Make music a big part of your big day with these processional and recessional songs for your wedding ceremony

Setting the tone for the rest of the day, your ceremony plays a vital role in the sequence of wedding events. Your ceremony marks the start of the biggest day of your life and subsequent married life together; it serves to create a welcoming atmosphere and evokes the raw emotion among your guests that makes for great photographs.

One way to ensure your ceremony stands out for all the right reasons is in your choice of music; you must decide on songs that suit the overall theme of the wedding - whether that be contemporary, traditional or informal, and you should choose tunes that strike a chord with you as a couple. You can opt to play the music from a recording through overhead speakers or hire a band, string quartet or choir to add authenticity.

Take a look at these songs with which to make an impactful entrance and exit, or use them throughout your ceremony as a filler to keep guests entertained during quieter interludes - such as when signing the register. 

Processional songs

1. Bridal Chorus, Wagner (also known as Here Comes The Bride)

2. Canon in D, Pachelbel

3. Somewhere Over The Rainbow, Israel Kamakawiwo’Ole

4. Bella's Lullaby from Twilight, Carter Burwell, Dan Redfeld and Elizabeth Hedman

5. Balcony Scene from Romeo & Juliet, Craig Armstrong

6. Make You Feel My Love, Adele

7. Glasgow Love Theme from Love Actually, Craig Armstrong

8. A Thousand Years, Christina Perri

9. The Secret Wedding from Braveheart (featuring Kathleen Fisher)

10. Claire de Lune, Claude Debussy

11. Thinking Out Loud, Ed Sheeran

12. Ave Maria, Schubert

13. The Flower Duet, Lakme

14. Heartbeats, Jose Gonzalez

15. Come Away With Me, Norah Jones

16. Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen

17. Moon River, Frank Sinatra

18. Ode To Joy, Beethoven

19. From This Moment, Shania Twain

20. Paradise, Coldplay by Kavolini String Quartet

Recessional songs

1. Wedding March, Mendelssohn

2. Better Together, Jack Johnson

3. All Of Me, John Legend

4. How Long Will I Love You, Ellie Goulding

5. Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Stevie Wonder

6. Don't Stop Believing, Vitamin String Quartet (originally Journey)

7. Beautiful Day, U2

8. This Will Be (An Everlasting Love), Natalie Cole

9. Clocks, Coldplay

10. Love On Top, Beyonce

11. At Last, Etta James

12. Walking On Sunshine, Katrina & The Waves

13. (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher, Jackie Wilson

14. You Raise Me Up, Westlife

15. Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Franki Valli and the Four Seasons

16. All You Need Is Love, The Beatles

17. Everyday, Buddy Holly

18. Greatest Love Of All, Whitney Houston

19. Just The Way You Are, Bruno Mars

20. We Found Love, Boyce Avenue piano acoustic (originally Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris)