Wedding Music: What is the most popular wedding music?
Over the past 50 years, wedding music has come to include all of the above styles (with the exception of patriotic music). Rather than choosing well-known pieces such as “Here Comes The Bride,” “Canon in D,” “Trumpet Voluntary,” or “Joy of Man’s Desiring,” it’s becoming more common for the bride and groom to choose songs that are familiar to them (e.g., the song that was playing when they met or got engaged). Thoughtful songs with meaningful lyrics are the norm.
For many couples, the type of music (and number of musicians) they choose often depends on their budget. At a wedding today, it’s not unusual to see a single vocalist accompanying themselves on guitar or piano. If the musician is experienced and accomplished, they can perform a nice rendition of the chosen song without the aid of other musicians.
“The Wedding Song (There Is Love)” written by Paul Stookey, of Peter, Paul & Mary, is perhaps the best-known contemporary wedding song and has been heard in ceremonies and pre-ceremonies for over 40 years. Other popular songs played at weddings include: “Endless Love,” “Leather and Lace,” “Evergreen,” “Unforgettable,” and “We’ve Only Just Begun.” Some songwriters, knowing that having a song of theirs being played at ceremonies everywhere could generate a large income, concentrate solely on writing songs for weddings. But for most part, a song becomes a standard through circumstance (and the fact that it expresses a certain sentiment).
A traditional wedding may make use of sacred music throughout including a number of hymns and songs of praise. Use of a church organ is almost always a part of a such a wedding. You may also hear a harp or small string quartet as part of the prelude. Traditional weddings often have separate music for each portion of the ceremony including the prelude, the processional, the ceremony itself, the recessional and the interlude, which is often part of the reception following the wedding.
For the wedding reception and dance, a four or five-piece band is common (e.g., guitar, piano, bass, drums, and a vocalist). These groups often have additional responsibilities such as the leader acting as the MC, and the band playing certain songs at certain times (such as the first dance of the bride and groom).
A recent phenomena is having a DJ supply the music for the wedding reception and dance. This is growing in popularity because those at the dance can request songs and hear them (from CDs) exactly as they know them (rather than having a band play their own rendition of the song). Another reason DJs are becoming the norm is they are usually less expensive than a live band and they don’t require a large stage. Plus, because DJs play CDs, the wedding party knows exactly how the music will sound. Finally, having a DJ means there is only one person to deal with (rather than four of five band members, one of which may be late or wearing the wrong clothes).