|
Songs for the
Prelude |
|
The prelude is the
background music played before the
wedding, while the guests are
arriving and being seated. It is
usually 15 - 30 minutes in length,
depending on the wedding location
and the number of guests. The
prelude will set the tone for the
rest of your ceremony, so it should
reflect the style of your wedding. A
formal church ceremony might have a
more formal, all-classical music
prelude, and might include hymns. In
a less formal setting, the prelude
might include popular love songs.
Soft, romantic or contemplative
music is usually appropriate in
either setting. |
|
Air in F |
Handel |
|
Air on
the G String |
Bach |
|
Jesu, Joy
of Man's Desiring |
Bach |
|
Canon in
D |
Pachelbel |
|
Wachet
Auf |
Bach |
|
|
|
|
Songs for the
Processional |
|
There are usually
three parts to the processional:
|
|
1.
Seating of parents and
grandparents
|
|
2.
Attendants' entrance
(including flower girl
and ringbearer) |
|
3.
Bridal processional |
|
|
The formal seating of
parents and grandparents signals the
beginning of the actual wedding
ceremony to the guests. After the
last parent is seated (generally the
mother of the bride), the attendants
enter. The groomsmen may enter from
the side with the groom and
officiant, or they may escort the
bridesmaids down the aisle.
Depending on the size of the bridal
party, and the length of the aisle,
you may want to select separate
pieces for the seating of parents
and the attendants' entrance. In
either case, the best pieces for
this part of the processional are
those with a steady beat at an easy
walking tempo. You might consider
something with a stately air for the
attendants' entrance, especially if
it is in contrast to something less
formal for the seating of the
parents. The attendants'
processional will end when all
attendants are in place at the
altar. The last part of the
processional is, of course, the
entrance of the bride. This is where
she will be making her grand
entrance, so the bridal processional
is usually the most stately and
majestic of the processional
selections. As with the attendants'
processional, the bridal
processional should be at an easy
walking pace. |
|
Bridal
Chorus ("Here comes the
bride") |
Wagner |
|
Wedding
March |
Mendelssohn |
|
Air on
the G String |
Bach |
|
Air (from
Water Music) |
Handel |
|
Canon in
D |
Pachelbel |
|
Procession of Joy |
Hal
Hopson |
|
Prelude
to Te Deum |
Marc-Antoine Charpentier |
|
Wedding
Fanfare |
Arthur
Bliss |
|
Ode to
Joy |
Beethoven |
|
Trumpet
Voluntary |
Jeremiah
Clarke or John Stanley |
|
The Water
Music |
Handel |
|
Rigadoun |
Campra |
|
Ave Marie |
Schubert |
|
The March |
Tchaikovsky |
|
Waltz of
the Flowers |
Tchaikovsky |
|
La
Rejouissance |
Handel |
|
|
|
|
Songs for the
Recessional |
|
The recessional is
played right after the ceremony, as
the new couple walks back up the
aisle together, followed by the
wedding party. This piece is joyful
and up beat, celebrating the wedding
that has just taken place. Sometimes
the recessional is followed by a
second similar piece, played as the
guests are walking out. |
|
Pomp and
Circumstance |
Elgar |
|
The
Russian Dance |
Tchaikovsky |
|
Tuba Tune
in D |
Lang |
|
Trumpet
Fanfare |
Mouret |
|
Wedding
March |
Mendelssohn |
|
Allegro
Maestoso |
Handel |
|
Alla
Hornpipe |
Handel |
|
Ode to
Joy |
Beethoven |
|
|
Reception |
|
First Dance |
|
A Kiss to
Build a Dream On |
Louis
Armstrong |
|
A Whole
New World (Aladdin's
Theme) |
Peabo
Bryson & Regina Belle |
|
All I
Have |
Beth
Nielson Chapman |
|
Always |
Atlantic
Star |
|
Always
and Forever |
Heatwave
or Luther Vandross |
|
At last |
Etta
James |
|
Babe |
Styx |
|
Because
You Loved Me |
Celine
Dion |
|
Can You
Feel the Love Tonight |
Elton
John-Lion King
SoundTrack |
|
Candle in
the Wind |
Elton
John |
|
Chances
Are |
Johnny
Mathis |
|
