60 Classical Wedding Songs for a Traditional Ceremony
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If you've always dreamed of having a traditional white wedding straight out of a Jane Austen novel, then you're going to need some classical music that befits that theme.
Although it's wonderful that there are so many opportunities in this day and age to wed in as unique a fashion as we desire, not everyone wants to get hitched in converted barns with live bands putting their own modern twist on 'Here Comes the Bride'. Some couples just want the perfect church wedding - and we're all for that too.
Which Classical Music is right for my Wedding Ceremony?
'Classical music' is a broad term for an even broader range of compositions in a variety of styles written over hundreds of years, so picking your favourite few pieces from the thousands on offer can be a daunting task.
Fear not, however - we've narrowed down your search and selected our favourite classical pieces which we think would best suit each stage of your wedding ceremony.
Looking for live ceremony music to really get the hairs tingling? Check out our fantastic roster of classical wedding musicians featuring everything from string quartets and violinists to pianists and harpists.
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Prelude music
As your guests arrive at your wedding venue, choose a few of the following to establish your elegant tone. Plan for about 15 minutes of mid-paced yet majestic music to both give everyone time to find their seats and get them ready for the main event:
March of the Priests - Mozart
Taken from Mozart's famed opera 'The Magic Flute, this is a slow and stately piece that suggests an air of grandeur - preparing your guests for the bride's grand entrance!
March of the Priests - MozartPlay
Moonlight Sonata - Ludwig van Beethoven
A sparse yet atmospheric piano piece from the legendary Beethoven will ramp your guests' feelings of anticipation right up.
Moonlight Sonata - Ludwig van BeethovenPlay
Air on the G String - Johann Sebastian Bach
August Willhelmj's arrangement of Bach's original piece 'Air' is played in a lower key, enabling a solo violinist to play the entire melody on their instrument's lowest string, the titular “G”.
Air on the G String - Johann Sebastian BachPlay
Alla Hornpipe - George Frideric Handel
Taken from Handel's 'Water Music', this piece sounds just as triumphant when played as organ music as it does by an orchestra.
Alla Hornpipe - George Frideric HandelPlay
Toccata - Charles-Marie Widor
This flurry of organ keys will both accentuate your church wedding setting and keep your guests excited for what's to come.
Toccata - Charles-Marie WidorPlay
Spring (the Four Seasons) - Antonio Vivaldi
This concerto remains perhaps the most popular of Vivaldi's musical interpretations of the different times of year - and, with the springtime theme of new life, is also the most appropriate for a celebration of new beginnings.
Spring (the Four Seasons) - Antonio VivaldiPlay
Méditation - Jules Massenet
Massenet composed this solo violin piece, which has since become a favourite among violinists, for his opera 'Thaïs'.
Méditation - Jules MassenetPlay
The Swan - Camille Saint-Saens
From Saint-Saens' 'Carnival of the Animals' this piece evokes the beauty and mystery of the bird that inspired it.
The Swan - Camille Saint-SaensPlay
Träumerei - Robert Schumann
The title of Schumann's composition (from his collection 'Kinderszenen', meaning 'Scenes from Childhood') is the German for 'Dreaming', and the piece itself was used as the theme for the 1947 film 'Song of Love'.
Träumerei - Robert SchumannPlay
Morning Mood - Edvard Grieg
This piece of incidental music, which Grieg composed for a scene in the play 'Peer Gynt' to reflect the morning sun breaking through the clouds, will be familiar to most - and enjoyed by all!
Morning Mood - Edvard GriegPlay
Classical Processional music
As the bridal party enters, all eyes will be drawn to the beautiful white dress. This is the part of your wedding ceremony that you want to last forever in everybody's memories, so choose a piece from this list that lives up to your spotlight moment:
Bridal Chorus - Richard Wagner
Although it may seem an obvious choice, Wagner's Bridal Chorus is a popular piece to walk down the aisle to for a reason.
Bridal Chorus - Richard WagnerPlay
Canon in D - Johann Pachelbel
Pachelbel's Canon in D is instantly recognisable, from the instant the solo cello strikes up.
