Reception Music - The First Dance

Ah the ever important first dance song. For some this could be a very easy choice if you have "your song." For us it isn't as easy, we don't have A song per say we have LOTS of songs! How to choose, how to choose...

Here are some of my personal favorite song choices for the first dance:

Someone Like You - Van Morrison
That's How Strong My Love Is - Otis Redding
I'm in Love - Wilson Pickett
You Send Me - Sam Cooke
Crazy Love - Van Morrison (sorry to be repetitive but we love Van Morrison)
Have a Little Faith in Me - Joe Cocker

Here are some other good choices:

It Feels Like Home - Chantal Kreviazuk
The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson
First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes
Here Comes the Sun - Nina Simone
Northern Sky -Nick Drake
Heavenly Day - Patti Griffin (my fiance would never go for this but it is such a pretty song, listen above.)

Please share what you picked for your first dance song!

Ceremony Music - The Recessional

Finally, my favorite part, the recessional! The recessional is the song played right after the bride and groom kiss and as they walk back down the aisle. This song should be celebratory and upbeat. According to the Knot guide, it "should reflect the giddiness of your just-marriedness and get guests revved up for the celebration to follow."

Some great, fun picks for the recessional:

Loving You is Sweeter Than Ever - The Four Tops
Happy Together - The Turtles
Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Stevie Wonder
For Once in My Life - Stevie Wonder
Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher - Jackie Wilson
How Sweet it Is (To Be Loved by You) - Marvin Gaye or James Taylor

I think a top contender for us is That's Why by Jackie Wilson (posted above).

Up next, the first dance!

Ceremony Music - The Processional

The processional is played as the bridal party and then the bride walk down the aisle. The Knot guide suggests this music be "monumental and bold." I personally think it should be more sentimental and meaningful but still with a beat people can walk to. Mozart's Wedding March and Pachellbel's Canon in D are the obvious traditional choices.

Want something a little more contemporary? Try these:

Can't Help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley
She's Got a Way - Billy Joel
I Will - Alison Krauss
All You Need is Love - The Beatles (ever seen the movie Love Actually?)
By Your Side - Sade
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
More Than Anyone - Gavin DeGraw
God Bless the Broken Road - Rascal Flatts (I'm not a huge country fan but I actually kind of like this song, I like the duet with Carrie Underwood)

You can either choose to switch up the song for the bride's entrance/walk down the aisle or perhaps pick a dramatic point in the same song. We are thinking maybe God Only Knows by the Beach Boys for the bridal party and then You are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker for me, instrumental versions of both.

Are you going contemporary or traditional for your processional?

Ceremony Music - The Prelude

I have some tips on ceremony music from my Knot Complete Guide to Weddings and my Knot Guide to Wedding Vows and Traditions (I got them as a package for only $20 or so on Amazon) that I thought I would share.

The prelude is the music played before the ceremony begins and should start as soon as the doors to your ceremony site open. This music is one of the guests first impressions of your wedding and therefore you should set a mood or a theme. You should plan for about ten to twenty minutes of music. The book has lists for classical/traditional or contemporary.

Some songs I kind of like for the prelude:

Crazy Love - Van Morrison
Falling Slowly - Glen Hansard, Once Soundtrack
Sea of Love - Cat Power
Maybe I'm Amazed - Jem
In My Life - The Beatles
Twenty Two Fourteen - The Album Leaf
Songbird - Eva Cassidy
Ben Folds - The Luckiest

Our ceremony site has an amazing organ so we would maybe like to use that. I am just not sure how many songs you can play on an organ that are not super traditional.

Please Don't Stop the Music

Like many other couples, we are just planning to load up our iPod with songs and then have a friend supervise. Our venue doesn't allow a band or DJ to play on the front porch (due to the historic art glass) and we decided against a tent, so iPod was really the only option. And hey it is practically free!

We haven't made a complete song list but I will be posting some of my favorites.

Have a nice long weekend and good luck to Chitown Bride who is getting married this weekend!