Flowers, dresses, shoes, gifts, favors…the list of wedding day elements seems to get longer and longer as planning goes on. When you get around to choosing the ceremony soundtrack to your big day, you’ll be fast approaching frazzled!
Try not to worry too much, though. The songs that will accompany the big moments will probably come pretty naturally to you if you keep an ear out for them whether it be from a Spotify playlist or the car radio. And honestly, there may be some moments that you just plain don’t care about the music for! Your DJ can help with some tried-and-true suggestions for those. Below are the moments you’ll want to select a song for specifically during the ceremony, and some strategies for finding the perfect tune!
The Ceremony
Pre-Ceremony Music (30 Minutes)
Many couples skip over this, and you may not even need to select certain songs as much as a type of music that you’d like your DJ to play. You can provide some inspiration tunes, like your favorite Ed Sheeran songs to guide your DJ’s song selection.
1st Processional
This song accompanies the officiant, groom, grooms party, bridal party and flower girl coming down the aisle. If you have a huge wedding party, you may need to split this up into two.
2nd Processional
This is the bride’s moment to shine. The best song for the bride to walk down the aisle is slow enough to take the leisurely stroll down the aisle, and full of heartfelt lyrics. The bride will most likely reach the end of the aisle before the song ends, so oftentimes you’ll want to pick a section of the song that includes the chorus to get the full effect.
Optional Ceremony Component Music
Oftentimes if your ceremony includes things like cord-braiding, candle-lighting, purification rituals or any other ceremonies or traditions that are important to you as a couple, you’ll want to have some ambient music in the background to cover any awkward silence. The best type of music here is classical, instrumental versions, or soft acoustics.
Recessional
The recessional song is generally upbeat and celebratory, as this is the moment you exit the ceremony with your new husband or wife along with the bridal party. You can up the tempo with this song, as you’ll be moving back down the aisle with a little less solemnity than you came in!
Post-Ceremony Music (30 Minutes)
It may take your family and friends a few minutes to wrap up conversations and file out of the ceremony site. Keep things moving with another 30 minutes or so of post-ceremony music here, in any style that reflects your identity as a couple. You may want to keep up with the celebratory, up-tempo beats here as well.