30 beautiful pieces of classical music for your wedding ceremony

Jun 9, 2023, 17:58

From bridal choruses to rousing hymns, soundtrack every moment of your special day with classic classics.

From walking down the aisle, signing the register, to the first dance, every step of a wedding or public ceremony presents an opportunity for sublime classical music.

Here are some songs that have stood the test of time and some recent favorites to make the music of your special day as memorable and well-rehearsed as your speech.

read more: Singer’s Surprise Proposal Throws San Francisco Opera’s Tosca Venue into a Frenzy

pre-ceremony music

1. 1. Bach – Awaken

   The perfect prelude to a wedding procession. If you’re getting married in a church, Bach’s Wasche Auf is the perfect organ classic to play as guests arrive.

   

   Bach – Awaken, voices call us BWV 645 – Zeller Holland Bach Society

   
   
   

2. 2. Vivaldi – “Spring” (Four Seasons)

   Keep the tempo up with the lilting Vivaldi and his eternal song “Spring” four seasons. Or, for a more contemporary interpretation, try Max Richter’s ‘reconstructed’ version.

   read more: Vivaldi’s best music 10

   

   Vivaldi Four Seasons: Spring (La Primavera) Full, original. Yousefian & Voice of Music RV 269 4K

   
   
   

3. 3. Mozart – Ave Verum Corpus

   You can’t go wrong with this sublime work for Mozart, organ and chorus. If you play a string quartet, try this lovely string arrangement.

   

   Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Ave Verum Corpus

   
   
   

4. 4. Howard Shore – “About the Hobbit”

   A little more modern is Howard Shore’s About the Hobbit. Lord of the Ring Becoming a 21st Century Wedding Favorite. Replacing the main lilting waltz theme, its expansive stringline-filled chipper tones are the perfect musical match for a room full of eager guests.

   read more: 50 of the best movie scores of all time

   

   The Fellowship of the Ring Soundtrack-02-About the Hobbit

   
   
   

5. 5. Edith Piaf/Marguerite Monot – Love Hymn

   If you’re looking for schmaltz, this transcription of Edith Piaf’s song is a great choice.

   

   Hymn to Love – Edith Piaf/Marguerite Monot – Paris Eiffel Tower – Gautier Capuçon

   
   
   

6. 6. Saint-Saëns – Swan

   It’s popular for a reason. Saint-Saëns’ “The Swan” has a gentle pace and a magnificent melody, perfect for starting a ceremony. There is a beautiful version for cello and harp duo.

   

   Yo-Yo Ma, Kathryn Stott – Swan (Saint-Saëns)

   
   
   

7. 7. Handel – ‘Ala Hornpipe’ from Water Music Suite

   If you’re looking for a trumpet-blasting majestic baroque sound, then you can’t go wrong with this timeless melody from Handel’s Water Suite.

   

   Handel Aquatic Music: Hornpipes; Festival Orchestra Göttingen, directed by Lawrence Cummings 4K

   
   
   

walking down the aisle

1. 8. Handel – Arrival of the Queen of Sheba

   The procession through the aisles has several different musical directions. For something glorious and ceremonial, Handel’s majesty is always best.

   

   Handel: Arrival of the Queen of Sheba | Handel Academy of Ancient Music

   
   
   

2. 10. Wagner – Brides Choir

   For something more traditional, look no further than the Bride Choir from Wagner’s 1850 opera. lohengrin, Better known as “Here Comes the Bride”.

   

   Prelude and Bride Choir Richard Wagner: Lohengrin Kendlinger

   
   
   

3. 9. Handel – Eternal Source of Light Divine

   Handel establishes a more steady pace in this celestial piece, composed in 1713 to commemorate Queen Anne’s birthday. Meghan played the song as she walked down the aisles of St George’s Chapel to marry Prince Harry.

   read more: What music played at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding?

   

   Eternal Source of Light Divine – GFHandel Arr. Christian Forshaw

   
   
   

4. 11. Bach – Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring

   Nothing celebrates the arrival of the bride more than this beautiful, cyclical melody. As this transcendental beauty unfolds, you can imagine crowds of people in the aisles. Bach’s “Ave Maria” is also a wonderful piece.

   

   Daniil Trifonov – Bach: Cantata BWV 147: Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desiring (Hess’ piano transcription)

   
   
   

5. 12. Pachelbel – Canon D Length

   Beginning with a cello solo and ending with a fiery virtuosity on the violin, Pachelbel’s Canon in D major builds up in intensity just in time for the bride’s arrival.

   

   Pachelbel’s Canon in D major – original and best version.

   
   
   

6. 13. Morricone – Gabriel’s Oboe

   Morricone’s “Gabriel’s Oboe” (also known as “Nella Fantasia”), now a popular wedding tune, is the main theme of the 1986 film. mission. Great choice for queues.

