Top 5 Traditional Wedding Songs
Traditional Weddings are classy, elegant, and a lot of couples’ dreams come true! I’ve done lists of unconventional music before, but here is a list of my favorite elegant, traditional music for a classic wedding.
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, by JS Bach
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring is great, because it can be used for prelude music, processional music, recessional music, or even for a unity candle! This timeless melody flows effortlessly and is perfect for weddings because there are multiple places to stop without feeling abrupt. That means your quartet can cadence and end a song gracefully, regardless of when your party is finished processing down the aisle or whenever you’re done lighting your unity candle!
Wachet Auf, by JS Bach
Another classic, this piece has another versatile melody that will flow well wherever you place it! Its tempo is perfect for a relaxed march down the aisle, and the melody is simple enough to set the mood for a unity candle without distracting from what’s going on. Perfect for classy wedding ceremonies!
Trumpet Voluntary, by Jeremiah Clarke
No trumpet needed to play this iconic wedding piece! This march was composed for royalty, and who doesn’t want to feel like a prince or princess on their special day? This is a great processional piece that will have your wedding guests feeling like they’re attending a royal wedding.
Solomon: Entrance of the Queen of Sheba, by George Frideric Handel
This fun, upbeat piece is great for a recessional! Handel wrote this piece as part of his oratorio, Solomon. The Queen of Sheba had taken a long journey to arrive at Solomon’s Court. Triumphant and Joyous, this piece is the perfect song to signify that you, too, have arrived at the end of your long journey of engagement and will leave the ceremony newly married.
Canon in D Major, by Johann Pachelbel
I’d be crazy to leave this off the list! Pachelbel’s one hit wonder, Canon in D, has survived centuries because of its soothing, beautiful melody. This is truly the staple of a traditional wedding ceremony, and it will fit wherever you place it. Like Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, this is a great piece for processionals or unity candle lighting because there are many places where your quartet can cadence and end gracefully when music is no longer needed.
What are your favorite wedding songs? Let me know in the comments below!