We sort music to create lists of songs for every need. Here we have a list of the the most popular classical music selections for a classical wedding ceremony. This may be your one stop source for planning your wedding music. Please also see our youtube video below. This video features many of the selections shown below. We also have the playlist for your reception, including the popular line dances such as the cha cha slide, the cupid shuffle, and the wobble. Our Line Dance page also has videos showing the steps to these line dances.
|
Ballroom -Waltz Blues Christmas Top 50 Classical Top 50 Country Country Dance Disco/Hustle -Classic Disco/Hustle -Modern Disco/Hustle Easy Listening Electronic |
Folk Hip Hop Jazz Line Dancing |
Pop -Top 40 Dance and Party Songs of 2014 - Top Dance and Party Songs of All Time Rhythm & Blues Road Trip Rock Wedding Ceremony Wedding Reception |
You will likely need 20-30 minutes of wedding ceremony prelude music. This music is played while guests are arriving. This generally includes reflective pieces, such as those listed below. Popular classical instrumental music selections include "Air on the G String" and "Ave Maria". Below we list eight suggestions. Several of these have an alternate version, allowing you a choice of versions. Shown further down below is a guide of how to print these in a program. Also, if you wish to purchase a CD rather than individual download selections, see below. Please note that selections shown under this Part 1 (Prelude) section may also be swapped with selections shown in Part 2 below.
| No. | Common Short Name | Complex Name | Composer | Orchestra/Performance | Amazon Link | iTunes Link |
| 1 | Air for the G String | Suite No. 3 in D Major for Orchestra, BWV 1068: II. Air | Bach | Mainz Chamber Orchestra & Günter Kehr from The 99 Most Essential Bach Masterpieces | ||
| 1-Alter | Air for the G String | Suite No. 3 in D Major for Orchestra, BWV 1068: II. Air | Bach | London Philharmonic Orchestra & David Parry from The 99 Most Essential Pieces of Classical Music | ||
| 2 | Sheep May Safely Graze | Cantata BWV 208, (Bach) Sheep May Safely Graze | Bach | Musica Antiqua New York & Mary Jane Newman. From the Album The 99 Most Essential Bach Masterpieces | ||
| 3 | Arioso | Arioso (Bach) | Bach | Pianissimo Brothers, from the Album Classic wedding Music | ||
| 3 Alter | Arioso | Arioso (Bach) | Bach | Janos Starker-More Bedtime Serenades | ||
| 4 | Moonlight Sonata | Piano Sonata No.14 in C sharp minor, Op.27 No.2 | Beethoven | Vladimir Ashkenazy. From the Album Beethoven: Favorite Piano Sonatas | ||
| 4 Alter 1 | Moonlight Sonata | Piano Sonata No.14 in C sharp minor, Op.27 No.2 | Beethoven | Finghin Collins. From the Album The 99 Most Essential Pieces of Classical Music | ||
| 5 | Ave Maria: Ave Maria | Ave Maria: Ave Maria | Bach/Gounod | Bertalan Hock. From the Album Bride's Guide To Wedding Music | ||
| 6 | Ave Maria | Ellen's Chants, D. 839 Op. 56: Ave Maria | Schubert | Café Concerto. From the Album The 99 Most Essential Classical Pieces in Movies | ||
| 7 | Für Elise | Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor (WoO 59 and Bia 515) for solo piano | Beethoven | Finghin Collins. From the Album The 99 Most Essential Pieces of Classical Music | ||
| 8 | Peer Gynt-Morning Mood | Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: Morning Mood | Edvard Grieg | London Philharmonic Orchestra & David Parry. From the Album The 99 Most Essential Wedding Classics |
After the wedding ceremony prelude, there is generally special music for the seating of the mothers and grandmothers. Some popular selections are listed below. Several of these have an alternate version, allowing you a choice of versions. Any selections shown below that are not used for the purpose of seating mothers and grandmothers may be used in other parts of the service. For example, if the first selection below (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring) is not used for seating, then this selection could be used as a prelude selection or as an interlude selection.