Canon in D - Johann PachelbelPlay
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Johann Sebastian Bach
This rapturous choral piece is a popular choice at Easter and Christmas ceremonies, as well as weddings.
Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring - Johann Sebastian BachPlay
The Prince of Denmark's March - Jeremiah Clarke
This popular piece, also known as 'the Trumpet Voluntary', was played during the Royal Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.
The Prince of Denmark’s March - Jeremiah ClarkePlay
Ode to Joy - Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven's instrumental hymn is the perfect processional piece for a church wedding.
Ode to Joy - Ludwig van BeethovenPlay
Ave Verum Corpus - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
A stunning piece of choral music inspired by the Eucharist chant of the same name (meaning 'Hail, True Body', this also sounds phenomenal when performed on the strings.
Ave Verum Corpus - Wolfgang Amadeus MozartPlay
Flower Duet - Léo Delibes
A lovely vocal duet for a soprano and mezzo-soprano, this classic processional song was originally composed for Delibes' opera 'Lakmé' and is still used today in film and television.
Flower Duet - Léo DelibesPlay
The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba - George Frideric Handel
This favourite section of Handel's oratorio 'Solomon' was played at the 2012 Olympics when James Bond met Queen Elizabeth II. As the name would suggest, Handel's 'Arrival' is more than a piece of music: it's an announcement.
The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba - George Frideric HandelPlay
Edward Elgar - Salut d'Amour
One of Elgar's best-known compositions, we think this 'Love's Greeting' sounds best as intended - on piano and violin.
Edward Elgar - Salut d'AmourPlay
Ave Maria - Franz Schubert
Originally conceived as a vocal piece, Schubert's gorgeous melody is a staple of wedding ceremonies - and also sounds sublime on the violin.
Ave Maria - Franz SchubertPlay
Signing the Register
An interlude of sorts, this part of your wedding ceremony deserves a classical score as much as any other. When you and your beloved sign the wedding register and become an official married couple, keep your guests entertained with ten or so minutes of music to keep the spell unbroken:
Cello Suite No.1 In G Major - Johan Sebastian Bach
A warm, resonant cello suite, such as this famous piece for an unaccompanied solo cello from the great mind of Bach, will keep your guests comfortable while they wait.
Cello Suite No.1 In G Major - Johan Sebastian BachPlay
To A Wild Rose - Edward McDowell
From McDowell's 'Woodland Sketches' suite, this charming melody later served as the inspiration for the Elvis Presley song 'Am I Ready',
To A Wild Rose - Edward McDowellPlay
Gabriel's Oboe - Ennio Morricone
The unforgettable theme from the Mission will help convey the sheer emotion of this moment to your guests.
Gabriel’s Oboe - Ennio MorriconePlay
Largo from Symphony No.9 - Antonín Leopold Dvořák
A melody as moving as it is memorable, the Largo from Dvořák's Symphony No.9 'From the New World' was later reworked into the song 'Goin' Home', which was in turn given the Big Band treatment by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra.
Largo from Symphony No.9 - Antonín Leopold DvorákPlay
Panis Angelicus - César Franck
Meaning 'Bread of Angels' in Latin, Franck set this most popular verse of the longer hymn 'Sacris Solemniis' to music - and it sounds wonderful both as orchestral and as organ music.
Panis Angelicus - César FranckPlay
Für Elise - Ludwig van Beethoven
Possibly the most well known piece ever composed for the piano, you guests will be pleased to hear something they recognise.
Für Elise - Ludwig van BeethovenPlay
O Mio Babbino Caro - Giacomo Puccini
This enchanting aria from Puccini's opera 'Gianni Schicchi ' sounds divine whether the soprano is accompanied by a piano or a harp, and has featured in a range of media from 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' to 'Downton Abbey'.
O Mio Bambino Caro - Giacomo PucciniPlay
Clair de Lune - Claude Debussy
Romantic and wistful, this is the third - and most well-known - movement from Debussy's 'Suite bergamasque'.
Clair de Lune - Claude DebussyPlay
Aria da capo - Glenn Gould
Gould's fantastic recording of Bach's 'Goldberg Variations' gained the pianist worldwide fame overnight.
