What to consider when choosing music for your wedding
Somerset (principal contractor) here! Congratulations on your upcoming ceremony (:
As a 2027 bride myself—and with both my fiancé and I being musicians—deciding the soundtrack to our wedding hasn’t happened all in one day. Here’s what I’ve learned from helping couples choose the music for their ceremony (and going through the process myself):
Take your time choosing the music.
Music should be something that’s lived with—I highly recommend making a joint playlist on Spotify or YouTube, etc. that is shared with your future spouse. That way, you can both add to the playlist during the planning months and get to really know and appreciate each other’s musical vision for your wedding day. It also means that when you lock in requests with your wedding musicians, you’ve sat with the songs for a while and they just feel right for you and your big day
Time important moments of the ceremony.
Sometimes folks want to pick more than one song for the entrance of the groomsmen, bridal party, and mother of the bride. While this can be done—especially when having a custom medley arranged—it is important to consider how long it takes for everyone to walk done the aisle: it is often shorter than expected for smaller ceremonies. Also, sometimes the wedding dress train needs to be spread out after walking down the aisle—let the musicians know if you’d like them to continue playing while it is adjusted by a bridesmaid/photographer
*I highly recommend timing the entrance of everyone at the wedding rehearsal, and then communicating that timing to your wedding planner and/or musicians. (For example, if the bridal entrance is known to be much shorter than the length of the song, the musicians can easily make a cut in the music so the next part of the ceremony is transitioned into smoothly.)
Additionally, every ceremony is unique. When choosing the music for your big day, consider which elements you’d like to have a musical backdrop for.
Plan for the venue.
In particular, it’s important to consider if your wedding will be held inside or outside. If being held outside, it can be useful to request amplification equipment so the musicians can be heard better, or set-up closer to the wedding party for more intimate ceremonies.
Enjoy the most magical of days!
Once you’ve selected the music for your big day, you’re all set! About a month before the wedding, the finer musical details have likely been laid out, and the band is ready to go. You and your cherished guests will get to enjoy incredible live music as part of your beautiful wedding.
Wishing you all the best for your big day!
If you’re looking to have live strings as part of your ceremony and/or reception, consider hiring Pursuit 19 Music Services. Feel free to visit our Enquire page to get in touch with us about booking our musicians.