SUGGESTIONS FOR
WEDDING MUSIC
For the full wedding mass, here are the spots that typically need to be filled:
PRELUDE MUSIC (STARTS 15-30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE BRIDE'S ENTRANCE)instrumental or vocal tunes or string quartet or piano or other instruments
classical music and/or pop/jazz standards/ballads/love songs (Frank Sinatra, big band, new-age music, Enya, Kenny G, Jim Brickman, music from 'Amelie', 20's/30's/40's tunes, Gershwin & Cole Porter, ballads from 70's/80's/90's, modern ballads, any of your favorites, etc.)
Sacred/Christian pop ideas: "Your Love is Extravagant"
SEATING OF THE MOTHERS/OTHERS AND BRIDESMAIDS' PROCESSIONAL (IT'S OFTEN BEST WHEN THIS IS JUST ONE SONG)instrumental song
I love putting Vivaldi here or Bach's Air on G or a little new-agey stuff
A vocal song might be distracting here...I think you want people to witness the special people coming down the aisle
Classic ideas: "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Bach, "Canon in D" by Pachelbel, "Autumn" from Vivaldi's Four Seasons, "Air on the G String" by Bach
Other recent ideas: "Clair de Lune", Beyonce's "Halo", "Carl & Ellie" from Pixar's "Up", Dean Martin's "That's Amore", "Pure Imagination" from Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, "A Thousand Years", Ed Sheeran's "Perfect", etc. etc.!
More recent ideas: Italian heritage: "Intermezzo" from Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni
BRIDE'S PROCESSIONALinstrumental song, look also at the tunes above for bridesmaids
currently, my favorite is 'Lascia ch'io pianga' from Handel's 'Rinaldo' -- some say it's a little dramatic...but I think your walk down the aisle is supposed to be at least a little dramatic!
Classic ideas: "Here Comes the Bride", "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Bach, "Canon in D" by Pachelbel
Other recent ideas: "Morning Has Broken" , "Simple Gifts", "Game of Thrones" theme, "Coro" from Handel's Water Music, Feist's "Mushaboom".
RESPONSORIAL PSALM SUGGESTIONSthis is, ideally, a 'call & response' song, rather than a solo.
Set Me As A Seal (Maher) -- contemporary, based on Song of Songs!
God's Love is Everlasting (Tomaszek) - a little Irish in flavor, classic-sounding
Hand in Hand (Angrisano) -- contemporary
Let All the Earth (Angrisano) -- contemporary
Psalm 118 is a good one for weddings
This is the Day - by S. Hart & D. Liles
This is the Day - by B. Fisher
This is the Day - by S. Soper
This is the Day - by M. Joncas
This is the Day / Give Thanks - by T. Smith
Celebration Series--more formal/classic-sounding settings:
Let All the Earth Cry Out
Let Us Rejoice
The Earth is Full of the Goodness of the Lord
God Has Done Great Things
Blest Are Those
I Will Praise Your Name Forever
The Name of the Lord
Other Psalms and recent ideas
When Love is Found set to tune O WALY WALY
Taste & See - by S. Angrisano
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (OR 'ALLELUIA')I often recommend the Celtic Alleluia because it's familiar to a lot of Catholics so they usually end up singing along
Another OLG favorite is the Alleluia from Mass of Joyful Heart by Angrisano.
Another OLG favorite is the Alleluia from Misa del Mundo by J. Manibusan.
PREPARATION OF GIFTSThis is a spot for a relatively short instrumental or vocal song to accommodate the processional of the gifts to the altar.
EUCHARISTIC ACCLAMATIONS (HOLY, MEM.ACCL., GREAT AMEN, LAMB OF GOD)I recommend the Mass of Creation setting by Marty Haugen because it's very familiar to most all Catholics in the U.S.
The Mass of Renewal by Curtis Stephan is becoming well-known in the U.S., too.
COMMUNIONMusic is needed here: either a liturgical/congregational song or a solo (contemporary or traditional).
Classic ideas:
Hail Mary, Gentle Woman (Landry)
Panis Angelicus (C. Franck)
Behold the Lamb (Willett)
Behold the Lamb of God (Dufford)
Bread for the World (Farrell)Bread of Angels (C. Stephan)
Bread of Life (Fisher)
God Will Wipe Away Every Tear
Here At This TableHere I Am, Lord (Schutte)
Here I Am (Booth)
Gift of Finest WheatGod with Us (Hart/Thompson)
In This Place (Thomson)
Look Beyond
I Am the Bread of Life (JM Talbot)
I Am the Bread of Life (Toolan)Jesus, Remember Me (Taize chant)
Morning Has Broken (Cat Stevens)
Prayer of St. Francis
Pan de Vida (Hurd/Moriarty)
Psalm 23 (Conry)
One Bread, One Body (Foley)
Our Blessing Cup (Joncas)
My Soul Is Thirsting (Angrisano)
Song of the Body of ChristSimple Gifts
Table of Plenty
Taste and See (many settings)
O Taste and See (Haugen)
Taste and See (Angrisano)
Taste and See (Hurd)
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
Ubi Caritas
Unless a Grain of Wheat (Hurd)
We Are Many Parts
We Are One Body (contemporary)
We Come Today (contemporary)
We Praise You
We Remember
You Are Our Living Bread
ADDITIONAL SONG DURING THE CEREMONY, IF WANTED/NEEDEDA) Unity Candle (if done)
good place for a short-ish song, either instrumental or vocal
it's good because it's happening in tandem with the movement of the ceremony--it's not a solo performance in the middle of everything.
If you, however, have a song and a vocalist that you would love to highlight, now is the time
B) Song after the homily
this sometimes feels awkward--stopping and watching a performance
If you, however, have a song and a vocalist that you would love to highlight, now is the time
C) Song before/after vows
this sometimes feels awkward--stopping and watching a performance
If you, however, have a song and a vocalist that you would love to highlight, now is the time
D) Song for presentation of flowers to Mary
this is a lovely tradition in many cultures. The movement of the bride and groom to the Mary shrine is nicely accompanied by a sung or instrumental tune. Possibly a Marian tune:
RECESSIONAL (AN INSTRUMENTAL SONG HERE IS USUALLY BEST)I've played everything from:
the traditional Wedding March (Mendelssohn)
to the Beach Boys' 'Wouldn't It Be Nice'
to the old Appalachian tune, 'Simple Gifts'
to Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy'
to Enya
to Handel's 'Royal Fireworks' or 'Water Music'
to Stevie Wonder's 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered'
to Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World"
to Colbie Caillat's "I Do"
to Queen's "You're My Best Friend"
to Scarlatti "Sonata K119"
to Disney's "Fantasmic" and "Spectromagic" themes!
to Barry White's "You're My First, My Last, My Everything"
to Frankie Vallie's "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You"
(More music suggestions are found here)