timeless classic wedding, walk-down-the-aisle song here are five songs you cannot go wrong with:

1.     Pachelbel’s Canon/Canon in D - Pachelbel

2.     Here Comes The Bride - Wagner

3.     Can’t Help Falling In Love - Elvis

4.     A Thousand Years – Christina Perri

5.     Stand by Me – Ben E. King

Follow this link to take a look at my playlist on Spotify for more ideas on wedding entrance songs.

Signing of the register

Photo by Splendid Photography

The signing of the register is where all the paperwork is signed by the bride, groom & two significant others. Without music this moment can feel very bare as people wait in awkward silence, so it’s important to choose one or two songs to fill the space. You may only need one song to be played, however it is good to have a backup song ready in case your photographers would like to take some photos at this point of the ceremony or if things take a little longer than planned.

What song should I choose for my signing of the register?

Choose two songs here that you, your partner and your guests will enjoy. Some popular choices include:

1.     Can You Feel The Love Tonight – Elton John

2.     From This Moment – Shania Twain

3.     Lucky – Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat

4.     Perfect – Ed Sheeran

5.     What A Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong

Follow this link for more ideas on songs to use for the signing of your register.

Exit/Recessional

Photo by Happy Stories

Now we’ve made it to the fun part of the ceremony where you can walk back down the aisle officially as husband & wife! An exciting way to finish off the ceremony is by choosing an upbeat celebratory song whilst you walk (or skip) down the aisle as your guests cheer you on. This song should be up-beat, fun and there to get the party started for the rest of the day.

What song should I choose for my exit/recessional?

Pick a song here that will make your inner selves want to dance down the aisle and will have your guests singing along. Some popular choices for your exit include:

1.     Wedding March – Mendelssohn

2.     Dancing in the Moonlight – Top Loader

3.     Bittersweet Symphony – The Verve

4.     Viva La Vida – Coldplay

5.     Love Is In The Air – John Paul Young

Follow this link to take a look at my Spotify playlist for more ideas on wedding recessional songs.

We hope the above information has inspired you to select the perfect songs for your wedding ceremony. If you’re still stuck, check out our quick cheat sheet below to simplify the selecting process for you. Don’t over think it, you’ve got this!

Happy Planning!