| No. | Common Short Name | Complex Name | Composer | Orchestra/Performance | Amazon Link | iTunes Link |
| 1 | Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring | Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (BWV147) | Bach | Bertalan Hock. From the Album Bride's Guide To Wedding Music (3:44 min.) | ||
| 1-Altern | Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring | Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (BWV147) | Bach | Philharmonia Virtuosi of New York; Richard Kapp. From the Album Build Your Baby's Brain - Through the Power of Music, Length=3:26 | ||
| 1-Altern | Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring | Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (BWV147) | Bach | From the Album The Essential Wedding Music Collection - The Complete Collection For A Perfect Wedding | ||
| 1-Altern | Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring | Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (BWV147) | Bach | From the Album Best Wedding Music | ||
| 2 | Air from Water Music | Water Music: Suite No. 1 in F major, HWV 348: VI. Air | Handel | Bohdan Warchal. From the Album Bride's Guide To Wedding Music | ||
| 2-Altern | Air from Water Music | Water Music: Suite No. 1 in F major, HWV 348: VI. Air | Handel | Riccardo Muti/Berliner Philharmoniker. From the Album Händel: Water Music Suite No. 1 | ||
| 2-Altern | Air from Water Music | Water Music: Suite No. 1 in F major, HWV 348: VI. Air | Handel | Alain Zaepffel, New Bach Collegium Musicum, Max Pommer. From the Album George Frederic Handel - Selections |
This is the music thay plays as the attendants proceed down the aisle to take their places. Many brides love Pachelbel's "Canon in D" so much that they want this piece for the bride's processional. Several of these have an alternate version, allowing you a choice of versions.
| No. | Common Short Name | Complex Name | Composer | Orchestra/Performance | Amazon Link | iTunes Link |
| 1 | Canon in D Major | Canon and Gigue for 3 violins and Basso Continuo, (PWC 37, T. 337, PC 358) | Pachelbel | Richard Edlinger. From the Album Bride's Guide To Wedding Music | ||
| 1-Altern | Canon in D Major | Canon and Gigue for 3 violins and Basso Continuo, (PWC 37, T. 337, PC 358) | Pachelbel | John Williams. From the Album Pops in Love | ||
| 1-Altern | Canon in D Major | Canon and Gigue for 3 violins and Basso Continuo, (PWC 37, T. 337, PC 358) | Pachelbel | Musica Antiqua New York. From the Album The 99 Most Essential Christmas Masterpieces | ||
| 1-Altern | Canon in D Major | Canon and Gigue for 3 violins and Basso Continuo, (PWC 37, T. 337, PC 358) | Pachelbel | City Of Prague Phiharmonic Orchestra, James Fitzpatrick. From the Album Cinema Classics Vol. 6 (From Zoolander) | ||
| 2 | Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring. (See above.) | |||||
| 3 | Andante from Divertimento No. 1 | Divertimento In D, K. 136, "Salzburg Symphony No. 1": II. Andante | Mozart | London Symphony Orchestra. From the Album: With Love... From Mozart | ||
| 4 | Mascagni Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana | Mascagni: Cavalleria rusticana - Intermezzo Sinfonico | Mascagni | Klassische Philharmonie Bonn & Heribert Beisel. From the Album 50 Most Essential Classical Pieces (Volume 2) |
The bridal march is accompanied by a processional tune. For over 100 years the most popular processional has been Richard Wagner's "Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin" (1850), often called "Here Comes The Bride." This has been historically played by an organist. Since the televised wedding of Lady Diana to Prince Charles, there has been an upsurge in the popularity of Jeremiah Clarke's "Prince of Denmark's March" for use as the bridal march. Trumpet Tune in D is also a popular choice.
| No. | Common Short Name | Complex Name | Composer | Orchestra/Performance | Amazon Link | iTunes Link |
| 1 | Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin | Lohengrin, Act III: Bridal Chorus | R. Wagner | Bertalan Hock. From the Album Bride's Guide To Wedding Music | ||
| 2 | Trumpet Voluntary | Trumpet Voluntary in D Major (The Prince of Denmark's March) | Clarke | Bertalan Hock. From the Album Bride's Guide To Wedding Music | ||
| 2-Altern. | Trumpet Voluntary | Trumpet Voluntary in D Major (The Prince of Denmark's March) | Clarke | Musica Antiqua New York. From the Album The 99 Most Essential Pieces of Classical Music | ||
| 3 | Trumpet Tune | Trumpet Tune in D from The Island Princess | Clarke | Bertalan Hock. From the Album Bride's Guide To Wedding Music |
About any selection not used in sections 1 and 2 could be used here if needed.
