Guest blog post by Fiona Roberts, awesome wedding celebrant of Celebrate with Fiona

Personalising your music selections is one of the ways you can make your ceremony your own. Music is one of the most important components of your ceremony because it sets the mood for your special day. If playing a version of “Here Comes the Bride” isn’t your style, choosing something more contemporary or personal is perfectly appropriate.

Choosing your selections

In general, a wedding ceremony has five main pieces to choose selections for:

Prelude: Played for 15 minutes before to a half hour before the ceremony, this music
welcomes the guests and is the background by which they’re seated.

Procession: This music sets the pace for attendants walking down the aisle. Really
ambitious couples plan their music so that it changes for each portion of the
procession. One piece for the ushers, another for the bridesmaids, then a pause
before a flourish for the entrance of the bride.

Ceremony: Couples might designate music to be played or a choir or soloist to sing
at some points in the ceremony, like during the lighting of a unity candle, or while
the register is being signed.

Recession: This music at the end of the ceremony should be powerful and joyous.
It’s usually louder and quicker than the processional.

Postlude: A continuation of upbeat and celebratory music that keeps the guests
feeling they’re a part of the wedding until they have all filed out of the ceremony
space.

If you’ve chosen a Civil Marriage Celebrant, your music options are open. You can add
personal touches through your music selections to create a memorable wedding. Give it some thought.

A few other things to keep in mind while choosing music:

Try to keep the music within the framework of the style and formality of the
wedding – you want to be respectful of the location and the event taking place.
Don’t forget to mention the titles of the songs and music on your program.

Check with the person in charge of your ceremony location to find out whether you
need to work with a particular music coordinator or use a particular musician or
singer.

Keep your religious and cultural backgrounds in mind when selecting your music.

So now it's over to you. What songs hold a special place in your heart? Which ones
transport you to the very moment that you both met and fell in love? And how can you
include those in your ceremony, so that you can convey the depth of emotion that such a
special event should? I can’t wait to hear what songs you chose! Share in the comments below.

Beautiful images by Julian Beattie Photography

The post How to Choose Your Wedding Ceremony Music appeared first on The Bride's Tree.