The Meaning of Wedding Music

The meaning of wedding music has a different purpose depending on the wedding event and the moment.

One of the most essential elements of your wedding day is the music chosen for this special occasion. Music helps to bring meaning to the wedding and helps us to understand why we gather for these sacred moments. Each wedding event will have different types of music. And even within each event, the music may vary depending on the moment. But in every instance, the music helps to guide us through why we are gathering and the emotional substance of this moment.

 | WEDISTRY

Ceremony Music

Wedding ceremony music is the most celebrated and perhaps the most predictable musical selection of the wedding. This is not a negative, nor does it take away from the beauty of wedding ceremony music. Some of the best songs ever composed appear at weddings, and this is a compliment to them. A wedding ceremony deserves to have the very best music representing the once-in-a-lifetime and unique moment that is taking place.

So, what is the meaning? Well, in concert with the wedding officiant, who is one of the only voices directing the space that is the wedding ceremony, the wedding music explains the theme, sets the tone for emotion, and speaks where there may be no words. From the sacred ceremony to the wedding reception dance floor, there is a place for every note, lyric, and song.

Artists such as Etta James, Alicia Keys, and Jason Mraz are regular wedding guests to help us understand the love between the bride and groom and remind us of the meaning of marriage, not just its music. Romantic songs remind us of our love and give us hope for what may come.

 | WEDISTRY

Prelude

The wedding prelude music is the music that helps prepare and set the environment for the wedding to take place. The prelude means to let everyone know that this is the time for preparation, to hold space for the wedding to begin and lead up to the wedding processional. This is when the bridal party finds its spaces and places. But more than the function of the prelude, the prelude also helps to reduce anxiety. It helps to set our emotions on this time and place, and it welcomes us to be at ease to begin such an event.

The prelude is usually instrumental; however, there are many creative ways to start the wedding ceremony.

Processional

The meaning of the processional is to announce that the wedding motion is beginning and also to usher the wedding party into the space to their places where they will remain through the wedding ceremony. The processional is typically upbeat and brings excitement to the beginning of the wedding.

Bride’s entry

When the bride enters, this is one of the most important moments of the wedding, which also applies to how music is included. When the bride enters, some consider this the best place for the wedding song. Others might consider placing the wedding song later in the ceremony. But either way, this is the moment that is surely a highlight of the ceremony. The meaning and purpose of the music in the entry is to let the guests know that it is time to stand and show respect to the bride’s entry.

Interlude

The interlude may be one of the wedding ceremony’s most underrated and understated musical entries. This allows us to pause and reset. It’s been an emotional event already, to say the least. Now we get to enjoy a break, so to speak, and allow

Recessional

The tone of the recessional is joy. This is when we all can celebrate freely and audibly and share our applause and cheers for the new husband and wife. We can shout our excitement and congratulations! Recessional music is meant to let us know it is done and beginning. We make the transition as a community from supporting the couple by being present to witness their ceremony to supporting them in their real new life together with prayers and presence.

Reception Music

Commonly, the characteristics of the wedding reception music are unrecognizable from that of the wedding ceremony. Music often plays a role in letting everyone know that we have come to witness a sacred union, and now it is time to celebrate. The ceremony is sacred, which means “set apart by God.” The reception follows this flow by being completely different than the ceremony. If you attended both events and didn’t see the same people, you might not think it was the same event. Especially because the wedding party and especially the couple sometimes change clothes from one wedding event to another.

The meaning of wedding reception music is to indicate that this is a playful event as much as it is serious. It’s a time to get to know one another better, talk, dance, and be freer to be yourself than in the quiet and reverent setting of the ceremony.

Reception music shows more of the personalities of the couples and their friends, for whom certain songs may be chosen to remember a certain time in their relationship as friends or represent a certain time from their lives as friends.

author avatar
Aaron Smith
Hi, my name is Aaron! I’m glad to be the founder of Wedistry, a collection of tools and tips to prepare couples for their wedding day. I am currently the manager of the Wedistry Blog and Wedistry for Wedding Parties on the App Store. Thanks for stopping by and I hope that you find this content helpful during your wedding planning process.

About Our Content Creators

Aaron is a wedding officiant with 12 years of experience. After being a guest in weddings and a member of wedding parties numerous times, he was inspired to create ways to better support couples through wedding planning tools.

Aaron is an ordained minister and holds an M. Div. from the University of Chicago.

We may earn a commission if you click on the links within this article. Learn more.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

More…!