   

   Hauser plays ‘Gabriel’s Oboe’ from Ennio Morricone’s ‘Mission’ | Classic FM Live

   
   
   

Hymns (for church weddings)

When performing religious ceremonies, hymns are a great way to end the recitation or exchange of vows. Most church ceremonies have 2-3 of his hymns sung by the congregation.

1. 14. Paris – Jerusalem

   Not everyone in the congregation knows lesser-known hymns, so choosing a lively song with a simple tune will get as many people singing as possible. ‘Jerusalem’ in Paris is always a reliable choice.

   

   Jerusalem, from St Paul’s Cathedral in London

   
   
   

2. 15. Great Savior, Lead

   Appropriately rousing and accompanied by a wonderfully memorable, descant-like interjection by the choir’s bass section, this hymn was featured at the wedding of the Prince of Wales and Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011.

   

   Charlotte Church – Guide Me Oh Thou Great Redeemer (Live From Jerusalem 2001)

   
   
   

3. 16. Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

   With uplifting lyrics and uplifting melodies, this popular hymn is like a warm hug.

   

   Love God, Love All Good | Tabernacle Choir

   
   
   

4. 17. How wonderful you are

   If you are getting married in a church, this is the perfect choice just before the final blessing and reflects the joyous atmosphere of the congregation before the reception.

   

   The Mission / How Great You Art – The Piano Guys (Wonder of the World 2/7)

   
   
   

signing the register

1. 18. Fauré – Song of Jean Racine

   If a choir is playing, how about Faure’s classical choirs for a meditative and soothing soundtrack?

   

   VOCES8: Songs of Jean Racine by Gabriel Fauré

   
   
   

2. 19. Rutter – Lord bless you and protect you

   The angelic setting of John Rutter’s Priestly Blessing is perfect for a church wedding.

   

   May the Lord bless you and protect you – John Rutter, Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia

   
   
   

3. 20. Frank – Angel’s Bread

   The soaring soprano line and the catchy melody that expresses the connection with the guests as the couple signs the register are unmistakable in the setting of Franck’s famous “Panis Angelicas.”

   

   Frank: Panis Angelicas (stereo)

   
   
   

4. 21. Elgar – Greetings of Love

   Sometimes signing takes longer than a few pieces. Also, there are so many great works out there that it seems like a waste to settle on just one. Would you like your guests to enjoy Elgar’s romantic melody “Love’s Greetings”?

   

   Min Kim plays Ian Brown and Elgar’s “Love Greetings”

   
   
   

when guests leave

1. 22. Vidor – Toccata from Organ Symphony No. 5

   If organ music is your thing, send your guests out of the ceremony with the spirited “Toccata” from Vidor’s Fifth Organ Symphony.

   

   Vidor – Toccata – Cavaye Col Manchester City Hall Organ

   
   
   

2. 23. Mendelssohn – Wedding March

   Banzai! The fiancés are officially married, and it’s time to ring the king of instruments and celebrate the happy couple with what was originally a classic “wedding march.” A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

   

   Mendelssohn: Wedding March / Abbado Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

   
   
   

3. 24. Parry – I was happy

   ‘I Was Glad’ in Paris is a great option for an early procession, and the atmosphere is all majestic and festive.

   

   
   
   

reception music

1. 25. Mozart – Entertainment

   The musical fun doesn’t end after the ceremony. While your guests are eating, playing light music to accompany your meal will add to the ambiance. Mozart’s divertimento for string quartet works well here. The simple tune doesn’t drown out the conversation.

   

   WA Mozart: «Divertimento» KV 563 / Veronica Eberle / Amihai Grosz / Sol Gabetta

   
   
   

2. 26. Gershwin – Summertime

   String quartet performing famous pieces such as Gershwin’s opera ‘Summertime’ porgy and bess It will be a hit as the evening progresses.

   

   Gershwin: Summertime ∙ Adina Aaron ∙ Andrés Orozco-Estrada

   
   
   

3. 27. Entertainer or Rag – Scott Joplin

   For something a little more jazzy, try Scott Joplin’s “Maple Leaf Rag” or “The Entertainer.”

   

   Scott Joplin – Entertainer

   
   
   

4. 28. Delibes – Floral Duo

   This is perfect for string quartets. This lovely, repetitive refrain of incidental music will be familiar to most of your guests without getting in the way of your conversation.

   

   Johannesburg opera singer performs Lakme’s amazing duet on TikTok

   
   
   

first dance

1. 29. Craig Armstrong – Glasgow Theme (Love Actually)

   Some couples choose romantic slow music. How about getting inspired by the film score and the beautiful Glaswegian love theme from the film? love actually?

   

   
   
   

2. 30. Tchaikovsky – Sleeping Beauty Waltz

   If you’re in a more upbeat mood, the waltz is perfect. Tchaikovsky’s graceful “Sleeping Beauty” waltz and Strauss’s “Blue Danube” both make you feel like dancing.

   

   Tchaikovsky – Sleeping Beauty Waltz