The music for the wedding starts from the moment the guests start taking their seats. It extends during your reception and when the final floor dance is conducted. Until you do not drop dancing the music continues to enthrall everyone. Hence the choice of music must be done appropriately else your whole playlist is going to go haywire. Here we share with you all the details of which music to play and when.
Pre-ceremony/ Entry
In the beginning, when guests start arriving you would not want to play something that is trying to grab their attention. It should be a music track that is pleasant to hear and does not disturb the overall scheme of things. Light classical music can be chosen or soft piano and guitar would be perfect. You could choose from the following song options:
- Arioso-Bach
- Ave Maria-Schubert
- Air on the G string- Bach
Pre-processional
Now your ceremony is starting and that is when the pre-processional starts playing. Everyone is now settled and people would be looking forward to the event to start. The groom and ushers would have reached the altar and you are eagerly approaching the same with your bridesmaids. There would be no specific pre –processional music as such to choose but if you must then pick up something that flows into your processional music which follows later on.
The following options are perfect:
- The first time I ever saw your face- Roberta Flack
- To a wild rose- Edward MacDowell
- Air- Handel
Processional
Now comes the processional or the big entrance that is the highlight of the evening. Now is the time when the bride, bridesmaids and the father of the bride start moving down the aisle. Here the music you choose would depend on the venue, your taste in music and the formality of the event.
Either opt for a traditional or formal music piece or go for something more trendy and upbeat. Even the best wedding bands may make a mistake at this point hence choose the correct team to handle yours. You may choose from the following options:
- The swan- Saint-Saens
- Clair de Lune- Debussy
- The book of love- Peter Gabriel
Register signing
You are officially husband and wife but the same needs to be put on paper as well. The signing of the register does not take too much of your time but still needs appropriate music. Normally lasting between 5-10 minutes it is better to choose something that diverts the attention of the guests as well as the bride and groom. You could also have a soloist singing at this point to enhance the beauty of the event. Choose from the following:
- Domine Dues- Vivaldi
- God only knows- Beach boys
- The Prayer- Josh Groban and Charlotte Church
Recessional music
Now that the ceremony is over the entire group would be in a rather celebratory mood. The music you select should be joyful and keeping the environment joyful. Everyone is happy and the music should be able to emphasize the same. At this point do not choose slow and romantic tracks. The party has just begun and that should be reflected in the choice of music. Here are simple tracks that you may play now:
- Spring- Vivaldi
- You and me song- The Wannadies
- This will be (An everlasting love)- Natalie Cole
Wedding breakfast background music
Once the reception begins the music choice would become dependent on where you are having the event. If you have selected a lavish manor house or grand hall, the music should bend towards slightly classical. The music could be soft and pleasant to hear so that the guests do not feel intimidated.
On the other hand, if you are having a festival style of wedding you could choose any indie guitar instrumental to match the surroundings. Either way, do not make the music so loud that everyone is unable to converse. Choose from the following:
- Sheep may safely graze- Bach
- You’ve got a friend- Vitamin string quartet
- Everything- Michael Buble
Your first dance
This would be your first dance together after the wedding and you and your husband to be should select the music for weddings at a personal level. You may not have a particular song in mind and that is not a problem as such. The focus should be on the lyrics of the song. It is not necessary that the song you choose may have great lyrics as well. If you do not know what to choose to go for a slow and romantic number that would allow you to do a little romantic dance together.
- Someone like you- Van Morrison
- A thousand years- Christina Perri
- Kissing you-Des’ree
Your song choice is mostly done but here are some more tips that would guide you better on planning the music options for your D-day.
- Background music may not be bland or soulless you just have to see that it is not disrupting any conversations.
- Jazz, blues and swing music all fall in the category of great for background music.
- Electronic music would be suitable if you are opting for a vibrant mood through the entire proceedings.
- You could also think of a theme in advance and make sure that your music adheres to the same.
- Avoid songs with explicit lyrics or which may suddenly become quite loud in the middle.
- It’s good to have slow songs but do not have too many of them as it makes the mood boring.
- Have enough songs to last you for some good time as you may not know how long your dinner is going to take.
Conclusion
Your wedding is a major event that you may never want to get spoiled at any cost. Following the above guidelines and suggestions can help you plan the entire event correctly. If you are unable to tackle all the arrangements on your own you can choose the best wedding band to tackle the same for you. They know which songs are the best at bringing the feel of your day at the forefront and hence they could accomplish the same for you as well.