Aria da capo - Glenn GouldPlay
A Thousand Years - Vitamin String Quartet
You don't have to be a 'Twilight' fan to appreciate the beauty of this instrumental rendition of this popular modern tune from Christina Perri.
A Thousand Years - Vitamin String QuartetPlay
Precessional music
Congratulations and celebrations are in order once you've officially tied the knot - here's an upbeat selection to put a spring in the step of each guests as they leave for your reception:
Wedding March - Felix Mendelssohn
This piece of incidental music from Mendelssohn's score for Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is widely used for wedding ceremony scenes in cinema.
Wedding March - Felix MendelssohnPlay
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
One of the most famous classical compositions of all time, your wedding party will find the allegro tempo of this 'Little Serenade' of Mozart's to be irresistibly lively.
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - Wolfgang Amadeus MozartPlay
Bourrée in E minor - Johann Sebastian Bach
A popular piece originally composed for the lute, Bach's Bourrée has found itself into the repertoire of many a classical guitarist, having inspired everyone from Paul McCartney to Tenacious D.
Bourrée in E minor - Johann Sebastian BachPlay
Crown Imperial: A Coronation March - Sir William Walton
A driving march with a real stride to it like this one will help your guests to their feet.
Crown Imperial: A Coronation March - Sir William WaltonPlay
Symphony No. 3 - Camille Saints-Saens
Also known as the 'Organ Symphony', a section of this piece was later reworked by Scott Fitzgerlad into the pop song 'If I Had Words' which was famously used as the main theme for the film 'Babe'.
Symphony No.3 - Camille Saints-SaensPlay
Jupiter - Gustav Holst
The 'Bringer of Jollity' from Holst's famous suite 'the Planets' sounds like the start of a grand adventure - a suitable soundtrack to leave your wedding venue to.
Jupiter - Gustav HolstPlay
Music for the Royal Fireworks - George Frideric Handel
This rousing piece was performed - complete with actual fireworks - at the Buckingham Palace gardens for Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee.
Music for the Royal Fireworks - George Frideric HandelPlay
Largo al factotum - Gioachino Rossini
Rossini's merry aria from 'The Barber of Seville' will soon have your guests skipping along to your wedding reception venue. The fact that the title demands the listener to “make way” won't hurt either!.
Largo al factotum - Gioachino RossiniPlay
Winter (the Four Seasons) - Antonio Vivaldi
Our second entry from Vivaldi's classic concertos. Things have cooled off a little since the excitement of 'Spring' - by contrast, 'Winter' is calm and dignified, and brings with it a sense of things coming to a natural end before a new beginning.
Winter (the Four Seasons) - Antonio VivaldiPlay
Concerning Hobbits - Vitamin String Quartet
Playing this upbeat Howard Shore's unforgettable score from the hugely successful 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy on your wedding day is bound to please music and film fans alike.
Concerning Hobbits - Vitamin String QuartetPlay
First Dance music
Your first dance as a newly married couple has to be to a song that's important to you both. We recommend finding a musical balance between romance for yourselves and fun for your guests - though they'll all be getting their turn on the dance floor soon enough:
Swan Theme - Tchaikovsky
The most famous theme from 'Swan Lake', one of the most famous ballets of all time, is surely worthy of consideration for an elegant first dance as newlyweds.
Swan Theme - TchaikovskyPlay
Dance of the Blessed Spirits - Christoph Willibald Gluck
From Gluck's opera about Orpheus and Eurydice, this piece accompanies a scene set in Elysium, the paradise of Ancient Greece - and we're sure you'll feel like you're in heaven when you dance to it.
Dance of the Blessed Spirits - Christoph Willibald GluckPlay
Habanera - Georges Bizet
This playful aria from Bizet's beloved 'Carmen' will be just as delightful an introduction for you when you hit the dance floor as it was for this opera's title character.
Habanera - Georges BizetPlay
The Blue Danube - Johann Strauss II
This famous waltz runs the gamut from grand and sweeping to fun and upbeat - another great segue between the wedding ceremony and the wedding reception.
