Setting the tone: choosing the right ceremony music for you.

I’d like to preface this post by clarifying I will be using gendered terms such as brides and bridesmaids but I am aware that not all weddings look the same and love every form that celebrations can come in!

Ceremonies are arguably the heart of your wedding day and music choices play a huge part. Some people put hours and hours into curating the finest playlist and some forget that it’s even a thing!

I played my first wedding ceremony back in 2019 and it has remained with me to this day. There is no warmer feeling than being the soundtrack to two people joining their lives together as one. Whenever I play songs whilst busking or gigging elsewhere, it always takes me back to memories of those wonderful weddings.

The first thing I always say to couples when picking is: you will need 1 to 1 and 1/2 minutes maximum for your entrance song. The length of your aisle can vary and be impacted by the width of the room and how many seats you have; but more often than not; it will be quite short.

Another factor that will impact the length of clip that you go for is how many bridesmaids you have. If you have one bridesmaid, they can easily walk down the aisle during the first verse - with you entering on the beginning of the chorus for example. However, if you have three or more, the portion of the song you will walk down the aisle to may shift considerably. One couple I played for in the summer of 24, worked around this by having me play guitar, but only start singing once I could see the bride at the top of the aisle. I may be a little biased, but I thought this worked perfectly as it allowed the young children in the bridal party to make their way down the aisle (10/10 cuteness!) in their own time, and for the bride to arrive at the top of the aisle in perfect time to the song. This again is where a having a singing instrumentalist comes into play, as I have often subtly extended or slowed down my playing to assure the timing is perfect!

Now, as the entrance song (more formally referred to as the processional song) is usually the first to come to mind when discussing wedding music, the other three songs that you will need are often overlooked.

No two ceremonies are the same, but more often than not, some legal documents will be signed around mid-way through. The type of ceremony you have (Registrar or Celebrant led etc) can dictate this. As a couple, you are often so engrossed in making sure the documents are signed correctly, that the rest of the room blurs out slightly! Music in this brief pause is integral as: 1 - it takes the pressure off of you and 2 - it keeps your guests entertained and the energy flowing. Think of it as having to parallel park; but without an audience!

It is very important that this part of the ceremony happens perfectly, so it can often take 5-10 minutes. This can also be an opportunity to have pictures taken with the witness’ - a classic wedding photo! Due to this, I often recommend 2-3 songs. As an instrumentalist, I will always do my best to try and blend these songs together and always keep a watchful eye on the process, to make sure I finish playing and singing right on time.

Finally, we arrive at the exit song, formerly known as your recessional song! This song should be the one to kickstart your celebrations. A lively, upbeat track can serve be a literal signifier to your guests that now is the time to relax, breathe out and enjoy the rest of your special day.

A great tune can also encourage guests to whoop and clap as loud as they can as you leave the ceremony together as a married couple, making for wonderful, jubilant photos.

One trend that has made its way into the wedding world, has been to use the same song for both processional and recessional, but the first being slowed down and stripped back, and the second being the original speed. I love this idea as an instrumentalist, as it allows me to almost create two different versions of the same song and watch the guest’s faces when they realise it’s the same song!

To end on, I would like to recommend some songs that have been used in the past for processional and recessional. Song choices over the signing can be very open, as they are generally less focussed on when it comes to meaning behind the lyrics.

Processional choices:

• You make my dreams come true - Hall & Oates

• Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers

• Dreams - The Cranberries

• Kiss Me - Sixpence None The Richer

• Beautiful in White - Shane Filan

• How long will I love you - Ellie Goulding

• Slow Burn - Kacey Musgraves

• Simply The Best (Schitts Creek Rendition) - Tina Turner

• Love you til the end - The Pogues

• Still the One - Shania Twain

Recessional choices:

• I Will Wait - Mumford and Sons

• Love Story - Taylor Swift

• Love is Easy - Mcfly

• Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen

• You to me are everything - The Real Thing

• Can’t take my eyes off you - Franki Valli

• Everywhere - Fleetwood Mac

• Ho Hey - The Lumineers

• Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison

• Paper Rings - Taylor Swift