Close to
You |
The
Carpenters |
|
Could I
Have this Dance |
Anne
Murray |
|
Couldn't
Ask for More |
Edwin
McCain |
|
Embraceable You |
Nat King
Cole |
|
Endless
Love |
Diana
Ross & Lionel Richie |
|
Everything I do |
Bryan
Adams |
|
Fever |
Peggy Lee |
|
From this
Moment |
Shania
Twain & Bryan White |
|
It Had to
be You |
Harry
Connick, Jr. |
|
It's Your
Love |
Tim
McGraw and Faith Hill |
|
Unforgettable |
Nat King
Cole |
|
We've
Only Just Begun |
The
Carpenters |
|
When a
Man Loves a Woman |
Michael
Bolton |
|
When you
Really Love a Woman |
Bryan
Adams |
|
When You
Say Nothing at all |
Alison
Krauss |
|
Woman |
John
Lennon |
|
Wonderful
Tonight |
Eric
Clapton |
|
You Are
So Beautiful |
Joe
Cocker |
|
You're
Still the One |
Shania
Twain |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Father/Bride Dance |
|
A Kiss to
Build a Dream On |
Louis
Armstrong |
|
A Song
for My Daughter |
Ray
Allaire or Mikki Verrick |
|
Because
You Loved Me |
Celine
Dion |
|
Butterfly
Kisses |
Bob
Carlisle |
|
Can You
Feel The Love |
Elton John, The Lion
King |
|
Childhood |
Proclaimers |
|
Daddy's
Girl |
John Paul
Walters |
|
Daddy's
Hands |
Judds or
Holly Dunn |
|
Daddy's
Little Girl |
Kippi
Branon or Al Martino |
|
Dance
with my Father |
Luther
Vandross |
|
Father's
Eyes |
Amy Grant |
|
Heaven |
Bryan
Adams |
|
I Swear |
John
Michael Montgomery |
|
If I
Could Write a Song |
Billy
Craddock |
|
Isn't She
Lovely |
Stevie
Wonder |
|
Kiss by a
Rose |
Seal |
|
Love Me
Tender |
Elvis
Presley |
|
Masterpiece |
Atlantic
Star |
|
Moonlight
Serenade |
? |
|
My Girl |
The
Temptations |
|
On the
Wings of Love |
Jeffrey
Osborn |
|
She's Got
a Way |
Billy
Joel |
|
Songbird |
Fleetwood
Mac |
|
The Way
You Look Tonight |
Frank
Sinatra |
|
Through
The Years |
Kenny
Rogers |
|
Unforgettable |
Nat King
Cole & Natalie Cole |
|
What A
Wonderful World |
Louis
Armstrong |
|
Wind
Beneath My Wings |
Bette
Midler |
|
You are
the Sunshine of My Life |
Stevie
Wonder |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mother/Groom Dance |
|
A Certain
Smile |
Johnny
Mathis |
|
Always on
My Mind |
Willie
Nelson |
|
Baby Mine |
Bette
Midler |
|
Because
You Loved Me |
Celine
Dion |
|
Blessed |
Elton
John |
|
Child of
Mine |
Carole
King |
|
Close to
You |
Carpenters |
|
Do You
Remember |
Phil
Collins |
|
Don't
Know Much |
Linda
Ronstadt & Aaron Neville |
|
Ever I
Saw your Face |
Roberta
Flack |
|
Evergreen |
Barbara
Streisand |
|
Have I
told you Lately |
Rod
Stewart |
|
Hero |
Mariah
Carey |
|
I'll Have
to Say I Love You in a
Song |
Jim Croce |
|
Imagine |
John
Lennon |
|
Just the
Way you Are |
Billy
Joel |
|
Moon
River |
Andy
Williams |
|
One
Moment In Time |
Whitney
Houston |
|
That's
Amore |
Dean
Martin |
|
Through
the Years |
Kenny
Rogers |
|
Unchained
Melody |
Righteous
Brothers |
|
You've
Got a Friend |
James
Taylor |
|
What a
Wonderful World |
Louis
Armstrong |
|
Wind
Beneath My Wings |
Bette
Midler |
|
You are
the Sunshine of My Life |
Stevie
Wonder |
|
You're
the Inspiration |
Chicago |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Last Dance |
|
A Kiss to
Build a Dream On |
Louis
Armstrong |
|
Anything
for your Love |
Eric
Clapton |
|
All You
Need is Love |
The
Beatles |
|
Always
and Forever |
Heatwave |
|
Could I
Have this Dance |
Anne
Murray |
|
Happy
Trails |
Roy
Rogers |
|
I Will
Always Love You |
Whitney
Houston |
|
Isn't It
Romantic |
Mel Tormé |
|
It Had to
be You |
Tony
Bennett |
|
Last
Dance |
Donna
Summer |
|
Mickey
Mouse Club Song |
Mickey
Mouse Club |
|
Moon
River |
Andy
Williams |
|
My Funny
Valentine |
Frank
Sinatra |
|
Save the
Best for Last |
Vanessa
Williams |
|
Save the
Last Dance for Me |
The
Drifters |
|
Suddenly |
Billy
Ocean |
|
You Mean
the World to Me |
Toni
Braxton |
|
We've
Only Just Begun |
The
Carpenters |
|
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