Ideas for Music for a Church Wedding
Church weddings are formal occasions that often call for the accompaniment of equally formal music. You can choose from a variety of ideas for church wedding music that will suit your own personal style as well as respect your guests and the church that is hosting your wedding. It might be a good idea to coordinate this effort with the pastor to determine what kind of music is and isn't acceptable.
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Prelude
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Before the bride enters, play a piece that is calm and gentle so that guests can get seated and settled in a warm and inviting environment. You might choose a piece like "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Johann Sebastian Bach. But you have other options as well, including: "Large" by George Frideric Handel, "Adagio" by Felix Mendelssohn and "Musical Clock Music" by Franz Joseph Haydn.
Processional
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Giuseppe Verdi's "Bridal March" is a common choice for the procession of the bride. If you want to go with something a little different, Johann Pachelbel's "Canon in D Major" is a popular processional. Selections from Antonio Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" also make good choices. When choosing music for the procession, make sure you choose a relatively short excerpt from it, as it does not take long for the bride to walk down the aisle.
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Signing the Register
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Play some light and romantic music when the newlyweds go to sign the register. The role of this music is to fill the silence and create a serene atmosphere as the bride and groom take a few moments to sign the book. "Air from the Water Music" by Handel and "Ave Maria" by Franz Schubert are good options. Pachelbel's "Canon in D," if you didn't use it for the prelude or processional, is also a good choice.
Recessional
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The recessional music should be rousing and joyful, played as the man and his wife leave the church to begin their new lives. "Wedding March" by Mendelssohn fits the bill, as does Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 3." Verdi's "Grand March from Aida" can also make a nice recessional, or you can go with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Overture from the Marriage of Figaro."
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References
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