Wedding Ceremony Music

When planning the wedding ceremony music you have many choices to make. Here is a short description of what times during the wedding you will need to choose wedding ceremony music for. 

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The Prelude

The Prelude is the time when the guests arrive and they are seated. Whether you are using the organ player for the rest of the ceremony music, music piped in through the ceremony site or a live band you will need to plan to have at least 30 minutes of music. Prelude music is usually light, played in the background, helping to set the mood for the ceremony. It is a good idea to plan to have as much as an hour of music ready in case the wedding starts late or you have some very early wedding guests. 

Remember the wedding ceremony music that the guests here will affect how they feel about the wedding. This is the first music they will hear on your wedding day and it sets the tone of the wedding. 

The Processional

During the processional more music is played. This music accompanies the extended wedding party coming in, such as family of the bride and groom being seated and the wedding party walking down the aisle. The wedding party would include any children in the wedding and the bridesmaid and groomsmen. Finally, the music will change once more for the bride to walk down the aisle. 

How many songs you choose for this time period is up to you. You can choose to have the same song play for everyone except the bride, as the brides walk down the aisle certainly is worthy of her own music, or you could choose to play numerous different selections. For instance, you could certainly play one piece for when the immediate family is seated, another for the children in the wedding and one more for the wedding party. 

The Recessional

After the bride and groom say I do and kiss they turn around and walk back up the aisle followed by the wedding party and family. During this time recessional music is played. Traditionally recessional music and upbeat and lively, music to celebrate the happy occasion. 

The Postlude

Usually wedding ceremony music is played during the time when the bride and groom receive their guests after the ceremony. This is a little bit louder than the prelude, but not as lively as the processional or recessional. Interludes 

Some brides decide to also incorporate music in other moments in the wedding, such as during the lighting of the unity candle.