The Blue Danube - Johann StraussPlay
A Whole New World - Alan Menkin & Tim Rice
The intricate harmonies from the iconic duet from Disney's 'Aladdin' rank it highly among classic wedding songs - and they sound incredible when performed by a live pianist or string quartet.
A Whole New World - Alan Menkin & Tim RicePlay
Boléro - Maurice Ravel
Although the full version might be a little too long at almost 16 minutes, you may wish to take some inspiration from Torvill and Dean's famous ice-dancing win at the 1984 Winter Olympics - a much more manageable 6 (which was also their perfect score!).
Boléro - Maurice RavelPlay
Glasgow Love Theme - Craig Armstrong
This beautiful piano piece was put to memorable use during Andrew Lincoln and Keira Knightley's scene in the film 'Love Actually'.
Glasgow Love Theme - Craig ArmstrongPlay
Bohemian Rhapsody - Vitamin String Quartet
This classical twist on Queen's unforgettable masterpiece is a great way to bridge the gap between classical music and modern pop and rock.
Bohemian Rhapsody - Vitamin String QuartetPlay
Halo - Brooklyn Duo
We're sure that this soulful rendition of Beyoncé's hit 'Halo', performed on two cellos and a piano, would make Queen B proud.
Halo - Brooklyn DuoPlay
Butterfly Waltz - Brian Crain
As delicate and beautiful as its namesake, this is a lovely choice for a first dance number, whether on solo piano or as a duet with a violin.
Butterfly Waltz - Brian CrainPlay
Reception Music
This is the stage of your wedding ceremony where everyone will want to let their hair down, have a dance, and above all celebrate you - the happy couple! Be sure to save your most upbeat picks for this part of your special day - while keeping things classy, of course:
Summertime - George Gershwin
When performed on the piano, this jazzy number from Gershwin's opera 'Porgy and Bess' makes for perfect cocktail music.
Summertime - George GershwinPlay
What Makes You Beautiful - the Piano Guys
The Piano Guys became an internet sensation with their endlessly inventive approaches to covering modern popular music in a classical style - and their rendition of One Direction's 'What Makes You Beautiful' is no exception.
What Makes You Beautiful - the Piano GuysPlay
Dance of the Knights - Sergei Prokofiev
Introduced to a new generation via being used as the theme tune for the TV show 'The Apprentice', this famous piece from Prokofiev's ballet 'Romeo and Juliet' may have seemed a little too menacing earlier on in the ceremony is both recognisable and rhythmical enough to get your guests moving.
Dance of the Knights - Sergei ProkofievPlay
The Entertainer - Scott Joplin
Joplin wrote this well-known ragtime classic for the piano - but having a string quartet perform it instead will be a pleasant surprise for your friends and family.
The Entertainer - Scott JoplinPlay
All You Need Is Love - Vitamin String Quartet
A classic Beatles love song reimagined for the violin, viola and cello - a winning combination!
All You Need Is Love - Vitamin String QuartetPlay
Galop Infernal - Jacques Offenbach
Thanks to its popularity with the Parisian cabarets of the 19th century, this tune is now associated with the 'can-can' dance.
Galop Infernal - Jacques OffenbachPlay
William Tell Overture - Gioachino Rossini
Thanks to its use as the theme for 'the Lone Ranger', the overture to Rossini's opera 'William Tell' always bring horseback riding to mind.
William Tell Overture - Gioachino RossiniPlay
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Cinematic Pop
A guaranteed floor-filler at the best of times, this re-imagining of the Eurythmics' hit song accentuates the strings for added drama.
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Cinematic PopPlay
I'm Called Little Buttercup - Gilbert & Sullivan
This merry little tune is a favourite from the G&S comic opera 'H.M.S Pinafore' and will soon have your guests swaying along as if they're at sea.
I’m Called Little Buttercup - Gilbert & SullivanPlay
Danse Macabre - Camille Saints-Saens
Your guests may recognise this wickedly entertaining waltz as the theme tune from the TV show 'Jonathan Creek'.
Danse Macabre - Camille Saints-SaensPlay
