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Music For Your Wedding
 

Music for your civil ceremony
If you are getting married at a register office or an approved premise in England or Wales, non-religious music is permitted subject to the approval of the superintendent registrar. Therefore, when you visit the registrar to discuss your ceremony, you should discuss your musical requirement and get the registrar's approval for the pieces you wish to have played.

If you are getting married at a register office, although non-religious music is permitted, the superintendent registrar has the final word. It is unlikely that you will be allowed to have live music although you will be allowed to have approved recorded music to be played on either on your own (or hired) system or the register office's system.

If you are getting married at an approved premise, you will be permitted to have either recorded or live music. If you intend having live music, you will probably need to adapt your choice of music to suit the musicians you engage, for example, a soloist will play a piece of music somewhat differently to say a string quartet. Therefore, discuss your choice of music with your musicians and arrange to listen to how your chosen tunes will be played.

Marriages at approved premises do not have the time constraints of register office marriages. Therefore, you have much greater freedom in deciding the number of pieces you wish played. Indeed, you may wish to replicate the format of a church marriage service and have a prelude, a processional and a recessional. You can even have music played at other points during the ceremony itself.

We have listed below many of the popular and traditional classical music pieces you may wish to consider playing during your service. The pieces are classified by their suitability for each section of a service that follows the same format of a church service. However, at a civil wedding, there are few restrictions on the type of music allowed (so long as it is non-religious and does not detract from the solemnity of the occasion). So if you have favourite contemporary pieces then go ahead and play them - don't be afraid to be adventurous!
The Prelude
This is music that is played while guests assemble in the venue's marriage room until the bride party arrives and can last up to about 20 minutes. This music sets the mood for the ceremony to come and should be positive and joyous. Popular classical music played during the prelude include:

Canon in D by Pachelbel

Sheep May Safely Graze by Bach
Pavane by Fauré
Meditation from Thais by Massanet

Chanson De Matin by Elgar

Morning from Peer Gynt Suite by Grieg
Salut D'amour by Elgar

1st Movement from Eine Kline Nachtmusik by Mozart

Minuet by Boccherini

Air from the Water Music by Handel
Air on the G String by Bach
Berceuse from Dolly Suite by Fauré


The Processional
This is music played for the bridal party's procession into the marriage room. One piece of music is chosen, which should be stately and regal and last the duration of the walk to where the ceremony will be conducted. The most popular classical pieces of music played during the processional are:

Wedding March from Lohengrin by Wagner

Arrival of the Queen of Sheba by Handel
Grand March from Aida by Verdi
Wedding March from the Marriage of Figaro by Mozart

Trumpet Voluntary (Prince of Denmark's March) by Clarke
Trumpet Voluntary by Stanley
Trumpet Tune by Purcell
Air from the Water Music by Handel
The Rejoicing from Music for the Royal Fireworks by Handel
Salut D'amour by Elgar

Hornpipe from the Water Music by Handel
Spring from the Four Seasons by Vivaldi

The Signing of the Register
Whilst signing the register, there will be time for one piece of music to be played - maybe two pieces if you are having photographs taken during the signing. Suitable classical pieces to choose from are:

Canon in D by Pachelbel
Air from the Water Music by Handel
Pavane by Fauré
Meditation from Thais by Massanet

Air on the G String by Bach
Morning from Peer Gynt Suite by Grieg
Chanson De Matin by Elgar

Salut D'amour by Elgar
Dome Epais from Lakme by Delibes
4th Movement from Eine Kline Nachtmusik by Mozart
Sheep May Safely Graze by Bach

The Recessional
As you leave the marriage room, walking arm-in-arm as husband and wife, you will want a piece of music that is triumphant, joyful and celebratory. Traditional recessional music includes:

Wedding March (from a Midsummer Night's Dream)
by Mendelssohn

Radetsky March by Strauss
Arrival of the Queen of Sheba by Handel
Trumpet Voluntary (Prince of Denmark's March) by Clarke
Trumpet Voluntary by Stanley
Trumpet Tune by Purcell
Spring from the Four Seasons by Vivaldi
Brandenburg Concerto No 3 by Bach
The Rejoicing from Music for the Royal Fireworks by Handel
Grand March from Aida by Verdi
Overture from The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart
Hornpipe from the Water Music by Handel
3rd Movement from Sonata in D by Purcell
Please note, you must get the prior approval of the superintendent registrar that will be officiating at your wedding for all music you wish to play during your service.

  For details of music CDs that are available to help you choose suitable music for your church service, please visit our recorded music page in Confetti's online shop.
Introduction
Music for your church ceremony
Music for your reception
Should I have recorded or live music at my wedding?
 
 

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