Best Wedding Music Ideas!
Dublin, United States
Best Wedding Music Ideas
Musician Costs $550 - $900
The average cost for a wedding band is $720. Hiring a wedding band to play on your big day, you will likely spend between $550 and $900. The price of band entertainment can vary greatly by region (and even by zip code). View our local wedding bands or get free estimates from pros near you.
Best Wedding Music Ideas!
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It is sometimes difficult to select the songs you want to play at your wedding. We are here to help you choose.
For your wedding, you will need at least three songs. You will need a processional tune to play while you enter the church. You will need a second song to play when signing the wedding register. A third song will play during your exit from the church or ceremony venue.
Hymns are suitable for a church wedding.
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Music ideas for the Ceremony
The music at the church ceremony or civil wedding is the first piece of music. The first piece will set the tone for the rest of the day.
Prelude Music
Prelude music starts playing at least 10 minutes before the wedding begins. You might have a soprano singing, a string quartet, or an organist play.
Processional Music
The entrance song for a traditional wedding is usually Wagner’s Bridal Chorus Here Comes the Bride. It can be a different song depending on the wedding style.
Three more popular song suggestions:
- Pachelbel’s Canon in D
- Jeremy Clark’s Trumpet Voluntary, and
- Handel’s Alla Hornpipe.
You can go with more nontraditional songs like Ed Sheeran’s Be my Forever.
Registry Signing Music
Only the bride and groom and their witnesses sign the registry. Background music will keep your guests occupied.
Choose a romantic and meaningful song. Add a modern or quirky touch to your wedding. Now you can deviate from classical music.
- Schubert’s Ave Maria
- Bach’s Air on the G String
- David Pomeranz’ On This Day
- Christina Perri’s A Thousand Years
- Ben Folds’ The Luckiest
Recessional/Exit Music
Your exit song will accompany your first steps together as a married couple. Go for something upbeat and lighthearted if you are not using classical music.
- Tom Odell’s Grow Old with Me
- Mendelssohn’s Wedding March
- Jeremy Clark’s Trumpet Voluntary
- Ed Sheeran’s Perfect
Choose a Musician for your Wedding
Now that you have your songs, it is time to choose your musicians. Here are the most common choices for church weddings:
- Organist
- Classical Guitarist
- Harp
- String quartet
Your choice will depend on your budget, the venue, the number of guests, and whether your wedding is indoors or outdoors.
More Cool Songs for a Wedding Ceremony
Choosing songs can prove to be a headache. You can hire musicians first and let them help you pick the music for your wedding ceremony.
Go through the musician’s repertoire.
Musicians are versatile. They can play classical wedding music as well as contemporary songs. Feel free to ask about any song you want.
Requests
You can request any song you want. You can also request a modified version of a song.
Just ask early enough to give the musician time to prepare. You might have to pay extra if they have never practiced it before. But this depends on the musician. Ask for clarification to avoid any misunderstanding.
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Music for Civil Weddings
Civil weddings don’t happen in a church. They are not presided over by a religious minister. Check out the venue before hiring musicians.
The best thing about civil weddings is they give you much more control. You control the program. But with more freedom comes more responsibility.
Religious Music for Civil Weddings?
It is still illegal in some places to use religious references at a civil ceremony. This law is still in force for weddings in Wales and England.
‘Religious inferences’ may include words and phrases, imagery, and music. The registrar in charge determines whether a thing is or is not a problem.
Make sure to ask around to keep something like that from becoming a hindrance to your nuptials.
Avoid hymns and go with classical or contemporary music. The venue will not have an organ like you would find in a church.
Bring your music.
Song Suggestions for Civil Wedding Ceremonies
- Johann Sebastian Bach’s Air on G String
- Elton John’s Can you Feel the Love Tonight
- Pachelbel’s Canon in D
- John Mayer’s Heart of Life
- Antonio Vivaldi’s Spring
The Best Venues for Civil Ceremonies
When you are shopping for a venue, the first thing you need is the capacity to accommodate all your guests.
You also want the venue to have a license for live music.
Does the registry office allow musicians?
Civil ceremonies can take place anywhere. Couples have used anything from stadiums to barns, to zoos, and country houses for civil marriage ceremonies.
Traditional Wedding Songs
Not everyone who wants a church wedding is a churchgoer. You can get song suggestions from the church organist and minister.
A regular churchgoer might already have a few songs in mind. Your musicians will help you choose the best songs from your list.
You can use additional musicians to complement the church organ or piano.
Christian Wedding Hymns
- Great is thy faithfulness
- All things bright and beautiful
- And can it be
- Amazing Grace
- Morning has broken
Traditional Hymns For a Hindu Wedding:
- Hulle Hullare (Rageshwari)
- Maahi Ve (Kal Ho Na Ho)
- Soni De Nakhre (Partner)
Traditional Hymns For a Jewish Wedding
- Bei Mir Bist Du Schon
- Hevenu Shalom Aleichem
- Hava Nagila
After the Ceremony
You will need more music as the day progresses. A jazz ensemble, pianist, or violinist may provide background music.
An experienced musician will have a diverse repertoire. You can borrow suggestions. Choose from hymns, traditional wedding music, classical pieces, and contemporary Christian music.
Popular Christian Wedding Songs
- The Lord is My Shepherd
- Now Thank We all our God
- Sandi Patti’s Love will be Our Home
- Matthew West’s When I Say I Do
The best songs are uplifting and familiar to wedding guests.
- Come Away With Me – Norah Jones
- Stand By Me – Ben E King
- The Way You Look Tonight – Various Artists
- Fly Me To The Moon – Frank Sinatra
- Haven’t Met You Yet – Michael Buble
- Let There Be Love – Nat King Cole
Make sure the lyrics of the song make sense for the occasion. Make your playlist diverse and entertaining for you and your guests.
Discuss your song choices with your family and friends. They might have some helpful input. The best songs reflect how you feel as a couple. They are both joyful and meaningful. Your big day will be magical.
Discounts
You can get discounts for off season weddings, early bookings, or a wedding that is not on Saturday.
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