At the end of the service, the bride and groom march down the aisle to a lively recessional tune, the most popular tune being Mendelssohn's Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream (1826).
| No. | Common Short Name | Complex Name | Composer | Orchestra/Performance | Amazon Link | iTunes Link |
| 1 | Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream | Wedding March, (Op. 61) from A Midsummer Night's Dream | Mendelssohn | Bertalan Hock. From the Album Bride's Guide To Wedding Music | ||
| 1-Altern. | Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream | Wedding March, (Op. 61) from A Midsummer Night's Dream | Mendelssohn | European Philharmonic Orchestra. From the Album 40 Essential Classical Music Tracks | ||
| 1-Altern. | Wedding March from A Midsummer Night's Dream | Wedding March, (Op. 61) from A Midsummer Night's Dream | Mendelssohn | Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and Theodore Bloomfield. From the Album The 99 Most Essential Classical Pieces in Movies | ||
| 2 | Rondeau from Premiere Suite de Symphonies | Rondeau from Premiere Suite de Symphonies | Mouret | Erich Kunzel/Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. From the Album Classics of the Silver Screen: Classical Music Popularized By The Movies | ||
| 3 | Hornpipe from Water Music | Alla Hornpipe from Water Music Suite in D Major | Handel | London Symphony. From the Album Romantic Moments with Handel | ||
| 3-Altern. | Hornpipe from Water Music | Alla Hornpipe from Water Music Suite in D Major | Handel | St. Petersburg Radio Symphony Orchestra and Stanislav Gorkovenko. From the Album The 99 Most Essential Wedding Classics |
The ceremony concludes with instrumental postlude selections as the guests depart.
| No. | Common Short Name | Complex Name | Composer | Orchestra/Performance | Amazon Link | iTunes Link |
| 1 | Spring from The Four Seasons | The Four Seasons, Op. 8, "Spring", RV 269: Allegro | Vivaldi | Pieter Schoeman, London Philharmonic Orchestra and David Parry. From the Album The 99 Most Essential Classical Pieces in Movies | ||
| 2 | Hornpipe from Water Music | Alla Hornpipe from Water Music Suite in D Major | Handel | St. Petersburg Radio Symphony Orchestra and Stanislav Gorkovenko. From the Album The 99 Most Essential Wedding Classics |
If you wish to purchase physical CD's or buy a collection of wedding classical favorites, here are some suggestions. Bertalan Hock's " Bride's Guide to Wedding Music" is fantastic and contains the best versions of many of the songs shown on this web page.
| Album | Amazon Link | iTunes Link |
| Bride's Guide To Wedding Music (A), Bertalan Hock | ||
| The Essential Wedding Music Collection - The Complete Collection For A Perfect Wedding - From Prelude & Ceremony To Last Dance, Wedding Music Central | ||
| Wedding Music: Instrumental Songs for a Perfect Wedding Vol. 1, Wedding Music Experts: The O'Neill Brothers | ||
| Classical Wedding, Craig Duncan | ||
| The 99 Most Essential Pieces of Classical Music, Various Artists |
Example Wedding Program, Listing the Classical Music Selections
Please note that the long, complicated name is not used. List only the simple name and composer.
Prelude
Air on the G-string……………….………J.S. Bach
Sheep May Safely
Graze…………..….......J.S. Bach
Arioso…………………………………….J.S.
Bach
Moonlight
Sonata……………………….....Beethoven
Ave Maria………………………………..Bach
/ Gounod
Peer Gynt, Morning
Mood……….......……E. Grieg
Für
Elise……………………………………Beethoven
Seating of Mothers and
Grandmothers
Jesu........................................…..............J.S. Bach
Water Music,
Air…………………….G.F. Handel
Processionals
Canon in D …………………………………………..J. Pachelbel
Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin…………………………..R. Wagner
Trumpet Voluntary………………………........……….J.
Clarke
Trumpet Tune in D……………………………………….J. Clarke
Our YouTube Video...
Suggestions/comments?
Do you have your own lists you would like to share?
Please email: bakerjh@yahoo.com.