Wedding Music

Most couples want some kind of music during their wedding ceremony. I think I have heard just about everything: traditional classical music, country & western, Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen, and even the Star Wars theme. Although it’s important that the music you choose reflect you, it’s also a good idea to consider what kind of audience you will have. I have listed below some of the choices that have been very popular at weddings. And you can get some excellent advice on choices for your ceremony music from musicians and DJ’s.

“Classical Music Archives” is the largest classical music website on the Internet.
You can also get some ideas from the University of Virginis’s guide to music.

Prelude Music

“Adagio” (from Sonata in E-Flat), by Mozart
“Air”, from Handel’s “Water Music”
“Air on the G String”, from J. S. Bach’s “Orchestral Suite No.3”
“Allegro”, from J. S. Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto #4 in G”
“Courante from Three Lute Dances”
“Nocturne In E flat, Op.9 No.2”, by Chopin
“Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun”, by Debussy
“So this is Love” (Instrumental “Cinderella”), by David, Hoffman, Livingston
“Waltz”, from Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty Act 1

Processional Music

Traditional Wedding March from Lohengrin (“Here Comes the Bride”), by Wagner
Processional to “Te Deum”, by Charpentier
‘Trumpet Tune”, by Purcell
“Trumpet Voluntary” (“Prince of Denmark’s March”), by Clarke
“Canon in D”, by Pachelbel
“Arioso”, by J. S. Bach
Heroic Marches, by Telemann
Introduction, by Purcell
“Romance from String Quartet”, by Mozart
“Elvira Madigan Theme”, by Bach
“Dodi Li”, by Steven Sher
“Erev Ba”, by Shoshana Damari
“Rondeau” (“Masterpiece Theater Theme”), by Shoshana Damari

Interlude Music

“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”, by J. S. Bach
Air – “Sheep May Safely Graze”, by Bach
“Air On The G String” (from Orchestral Suite No.3), by J. S. Bach
“Amen! Praise and Glory”, by Peacock
“Ave Maria”, by Schubert
“Ave Maria”, by Gounod
‘The Call from Five Mystical Songs”, by Vaughan Williams
“Cavalleria Rusticana’, by Intermezzo Mascagni
“Greensleeves” (Traditional)
“Finlandia” (“Ode to Joy”), (words by Grieg, music by Beethoven)
“Let There Be Peace on Earth”
London Trio #3 – Adante, by Haydn
“Lord’s Prayer’ (various)
“O God of Life” (“Panus Angelicus”), by Franck
“O Mio Babbino Caro” (Gianna Schicchi), by Puccini
“Quando Men’ Vo” (Musetta’s Waltz from La Boheme), by Puccini

Recessional Music

Traditional “Wedding March”, from Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
“Ode to Joy”, by Beethoven
“Spring”, from Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”
“Autumn”, from Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”
“Arrival of the Queen of Sheba”, from Handel’s “Solomon”
“Hornpipe”, from Handel’s “Water Music”
First Movement from Brandenburg Concerto #1 in F, by J. S. Bach
“La Rejouissance”, from Handel’s Royal Fireworks Music
“Siman Tov”
“Sonata in G”, by Tartini
“Toccata”,  from Widor’s Organ Symphony #5
“When I’m 64”, by the Beatles

Unity Candle Music

“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”, by J. S. Bach
“There Is Love (Wedding Song)”, by Paul Stookey
“From This Moment”, by Shania Twain & Bryan White
“The Wedding Song”, by Kenny G
“Ave Maria”, by Shubert
“One Hand, One Heart”, from West Side Story
“Lord’s Prayer”, by Mallote
“I Will Be Here”, by Steven Curtis Chapman
“Time In A Bottle”, by Jim Croce
“Old Love”, by Bob Ford
“Because You Loved Me”, by Celine Dion
“Give Me Forever (I Do)”, by John Tesh
“When I Say I Do”, Clint Black & Lisa Hartman
“Keeper of the Stars”, by Tracy Byrd
“Household of Faith”, by Steve Green
“It’s Your Love”, by Time McGraw & Faith Hill
“Always”, by Atlantic Starr
“Amazing Grace”, by Lari White
“Endless Love”, by Lionel Ritchie & Diana Ross
“I Do”, by Paul Brandt
“I’ll Always be Right There”, by Bryan Adams
“Flesh of My Flesh”, by Leon Patillo
“Greensleeves”, traditional
“Grow Old With Me”, by Mary Chapin Carpenter
“Here and Now”, by Luther Vandross
“I Believe in You and Me”, by Whitney Houston
“I Do (Cherish You)”, by Mark Wills
“Wherever You Go”, by David Haas
“You Light Up My Life’, by Leann Rimes
“Thank You”, by Led Zeppelin
Canon in D, by Pachelbel

This is the single best wedding music CD I’ve heard. If you only buy one CD, I recommend this one. You can get it at most music stores, or even from Amazon.com.