Wedding procession, 1724, from Juedisches Ceremoniel

Music is often played at wedding celebrations, including during the ceremony and at festivities before or after the event. The music can be performed live by instrumentalists or vocalists or may use pre-recorded songs, depending on the format of the event, traditions associated with the prevailing culture and the wishes of the couple being married.

Entry and ceremony

There are many different styles of music that can be played during the entrance and ceremony. During the service there may be a few hymns, especially in liturgical settings. While some elements of the ceremony may be personalized for a specific couple, the order of service will most of the time follow a similar pattern. A prelude often precedes the wedding. During the prelude, guests arrive to the gathering place while ambiance music is being played. Calm and light music is usually performed at that time, setting the mood for the ceremony while not being too distracting for the guests. Popular prelude music includes Air on the G string and Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring by Johann Sebastian Bach. Music can be used to announce the arrival of the participants of the wedding (such as a bride's processional), and in many western cultures, this takes the form of a wedding march. For more than a century, the '' Bridal Chorus'' from

Wagner's Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...

'' Lohengrin'' (1850), often called "Here Comes The Bride", has been the most popular processional, and is traditionally played on a

pipe organ The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks ...

. Some couples may consider traditional wedding marches clichéd and choose a more modern piece of music or an alternative such as

Canon in D Pachelbel's Canon (also known as the Canon in D, P 37) is an accompanied canon by the German Baroque composer Johann Pachelbel. The canon was originally scored for three violins and basso continuo and paired with a gigue, known as ''Canon and G ...

Johann Pachelbel Johann Pachelbel (baptised – buried 9 March 1706; also Bachelbel) was a German composer, organist, and teacher who brought the south German organ schools to their peak. He composed a large body of sacred and secularity, secular music, and h ...

. Since the televised wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, there has been an upsurge in popularity of Jeremiah Clarke's " Prince of Denmark's March" for use as processional music; the piece was formerly (and incorrectly) attributed to

Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (, rare: September 1659 – 21 November 1695) was an English composer. Purcell's style of Baroque music was uniquely English, although it incorporated Italian and French elements. Generally considered among the greatest E ...

as ''Trumpet Voluntary''. At the end of the service, in Western traditions, the bride and groom march back up the aisle to a lively recessional tune, a popular one being

Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic music, Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositi ...

's Wedding March from ''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...

'' (1842). The piece achieved popularity after it was played during the wedding of Victoria, Princess Royal to Prince Frederick William of Prussia in 1858. Another popular choice is Widor's Toccata from ''

Symphony for Organ No. 5 The Symphony for Organ No. 5 in F minor, Op. 42, No. 1, was composed by Charles-Marie Widor in 1879, with numerous revisions published by the composer in later years. The full symphony lasts for about 35 minutes. Structure The piece consists o ...

'' (1880). Weddings in other cultures have different formats. In Egypt, there is a specific rhythm called the '' zaffa''. Traditionally, a belly dancer will lead the bride to the wedding hall, accompanied by musicians playing the elzaff, on drums and trumpets, sometimes the flaming torches. This is of unknown antiquity, and may even be from the pre-Islamic era. At Jewish weddings, the entrance of the groom is accompanied by the tune ''Baruch Haba''. Meanwhile ''Siman Tov'' ("Good Tidings") is an all-purpose celebratory song.

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ceremonies have benefited by the efforts of several modern composers, many of whom have written processional marches to honor the religious traditions of both the bride and the groom. Included in this group are John Serry Sr. (1968).

Post ceremony

After the ceremony, there is often a celebratory dance, or reception, where there may be musical entertainment such as a wedding singer, live wedding band, or DJ to play songs for the couple and guests. (The exiting of the bridal party is also called the wedding recessional.) There are several things to consider befor
choosing wedding music
For starters, you want to ensure that the song fits the mood of the event. If you’re having a formal affair, then you might want something classic. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a fun vibe, then you might want to go with a danceable tune. Also, you should consider the age group of your guests. If they’re older, then you might want a slower song. Younger couples may prefer upbeat tunes. Finally, you also need to take into account the type of venue where you’re holding the wedding. Some venues don’t allow certain types of music.

References

{{Authority control Music genres

Entry and ceremony

Post ceremony

See also

References