When thinking about your wedding ceremony, keep in mind the way that the music you choose for before, during and after your nuptials has the power to set the mood and convey the emotions that you would like your loved ones to experience at your ceremony. Music evokes feeling in a universal way that connects people and helps to build a shared experience.

As you envision your wedding ceremony, think about what kind of music feels right for when your guests arrive and take their seats…that music will tell much about what kind of ceremony is to follow. But it is not only the music before—it is also the music that will accompany your processional, the music that will be featured as a solo or interlude in your ceremony, and the music that will accompany your recessional that will all add up to create a complete emotional soundscape. As you begin to plan out your ceremony music, you will also consider whether you want music that is being played by live musicians or music that is played on a sound system. Of course factoring into those decisions will be what money you have put aside for a music budget and what kind of sound system your wedding location features.

Style of Music

Perhaps the biggest decision that you have to make is what style of music you would like to have featured in your wedding ceremony. Gone are the days when every bride walked down the aisle to “Here Comes the Bride” (Wagner’s Bridal Chorus). While still a popular choice for many brides, traditional classical music is not the only option for today’s weddings.

Think about what style of music best captures your personality as a couple and speaks to the kind of wedding that you are creating. If part of your connection is a musical connection, highlight that in your ceremony. Cheryl and John Warner are huge country fans and they chose Amy Grant’s “Say Once More” for their processional music. Other couples are choosing jazz music (Natalie Cole, Louis Armstrong), contemporary classical, folk or even contemporary indie-rock music…whatever style of music is most authentic for them.

What matters most is that the music is meaningful to you and will capture the emotions that you and your fiancée want to convey during the ceremony. Within those parameters, there are thousands of beautiful songs to choose from for before, during and after your ceremony. You also want to pay special attention to how the style of the music matches the style of the ceremony in terms of location, décor and degree of formality. A black-tie Saturday night wedding could certainly feature a jazz theme, while Grateful Dead music might stand out as out of context. A Sunday afternoon garden picnic wedding could certainly feature traditional classical wedding music, but could also feature more contemporary sounds. As you think about the musical selections that you will choose for your wedding ceremony, keep in mind the context of your particular ceremony.

The Performers

Another big factor to weigh in for your musical choices is who will be playing the music. Because many churches and synagogues and wedding facilities feature professional sound systems, many couples choose to go with recorded music. With downloading music being so easy to do over the internet, many couples enjoy looking for the perfect recording of a certain desired song.

Yet other couples prefer having the experience of live music for their ceremony. Certainly featuring live musicians will cost you more money, but it may be a place in your wedding budget that you feel is worth spending the money. There are a number of different combinations of musicians that could work well for your ceremony music, including:

1. A string duo (such a violin and cello)
2. A string trio (two violins and cello or violin, viola and cello)
3. A flute trio (flute, violin/viola and cello)
4. A string quartet (two violins, viola and cello)
5. A solo instrumentalist (pianist, harpist, guitar player)
6. A vocalist with any of the combinations above

When looking for a musicians and/or vocalists for your ceremony, it is critical to find professionals with excellent reputations. Start with your circle of friends and find out whom others have used for their ceremonies. You can also call local music schools; often times their teachers also work in quartets or trios on the side. Make sure to ask for references -- you want to be sure the people you hire have plenty of experience accompanying couples down the aisle. Most musical ensembles and vocalists will have a sampler CD that demonstrates the variety of music that they are capable of playing. If you have got time, you can also ask to attend a function where they’ll be playing so you can hear them live before you hire them. As with any wedding vendor, be sure to get a signed contract from your ceremony musicians, clearing outlining the time that they will arrive to your ceremony site, how many songs they will play before and during your ceremony, and their fee/services.

If you have friends or family members who are talented musicians, you might certainly consider asking them to play or sing for your ceremony. You can suggest that doing so would be a most meaningful wedding gift for you and your fiancée. Talk through your ideas and visions for your ceremony music and see if they are able and comfortable with playing/singing those selections.

The Space

As you think through your ceremony music, make sure to consider any constraints of your wedding location. For example, a harp is a large instrument that is hard to transport; does you site have an accessible way to get the harp to the ceremony location? It would be a nightmare to take to a second floor location without an elevator.

Does your site already have a piano or organ? If so, this may be the instrument you want to choose. Is there room for another musician or two to sit near the piano? Find out from those in management what kind of musical performers have played at weddings there in the past and how they set up their ensembles.

If you are planning to use recorded music, find out about the sound system of the space. If it is not to your liking, you may want to hire a dj who can bring and set up his/her own sound system.

Within the Ceremony

As you think about music for your ceremony, you will want to consider whether there is a place for music within your ceremony itself. Many couples choose to have a musical interlude during a significant moment in the wedding ritual, such a lighting a unity candle or signing the ketubah (marriage contract) in a Jewish wedding. You will want to talk with your wedding officiant about his/her thoughts about where music would fit well into the ceremony. Some clergy will have clear feelings about what kinds of music are appropriate for a religious wedding, while others will be open to hearing your ideas. If you are being married in a secular setting (by a justice of the peace, for example), you will not face any religious constraints about your ceremony music.

Some selections to get inspired

Remember—your ceremony music should feel meaningful to you. Here are some contemporary choices to get you inspired:

"Anthem" (Suzanne Ciani)
"Beautiful Day" (U2)
"From This Moment On" (Cole Porter)
"Linus & Lucy" (Peanuts Theme), (Vince Guaraldi)
"Little Martha" (Allman Brothers Band)
"At Last" (Etta James)
"Only Time" (Enya)
"Come Away With Me" (Norah Jones)
"Appalachia Waltz" (Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor)
"Unforgettable" (Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole)
"It's Only Time" (Magnetic Fields)
"The Look of Love" (Dionne Warwick/Burt Bacharach)
"The Vow" (Jeremy Lubbock)
"Storybook Love" from the movie "The Princess Bride" (Willy DeVille)
"Can't help falling in love" (Elvis Presley)
"What A Wonderful World" (Louis Armstrong)
"When I'm Sixty-Four" (The Beatles)
"To A Wild Rose" (Edward MacDowell)
"Flatbush Waltz" (Andy Statman)
"A Simple Song" (Leonard Bernstein)
"Annie's Song" (John Denver)
"Benedictus" (Simon & Garfunkel)
"Grow Old With Me" (John Lennon or Mary Chapin Carpenter)
"Kind & Generous" (Natalie Merchant)
"One Hand, One Heart" (from West Side Story), (Leondard Bernstein & Stephen Sondheim)
"Take My Breath Away" (Tuck & Patti)
"Thank You" (Led Zeppelin)
"The Water Is Wide" (James Taylor)
"Oh! You Pretty Things" (David Bowie)
"Signed, Sealed, Delivered" (Stevie Wonder)
"Sunshine of My Life" (Stevie Wonder)
"The Long and Winding Road" (The Beatles)