Choosing Ceremony Processional music you love isn't always easy. Here are our best ideas to help ->
There are few moments in your wedding day that are bigger than your Ceremony Processional! Choosing just one song you love can be intimidating. You want the music to heighten the moment, to augment emotions, elicit tears of joy, telling the love story in a way that is unique as you are. It's no wonder so many people go completely blank when they approach this subject. I have had this conversation with so many Brides and Grooms over the years and can gladly tell you that this doesn't have to be a painful process. In fact, this should be one of the most fun things for you two to decide on together. Like many choices we make in life, the search for "perfect" answers is often what makes this process so frustrating. When we relax and dive into our own music collections and memories, great and inspiring ideas begin to come rather quickly. The trick is to relax and think of music that makes you happy. Even if it doesn't quite sound like a "Perfect" fit for what you would consider a conventional processional selection, all that really matters is if you love it and it moves you. Rest assured that in performing hundreds of wedding ceremonies over the years, I have still never heard a Ceremony Processional that didn't "fit". When you love the song, so will everyone else because they love you and will understand that the music is part of your unique story. So where should be begin? It's time for some inspiration. This week I have arranged some of our favourite Ceremony Processional songs into 5 broader categories to help get you thinking about what might be the perfect song for you and your fiance. Let's get started! SONGS FROM SCHOOL MEMORIES If you are getting married this year, chances are you went to school sometime in the 2000s or 2010s. There is an incredible power to nostalgia for fueling our emotions and creating a powerful ceremony moment. Especially if you happened to meet your fiance at school, it is sometimes fun to look up songs from the year the the two of you met. Here are some of our favourites that were popular at the time:
PHOTOGRAPH - Ed Sheeran
YOU ARE THE REASON - Calum Scott LOVE SOMEONE - Lukas Graham FROM THE GROUND UP - Dan & Shay ALL OF ME - John Legend LOVE ME LIKE YOU DO - Ellie Goulding LOVER - Taylor Swift
LIGHT ON - Maggie Rogers MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE - Adele JUST THE WAY YOU ARE - Bruno Mars BUDAPEST - George Ezra
AND THEN SOME - The Arkells WHAT I WOULDN"T DO - Serena Ryder GRAVITY - John Mayer THE GIRL - City & Colour HEY THERE DELILAH - Plain White T's
BETTER TOGETHER - Jack Johnson
SONGS FROM THE RADIO There is also something powerful about choosing songs that are popular on the radio right now. Here are some of the greatest selections that have come out within the last 2 years. And for reference in case this blog ends up staying up for a long long time, I am writing this in June of 2024, so these are all songs from the Summer of 2022, 2023 and now:
UNTIL I FOUND YOU - Stephen Sanchez
EYES CLOSED - Ed Sheeran ALCHEMY - Taylor Swift WHO WE LOVE - Sam Smith
I'LL NEVER NOT LOVE YOU - Michael Buble BLACKBIRD - Beyonce LOVELY - Billie Eillish HIDING OUT IN THE OPEN - Feist THE FURTHEST THING - Maren Morris TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE - Kacey Musgraves LOVE YOU FOR A LONG TIME - Maggie Rogers LATE NIGHT TALKIN - Harry Styles
SONGS FROM YOUR FAMILY COLLECTION If you are close with your parents, there are likely a lot of songs you remember from growing up that you all loved to listen to as a family. These are such a wonderful source of nostalgic emotion too as they just feel good to listen to again. I'm going to cast a wide net in this category and include songs from the 90s all the way back to the 60s as I really have no idea how old your parents, or their taste in music, might be.
CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE - Elvis YOUR SONG - Elton John AT LAST - Etta James THE BEST - Tina Turner ALL I WANT IS YOU - U2 TIME AFTER TIME - Cyndi Lauper
HERE COMES YOUR MAN - The Pixies WONDERFUL TONIGHT - Eric Clapton
WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN - Percy Sledge
HERE COMES THE SUN - The Beatles CECILIA - Simon & Garfunkel SONGS FROM MOVIES And lastly I'm going to finish this week's entry off with a timeless category, including songs from amazing memorable movies that you may have seen and loved over the years. Especially if you and your fiance just happen to love watching a film or show together, this can be a fun way to tell your unique love story.
A THOUSAND YEARS - Christina Perri
TODAY WAS A FAIRYTALE - Taylor Swift KISS ME - Sixpence None The Richer I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU - Whitney HOuston MY HEART WILL GO ON - Celine Dion IN YOUR EYES - Peter Gabriel
ENDLESS LOVE - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie
SHALLOW - Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper UNCHAINED MELODY - The Righteous Brothers
CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT - ELton John EVERYTHING I DO (I DO IT FOR YOU) - Bryan Adams GROW OLD WITH YOU - The Wedding Singer
CREATE THE CEREMONY OF YOUR DREAMS We love it when you choose songs that truly move you. Songs that makes you truly feel the moment are better than anything. Music is meant to stir your soul and augment your emotions, especially in this powerful moment, finding the music that really matters to you is such a beautiful thing. Wishing you and your fiance beautiful ceremony moments together! -BM